Guest Blogger & Contest with THE THREE COLONELS:JANE AUSTEN'S FIGHTING MEN's Author, Jack Caldwell

I am so excited that you are visiting RCJR eZine blog today.

Thank you so much.

I have been addicted to Jane Austin’s classic stories. I always believed there was more to the story for Buford, Fitzwilliam, and Brandon. I proclaim proudly that I am a desperate romantic and curious by nature. THE THREE COLONELS – Jane Austen’s Fighting Men is another wonderful adaptation of Jane Austin’s work, so I am curious to know why you chose these three colonels and their loves.

The reason I wrote the book was to send Jane Austen’s fighting men to war. During Austen’s lifetime, England was in near-constant conflict with France. Waterloo falls conveniently right after the publication of Pride and Prejudice. It was logical that any sequel to P&P would have Colonel Fitzwilliam fighting Napoleon. That’s the first colonel.

The other great colonel in Austen’s canon is Colonel Brandon. I’ve always thought that Austen’s characters lived in the same universe, and in fact knew each other, so I had no qualms about using him. I had to tweak Brandon’s career a bit so he would fit into my universe, however. There’s the second colonel.

Since the book is called THE THREE COLONELS, I needed another one. I made up Colonel Sir John Buford. He’s Caroline’s love interest, so I made him a “Dark Darcy”—handsome, intelligent, brave, and yet a rake. A damaged man for a damaged woman.

Why three colonels? Why not?

As for the ladies, Marianne Brandon is married to Brandon, so that’s kind of obvious. Fitzwilliam needed a love interest, and I’ve always thought Anne de Bourgh would do nicely, as long as she recovered from her illness.

Caroline Bingley is controversial. Many Austen fans hate her as the stereotypical “Regency mean girl.” I think she gets a bad rap. Sure, she says some unkind things about and to Elizabeth Bennet, and she tries to stop her brother from marrying Jane Bennet, but she’s not a demon. Austen herself, at the end of P&P, says, “Miss Bingley was very deeply mortified by Darcy's marriage; but as she thought it advisable to retain the right of visiting at Pemberley, she dropt all her resentment; was fonder than ever of Georgiana, almost as attentive to Darcy as heretofore, and paid off every arrear of civility to Elizabeth.” Austen’s wit notwithstanding, I think she left an opportunity there for Caroline’s reformation.

This is the heart of the book, along with Fitzwilliam’s and Anne’s romance, and the Brandons’ devotion to each other.

You are writing a story using epic and beloved characters that, over the years, readers have invested their heart and soul in. Did you feel a writer’s responsibility in keeping the characters as true to what Austen wrote? Or were you able to set that aside to interpret Austen’s world to create a bold and endearing story on your own?

Jane Austen’s characters belong to her, and it is incumbent for any author that dares use her characters to stay as true to her vision as possible. Austen’s vision is in her novels, NOT in the film adaptations, by the way. I spent a lot of time reading and re-reading Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. That was vitally important for fully-fleshed out main figures, like Colonel and Marianne Brandon, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr. Collins, and (of course) the Darcys.

Using Austen’s minor characters gives an author more freedom. Austen actually wrote very little about Colonel Fitzwilliam, Anne de Bourgh, and Lt. Denny. One can do most anything with them, as long as you stay within the spirit of Austen.

Mary Bennet and Caroline Bingley fall somewhere in the middle. We know how they acted in Austen’s novel, but we really don’t know them. They can change and grow, unlike Wickham, who is a coward through and through.

Before you go, I’m curious to know in writing THE THREE COLONELS if there was one scene more difficult to write than any other.

Not really. The book was a labor of love. I suppose the scene that gave me the most trouble was the confrontation between Marianne and John Willoughby. I had to re-write it several times to get Willoughby right. I hope the readers are happy with the result.

Staying with the previous theme, was there a scene that jumped out that you cannot wait for your readers to read?

I’m very proud of the Waterloo section, but I think the readers will really enjoy a scene early in the book. During Caroline’s engagement ball, the newly-reformed Miss Bingley defends her new friend, Marianne Brandon, from a hateful former acquaintance by “letting her inner witch free.” The fireworks are great!

About the Author - Jack Caldwell is an author, amateur historian, professional economic developer, playwright, and like many Cajuns, a darn good cook. Born and raised in the Bayou County of Louisiana, Jack and his wife, Barbara, are Hurricane Katrina victims who now make the upper Midwest their home.

His nickname—The Cajun Cheesehead—came from his devotion to his two favorite NFL teams: the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers. (Every now and then, Jack has to play the DVD again to make sure the Saints really won in 2010.)

Always a history buff, Jack found and fell in love with Jane Austen in his twenties, struck by her innate understanding of the human condition. Jack uses his work to share his knowledge of history. Through his characters, he hopes the reader gains a better understanding of what went on before, developing an appreciation for our ancestors' trials and tribulations.

When not writing or traveling with Barbara, Jack attempts to play golf. A devout convert to Roman Catholicism, Jack is married with three grown sons.

Jack's blog postings—The Cajun Cheesehead Chronicles—appear regularly at Austen Authors.

Web site – Ramblings of a Cajun in Exile – http://webpages.charter.net/jvcla25/

Blog – Austen Authors – http://austenauthors.net/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jack-Caldwell-author/132047236805555

Product Details

• ISBN-13: 9781402259739
• Publisher: Sourcebooks, Incorporated
• Publication date: 3/1/2012
• Pages: 384
• Order

Overview

THE WORLD OF PRIDE & PREJUDICE AND SENSE & SENSIBILITY MERGE IN THIS ONE—OF—A—KIND CONTINUATION OF BOTH BELOVED JANE AUSTEN TALES.

Love reigns supreme for Colonels Buford, Fitzwilliam, and Brandon as our brave fighting men are enjoying their courtships and early married lives with three beloved Austen heroines. The couples lead tranquil loves-until Napoleon escapes from exile.

As the colonels set out to meet their destinies on the fields of Waterloo, Anne, Caroline, and Marianne defend their hearts against the fear of losing their loved ones forever.

From the serenity of Regency England to the scandal and intrigue of the Congress of Vienna, three gentleman live, love, fight, and defend their country from Napoleon's voracious ambition.

~ CONTEST~

RCJR is proud to present a a fabulous new author that I know you will come to love. Author Jack Caldwell has stopped by to talk about his fantastic new release, THE THREE COLONELS: Jane Austen's fighting Men, which released earlier this month  through Sourcebooks Incorporated.

THE PRIZE: Two (2)  copies of THE THREE COLONELS are up for grabs.

To enter: Please leave a comment for Jack Caldwell including your email address.

*Connect with RCJR eZine at:

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Contest is open to ALL

It will runs until April 1,, 2012

I will contact the winners directly on April 2, 2012

HAPPY READING! =)