Got Gothic?

I always been a fan of the old horror movies, and of Gothic Romance.  I like that creepy, uncertain feeling, and not knowing if the hero is the good guy or the villain.  Dark Hero is my debut novel, published one year ago. In it we have all the elements of a good gothic story, a heroine with secrets who is placd in an uncertain environment away from all that is familiar to her, a tortured hero with ulterior motives and a penchant for the macabre, an old unkempt manor house on an isolated estate, and plenty of ghosts. I had fun writing this story, and it is my favorite among all my novels for many reasons.
 

Elizabeth and Donovan

 In this excerpt from Dark Hero, the heroine, Elizabeth, has just arrived at her new husband’s home for the first time:

Dark Hero, Copyright Lily Silver, 2013

      “Stay here, I’ll be right back.” Her husband admonished, leaving Elizabeth standing in the foyer to gaze up at the winding marble stairs leading to the second story. The mahogany banister had been polished not too long ago, she noted, feeling hopeful that the interior was not as neglected as the exterior grounds.

       Double doors to the right of the stairs piqued her interest. She decided to look beyond them. She was relieved to find this door unlocked, only to have hope crushed as she gazed inside. The room was dark, the shutters were drawn to block out the sunlight. The furniture was covered with white sheets, resembling ghosts in the darkened room. She crept in a few feet and waited for her eyes to adjust to the gloom. Slats in the shutters allowed jagged shafts of light to diffuse through the shadows. Something dark and furry scuttled across the floor in front of her. Elizabeth stifled a scream and stepped back, remembering Peter’s tale about hairy spiders the size of tea saucers.

        Who lives here? The house had an empty, desolate feel to it, as if no one occupied it for a very long time, at least, no one who cared.

        “Lizzie.” Elizabeth turned at the sound of her husband’s voice, his normal voice, not an affected one. He stood in the foyer, seeming perturbed that she wasn’t standing precisely where he’d left her. “Come.” He held out his hand. “I’ve ordered a bath for you. Tabby will see to your comfort while I’m out.”

       “Where are you going?” She grimaced as she left the dark room for the sunlit foyer. “We’ve only just arrived.”

       “I want to take a ride about the place while I’m still dressed as the count. Enjoy your bath and a nice nap. You look all in, darlin’.” His lips brushed hers, teasing lightly, reminding her of the tender, caring man on the voyage. He smiled down at her, and then straightened as a lone figure stepped from the shadows of the hall. “This is Tabitha Wilkes, my grandfather’s--” He paused momentarily. “Housekeeper. I kept her on after he died, and the cook.”

       Mrs. Wilkes was clad in an informal muslin gown rather than the starched black uniform that housekeepers wore in the wealthy homes in England. She was barefoot. Her white hair was unbound, cascading down her back in gentle waves. She was thin, graceful, her complexion golden from time spent in the sun instead of indoors, cleaning her master’s home.

       She did not resemble any servant Elizabeth encountered in England. Nevertheless, she smiled at the older woman. This was Donovan’s home. She was going to have to accept his odd ways and get along with the people in his employ. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Wilkes.” Elizabeth responded, knowing her mother would scold her for being familiar with a servant. Alas, putting on airs would not win her acceptance from Donovan’s household staff.

        “It’s Tabby, Ma’am. I’m not married.” The woman archly corrected Elizabeth, looking her up and down as if she were a dead rodent the cat carried in from the woodpile.

       “Don’t be impertinent, Tabby.” Donovan interjected before Elizabeth could form a response. “My wife is the grand-daughter of the ninth Earl of Greystowe. She’ll put you through your paces, old girl. You might wish to put some thought into retiring. I’m certain my lady will be more particular than I am regarding the household routines.”

        The woman bristled at his words, looking for a brief second as if she might curse out loud at them. She managed a limp smile from taut lips. “Welcome to Ravencrest, your ladyship.” The housekeeper made a polite curtsy to Elizabeth.

       “Take care of my lass and mind your tongue, Tabby. I’ll tolerate none of your cheek with her.” Donovan directed as he made his exit, effectively abandoning Elizabeth.

Elizabeth followed the woman up the stairs and down the hall to the master’s chamber. She sensed resentment within Tabby. She dismissed the impression, reasoning that she’d be cranky, too, if she was in this woman’s place and the master dropped a new mistress on the doorstep without warning and then left again. It was an awkward situation all around.

        Donovan’s bedchamber was furnished in a deep forest green that complimented the oak paneling. Very masculine, indeed, befitting a bachelor lord.

       “Rest Madame, your bath water will take a while to warm.” Tabby said, and left her.

Elizabeth stepped over to the louvered doors and peered through the slats. They gave access to a veranda winding about the second story. And they were locked. She was suddenly seized by a rush of sheer panic.

        “Watch out!” A thin, frightened voice from beyond the grave warned in the empty room. “He’ll lock you away for his pleasure. He’ll never let you feel the sunlight on your face or the wind in your hair again.”

       “Who are you?” Elizabeth glanced about. No one appeared or answered her query.

This was too much; an isolated estate, a house with chained gates and locked doors, a cranky, resentful housekeeper and now a spirit whispering cryptic warnings to her in the middle of the afternoon. Elizabeth whirled about to the double doors adjacent to the veranda doors.

       

Those, too, were locked.
Dark Hero, Copyright Lily Silver 2012

Dark Hero features a man hiding from the horrors of his past, a tortured hero who literally dresses up in costumes, affects false accents and uses false identities to keep himself safe from the world around him. He was tortured in France, held in the Bastille prior to the French Revolution. When the peasants rose up, they set him free. Donovan became a pirate for some years, and then stumbled upon a beautiful lass in England who needed his help. He rescues her, but he still lives in the shadows, like a phantom, unable to get close to others and trust them. Elizabeth must deal with his habit of switching personalities and identities, and try to soothe the beast within him and bring him back to humanity.

Dark Hero is available for sale on all digital platforms. It is the first in my Reluctant Heroes Series. In Dark Hero, and the sequel, Bright Scoundrel, there is plenty of paranormal activitiy, even though these are historical romance. I don't know about you, but I like to mix things up and try something new, without the old romance formulas.  Thanks for visiting and do have a wonderfully creepy day!

Lily Silver, aka Darklily.

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The Darcy Legacy: Why We Love Mr. Darcy, Part II

Colin Firth, as Mr. Darcy in 1995

 In the prior post, I discussed the plot of Pride and Prejudice briefly, and gave my opinion about the reasons behind Darcy's social awkwardness.  However, as Darcy is such a literary icon, I felt as if I had barely touched upon this great romantic hero who has endured in the hearts of women for nearly two centuries!  (published in 1813, mind you.)

The legacy of Mr. Darcy of Jane Austen fame has spawned numerous movies, many of which I mentioned in the previous post.  In this post I wanted to discuss Darcy as an enduring literary character. Pride & Prejudice (P&P) has become a timeless classic, often used in high schools by brave lit teachers in order to pass the joy on to another generation.

What is the literary legacy of Fitzwilliam Darcy, owner of Pemberley, Gentleman extraordinaire?

Why doe he endure as a timeless romantic hero?  Why can we buy Mr. Darcy dolls, for pity's sake. Don't believe me?  Have a peek here.   Mr. Darcy action figure?

One observation for his enduring quality is that Mr. Darcy could be considered one of the original Alpha Male prototypes for the modern romance novel genre.  He was invented by Jane Austen in the mid 1790's, as that is when she wrote the rough draft of the novel, originally named  "First Impressions". Jane Austen's fictional character of Darcy is a man we admire, loathe and can't seem to get enough of, based on the number of tribute novels on the market these days, everything from Pride & Prejudice and Zombies to Mr. Darcy Vampyre.  (I'll leave a nice list for the curious to peruse at the end of this post. My point is this: we can't get enough of Darcy, and as Jane Austen didn't write any further novels with he and Elizabeth in them, we are left with a few brief pages of the pair in marital bliss after a whole novel of them being at odds with one another.  But alas, dear reader, we are not left bereft of our cherished couple, for everyone, it seems wants to write a novel depicting these two characters. 

Getting back to the Alpha Male Factor:

The term alpha male is typically used when discussing wolves. We all know the alpha is the dominate male of a pack, whom the other wolves obey and solicit the favor of.  You don't want to piss of the alpha, or he'll drive you away from the pack, you'll become a social pariah if you do. He decides where we hunt, where we eat, who gets what cut, and so forth. 

In romance author and reader discussion forums, an alpha male is pretty much the same thing, the dominant male in the group, usually the hero of the story. I'm not sure when this term was first coined for romance novels, but just the term "Alpha Male" sets feminine hearts beating faster and pulses racing in any room. I've listened to seminars at the Romance Writers of America conferences devoted to discussing the attributes of the Alpha Male Hero, so trust me on this one, an alpha male hero is a romance staple.

What about Darcy as an alpha male? As an alpha romantic lead, he has it all. He is rich, and with that wealth comes a great deal of power. Noted, he's not a lord, not a duke or an earl, as oft is the case with modern regency romances. Also, Darcy has a commanding presence. When he's in the room, he seems to dominate it without really trying, another alpha male characteristic we romance writers like to talk about. Darcy isn't trying to dominate, mind you, but he just seems to have this presence that puts those about him in awe of him, even his best friend, Bingley does what Darcy deems best, even dumping poor Jane because Darcy doesn't approve of her.

In romance literature, an alpha male typically takes care of things. He's the guy who is going to get it done, period. He won't ask permission of anyone, he won't hold a meeting to solicit opinions or start a focus group to determine the best course of action, he just does what needs to be done, fixes the problem on his own. In many romances this means rescuing the heroine from some peril, often a villain or bad situation. Again, we have Mr. Darcy doing just that. No, he doesn't go out and slay a dragon or challenge some cad to a duel, but he does save the heroine's family, just the same.

Recall that when he learns that Elizabeth's 15 year old sister has run off with a rake, Darcy goes searching for them. He tells no one, but as he loves Elizabeth and cannot bear to see her suffer, he goes after the Rake and forces him to marry Lydia, thereby saving Lydia's reputation as well as the entire Bennett family's. He does it secretly and with great conviction and determination. He swears Elizabeth's uncle to secrecy, seeking no praise or reward for his gallant deed. In fact, he's content to let Elizabeth's uncle take the credit for orchestrating the marriage. If that isn't swoon worthy, I don't know what is. A hero saving his love's family from social ruin. Darcy could have merely turned his nose up in disdain, and given the Bennetts the cut direct in future social gatherings. Except that he is deeply in love with her, and as a staunch alpha male, he's going to swoop in and save his beloved in whatever means is at his disposal. 

This is part of the Darcy Legacy. Darcy has strong Alpha traits that are recognizable in modern romance culture, and I believe this is one reason why we love Mr. Darcy and why he continues to endure as a romantic icon. 

Here is the list I promised
Many modern writers have been so in love with the story of Darcy and Elizabeth that they have written stories depicting the couple in their happily ever after, with children and intrigues and so forth. This list is not exhaustive, just a starting point for P&P lovers who want to continue the story:

• Death Comes to Pemberley, P. D. James, 2011. Intriguing tale with Lydia Wickham crashing an annual ball at Pemberley in hysterics, claiming her husband has been murdered, sending Darcy and Elizabeth into the middle of a murder mystery. A very good murder mystery read. 
• A Darcy Christmas, Amanda Grange, Sharon Lanthan, & Carolyn Eberhart, 2010. 
• Mr. Darcy, Vampyre, an immortal sequel to Pride & Prejudice, Amanda Grange, 2009. Haven't read this one, but I intend to!
• Pride & Prejudice and Zombies, Seth Grahame-Smith, 2009. I haven't read this, but friends who have enjoyed it immensely, so I added it to the list.
• Pemberley Shades, A lightly Gothic tale of Mer. and Mrs. Darcy,  D.A. Bonivia Hunt, 1914. Reprinted by Sourcebooks in 2008. I have read this one. It is very good. Dark, Moody, Gothic. 
• The Darcys & The Bingleys, Pride & Prejudice continues, Marsha Altman, 2008.  I have read this one and loved it. It will go on my DIK shelf to be enjoyed again and again. It's a wonderful story with all the characters revisted, along with Darcy and Bingley comparing notes on Darcy's copy of Kama Sutra!  A very entertaining read. 
• Also by Altman: Mr. Darcy's Great Escape, & The Darcy Brothers.
• The Darcys Give A Ball,  Elizabeth Newark, originally published 1997, reprinted in 2008
• Mr. Darcy's Daughters,  Elizabeth Aston, 2003. Aston has several other Darcy stories.
• Darcy's Story, by Janet Aylmer, 2006. A retelling of P & P from Darcy's point of view.
• Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Sharon Lathan, 2009.
• Also by Sharon Lathan:  Loving Mr. Darcy, 2009  & The Darcys at Years End, 2008. She has many books on Darcy if you're looking for a Mr. Darcy Series. 

Why We Love Mr. Darcy

Note the 'brood factor' of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy in A&E's Pride and Prejudice

When I was first introduced to Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy back in the 1990's, via the beautiful A & E presentation of Pride & Prejudice starring Colin Firth, I did not like him. Really, how many of us would swoon over a man who is so rude that he would speak openly about us with disdain at a local dance where our friends, family and our neighbors can hear his rude comments about our appearance? "She's not handsome enough to tempt me!"

And yet, we love Mr. Darcy.

For the uninitiated, here is a recap of Mr. Darcy's first interaction with our feisty heroine:
Small town girl, Elizabeth Bennett encounters Mr. Darcy at a local ball. She and her sisters are in attendance, and they are excited because there are some newer gentlemen in the neighborhood attending the dance. Mr. Bingley and his friend, Mr. Darcy. These two fellows are dashing, handsome and full of town polish, having just arrived in Meryton from London. Alas, poor Elizabeth overhears Mr. Darcy in conversation with his friend, and to her mortification, they are discussing her! She hears Mr. Bingley exhorting his proud friend to stop being such a prig and dance with the ladies. He even mentions Miss Bennett, as a suitable partner for a dance.  Our plucky Elizabeth cannot help but listen carefully now. But what she hears is enough to insult women throughout the centuries.

"She's not nearly handsome enough to tempt me!" Darcy replies. Further adding insult to injury, the bloke states emphatically that he is in no humor to dance with girls unfortunate enough to lack partners, thereby lumping Elizabeth in with among the wistful wallflowers. So what's the attraction to this ill mannered, spoiled, self important cad? Elizabeth has already set her heart against him at this juncture, yet we have just begun the classic love story.  As heroes go, he's not kind or gallant. He's nasty.

Yet we love Mr. Darcy.

 It gets worse. Mr. Darcy is good friends with Mr. Bingley, an affable young man of means who is attracted to Elizabeth's older sister, Jane. Darcy influences his friend to break off the association, thereby breaking Jane's heart as she is in love with Bingley. Elizabeth learns Darcy is behind this and she is livid with anger at him for his interference, for as she puts it, he has cruelly destroyed the hopes  and happiness of her sister. Darcy doesn't see it that way, he sees it as having saved his friend from a potentially bad union, and tells Elizabeth so with pride and self-righteousness.

After all this, there comes a a very infuriating marriage proposal from Darcy to Elizabeth Bennett. He slides into the parlor looking as if he's ready to lose his lunch in his hat, and pretty much tells her that against his better judgement, and despite her lowly connections in society, he has decided to make an offer for her hand in marriage. Elizabeth, and the rest of us, are properly appalled. The nerve of this guy, making her feel as if he's doing her a favor by lowering himself from his pedestal to marry her. She rebuffs him, of course. Wouldn't you?                                     

Ah, but don't forget our heroine is actually in love with him, despite his towering ego. He's handsome, rich (worth about a million, by modern equations) and swoon worthy. At this point, we should give Elizabeth a round of applause for not succumbing to the charm of his bankroll and ignoring his flaws. (Many a modern lass has lacked her resolve.) To be honest,  Darcy is a pretty package, all brooding, handsome, and ridiculously rich. Just needs a little help on the social front.

Or maybe he needs Zoloft for his social anxiety disorder. Why do I say this? Think about it, dear reader. How truly social is Darcy, at any event in the novel (or movie)? He's pretty much a sad, reluctant observer. He remains in the background silently brooding, looking as if he's sitting in the reception room waiting to be called into the dentist's office to have a root canal.

By his own admission, he states it is difficult for him to converse at social gatherings. Elizabeth chides him when he confesses by countering with the example of her piano playing. She says that the only reason she is not very good at it is because she does not practice, inferring that he must practice being social more if he wishes to become proficient at it. This statement is met with gaiety by Elizabeth's companion, Colonel Fitzwilliam, but Darcy himself appears mortified by her suggestion, and rightly so. It's sort of like telling someone who is afraid of heights to practice jumping out of planes in order to overcome their discomfort. This casts Mr. Darcy in a different light. He's not a jerk, he's just uncertain and clumsy on the social front, and the perceived insolence that he shows to the world is perhaps not insolence at all but a stoic feeling of torture at being forced into social engagements due to his position in society.

And so, we love Mr. Darcy! 

Aside from his brood factor, there are other redeeming qualities in our timeless hero. He cares enough about those in his social circle that he will interfere when he sees them making a mistake, or sees them caught up in disturbing circumstances that he can fix for them. When Elizabeth's little sister runs off with a man who is a terrible rake, ruining her reputation and that of her family, Darcy steps in behind the scenes to try to fix it. He searches for the couple, finds them, and forces the man to marry young Lydia, preserving the Bennett Family's reputation in society. He also secretly pays the bridegroom a huge stipend as a bribe to get him to agree to marry the girl, as he knows Mr. Bennett, Elizabeth's father could not afford to do so. All this is done in secret, but of course Elizabeth finds out he saved her family from social ruin and she can't help but fall even deeper in love with him. He is a true gallant after all. And, he rescinds his censure over Bingley marrying Jane, Elizabeth's sister. In the end, we have a double wedding, with sisters Jane and Elizabeth marrying for true love.

The love story of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett has been an enduring tale for two centuries. It was written by Austen in the late 18th Century, originally titled "First Impressions", aptly named as the misjudgements of a first impression change through the course of the story. It was rewritten in 1811-12 and then released as Pride and Prejudice in early 1813.  It was her second published novel, coming after the 1811 publication of Sense & Sensibility, but Pride and Prejudice has become the most beloved of her works.

Movie versions:
There are several movie versions of Pride and Prejudice, the previously mentioned A&E production that is a classic, being a faithfully rendered miniseries. This one stars Colin Firth as Darcy (See top Photo) and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth. This version follows the storyline of the book precisely and even the dialogue is word for word directly from the book. I highly recommend it.

Matthew MacFadyen as Mr. Darcy

 If you want a quicker, shorter rendition, the big screen Theater release of 2005 with Kiera Knightly as Miss Bennett and Matthew MacFadyen as Darcy, is equally good, but the storyline is much more keenly focused on the lovers instead of the Bennett family intrigues that make the book so compelling. Still, it is a very good short version if you're looking for a quickie fix.

Elliot Cowan is Mr. Darcy in 'Lost in Austen'

  And last, but not least, is the brilliant comedy "Lost in Austen". This is the story of Amanda, who loves P&P so much, she literally gets thrust back in time to the take Elizabeth's place in the storyline. What happens is a clash of sensibilities as Amanda tries to fit into Regency culture. It's funny, and touching, and adds a wonderful modern twist on the storyline. Elizabeth Bennett goes into the future, exchanging places with Amanda in time. Elliot Cowan plays a stunning Mr. Darcy, complete with a serious brood factor that comes close to Firth's incarnation, and as Amanda puts it, a "Smoulder Alert".

In closing, I leave you with an extra chocolate truffle, being it is Mother's Day. Note Darcy's confession of social awkwardness here.  Sparks fly between Mr. Darcy and Miss Bennett in this 2005 offering.