When Nina Benneton and her family first arrived in America years ago, she took one look at the front lawns of her new neighborhood and thought, Gosh, these Americans are indeed a blessed race. They even got the gods to give them the power to grow trees in perfect geometric shapes.
Kim: What is something from your homeland that remains important to you - a custom, a saying, a recipe, etc.
Nina: My mother's salad bowl. Made of some kind of porcelain, milky white inside and turmeric yellow on the outside, my mother's heavy salad bowl traveled with us to America. My father was very exasperated with her, and I think we kids were, too, for we had to take turn carrying the darn thing through continents before we arrived in America.
For years, it's one of those wonders that I could never seem to find rational reason for—why my mother had to have that darn bowl with her. We knew it wasn't her mother's bowl or an heirloom.
It wasn't until my first homesick-visit from college, when I saw that bowl on the table, and was comforted by the sight, that I understood. She wanted something mundane and normal to take with her to a new land and a new life. The bowl was a symbol to her that life goes on…even when you've lost your whole past.
Of course, that was my take. Years later, after I have my own family and kids, I asked my mother where the bowl was, 'cause I'd like to have it as a family memento and tell my kids about it.
She gave me a blank look. "What bowl?"
Kim: You wrote on your blog, "Traveling always sparks my muse and I return home with a setting, plot, characters... ". We love travel stories at SOS Aloha - randomly pick a special destination from your memory and share your favorite sight, sound, and smell.
Nina: Profitis Ilias (Prophet Elijah) Monastery, on the highest spot on the Greek island of Santorini. After trekking up a windy road in a noisy bus with a broken muffler, my favorite sound was the silence at the monastery, my favorite sight was the black-garbed monk who greeted us, and my favorite smell was the hint of vanilla in the powder sugar coating the cactus jelly he served.
Kim: Who or what helped you along the path to publishing?
Nina: In the acknowledgement page, besides my editor and my agent, I had a list of seventeen people to thank. Each generously helped with one aspect or another.
The person who's helped me the most, and without whom Compulsively Mr. Darcy would not be published, is my critique partner, Pamala Knight, current president of Chicago North RWA. In addition to her unwavering support and insightful critique, she pushed me to pursue publication. Because I respect her writing and trust her opinion, I did what I was told. She's the first person I call whenever I have good or bad news about this publishing journey.
My husband is supportive, but he's not as good as Pamala in either commiserating or squealing.
As to 'what' helped me? It's fear that drives me. I took up writing to conquer my fear of writing fiction. I caved into Pamala's challenge to pursue publication because I don't like it that I was fearful of rejection. I have experienced rejections, but that didn't kill the joy of writing and being a storyteller for me, I'm happy to report.
Kim: Tell us about your book, COMPULSIVELY MR. DARCY!
Nina: Compulsively Mr. Darcy is a modern, romantic comedy update of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. In this re-telling, Mr. Darcy is a control freak with obsessive-compulsive disorder who, during a trip to Vietnam to help the Bingley family adopt a trendy third-world orphan, meets an impulsive, carefree, infectious disease doctor Elizabeth Bennet.
Here's the book cover's blurb:
For anyone obsessed with Pride & Prejudice, it's Darcy and Elizabeth like you've never see them before!
This modern take introduces us to the wealthy philanthropist Fitzwilliam Darcy, a handsome and brooding bachelor who yearns for love but doubts any woman could handle his obsessive tendencies. Meanwhile, Dr. Elizabeth Bennet has her own intimacy issues that ensure her terrible luck with men.
When the two meet up in the emergency room after Darcy's best friend, Charles Bingley, gets into an accident, Elizabeth thinks the two men are a couple. As Darcy and Elizabeth unravel their misconceptions about each other, they have to decide just how far they're willing to go to accept each other's quirky ways...
Here's the book cover's blurb:
For anyone obsessed with Pride & Prejudice, it's Darcy and Elizabeth like you've never see them before!
This modern take introduces us to the wealthy philanthropist Fitzwilliam Darcy, a handsome and brooding bachelor who yearns for love but doubts any woman could handle his obsessive tendencies. Meanwhile, Dr. Elizabeth Bennet has her own intimacy issues that ensure her terrible luck with men.
When the two meet up in the emergency room after Darcy's best friend, Charles Bingley, gets into an accident, Elizabeth thinks the two men are a couple. As Darcy and Elizabeth unravel their misconceptions about each other, they have to decide just how far they're willing to go to accept each other's quirky ways...
Kim: What's next for Nina Benneton?
Nina: I have multi-projects I'm juggling in various stages.
I'm currently deep-editing a Regency Romantic Suspense, another Jane Austen genre book. I'm doing research to prepare for a round of revision for a contemporary romantic comedy I've finished. I'm currently writing the first draft of a time-travel story. And I'm in the plotting/planning stage for my next project, a Regency set in the London's Foundling Hospital.
Thank you so much, Kim and SOS Aloha, for having me on here today. Mahalo, Nina.
Kim: Mahalo back to you, Nina! Nina is giving away a print copy of COMPULSIVELY MR. DARCY to one US resident and a ecopy to an international reader. To enter the giveaway,
1. Leave a comment about something that makes you just a little different than others. I can pick things up with my toes.
2. Comments are open through Saturday, February 25, 10 pm in Hawaii. I'll post the winner on Sunday, February 26.
Wishing you good mental health,
Kim in Hawaii
Check out my review of COMPULSIVELY MR. DARCY on Goodreads at this link.
To learn more about Nina, check out her social media:
Website/blog: www.NinaBenneton.com
Facebook at this link.
With age, and enough reading or other experience, one discovers there are no differences and "uniqueness" is a trap, isolating and lonely. Enjoy being human--one of 6,995,551,986
ReplyDelete11:14 UTC as of Feb 20, 2012.
Dearest Liz,
DeleteWhat wisdom and wit you have. What truth you speak. But, you know, unique people never think of themselves as unique...so I know for sure you're one-of-a-kind!
I do think, however, when in one's youth, one needs to have that solipsism to have the motion to go forth and want to change the world, kinda like Quixote charging at windmills. I myself love to be someone's Sancho--and I feel as if I do that with every election. ;)
Goodness, such serious discussion with my irreverent romantic comedy offering.
Mahalo,
Nina
I am not sure what makes me different. I am a bit of a loner because I think differently than my team mates at school
ReplyDeleteDearest Debby,
DeleteNow I know you have a writer's soul. I think writers tend to think differently than their 'team'--whatever team it is.... and that's why writers put their thoughts into words, to offer something different than what's been done before.
So, you go on and think differently as much as you want. Crowd mentality is a dangerous thing!
What a thought provoking question Kim asked!
Mahalo,
Nina
I'm double jointed,
ReplyDeleteDearest Danielle,
DeleteNow you have me very curious as to what feats someone double-jointed could perform! I think as I go about my day today, I'm going to ask people if they're double jointed and ask them to show me something they can do.
Mahalo
Thanks for a fantastic post and giveaway! I love all things Jane Austin and Austin related. I had your book recommended to me a few weeks ago, so I was delighted to read this post :)
ReplyDeleteummmmm... I can read very fast. Depending on font size, pages and how into it I am, I can read an average book in less than a day.
My dear, dear Erin,
DeletePlease give whoever recommended the book to you a big hug and mahalo from me.
Wow. That is fast reading. Strangely, that's one thing I miss since I started writing--time to read for fun. I need to make that a priority.
Btw, the book is a fun read, I promise. I promise it won't leave you depressed. It might leave you washing your hands a bit more...but it won't leave you sad.
Mahalo for the 'fantastic post' ...
What a great post. I am a big fan of Mr Darcy and Elizabeth and the whole Pride & Prejudiced book. I love the new takes on the old classics. This book looks great and would love to win and read. Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win.
ReplyDeletechristinebails@yahoo.com
Darling Christbails,
DeleteI'm so glad to see you here. Mahalo for that 'great' post.
You are an adventurous soul to like new takes on old classics. Me too. I've met Jane Austen purists at book signings who refused to even glance at anything but her originals. I respect that. Ahem...that would have been me a few years ago.
Funny, though, I've met way, way, way more Jane Austen fans who have never read one of her original novels. "Too difficult to get through,' they told me. It is an acquired reading taste when you're used to modern language and faster pace.
Now, I'm waiting for someone to do an irreverent retelling of War and Peace, because, I tell you, I cannot get through the original!
Mahalo for commenting
The book sounds good.
ReplyDeleteI can pick up things with my toes too. I inherited my grandma's feet..I wear a size 10..and I've been told, that a bit large for ladies. But the funny thing is I also wear a size 10 in rings on my ring finger. Big hands and big feet..I wonder what that means...
Dear, dear, Mary,
DeleteWhat that means is you need to be with a man with large shoe size. Always. You know what they say about a man's shoe size and his....um...(Is this a PG site?)
Anyhow, I can assure you that shoe size on the cover of the book is at least a 14. Mr. Darcy has to be the alpha dog even with shoe size, you understand...
Just think of the BIG objects you and my Mr.Darcy could pick up with your big toes together between the sheets--of the book!
Mahalo for stopping by and sharing ...
I can read a book very fast and memorize the story. Then when I tell others the story it's like they have read the book. That happens with movies too.
ReplyDeleteListen, darling Mandy (I wanted to be called that ever since I heard that Barry Manilow's song),
DeleteI'm so, so happy about your unique skill...but , PLEASE, could you restraint yourself and not tell your nearest and dearest everything about my book if you happen to read it? (And you should read it, btw!) If it's like they have read the book, then they won't buy it, and then my publisher won't buy my next few books, and then my agent will drop me, and then I have to go back to being a dairy maid for lactating mice, and you wouldn't want that, now, would you?
Hey, that's my unique skill. I could 'milk' tiny lactating mice!
Anyway, I'm serious, Mandy, please don't share your unique gift too much, then we authors would be out of business.
Mahalo
What fun replies! I too can do the toe trick and my thumbs are double jointed lol. I have a way with animals and love them all. At the moment I've introduced two cats (2 and 6) to my household of 3 others (I've had 7 at one time and a dog) which is a challenge and I care for ferals/strays and feed a variety of wildlife lol.
ReplyDeletecatslady
Sweet, sweet, dear sweet Catslady,
DeleteYes, I'd call myself anonymous, too, if I have a heart as big as you. All the feral cats and dogs in the neighborhood for sure will know who's the SOFTIE in a ten miles radius.
Funny you mentioned cats. My kids are deathly allergic, but they want one so bad--and I just came back from taking them for allergy SHOTS. First time ever. They didn't cry or anything. They want kitties very, very bad. So, yes, in the near future, I might be able to call myself Catsmomma!
Okay, I just spent a few minutes trying to see how one could be double jointed at the thumbs... Are you sure you're quite human? I'm wracking my small brain trying to figure out which animal is double jointed with their thumbs.
Mahalo for taking time out to leave a comment, and I hope you win, if only because you need to save the money for the cat's kibble instead of spending on my book.
I don't drive and always have hated it. If I have to I will but for the most part I don't! I guess that make me a odd duck!LOL! Anyway, thanks for sharing with us today!
ReplyDeleteDearest Johanna R Jochum,
DeleteThat cannot be your name! It's too cool. That's a Dutch name? No, too short. Now, you have to write back and tell me what kind of name is that.
Don't drive? No need to feel like an odd duck. I know billions of people who don't drive. Like half of the population in India--the women don't drive, usually. I once wrote a story where the Indian grandmother doesn't drive, but she's a very, very good backseat driver. It's okay if you don't drive--just make sure you're a very enthusiastic backseat driver, okay?
Mahalo... PS: In the book, Darcy bought Elizabeth a Volvo station wagon because it's the safest car there is... isn't that sweet? Perhaps you could get a Volvo?
I love all the pics, Nina is a new to me author I love the cover. I do enjoy all the books based on Mr Darcy I dont think I have read one I haven't liked.
ReplyDeleteThe old star trek shows DH loves them for the longest time he would say I haven't seen this one I would say yes you have its the one where !!!!! it got to a point that I could name the show within the first few min..
Have a good one ( Live long & Prosper ) Ann/alba
My dearest, loveliest Alba,
DeleteKim did a wonderful job with pictures, didn't she? And, yes, that was exactly the color of the bowl my mother had!
My apologies to Kim for diverting your attention away, but you must go to my last blogstop at Alive on the Shelf ( http://aliveontheshelves.com/2012/02/guest-post-nina-benneton-author-of-compulsively-mr-darcy/ ) where I actually talk about my love for Mr. Darcy and Mr. Spock (and why Darcy is better than Dracula).
What I want to know is--you had to watch Star Trek with him, but did he watch P & P 1995 versin--all 6 hours of it--with you?
My husband is a Star Trek fan, too. Let's get together. You and I can drool over Mr. Darcy while our husbands can discourse on whether one can really live long and prosper when William Shatner is at the helm?
Mahalo,
PS: If you do stop over to Alive on the Shelves, leave me a note... I'm rather lonely there...People are shy there, for some reason.
Perhaps this doesn't make me different from others, but I really enjoy people who are just a tad odd, snarky and different - I think they are much more interesting and fun. I can also read very fast (took classes when I was working so I could get through all the required reading). I still read fast for pleasure (which can get expensive!) but I now find that I don't remember as much as I did in the past.
ReplyDeleteMy heartfelt delight Karen,
DeleteBe still my heart. You love odd, snarky and different people! I feel like Sally Field! You like me! You really, really like me!!!
Sorry. Didn't mean to be so solipsistic (Love that word!).
I envy people who read fast like you. My children are like you. We go to the library each week with suitcases. If I want to punish them, I say, "No library for you this week!" and they cry.
Goodness, if you're working and going to school and reading fast for pleasure, I would imagine it's hard to remember what you read. My agent reads like 200 manuscript a week, probably. Can you imagine?
Mahalo for taking time out from your reading to leave a comment, and if you like odd, snarky and different people, Compulsively Mr. Darcy delivers on that! I promise. No dead bodies, if I remember. Wait... there is one at the end....
I can tie a cherry stem with my tongue. Honestly!
ReplyDeleteDarling Chelsea B,
DeleteYou must have been one popular girl in high school and gone on lots of dates... Can you really? With the cherry still attached or not?
I'd love to know that so I could put that in a story somehow...Just think, a scene of my heroine doing that while she's reading or doing something else, and my hero's getting all hot and bothered... What do you think? I might even name her Chelsea!
Hmmm.... I'll make her double jointed in her thumbs, too...
Mahalo for sharing that...
i can watch TV alllllllll day long!!!!!! but i also make time for my other fun activities, like reading, shopping, going to the movies..........in other words, i have MANY obsessions!!!! LOL!!!!
ReplyDeleteCyn209 honey, my sweet gal,
DeleteWe have got to get you a life! All day long? I hope it's educational TV or shows on PBS in America.
Oh, I see, you read, shop and go to the movies! Phew! I was fearful for a moment there you're like my Elizabeth. Spoiler: there's one scene in the book where she spends all her days watching TV....but at the end, she learned some very productive lessons that benefit Darcy...like belly dancing.
Can you belly dance, Cyn? Now, what is that 209 business next to your name? Is it your house number? Darling, you gotta to be careful not to advertise that. There are all sorts of weirdo online... you'd never know where you'd run across one... like an author who rambles and rambles...
Mahalo for letting me mess with you ;)
I really enjoy these types of adaptations and P&P is one of my all time favorites! Can't wait to read it.
ReplyDeleteSweet LilMissMolly,
DeleteI recognize your moniker! Someday, I have to get that story out of you how you came up with that name. I picture this sweet little old lady...
And I love you for loving adaptations! I haven't an original bone in my body, you see, so I must borrow characters from a dead author. I'm thinking of borrowing from Shakespeare next, what do you think?
Mahalo for stopping by...
I enjoyed your post. Your book sounds very interesting. I would say I'm pretty good with directions and not getting lost.
ReplyDeleteDearest bn100,
DeleteYou wouldn't happen to be my husband masquerading as a commenter here, are you?
That's exactly what he says, too. Navigational system saved our marriage. I'm in love with the computer guy...he never steers me wrong.
Mahalo and hone your sense of directions toward my next stop on the blogtour, okay?
Dear Nina, I didn't know that you are an immigrant to US. I was wondering where were you from?
ReplyDeleteWhat makes me different? Erm, maybe it's because I love JAFF whereas friends whom I know (not online ones) don't read them. I'm international so eBook for me, please.
evangelineace2020(at)yahoo(dot)com
Dearest, most darling Luthien84,
DeleteOf course, you haven't read the book, so you haven't read my author bio page in the back of the book to know that... and that's why you're here. And now I know you haven't my website out, because the bio is on there, too. ;) As a bonus, you'd get to see my Valentine post--where a gorgeous romance cover model, Jimmy Thomas, is holding up a copy of the book! All you have to do is click on my name here, and it will take you to my website..
Okay, promotion over.... back to Luthien,
Yes, it makes you very different, liking Jaff.... About your real life friends, I'm working slowly, slowly to convert everyone... one reader at a time... My whole block is going to be reading the book. Mostly because my DH outed me as an author. No, he has not read the book. He reads things like Cambridge's critical analysis of John Milton's Paradise Lost...
Mahalo and live long and prosper with Darcy!!
my friend really love jane austen's book and i think she will love the update of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice's book too
ReplyDeleteSweetness Eli,
DeleteAren't you sweet, to be thinking of your friend. I think if you don't win, what you should do is buy a copy for yourself and one for her, that way, you can support an author and SHARE in the love of Mr. Darcy with your friend...win, win for all three of us (you, me and your friend), what do you think?
No?
Mahalo and tell your friend about the book!
Im so excited! Like others here, Pride and Predujice is one of my favorite stories. I love reading retakes on the story! Yours sounds awesome! Im definitely getting me a copy. :) Congrats, btw!
ReplyDeleteSomething unique? I can pick things up with my toes too! lol My mom calls me monkey because my toes are long and i can pick things up. :D Thanks for sharing! You have a wonderful week! :)
My dearest, loveliest Shadow (If you're a P & P fan, you'd recognize that endearment, eh?)
ReplyDeleteYippee! An excited reader. Thank you very much for the 'awesome' and 'congrats'.... and, well, everything you said.
Picking up things with your toes... hmmm, that seems to be a rather common theme--so I'm sorry, not unique anymore. Why don't you check and see if your toes are double jointed? Or, see if your toes can tie a cherry stem in a knot? THAT would make you unique.
Mahalo for commenting and letting me sport with you...
;) I do indeed recognize. lol And your very welcome! Thanks for sharing it! I plan on getting a copy Friday. Im sitting on the edge of my seat counting down the time. :D
ReplyDeleteToes does seem common, huh? Unfortunately, im not double jointed and i definitely cant tie a cherry stem, though i might try string later. lol
One other thing i can do, i can roll my eyes in back of my head. (Ever heard of or seen the movie Evil Dead?) I watched it when i was little with my sister and she was terrified of the movie. I used to roll my eyes in back my head, sing the song from the movie and chase her through the house. Evil, i know, but so much fun! lol
My heartfelt delight Shadow,
DeleteYou are a woman after my own heart! Evilness to siblings I completely can relate to. (I tried to roll my eyes in back of my head like you, but it made my migraine headache worse!)
Ahem, since you will be reading the book soon (I hope), i have to confess here that I didn't mean to write a spicy book...but my little sister (the prude) who was my first editor, objected to Elizabeth using the word 'arse'---so I...ahem, gave E a potty mouth.
When she objected to Darcy thinking of Elizabeth's bum--I decided to push the envelope and write the love scenes more spicy than I'd planned.
So, you can blame all the spiciness on needling prudish siblings. ;)
And with a name like Shadow, I'd expect you to be liking a movie called 'Evil Dead.'
lol tormenting siblings is so much fun, huh? lol aww. i hope your head feels better. migraines are awful!
ReplyDeletei plan on reading your book very soon! ;) hopefully tomorrow!
tell your sister thank you! i love spiciness in a book! hehe i love that you did that. nice way to irritate her! ha! :D
hehe Shadow is actually my real name and i was named it because my mom loves indians. ;) and evil dead isnt the only one i love! i adore scary movies, there my favorite. my sister is a scaredy cat. watching scary movies always gave me new ideas to torment her. ;D i used to have so much fun!
you have a wonderful weekend! wish you all the best with Compulsively Mr. Darcy. ;)