KIMBERLY TRUESDALE, MY DEAR SOPHY - AUTHOR GUESTPOST & GIVEAWAY

Ever since I announced earlier this year to friends, family, and social media followers that I was writing an Austenesque novel about the Admiral and Mrs. Croft from Persuasion, people have asked me one question over and over: why Sophia Wentworth?

After I get over my perverse pleasure in simply answering "Why not?", I actually do have a few good reasons to choose Sophy Wentworth. Not the least of which is my deep and abiding love for Persuasion.

No one else has written about her. At least this is true to the extent that my internet and library researches can prove. If you are familiar at all with Austenesque fiction (and if you are not, Austenesque Reviews is a good place to get started), you will know that authors largely gravitate toward Pride and Prejudice, down to the minutest secondary characters. When it comes to Persuasion, authors have written some about Captain Wentworth (*swoon*) and Anne Elliot, but just haven't gotten to too many of the secondary characters.

I like strong, female characters. Always have, always will. And Jane Austen makes a point of showing in Persuasion how Sophy has traveled the world and been right there doing all the things her husband does.

Sophy & the Admiral have one of the few successful marriages in Austen's fiction. By "successful" I mean that they are happy and working together in partnership. Think about the main characters in her novels. Most of the happy couples we see -- Darcy & Elizabeth, Captain Wentworth & Anne Eliot, Edward & Elinor -- come to feel a kind of partnership with each other. While they might not be social equals, they feel equal in their relationship. Many of the secondary relationships don't feel this way -- Mr. Collins & Charlotte Lucas, Wickham & Lydia, Mr. & Mrs. Bennet, Mary Elliot & Charles Musgrove, etc. Yet Sophy & the Admiral are explicitly described as being equals.

One of my favorite scenes (and a major spur for me to think about this couple) is the one just after Anne has grown tired on their walk. The Admiral and Mrs. Croft happen by and squish Anne up next to them. As they are driving, Anne sees how they work together to keep the carriage on the road and avoid pesky obstacles. Which leads into the next reason I thought about Sophy & the Admiral...

An unusual man. Not only do I love Sophy Wentworth as a strong, female character, I love the Admiral. I can't say it enough. As you can see from the example above, he has not the slightest issue with his wife correcting his driving. It seems that this is such a usual occurrence that the Admiral doesn't even notice it! And the fact that he allows his wife to travel on board ship with him as an equal is even more intriguing. I wanted to write about this unusual man just as much as I wanted to write about Sophy.

The possibilities of life at sea in the Age of Sail are endless. I always envisioned Sophy as a series of novels. I wanted to write her a love story first, but I am also very interested in the fifteen years that elapses between the time she falls in love (1799) and the time we meet the couple in Persuasion (1814). Austen gives us some sketchy hints at what they've been up to, but I feel there's so much else to explore!

A female Horatio Hornblower. To continue on from the last point... there is so much to write about! Many authors (the most famous of whom are all male) have written about this time from the perspective of a young man. I want to write about it from the perspective of a woman. There are a lot of things that adding in another gender might reveal about this time period. I love the idea that Sophy is a swashbuckling woman who can hold her own aboard ship! I am greatly looking forward to writing more about this fun and interesting couple.

 Kimberly Truesdale

The Book

Sophy Wentworth loves her life in sleepy Milverton...

Twenty-three year old Sophia Wentworth lives a quiet life in the small country town of Milverton. Here she helps her Papa, the town doctor, visits with her friends, and attempts – usually unsuccessfully – to keep her younger brothers Edward and Frederick out of trouble. When the opportunity to marry the handsome and attentive young curate who's just moved into the next town presents itself, Sophy is tempted by a life of pleasant repetitions and obligations, a life that will keep her at the center of the town and the community she loves so much.

Until a stranger arrives...

Captain Conrad Croft grew up in Milverton, where his father is the rector. He has spent the past fourteen years traveling the world with the British Navy. On a surprise visit home, Conrad meets Sophia – who was just eight years old when he left. He becomes intrigued by this woman, the silent core of strength for the entire town. When his attempts to draw her out succeed, Conrad discovers an intelligent, witty, strong woman who might just be his perfect match. He only has to convince her of it before he sails away again.

Fifteen years before the events of Jane Austen's Persuasion, this is the story of how the Admiral and Mrs. Croft first meet.

You can find My Dear Sophy in ebook and paperback at Amazon , Barnes and Noble  &  iBookstore 

The Author

Kimberly Truesdale is a writing and literature teacher currently living in Ohio. She has a line from The Great Gatsby tattooed on her arm and has worn out at least five copies of Anne of Green Gables. Kimberly has written many academic papers over the years, but My Dear Sophy is her first novel. Contact Kim on Twitter @playsthetart or email her at AuthorKimberlyTruesdale@gmail.com with questions or feedback, including links to your reviews!

The Giveaway Contest

There are 2 e-books copies (any version) for international readers. Leave your comment, tell us why you would like to read Kimberly's prequel to Persuasion, My Dear Sophy, add your e-mail address and good luck! This giveaway contest will end on 20th October.