Interview with Heather Lynn Riguard and Review of Fitzwilliam Darcy Rock Star

It is my pleasure to welcome my guest today, Heather Lynn Riguard. She has taken the time from her busy schedule to answer some questions about her book and herself. Please help make her welcome.

1- How did Fitzwilliam Darcy Rock Star come to be?

 

FDRS was written and posted as a serial to a Jane Austen Fan Fiction board called the Hyacinth Gardens. It was originally titled Slurry, after Darcy's band.

As for why Rock Stars? I wanted to do a modern version of Pride and Prejudice, and I wanted to maintain the class difference between Darcy, Elizabeth, and everyone else. There are already plenty of stories with Darcy as a CEO, so I wanted something original and different. It occurred to me that fame separates people from the everyday, and sometimes, but not always, fame comes from talent. So from there I was inspired by a song that was so perfectly Darcy, that I knew I had to write my story with Rock Stars.

2- There are so many remakes of Pride and Prejudice out there, what is the appeal for this interest in Eliz and Darcy?

Elizabeth and Darcy are perfect characters: Elizabeth is very smart but not the prettiest, and I think that's something everyone can relate too. We've all felt like that. And we can relate to Elizabeth emotions, even if most women aren't trying to win a rich husband so their mothers and sisters won't be thrown out into the street. We've all had our pride stung by a rude remark. We've all been embarrassed by something our family or companions have done. We've all felt like we were wronged when something was done against us, or someone we love. We've all been ashamed when we've found something we thought we knew was wrong. She's all of us. She's sparkling, she's fun, she's fearless. She always has a quick remark in any situation- why wouldn't we want to be Elizabeth

As for Darcy, he's the perfect man. He's wealthy, he's handsome, he's passionate, he's protective. And we watch him, over the course of the book, get broken down and remade. He's a proud man who's made humble. That's pretty irresistible.

3- I love the book cover on your book. Who designed it for you and did you have any input?

I love the cover too. It was designed by the art department of my publisher Sourcebooks. I had very little input- they ask you to fill about a form listing the physical characteristics of your hero/heroine and that's pretty much it.

I do know it's the third cover they did, because back in January they had a survey of 'Vote for your favorite cover' between two different ones, and neither of them were the final one.

4- How long have you been writing and do you do it full time?

I've been writing for about 10 yrs. When I'm working on a story, I'm going pretty much around the clock. There are many days were my family has to fend for itself for dinner. But when a book's done, I'll take a break and not write at all for months. So I'm kind of either completely on or completely off.

5- Who or what has had the most influence on your writing?

It's hard for me to answer this fully, because I'm something of a sponge, and I'll soak up anything I'm exposed to that I find interesting from books to music to movies to conversations I overhear at the mall. But the obvious answer is Jane Austen. The less obvious answer is Jennifer Crusie who's an excellent modern fiction writer who also takes a great bit from Austen, but is a little more sneaky about it.

6- Who is your favorite author and why?

Has to be Austen. I admire her for her talent. For the way she can convey something so completely with just a turn of phrase. For her devastating wit that could fillet a man without him even knowing it. She's my hero. And I always have one of her books on my bedside table.

7- Did you have to do any particular research while writing your book? If so, what?

Oh goodness! Did I? I worked with professional stage lighter to get details about the concerts right. I worked with a professional movie maker to get the video shoot details right. I watched documentaries of concert tours to get the pacing correct. I consulted with a couple lawyers to get the legal aspects right. I spoke with addiction counselors and with security experts and with professional musicians and many, many more. It was kind of crazy, but I wanted things to be true and right.

8- Do you have any WIP? If so, can you tell us anything about them?

I'm working on another modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, this one set in a medieval recreation society. (I know, sounds nuts, but so does rock stars) I'm also in the early stages of an adaptation of Northanger Abbey, which I think is really timely, because Austen's heroine was obsessed with Gothic novels, which really translate well into Young Adult Paranormal romances. And I've got an original work that's a para-normal romance cooking in the back of my head.

Thank you Eva for having me here today. I'm looking forward to comments from your readers and I'll be around to answer questions.

Review of Fitzwilliam Darcy Rock Star

Fitzwilliam Darcy Rock Star

Heather Lynn Rigaud

Sourcebooks 2011

ISBN 9781402257810

   Fast music and wild reputations have made Fitzwilliam Darcy's band Slurry into rock's newest bad boy band. Unfortunately, they have lost another opening act and their summer tour may just be on the fast track to disaster. They need to find another act fast before the tour goes down the tubes.

   Enter, Elizabeth Bennett and her all girl band, Long Borne Suffering. Elizabeth, her sister Jane, and friend Charlotte Lucas, jump at the chance to accompany Slurry on their summer tour. None of them are prepared for the trails and tribulations of what lies ahead.

   The story starts out a little slow with a rather lengthy prologue involving an interview on Inside the Music. Once we get past that the story starts to take shape with the audition of Long Borne Suffering. The story progresses into the life of the bands while on their summer tour and breaks. It takes on the daily grind, along with the disagreements between the various members of the bands. Of course, no journey of the band would be complete without the sex, romance and drugs.

   All in all this was a great story. The one thing that interested me about all of the main players in this book, they were all rather dysfunctional. All of the band members had some real issues that they were facing as individuals. You had Eliz and Darcy who had control issues. Charles was not being truthful with Jane and she was a bit insecure. Richard has addiction issues and Charlotte is destroying herself by loving someone who is unable to commit to one person. That is all I will say because I don't want to spoil the story for anyone. I recommend you read it for yourself. If you like a good story about love, romance and rock and roll, this is the story for you. Warning: This story does contain adult content and has lots of sex.

   I wish to thank Sourcebooks for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. I was not compensated in anyway except for receiving the book to read.

I give Fitzwilliam Darcy Rock Star 4 out of 5 stars