It’s release day for Riana Everly’s latest Pride and Prejudice variation, Through a Different Lens, and I’ve invited her here today to talk about the inspiration for her unique take on Mr. Darcy. Please give her a warm welcome!
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I am thrilled to be releasing my third novel today, and am equally thrilled to be celebrating here at Diary of an Eccentric. Thanks, Anna, for hosting me.
My new release, Through a Different Lens, takes a slightly different view of Mr. Darcy. What if, rather than merely being aloof or shy or unreasonably proud, he has something else going on, a neurological difference that makes social interactions extremely challenging for him? In short, what if Mr. Darcy is on the autism spectrum?
My inspiration for this question that spawned a novel came from the pen of Jane Austen herself. In Pride and Prejudice, Darcy excuses his unsociable behaviour by telling Elizabeth, “I certainly have not the talent which some people possess of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done.”
Many, many years ago I did some work for a charity that helped kids on the autism spectrum, and I have a son who flirts with the edges of Asperger’s Syndrome (now classified as a type of “high-functioning” autism). Consequently, I’ve done a fair bit of reading and research, and Darcy’s words leapt out at me. These are exactly the things that someone with Asperger’s would find challenging: tone of voice, facial expressions, reading between the lines, feigning interest where there is none—these subtle cues that are so much a part of “normal” interactions and which can be all but incomprehensible to someone whose brain works differently.
I started with a single scene, just to write out what I imagined would happen if Lizzy had the same idea that I had. What if she had other experiences with somebody on the autism spectrum, a young cousin perhaps? What if she understood a little more than might be expected? In a world long before autism was identified as a “thing,” where there were no supports or therapies or awareness of such neurological differences, there was nothing left but personal experience and compassion to help people on the spectrum manage in a society that didn’t really understand them.
I happened to mention this idea of mine to a friend and fellow JAFF author who also has a child on the spectrum. She commented that she had wondered the same thing, and after some wonderful discussion, I sent her my scene. She read it and immediately said, “Finish the story!”
And so I did, and this is the result.
Here is an excerpt from Through a Different Lens.
“I am,” stated the grave gentleman as he stood so awkwardly by the pianoforte, “ill qualified to recommend myself to strangers.”
Elizabeth heard these words somewhat distractedly, as she perused the selection of music being placed before her by the colonel, his friendly eyes matched by an engaging grin. Still, something in the more serious man’s demeanour caught her attention. She had never liked him, but she had always found herself fascinated by him. She sat up a little straighter and listened as Fitzwilliam Darcy continued to explain himself. He spoke, as always, formally, somewhat stiffly, as if acting the part of himself in the grand production of his life.
“I certainly have not the talent which some people possess,” said he, “of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done.”
Suddenly, with these words, Elizabeth felt her world shift slightly. With every syllable that haughty man uttered, isolated facets to his perplexing character seemed to realign themselves and come into focus. She stared at him as if seeing him for the first time. He cleared his throat and stepped back an inch, standing quite still and averting his eyes from her curious gaze. A flood of recollections and half-formed ideas cascaded through her consciousness. She stared up again at the stiff and serious man half hiding in the shadows, wondering if her suppositions might be correct.
“Miss Bennet?” the genial colonel sounded concerned. “Are you well?”
Realising she had been distracted most grievously from her supposed task of selecting music, she uttered a rushed apology. “Indeed, very well, Colonel Fitzwilliam. Forgive my wandering mind, please. I have no excuse but that your cousin, Mr. Darcy, suddenly reminded me of somebody I know, and at that realisation, you might have knocked me down with a feather, it was so surprising.”
The man under discussion drew closer, edging towards the pianoforte where the two were conversing with such easy repartee. “Knocked you down with a feather?” he asked in some confusion, “How could that possibly be? While you are by no means a large woman, your weight most certainly surpasses that of a bird’s plumage, even that of an ostrich or a peacock. To knock you down would surely take something much more substantial than a mere feather!”
Exchanging an understanding smile with the colonel, Elizabeth replied evenly, “It is an expression, sir, meaning to surprise greatly. Is this, may I ask, but one example of why you feel discomfort joining others’ conversations?”
The man nodded. “Indeed it is so. I seem, always, to miss the meaning of what is being said. Not everybody is as compassionate as you, to explain the nuances I do not catch.”
Thank you, Riana, for sharing your inspiration and excerpt. I’m looking forward to exploring this different take on Darcy. Congratulations on your new release!
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About Through a Different Lens
A tale of second glances and second chances
Elizabeth Bennet has disliked the aloof and arrogant Mr. Darcy since he insulted her at a village dance several months before. But an unexpected conversation with a startling turn of phrase suddenly causes her to reassess everything she thought she knew about the infuriating and humourless gentleman.
Elizabeth knows something of people who think differently. Her young cousin in London has always been different from his siblings and peers, and Lizzy sees something of this boy’s unusual traits in the stern gentleman from Derbyshire whose presence has plagued her for so long. She approaches him in friendship and the two begin a tentative association. But is Lizzy’s new understanding of Mr. Darcy accurate? Or was she right the first time? And will the unwelcome appearance of a nemesis from the past destroy any hopes they might have of happiness?
Warning: This variation of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice depicts our hero as having a neurological difference. If you need your hero to be perfect, this might not be the book for you. But if you like adorable children, annoying birds, and wonderful dogs, and are open to a character who struggles to make his way in a world he does not quite comprehend, with a heroine who can see the man behind his challenges, and who celebrates his strengths while supporting his weaknesses, then read on! You, too, can learn what wonders can be found when we see the familiar through a different lens.
This is a full-length novel of about 100,000 words.
Buy on Amazon
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About the Author
Riana Everly was born in South Africa, but has called Canada home since she was eight years old. She has a Master’s degree in Medieval Studies and is trained as a classical musician, specialising in Baroque and early Classical music. She first encountered Jane Austen when her father handed her a copy of Emma at age 11, and has never looked back.
Riana now lives in Toronto with her family. When she is not writing, she can often be found playing string quartets with friends, biking around the beautiful province of Ontario with her husband, trying to improve her photography, thinking about what to make for dinner, and, of course, reading!
Riana’s second novel, The Assistant, was awarded the Jane Austen Award by Jane Austen Readers’ Awards, and her debut novel, Teaching Eliza, was listed on a list of 2017 Favourite Books on the blog Savvy Verse & Wit. For both of these honours, she is delighted and very proud!
You can follow Riana’s blog, and join her on Facebook and Twitter. She loves meeting readers!
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Giveaway
Riana is generously offering five copies of Through a Different Lens to readers world-wide as part of the blog tour! Just sign up through this Rafflecopter link to enter.
If you prefer not to use Rafflecopter, send Riana an email message (riana.everly@gmail.com) or leave a note on her Facebook page, and she’ll add you to the list for the draw.
Entries close at midnight Eastern time (GMT-5) on February 10, 2019, so the winners have something to read on Valentine’s Day. Good luck!
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Jan 21 ~ Diary of an Eccentric
Jan 22 ~ Author takeover at Historical Reads and Research with Leila Snow
Jan 23 ~ Rose Fairbanks
Jan 24 ~ Interests of a Jane Austen Girl
Jan 25 ~ Babblings of a Bookworm
Jan 28 ~ So Little Time…So Much to Read
Jan 29 ~ My Love for Jane Austen
Jan 31 ~ Half Agony, Half Hope
Feb 5 ~ From Pemberley to Milton
Feb 6 ~ More Agreeably Engaged
Feb 8 ~ Austenesque Reviews
I love this excerpt and am looking forward to reading this book. I love my Darcy anyway he comes (apart from cruel and uncaring!)
I like the fact that Elizabeth recognises his problem and is willing to help him and I hope that the people around them don’t manage to come between them.
I won’t be entering the draw as firstly I don’t like Rafflecopter and secondly, living in the UK I’m unable to accept gift books from the American Amazon site any longer. But no worries as I intend to buy this soon.
Thank you for sharing the reasons behind this book and more about it.
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I know not everyone likes Rafflecopter, and if you have any alternatives you prefer to use, I’d love to hear about them! If you do want to participate in the draw, you can email me a contact email address. I send books directly to winners as well. I also can’t get gift books from American Amazon, so i feel your pain!
I do hope you enjoy the story. I had a great time getting to know this Darcy, and watching as Lizzy got to know him as well. She still has her blinders on, but a bit of her prejudice has been shaken.
Thanks for responding!
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A lovely excerpt showing a different side to Darcy – though I am still not a fan
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I understand that. I thought about this for a very long time, realizing that many people want their heroes to meet certain standards. It’s very reasonable expectation, and I put a warning on my blurb so that people wouldn’t be caught off guard.
This Darcy is who he is, but he’s still a sweetheart in his soul. If you do give it a try, let me know what you think at the end. You don’t have to love it. I’m perfectly okay with that! 😀
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What wonderful insight into Darcy! It will be interesting to see how Elizabeth now responds to him. I guess we can now view his rejected Huntsford proposal in a very different light as he certainly did not know Elizabeth’s dislike of him. Thank you for the excerpt and generous giveaway.
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Yes – the proposal takes a rather different turn, and more so, Lizzy’s reaction to it. Good luck in the giveaway!
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This looks like another great book with a difficult topic. Thanks for exploring this, and thanks for the giveaway.
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I tried not to make Darcy an autistic character, but rather a character who happens to have autism, if that makes any sense. It was a challenge and a privilege to try to see the world from his perspective.
Good luck in the giveaway!
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What a cover. That is simply amazing. It so fits a picture of our Darcy. Thanks to Anna for hosting this stop on the blog tour. Congratulations to Riana on the launch of her hard work. Blessings in its success and thank you and your publisher for the generous giveaway. I have this book on my wish-list and have my fingers crossed in hopes I will win. Thank you for this venue to help people understand our friends on the spectrum and how they look at and understand the world around them. This will bring more understanding to the populace than reading medical treatises. Thank you.
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I’m so thrilled you like the cover. I found the image – it’s a detail from a painting by Richard Tennant Cooper of Henry Hill Hickman, housed at the Wellcome Library, London – but the magic that went into putting the cover together belongs to Mae Phillips, whose covers are just lovely.
I didn’t intend this book to have a MESSAGE, but if someone reads it and then takes a second glance when meeting someone on the spectrum, well, I won’t complain!
Good luck in the giveaway.
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I very much enjoyed Teaching Eliza and look forward to your latest Through a Different Lens. As a former teacher, I encountered many students on the spectrum and it does take patience and understanding to reach them. I applaud your efforts to introduce this new look at Darcy’s behavior.
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Later on the book, we’ll meet Lizzy’s young cousin Samuel, who is definitely on the spectrum and has needed a lot of help. Luckily he has a wonderful and understanding governess and a cousin who adores him. Of course, Lizzy’s work with Sammy gives her that little bit of insight into understanding Darcy.
Thanks for your kind words about Teaching Eliza, and I hope you love this one too.
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I love the excerpt and this take on Mr. Darcy. Congrats on the release and thank you for the chance to win a copy of the book.
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Thank you! Good luck on the giveaway, and I hope you enjoy the book.
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I read this on BeyondAusten and loved it. I counted it as my first JAFF book read this year but didn’t post a review as I read that it was to soon be published. I highly recommend it. Good luck to the author in releasing this book. I won love to win a copy even though I read it as a WIP.
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I’m so glad you enjoyed it! That’s what makes my heart sing. ❤
Good luck in the draw.
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This sounds fascinating. I have read a book called So Odd a Mixture about different characters being on the autism spectrum. And comparing their traits to this. It is an nteresting work. I am looking forward to reading this book. I loved the excerpt. Thank you for the generous give away.
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I know I’m not the first to suppose this about Darcy. I really do think it’s there in Austen’s own prose. I just exaggerated the traits a bit. I should probably add So Odd a Mixture to my reading list.
I hope you enjoy my take on Mr. Darcy. Good luck in the draw!
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My copy appeared on my Kindle this morning. I am so looking forward to reading this ‘new perspective’ with great anticipation. I absolutely loved ‘The Assistant’, so I knew I had to get it. Once I am done the book I am currently reading, I will begin this one. Congratulations!
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Thank you so much! ❤ I do hope you love it.
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This sounds interesting
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I have to think that JA herself knew someone with “high-functioning” autism from how she wrote Darcy. I know we have very little about him from the text, but to me, it all fits.
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The character reminds me of Sheldon who took everything said literally.
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Yes! It’s just a completely different way of understanding the world, isn’t it?
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I am one of these readers who like Darcy close to perfect. But your story sounds so good, I need to read it. As perfect as I like Darcy to be, I still want him to be human.
Congratulations. And I love covers of all of your books. They are beautiful.
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I understand exactly how you feel. We read for the pleasure and escapism of it all. I dislike stories that include descriptive accounts of abuse or the horrible disparity between the classes, although I know they were there. It’s not unreasonable to want a hero who is practically perfect in every way.
If you give this a try, though, I hope you’ll find my Darcy is really perfect in his own way. He has his challenges, to be sure, but he has amazing strengths as well.
And thanks for your comment about the covers. I just love my cover artist, Mae Phillips, and the work she does.
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Reblogged this on Riana Everly, Author.
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Riana has posted the winners from the Rafflecopter giveaway:
Susanne Barrett
Alisha Merrill
Heather y
KateB
Patricia Lima
Congrats to the winners!
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