As I struggled to finish the final chapters of my latest novel, "Jenny Cussler's Last Stand," a new obsession took hold of me. Jane Austen's "Mr. Darcy." More specifically, the movie "Lost in Austen."
I don't know about other authors' experiences with distractions from a work in progress, but I find I have to stay in the "genre" of the book. That is to say, if I'm writing about the love between a modern Native American man and a European-American woman set on a Native American reservation, then it's best I not start watching historical dramas...or anything Jane Austen.
But I did. I watched "Lost in Austen," and fell in love with Mr. Darcy all over again. Maybe I've never been out of love with him. Have any of us, girls? :-) For those of you who haven't seen "Lost in Austen," it's a wonderful little British time travel where a Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett fan switches places with Elizabeth Bennett, and finds herself not only falling in love with Darcy (destined to marry Elizabeth), but the discovery that Darcy is in love with her. That that, Elizabeth, we crow! We love you, but you gotta share Darcy!
The good news is that I had the first 150 pages of a time travel to the Regency era already in progress, so I should be able to reinvigorate that manuscript...if I can stop mooning over "Lost in Austen's" Darcy, that is.
The soundtrack is exquisite; however, unfortunately, it was never released.
So, what say you, fellow authors? Keep your focus on your genre while you have a work in progress?
I did finish Jenny Cussler's Last Stand and submitted it. We'll see how it goes. Wish me luck. And I'll say hi to Darcy for you!
