The fun things you
discover while creating a new adventure for Darcy and Lizzy! It was important
to my new release, a mashup of Pride and
Prejudice and Pygmalion, that
Lizzy talk with a cockney accent. But how could I do that to our darling girl?
And how much of her quirky speech pattern would the reader enjoy? I hope I hit
a near perfect balance as the tale begins with Lizzy speaking in cockney only
to blend into proper English.
A Regency tale ~
Lizzy Bennet, a sassy London shop girl is instantly attracted to Fitzwilliam
Darcy, the arrogant, handsome visitor to the Bennets’ struggling Covent Garden
flower shop. Darcy insists on purchasing Lizzy’s lucky orchid as a gift for his
aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Will Lizzy sell her family’s much needed good
fortune to the haughty know it all?
Complications
arise when Darcy accepts Bingley’s wager to make a sophisticated lady out of
the humble flower girl. Can Lizzy endure Darcy’s mentoring in order to save the
Bennet family’s flower shop? Will Caroline Bingley tolerate Darcy’s peppery new
student? Will Wickham finally bring about Darcy’s ruination?
This is a
light-hearted tale of a headstrong, London lass (Lizzy) whose drive to achieve
more than life has handed her compels her to accept the position of pawn in a
wager between two friends, (Darcy and Bingley). Gumption meets true love.
A fun read for all
those who have ever enjoyed George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion.
Barbara Silkstone
Read an Excerpt from My Fair Lizzy
Opening the
library door, Darcy and Bingley discovered the Bennet sisters in the foyer
about to leave the house. “This was a mistake,” Lizzy said. “We must get back
to our flower shop. Thank you for your time, Mr. Darcy.” She turned to Bingley
and with a firmness in her voice said, “Thank you for trying. We will walk.
Good day.”
“No, no! Please.”
Bingley entreated. “I must apologize. We did not intend to be so long. Please
return to the parlor and let us further our plans.”
Lizzy looked up at
Darcy and perceived an odd gleam in his eye. She still carried a deep yearning
to better herself, and so decided to hear them out; after all, she and Jane had
come this far. They returned to the parlor accompanied by both men.
“Won’t you please
be seated again?” Darcy stood aside, offering Lizzy the very armchair she had
only just vacated.
“Don’t mind if I do,” she said, catching sight of her muddy tracks, now
tripled. Blushing furiously, she tucked her feet under her chair, and set about
hearing their plan.
Darcy caught
himself enjoying her presence, despite her dirty appearance and the almost
overwhelming scent of flowers that rose from both ladies. He found he enjoyed
Miss Lizzy Bennet’s innocent vanity and consequential air.
“You could greatly
benefit from my tutelage, Miss Bennet,” he said, finding that, once wearing the
mantle of a professor it was easier for him to speak to the spunky lady.
“I will review the
terms of our understanding so there is no confusion. We could easily start your
lessons today but for the sake of both our reputations, I must speak to your
father about your living in my town house during your tutelage.”
“Stay here?” Lizzy
looked from Darcy to Bingley to Jane. With her hand clutching the opening of
her spencer, protectively, she said, “I’m not agreein’ to stayin’ here. I will
come to take your lessons and do my best, but I’m not livin’ here! No sir! What
kind of girl do you think I am?”
Jumping to her
feet, Lizzy bumped the table next to her chair. The porcelain miniatures
sitting on top wobbled but did not fall. Turning to her sister, she honked,
“Jane, we’re going. We’ve a shop to tend!”
~~~
If you enjoy the
occasional Pride and Prejudice mashup, please so try
All books are available
in audio and paperback.
***Giveaway***
15 comments:
Of all the English accents cockney is one of my hates. Hopefully there is not too much as I dislike reading books which are written in the vernacular as it can be difficult to read and make sense of what they are saying, and this is from an English female.
Sounds delightful, would lvoe to read it!
Enjoyed the excerpt. I love the idea of a pygmalion-P&P mashup and the premise of Mr. Darcy teaching Elizabeth. Thanks for sharing!
Why has no one thought of this before. It is a perfect "mash up". Thank you for the excerpt. Both Lizzy and Darcy are still in character.
This is gonna be a good one!
Definitely looking forward to this one.
Definitely looking forward to this one.
Love Regency stories and the book looks so beautiful! I like that it's a mash-up of Pride and Prejudice and Pygmalion. Can't imagine how fun that's gonna be to read!
Thank you all for your kind comments.
Rest assured Vesper, I was very, very careful limit the cockney to tiny touches...just enough to add a little flavor. I know exactly what you mean about books written in the vernacular. There is just a smidge to get the point across. (Besides Lizzy was uncomfortable with her accent and I did not wish to embarrass her.)
Lizzy does use it once, later on, to tease Darcy. He takes her taunting in a good natured way.
This is a nice blog to implement adventures; keep on creating a blog like this always-:)
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Of all P&P stories that I have read, I think this is the lowest Elizabeth Bennet has sunk in Regency society. Nevertheless I am looking forward to reading this variation.
Luthien, Not even a lowly beginning can keep a our heroine down. She shall prevail with Darcy's help.
Cheers!
Oh this sounds like a great story ! Really enjoyed the excerpt :)
Jo's Daughter,
Thank you! I'm so pleased you enjoyed the excerpt.
I'm looking forward to reading it. I loved the movie think it's an interesting P&P mashup. Thanks for sharing the excerpt.
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