Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge began as In a Perfect World. My intention was to write an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice with all the angst removed. The story was first posted as a work-in-progress fan-fiction at the Derbyshire Writers Guild website. While writing a scene that takes place at the Royal Academy, out of the blue and to my complete surprise, Mr. Darcy uttered, “Ah, but the misunderstanding, separation, and angst are what make the ‘happily ever after’ more worth the earning, Miss Elizabeth; and a romance story would be quite lacking without it.” So, in retaliation for Mr. Darcy’s unsolicited advice, I wrote for him a healthy dollop of misapprehension, parting, and anguish, albeit his suffering is of very short duration.As the story progressed, its characters quickly found their own voices; and those persistent voices in my head unanimously insisted on repeatedly spouting truly groan-worthy puns. Although its dialogue packs an intended punch, none of Miss Austen’s beloved characters was harmed during the writing of In a Perfect World. My ‘magpun opus’ (so labelled by Margaret F, a reader at the Derbyshire Writers Guild) was suddenly a romantic comedy; and when I later began to post it at another website, A Happy Assembly, its name was changed to the more apt Upun My Word, Mr. Darcy! The story now has its third, and final, title. Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge was chosen because in my tale the protagonist literally and figuratively does take the plunge ... in several ways.
~ J. Marie Croft ~
