Author Q&A: Heather Lynn Rigaud (Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star)

I am a huge Pride & Prejudice fan and enjoy reading the different retellings of this classic story. When I saw that there was a new one coming out that had Darcy as a rock star I just had to read it! Fitzwilliam Darcy by Heather Lynn Rigaud takes this classic retelling and puts a modern twist to it. I also jumped at the chance to interview the author to find out more about this book.

Hi Heather and welcome to Hanging With Bells! Tell us a little about yourself?


Well, like most people, I'm pretty average in most things, with a few outliers of interesting or weird. I'm a wife and mother of two teenaged boys. And I have a whole bunch of different hobbies, which could all be linked to my love of history. I write, I sew, I read, I knit, I quilt, I read, I listen to music, I make soap and I read.

Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rockstar is a re-telling of Jane Austen's classic book Pride & Prejudice. What made you want to do a retelling and what is it about your book that is so different than the others that have been written?

After I found and fell in love with Austen's works, I (like many people) wanted more time with her stories and her characters. So I discovered the JA fan fiction community online and there was really happy to share my love of all things JA. Those stories inspired me to try writing my own, and the rest is history.

I don't feel my story is all that different from the other modern re-tellings. In fact, I'm absolutely delighted when it's compared to works like Sara Angelini's The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy. However, I will own that the Rock Star element is a bit unusual.

I've read your book and I have to tell you that the one thing that I enjoyed most about it is that the characters were very much like the ones that we have grown to love. For instance your Darcy is moody, when is he not, and has issues with his celebrity due to him being a rockstar. The original Darcy had the same issues with his celebrity because of his wealth. Due to the modern setting of your book, how difficult was it for you to create the scenarios that made the original and present day Darcy alike?


At the start, it was pretty difficult. The first issue I had to address was if I make Darcy a rock star, how do I get him to meet the very non-famous Elizabeth Bennet. But, once I got the two bands on tour thing worked out, the rest of it fell into place. I did spend a great deal of time working out things like 'How are they going to get to Pemberley?' and the Hunsford scene, since people these days generally know each other much better when they propose, was tricky. But in the end, I just let Darcy tell me what he would do in each situation and it all worked out.

What is your favorite Jane Austen book?

It's Pride and Prejudice, because I think it's her strongest, most well written work. My second favorite is a tie between Persuasion and Northanger Abbey.

Who is your favorite character in Pride & Prejudice and why?


I'm a Darcy fan. No question. I love Elizabeth, she's wonderful and fun, but Darcy. Big, tall, quiet, staring Darcy gets me every time.

Which Pride & Prejudice movie do you like best? The 1995 version with Colin Firth as Darcy, or the 2005 version with Matthew Macfayden as Darcy?


I'm a 1995 girl. I feel it's closer to the book and I like that it's 5 hours long, so I can make it last. But I think that question is like "Do you like Cherry or Pumpkin pie?" They're both great and it's just a matter of whim which you prefer.

If you could go inside and be a part of the classic version of P&P or yours, which book do you think you would enjoy more?


That's a tricky question. I'd have to ask how long would I be in there. I'd love to spend a day in JA's book, go calling, have tea and then go to a ball, but much longer than that I would miss my indoor plumbing too much. FDRS is almost too close to home to be someplace I'd want to stay for too long. Plus, I'm a bit of a homebody, and after a couple days, I've be all "Just drop me off at my house, please."

What is in the making for your future releases?

Well, I have another modern P&P based story in the editing phase, which I hope will get published soon. After that, I'd love to do a story based on Northanger Abbey, and I have a couple thoughts about an original para-normal romance.

Thanks so much for having me here today, Bells. And may I say I LOVE how you have decorated the place! ;-) I'm a huge True Blood fan and the more Joe the better!

Thanks for stopping by Heather and it's always great to find another True Blood and Joe fan!  

Darcy's as hot as he is talented...

Fast music, powerful beats, and wild reputations-on and off stage-have made virtuoso guitarist Fitzwilliam Darcy's band into rock's newest bad boys. But they've lost their latest opening act, and their red-hot summer tour is on the fast track to disaster. Now Darcy and bandmates Charles Bingley and Richard Fitzwilliam are about to meet their match...

But she's about to rock his world...

Enter Elizabeth Bennet, fiercely independent star of girl-band Long Borne Suffering. Elizabeth, her sister Jane, and friend Charlotte Lucas have talent to spare and jump at the opening band slot. Elizabeth is sure she's seen the worst the music industry has to offer. But as the days and nights heat up, it becomes clear that everyone is in for a summer to remember.

Heather Lynn Rigaud

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