Guest Post from Christine Combe

 

Not only am I an avid reader of JAFF, but Austen crossovers are my absolute favorite - so Christine Combe's new release, Born to Be a Heroine, just jumped to the top of my massive TBR list. I've written Catherine Morland into the lives of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy before in NorthFanger, but I can't wait to see what sort of mischief she gets into in Meryton! 

While I spend the weekend savoring this fun read, I have an interview with the author to share with you all!

 

Welcome, Christine! It's great to have you back at But Do Not Faint...

Thank you for having me, Jayne — I am so very happy to be stopping by today. I am very excited to be visiting But Do Not Faint once again to promote a new book. Born to be a Heroine is the title of my latest Austenesque venture, a Pride and Prejudice tale wherein ODC are brought together by the presence of a few characters from Northanger Abbey!

Now, here’s a little question and answer session to tell you a little bit about me…

 

Are the characters in your book based on people you know?

Every character in the book was created by Jane Austen, and they’re not a thing like anyone I know, lol.

 

What books have influenced your writing?

I don’t think I could name just one. However, different genres have certainly influenced my writing. I love to read all the romances. Mysteries and thrillers are also among my favorites and they’ve influenced me as well.

 

Do you have a critique group/beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I self-edit as I am writing and I’ve also discussed certain scenes with my author friends — it’s both great fun to talk to another writer as well as get an opinion from someone who understands what you’re doing (writing a book). Every now and then I’ll post an excerpt on my Facebook author page or my blog to see what readers think, but for this book and the last story I wrote — A Promise of Forever — I posted chapter by chapter at fanfiction.net for feedback. The readers there have been wonderful, and their comments have definitely helped shape my story.

 

Would you be willing to have one of your books made into a movie? Which one?

I would love to—what author wouldn’t want to see their characters brought to life? And while the big screen would be the ultimate dream come true, it could be a made-for-TV or made-for-cable movie and I’d still be satisfied. I’d love to see them all brought to life!

 

If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?

There was a time in my life that I was determined to become a police officer. It was my dream. Then declining health issues (I’m asthmatic) forced me to admit that actual police work just wasn’t going to work out for me. So I thought I’d be a lawyer, but frankly couldn’t afford to go to college for four years, let alone eight, and wasn’t about to put myself in debt for life by taking out insanely large student loans. In the end I chose to set my sights on writing because through all of those other dreams, the urge to be a writer was one that had always stayed with me.

 

Will you have a new book coming out soon?

Haha, I just released Born to be a Heroine on May 4^th. Have a few dozen ideas listed on my computer right now, and should be getting started on one of those very soon.

 

Do you prefer chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate, hands down. Though I don’t turn my nose up at vanilla.

 

Pepsi or Coke?

Actually I prefer Code Red Mountain Dew, but if my only choices are Pepsi or Coke, then I go with Coke. And actually, I’ve been trying really hard to cut down on my soda consumption, because I drink too much of it when it is readily available.

 

Are you a cat person or a dog person?

Both. Right now I have a Chihuahua that’s almost 14 and two cats under four.

 

If you gave your characters an opportunity to speak for themselves, what would they say?

Some of them are probably wondering when it’s going to be their turn to be featured in a story — so many of Austen’s background characters are crying out for a story of their own! Some may also whisper in your ear that I’m just a little bit crazy, given all the ideas that pop into my head. And if the readers have been following the blog tour, I had “interviews” with Colonel Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Bennet!

 

You said this is a Pride and Prejudice story with Northanger Abbey characters thrown in. What made you want to write this particular variation?

Actually, it was you! I remember we were talking on the phone one night and I was reading from my list of ideas, trying to figure out what to write after Reintroduction, and one of them was something about “What if John Thorpe was right, and Mr. Allen did make Catherine his heir?” I was also wondering which Austen hero Catherine might be paired with if she were not to marry Henry Tilney. At the time I was considering a Northanger Abbey/Mansfield Park crossover in which she got together with William Price (and I may still write that!) because I thought Catherine would be excited by his stories of navy life, then you suggested Colonel Fitzwilliam. I got to wondering how I could write such a story, and… Well, Born to be a Heroine is the result!

 

Thanks for stopping by again. Hope you’ll come again when you publish your next book.

Thank you again for having me. You know I’ll be here again to spread the word!

 

Born to be a Heroine and all of Christine’s books are available on Amazon in eBook and paperback. The Reintroduction of Fitzwilliam Darcy, A Promise of Forever, and Born to be a Heroine are also available in hardcover!

 

Christine, like many a JAFF author before her, is a long-time admirer of Jane Austen‘s work, and she hopes that her alternate versions are as enjoyable as the originals. She has plans to one day visit England and take a tour of all the grand country estates which have featured in film adaptations, and often dreams of owning one. Christine lives in Ohio and is already at work on her next book.

 

Links:

Blog: All That They Desire / Facebook: (1) Christine Combe | Facebook