Even more vampires in the queue for Janeites. After we reported last week about Mr. Darcy, Vampyre and The Imortal Jane, we are pleased to announce arriving this December from the author of Darcy’s Passions and Darcy’s Temptation is Darcy’s Hunger: A Vampire Retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
This vampire twist on the classic love story gives new meaning to Mr. Darcy’s noble mien. We always knew he was enigmatic and haughty. Now he has been given a new reason. He is a Dhampir under an ancient family curse. In addition, other characters such as George Wickham who we only thought of as a wastrel, a gamester and a rogue, is seen in a new and even more sinister light.
Author Regina Jeffers has kindly shared an exclusive preview with us today, and given a short summary of the background and synopsis of the story.
BOOK DESCRIPTION
In the early 1600s, Ellender D’arcy set her cap for Lord Arawn Penningham, and the young man easily fell in love with her; but Léana, a beautiful muse of a vampire, known to offer inspiration to young artists, chooses Lord Arawn for her own. However, Penningham triumphantly resists her temptation and, ultimately, makes Léana his slave. Outraged, Léana seeks the help of her Baobhan Síth sisters, and a curse is placed on the young couple. Arawn’s descendants will forever be looking enviously at the D’arcys, and they will never achieve the same kind of greatness. In addition, the Baobhan Síth will take Arawn’s life.
Desperate to save the man she loves, Ellender strikes a deal with Léana, offering another of her suitors, Seoras Winchcombe, in Arawn’s stead. The curse of the vampires consequently runs through Seoras’s veins, and he hates the D’arcys for bringing demonic destruction on him. He vows his revenge, first taking Ellender and then a D’arcy of each generation. Seoras Winchcombe is the Scottish name for George Wickham, and the story of Arawn and Ellender is sung in the traditional Scottish ballad of “Fair Ellender and Lord Thomas.”
Two hundred years later, Fitzwilliam Darcy is the latest member of Ellender’s family to carry the curse. A Dhampir, Darcy holds a plan to end the hex. He will resist his desire to exercise his vampiric hunger, and he will destroy George Wickham. Everything is going as he foresees until he meets Elizabeth Bennet, and he finds he must possess her as both a man in love and as a vampire needing to feast on what only she can give him. Even more ironic, Elizabeth traces her roots back to Lord Arawn (Lord Thomas). Could Fate bring everyone full circle to one final showdown? The lure of eternal life and the seduction of fame and glory rides high as they must solve the mystery of the curse and destroy the beast in all of them.
AUTHOR BIO
Regina Jeffers currently is a teacher in the North Carolina public schools. A self-confessed Jane Austen “freak,” she began her writing career two years ago with the encouragement of her Advanced Placement students. Darcy’s Hunger will be her sixth book in that short time.
Darcy’s Hunger will be published by Ulysses Press and is available for pre-order in advance of its December 1st, 2009 release date. Trade paperback, ISBN: 978-1569757314
Many thanks to author Regina Jeffers for sharing this preview of Darcy’s Hunger. Please join in the fall when Ms. Jeffers talks about her inspiration for her new novel, describes Darcy the Dhampir and other re-imagined characters from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
- Visit Regina Jeffers website
Austenprose 
Sounds interesting.
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I feel totally done with vampires – or am I missing something?!
Deb
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LOL Deb! You haven’t even read one of the blasted things yet. Did you read the Twilight series? Me neither, but I have sold so many copies that I feel I know all of the books just through osmosis. In all my years as a bookseller, I have not seen this many young women so impassioned over a character, so it was inevitable that the two genre’s would collid. The ultimate romantic icon meets the young upstart romantic icon. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the authors will do him proud and that he will not totally suck, literally!
Thanks for stopping by.
LA
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Yes, the vampire thing has always been popular! – just recall all those Ann Rice books from forever ago. I remember as a teenager [years ago!] I would go over to my grandmother’s house and watch Dark Shadows [I think that is the title..] with her – I was mesmerized – what is it about the thought of literally being sucked to death! – yikes!
I haven’t read the Twilight series – too many other things to read to be honest – but know they have taken the world by storm [my daughter is an 8th grade teacher and says they are even more popular than the Harry Potter books, at least among girls…]
I do have the P&P and Zombies – you have to after all at least OWN the thing – the first page was quite humorous and as far as I have gotten – but I assume it gets old fast – I know you liked it – so will settle in with that at some point.. but I actually have to say I would far rather deal with vampires than zombies!
One wonders what will be next!
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There was a short-story here or there where P&P was reimagined as Frankenstein — something of the sort, I probably just butched and did great shame to that writer (I read it some while back for one of the regional Jane get-togethers).
A librarian, I have developed great ire toward Stephanie Meyer. Damn the ocean of adolescent hormones; had to pile-up a breakwater of Harry Potter (poor Harry) to keep away the acne.
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This one sounds interesting with possibly Scottish lore thrown in? Anyhoo, I definitely am adding it to my Everything Austen challenge. Look forward to the interview.
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