ABOUT THE BOOK
For centuries Jane Austen's
classic novel, Pride & Prejudice, has been dearly loved the
world over. However, few people know the truth about Mr. Darcy's closest
friend, the affable Mr. Bingley–who is much more than he appears on first
impression.
Mr. Bingley: Just as a Gentleman Ought to Be is the previously untold story of a young man who unwittingly uncovers an evil cabal among the British Empire's aristocracy. Bingley confronts an enterprise so nefarious that he cannot help but act to redress it, even if it costs him his own reputation and the love of his life, the angelic Miss Jane Bennet.
Follow Mr. Bingley down a rabbit hole of intrigue and corruption, as he fights to protect the country's most vulnerable alongside friends old and new. Can he set things right before he loses Jane forever?
There actually is a very specific moment that inspired what would become the novel. My wife, Jami, has long been a big fan of all things Pride and Prejudice, and maybe more a fan of Mr. Darcy than anything else! We were getting ready for a trip to the United Kingdom, where we had essentially planned the joint Arsenal and Jane Austen tour of England. While packing—and undoubtedly shortly after Jami mentioned something about Mr. Darcy—I joked that it’s such a shame that no one knows the true story of Mr. Bingley, the real hero of Pride and Prejudice. In that moment, I blurted out a far sillier concept than what would become the end product and we had a great laugh… But also, the idea kind of stuck as something that might be worth exploring. And as I began to kind of dive into some research—from reading Pride and Prejudice again to reading about how crime was detected and prosecuted in Regency times—the basic concept got refined and the more I dove in the more excited I became to actually write it.
Mr. Bingley is often seen as a secondary character in Pride and Prejudice. How did you go about expanding his character and giving him a more complex and heroic role in your story?
Certainly, the story of Darcy and Elizabeth is the focal point of Pride and Prejudice. And of course, we all know that Bingley left Netherfield. But as I read and re-read Pride and Prejudice, I was really struck by how long he is absent from the story. With that realization settling in, it became fun to imagine an alternative explanation for his long absence. And in reimagining the possibilities for where he was, what he was doing, etc., this very different Bingley emerged. I no longer saw him as a carefree, easily manipulated, and (perhaps?) spineless young man. Instead, I started to imagine whether his delight in all things pleasant and charming was more than an escape from boredom—what if it was instead a reprieve from a heavy burden born in solitude? And that idea opened up even more possibilities—what if his departure from Jane’s side was actually a noble act of self-sacrifice? What if he was manipulating his sisters and not the other way around? As I started to write, those types of questions began to feel more like answers to questions I hadn’t asked, and this Bingley that I’d never really given a second thought to began to emerge as not only a character whose company I could enjoy, but one who had earned my respect.
Your novel deals with themes of intrigue and corruption within the British aristocracy. How did you develop these themes, and what message do you hope readers take away from them?
As an American, I would not dream of making any actual commentary on intrigue and corrpution within the British aristocracy, either during the Regency or the present. More than anything, the story called for villains who could actually threaten a man of Bingley’s consequence. His heroic quest called for evildoers with enough power and wealth to not only get away with their heinous deeds, but to relish in the knowledge that they would away with them. I had to create the type of cabal that no man with any honor could look away from, but also that only a man of means could dare to challenge.
In terms of very modern takeaways, I do hope that this story will encourage readers to remember that we still live in societies where the scales of justice are weighted differently for different people, that the pursuit of unchecked power still brings out the worst in human beings, and that all of us have a role to play in making the world a kinder, more equitable place.
Yes, the growing romance between Bingley and Jane is the pulsing undercurrent that drives much of the story. As in Pride & Prejudice, just when things are starting to come together for this sweet couple, Bingley is gone and without any explanation. Jane is still left wondering if Bingley cares for her, but in my story, Bingley is left wondering if Jane could still care for him if she knew the truth about the work he had undertaken. He feels the intense desire to get back to her before he loses her, but he also feels that if he were to abandon his calling, he would not be worthy of her. Ultimately, Jane is the glue that holds Bingley together throughout the many trials he endures—she is his icon of kindness, innocence, and happiness that he fights to preserve.
Your writing is influenced by a range of authors from Jane Austen to Fyodor Dostoevsky. How do these influences manifest in your portrayal of Mr. Bingley and the novel's plot?
I certainly have many favorite authors who have influenced my writing over the years. And ultimately, my desire as a writer is to write fiction that I would want to read. So yes, Cormac McCarthy in many ways informs my aspirations to creating dialogue that flows and where each character’s distinct voice appears on the page. Richard Yates reminds me that I cannot always trust my characters because they are carrying unseen pain and insecurities just like rest of us. And I could go on and on . . .
Naturally, this story is deeply indebted to Jane Austen. As outlandish as the concept may seem on first blush, it was written with her novel at my side and I endeavored to honor the spirit of her work and her characters. I could certainly never aspire to the perfection of her writing, but I hope my novel offers similar opportunities to find levity and humor in the everyday absurd and an invitation to reconsider our own biases and misconceptions. And as I sought to offer new depth into the character of Bingley, I discovered opportunities to honor other characters, such as Mr. Hurst, with the chance of being much more than what appeared on first impression.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while writing this novel? Were there any particular scenes or chapters that were especially difficult or rewarding to write?
The biggest challenge was certainly the amount of research I found myself doing. As a person who studies history, it was at once a joy and a nuisance. I wanted every detail to be period appropriate, so I often found myself interupted in mid-flow to research whether a certain type of carriage had been manufactured before 1812, or how fast a schooner would have crossed the English channel with only wind to power it. When writing about a time period and a culture so far removed from my own, it was sometimes shocking how little I know about how people lived.
Additionally, I wanted my story—as an alternative explanation of Mr. Bingley’s character—to fit within Jane Austen’s novel. So, I put a lot of effort into ensuring that the sequence of Pride & Prejudice was unaltered, and that Bingley’s comings and goings from that story made sense in the context of my story.
In terms of
the most rewarding bits, again, offering characters the opportunity to be seen
in a different light was so much fun. For better or for worse (because no
spoilers here!) I enjoyed giving Mr. Hurst, Colonel Forster, Captain Carter, Mr.
Wickham, and even Mr. Darcy the chance to show us something different than we
have always seen—something that was right under the surface if we had only
cared to look.
Can we expect more Austen-inspired stories from you in the future? Are there other secondary characters from Austen's works that you are interested in exploring in greater depth?
There is a short story that will accompany this novel! It’s called A Gentleman’s Rescue: How Bingley Met Darcy. That story gives a bit more of the Bingley family’s background, particularly as it relates to some of the undercurrents in my novel. I very much enjoyed writing it and again, even gave Caroline and Louisa a different treatment that may offer some insight into their insecurities and vanity. If it isn’t available on Kindle Unlimited now, it will be soon!
Currently, I have three or four non-Austen novels in the works, as well as a few other short stories that may deserve a release. That being said, don’t count me out for more Austen-inspired projects. I may not yet be sure which characters I would like to explore next, but I know that Jane Austen’s writing is always with me as a source of joy and inspiration, so who knows what future inspiration will bring?
Out on October 8, 2024
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