Darkness Falls Upon Pemberley with Susan Adriani

Good morning, dear readers! 
My friend and fellow Austen Author,  Susan Adriani, and I have been trying to get together for Coffee for weeks, but it has just been one thing after another for both of us that kept getting in the way of our sitting down for a nice chat over a nice hot cup of my New Orleans blend with chicory - or even something from the blender, like a margarita! 

With me, I have had to deal with moving, and I never, ever, ever, ever, ever want to go through this again. Ever.  I told my husband we would just have to live the rest of our lives here, which shouldn't be too difficult since this move may very well kill me this week! Plus if you thought I exaggerated about the soul-sucking nature of my day job:  My boss just quit! She said SHE just couldn't take it any more because it had just gotten so bad since {the Taliban} took over the company! I am happy for her but sad - and jealous! - for myself. And who else will accept my eccentricities since I am damn good at my job?

Finally, Susan and I are able to take a breath so she could join me here, and I am sooooo excited to have her here!  I became a huge fan of hers when I read The Truth About Mr. Darcy (and - whew~ -wait until you learn the truth!). Then she started sharing tidbits of Darkness Falls Upon Pemberley - her own unique spin on a vampire variation of Pride and Prejudice - on Austen Authors in serial format when it was a work in progress, and I confess I got so wrapped up in the story, I kept reading ahead as soon as she had scheduled her next installments. Now her new release is available, and I know you won't be able to put it down!

~Colette

Thank you, Colette, for having me as your guest today! I’m very excited to be here.

I wrote Darkness Falls Upon Pemberley more than a year ago, not as a serious piece of literature, but really just for fun. Halloween was approaching, and, having nothing remotely spooky to contribute to the group blog we belong to, Austen Authors, my muse and I started indulging certain scenarios that had been dancing around in my head.

I’m not a fan of goblins and ghouls—horror was never for me. In fact, whenever my friends were glued to the television watching scary movies in high school, I was always huddled under blankets or, better still, off somewhere else reading a book. There was one creature, however, that always managed to attract me despite its horrific connotations. That was the vampire.

There was something mysterious and sensual about vampires; something forbidden and passionate. Yet, for all their allure, I’d never felt the pull to write a vampire story; at least, not until I started thinking about the powerful attraction between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. In previous paranormal portrayals, it was always Mr. Darcy who harbored a horrific secret. But, what if Elizabeth Bennet had one instead?

I’ve included an excerpt, and I hope you enjoy it. I should point out that this is neither a horror story, full of blood and gore or a full-length novel. There’s nothing in this novella but adversity, romance, and characters I adore.

Excerpt, Darkness Falls Upon Pemberley, Chapter Three

By the time his horse was saddled and ready the rain had grown heavier, but Darcy mounted without giving the rapidly worsening weather a second thought. He flicked his reins and set off at a slow trot until he reached the crest of a nearby hill, where he took several deep, cleansing breaths. The air there was crisp and cold and helped clear some of the fog in his head, just as his journey to higher ground had led him above the fog below. With renewed focus he dug his heels into his horse’s sides, urging him onward at a punishing pace, intent on exorcising his demons, or
at the very least resolved to give them a good, hard run for their money.

He knew not how long he rode, nor how far, when his mount became spooked by some unseen apparition and reared. Darcy held fast to the reins, determined to keep his seat, and after some effort managed to get the stallion under control.

His exhalation as he dismounted was harsh. After cinching the reins tightly, Darcy stroked the animal’s thick neck, murmuring words of assuagement. They did little to soothe man or beast, however, and Darcy squinted into the pouring rain, wondering whether there was real danger afoot. For the most part he was on open road, but the road was unfamiliar, flanked by several meters of hay with thick woods bordering either side. The trees within appeared dense and overgrown, littered with briars and dead brush; a veritable fortress that Darcy speculated could not be easily penetrated by humans unless they wielded torches, pitchforks, and sickles.

A loud crack of thunder sounded, resonating through the countryside, shaking the very ground beneath his feet. Lightening followed swiftly on its heels—several great, blinding flashes that set the leaden sky ablaze. Darcy’s horse tossed his head with a terrified squeal, nostrils flared and eyes wide as the freezing rain assaulted them with renewed determination.

For one wild moment, out of the corner of his eye Darcy imagined he saw an all-too-familiar set of eyes watching him intently from between the trees, as bewitching and dark as ever—as dark as the surrounding woods. But rather than lips the colour of pale rose petals on her beloved face, these lips were dyed a deep crimson; bright, and slick, and wet.

       A shock of fear shot through his breast before he realized the absurdity of such a thing and shook his head, irritated and angry with himself. At last, he thought darkly, the madness has set in. Grabbing hold of his horse’s mane, Darcy jammed his foot into the stirrup and mounted, more than willing to return to the warmth of Netherfield and the devil he knew.

Thank you again, Colette, for having me as your guest today, and to all of you for being so welcoming. If you’d like to read more of my writing, including excerpts from my full-length novel, The Truth About Mr. Darcy, short stories, vignettes, and even current works-in-progress, please visit my website www.thetruthaboutmrdarcy.weebly.com and say hello. Until then, happy reading!

About the Author

Susan Adriani has been an admirer of Jane Austen and her beloved characters for over twenty years.
Originally from New England, she attended a small fine arts college, where she majored in Illustration. In 2007, after contemplating the unexplored possibilities in one of Jane Austen’s most celebrated novels, Pride and Prejudice, Ms. Adriani laid aside her paintbrush and began to write her first novel-length story, The Truth About Mr. Darcy. With encouragement from fellow Austen enthusiasts she continued. Ms. Adriani currently resides in Connecticut with her husband, daughter, and a very impertinent cat.

Keep up with Susan:

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/susanadrianiauthor

Twitter:  @darcybabe1

Website:  thetruthaboutmrdarcy.weebly.com