Disappointment
as Inspiration
When
I began writing Pulse and Prejudice: The
Confession of Mr. Darcy, Vampire, I had no intention of writing a sequel.
By the end, however, I had no choice. Toni Morrison once said, “If there's a
book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write
it.” Essentially, my daughter said the same thing to me when I complained that
I could not find a true vampire adaptation of my beloved Pride and Prejudice, although Miss Austen’s work had been reworked
into dozens of variations, some even involving vampires. I found them all
so…disappointing. I wasn’t looking for a “mash-up” as in that zombie atrocity, or
a sequel that reveals Mr. Darcy as a vampire after he and Elizabeth had
married, or some mistitled variation that veers off on its own vampire plot
before revealing that Darcy is not a vampire at all, has little desire, and
shares no characteristics with Miss Austen’s character but the name! I wanted
to read a paranormal adaptation that remained faithful to Austen, to Darcy and
Elizabeth, and to Pride and Prejudice. Oh, and I wanted a few naughty bits as well—a
peek at the passion, lust, and desire that simmers just under the surface in
the original. (I suppose I should mention that she is an adult and lives in
Manhattan lest you think I am discussing scenes of a sensual nature with a
fifth grader!)
Therefore,
I took my daughter’s—and Ms. Morrison’s—advice and wrote a stand-alone
adaptation of the original but primarily from Mr. Darcy’s point of view as if
Jane Austen had always conceived his character as a vampire and had simply not
revealed it to the reader. Because Miss Austen had written so little of Mr.
Darcy other than hints about his character (and where she did, I included those
in my narrative so no one would need to be familiar with the original in order
to enjoy my adaptation), I had plenty of room to create the world of Mr. Darcy,
vampire.
By
the time I typed “The End,” however, I knew I had to write Book II: Dearest Bloodiest Elizabeth. Why?
Because my daughter insisted! I will not spoil it for you, but there is one
detail of my adaptation that my daughter found…disappointing. Thus, I wrote out a detailed plot for a sequel,
submitted it for her approval, and then began researching and writing the book
SHE wanted to read.
With
Dearest Bloodiest Elizabeth, as I was
not adapting another author’s work, I possessed complete creative freedom.
Hence, it is much darker, bloodier, and sexier than its predecessor. I still
maintain complete historical accuracy as the vampire Darcy and his new bride
Elizabeth travel to New Orleans immediately after the War of 1812, except of
course the paranormal elements.
Yet who’s to say? Perhaps vampires do roam
through the streets and alleys of the French Quarter.
Dearest
Bloodiest Elizabeth
The
Confession of Mr. Darcy, Vampire
Book
II
Colette
L. Saucier
Genre: Historical paranormal romance
Publisher: Southern Girl Press
Date of Publication: eBook August
8, 2016;
Date of Publication: print
October, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-9969974-0-9
ISBN: 978-0-9863718-8-2
ASIN: B01K3DP652
Word Count: 80,000
Cover Artist: Dawné Dominique
Book Description:
The Confession of Mr. Darcy,
Vampire
Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy - elegant,
dark, brooding...vampire. In Pulse and Prejudice, the definitive vampire
adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic, the Master of Pemberley reveals his
haunting tale of unquenchable desire and forbidden love.
His story continues in Dearest
Bloodiest Elizabeth, the lurid, lusty sequel to Pulse and Prejudice, as death
shadows the newlywed Darcys from Pemberley to the parlors of Regency London to
the courtyards of Antebellum New Orleans.
As Elizabeth discovers the trials and travails of marriage to a vampire,
can Darcy ever believe that she loves him as he is? Or will his jealousy tear them apart?
Note:
Pulse and Prejudice is not “fan fiction”
but a complete stand-alone adaptation. No prior knowledge of Pride and
Prejudice is required for full enjoyment of this remarkable novel.
On Sale Throughout October for $2.99
Also Available Book I
PULSE AND PREJUDICE
Excerpt:
Crimson drops
fell onto the white snow, staining it pink.
Darcy had not
intended this—to drink from his wife—when he claimed his prize of a kiss after
catching her as they raced through the hedge maze at Pemberley. Elizabeth had
actually done surprisingly well in evading him, considering his intuitive
abilities; but, of course, he caught her—laughing in his arms, eyes ablaze,
cheeks chafed from the cold.
“And now my
prize!” As had so often occurred in the span of their brief marriage, his
tender kiss had escalated quickly into fervent ardour. The laughter then in her
eyes, his wife had taken hold of the lapels of his greatcoat and, falling back
onto the snow, pulled him down with her. As their kisses deepened, so, too, had
his hunger and desire. He pulled off his gloves and trailed his cold fingers
down her face. Untying her bonnet and unfastening her cape, he exposed her neck
for his lips and his teeth.
She moaned
softly as he drew the blood from her throat, sharing her warmth and her pulse,
savouring the rich, metallic taste. He pulled back to watch her, only then
noticing that a few precious drops of lifeblood had escaped his embrace and
fallen onto the snow.
“William,” she
whispered in a half-plea, her hand running over the front of his trousers to
convey her intent.
He gazed into
her eyes. “Should we not go in? Are not you cold?”
“Cover me to
keep me warm.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth onto
hers, sharing the taste of her blood as their tongues intertwined.
Darcy pulled at
her skirts and brought the hem to her knees. He reached his hand up between her
cold thighs to the hot core that drew him in. She gasped against his mouth as
he touched her there, but he wasted little time in freeing himself from his
trousers and thrusting deep within her.
About
the Author:
Colette Saucier began writing
poems, short stories, and novellas in grade school. Her interest in literature
led her to marry her college English professor, but eventually a love of
history encouraged her to trade up to a British historian.
Technical writing dominated her
career for twenty years, but finding little room for creativity in that genre,
she is now a full-time author of fiction.
Pulse and Prejudice was named “A
Most Inventive Adaptation” by Elle Magazine (April, 2016). It was the 1st Place
Winner in its category in the 2013 Chatelaine Awards Romantic Fiction Contest
and is listed in Chanticleer’s 2013 Best Book Listing. Colette dedicated 15
months traveling to Europe and Britain, researching Regency England and vampire
lore and literature, to complete for historical accuracy. It remains faithful
to nineteenth century literary conventions and Jane Austen’s narrative to
create a compelling, thrilling paranormal adaptation.
Colette was selected a “2013
Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award” Semi-finalist and named “Debut Author of the
Year” by Austenprose for All My Tomorrows—now expanded and republished as The
Proud and the Prejudiced—which was also chosen Austenesque Reviews “Favorite
Modern Adaptation” 2013.
Colette’s romantic thriller
Alicia’s Possession was the publisher’s #1 Bestselling Romantic Suspense for 4
straight weeks following its debut in June of 2013 and then again in January,
2014, after being voted a “Top Ten Romance Novel of 2013” (P&E Reader’s
Poll). Colette is also the author of the controversial and erotic noir romantic
suspense The Widow, an Amazon bestselling new release and Kobo bestseller.
Colette’s latest novel—Book II:
The Confession of Mr. Darcy, Vampire—entitled Dearest Bloodiest Elizabeth,
follows the newlywed Vampire Darcy and his bride Elizabeth from Britain to
Antebellum New Orleans. Due to her devotion to historical accuracy, she spent
two years researching Creole Society and Nouvelle Orleans in the years
following the War of 1812.
A bestselling and award-winning
author under multiple pseudonyms, she is currently working on multiple projects
including a parody of Wuthering Heights and a children’s book based on the
inspiration for the dog Amadeus from Pulse and Prejudice and Dearest Bloodiest
Elizabeth.
Colette lives in a lakeside
community in South Louisiana with her historian husband and their two dogs.
Posts
6 comments:
I am going to have to read the first one again now
Hi Vesper!
For readers of the sequel, many are saying they have to go back and read PULSE & PREJUDICE again!
Good luck, and thanks for stopping by!
Colette
Loved the first one, and I know the sequel will be even better! Thanks for a chance to win a copy!
Oh yay! I didn't know this one was finished. I'm glad! I'm gonna have to do a re-read of Pulse & Prej and then jump into DBE. :)
Good luck to both of you in the Giveaway!
I'm so pleased that you both enjoyed Pulse and Prejudice! I hope you will enjoy the sequel, although it is much darker, sexier, and bloodier!
Thanks for the excerpt, the book sounds great and I can't wait to read.
Post a Comment