I've been half in love with Mr. Darcy since I was twelve, although I'll admit, the first time I read Pride and Prejudice, I was totally taken in by Wickham. I was stunned when Mr. Darcy proposed (I guess I was reading too quickly to catch all the hints), and even more stunned when Wickham turned out to be a jerk. But by the end of the book I was completely smitten by Darcy. I am still smitten. The best part about writing Jane Austen Variations is that I can relive those moments of discovery and watch Elizabeth fall in love with Darcy one more time. All my books and short stories are standalone stories, each with a slightly different Darcy and Elizabeth.