Well, well! Look at those lovely Regency ladies!!! Who knew they could be so savage and face-off?! I am certain that wouldn’t be proper AT ALL!!
The rules are simple: I ask Maria Grace some random questions. She replies and then I give my answers. Each winning answer is worth one point and I get to decide whose answer is better.
It’s my blog.
Here we go!
- Have you ever been to the Legit Jane Austen Festival in Bath, England? (Of course, costumed)
Maria Grace – Not yet, but we have reservations for the one this year in England—does that count? I have two Regency gowns and just bought new patterns and fabric for some new ones. I also have patterns and fabric for a period suit for my husband who will be coming with me to celebrate our 25th anniversary.
Charity – OMGoodness! Heck, yes that counts!! So cool!!! I have not been to ANY Jane Austen festivals. So sad.
— easy
Charity 0 / Maria Grace 1
- What’s your favorite holiday (any) tradition?
Maria Grace – I love big family meals. We host the extended family for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas for big sit down meals. For birthdays we try to have everyone over for a less formal meal. I love to do all the cooking and feeding everyone. Thankfully, my guys are usually up for doing the dishes after I’ve done all the food.
Charity – Wow! That is so much work!! My favorite tradition is probably our Black Friday shopping. My husband and I look at the sales sheets for weeks before and plan our attack! So fun!!
— Traditions are fun! It’s a tie.
- What decade of style do you connect with the most? 70’s? 80’s? 90’s? ha ha. Do you still do the overalls with the straps hanging down?
Maria Grace – Style? Who me? I am so style-blind it’s a little embarrassing. I’m utterly clueless about what went with what decade. I love color though and rarely wear black anymore. I’ll share a secret, I keep an artist’s color wheel in my closet to help me put color combinations together. I often have people tell me they love a color combination I’m wearing, but they’d never have thought of it themselves.
Charity – Ah! That’s awesome!! I love it! What a great idea!!!! I don’t really connect with any. I try to somewhat stay up to date. At least wear things that don’t change too much…jeans, shirt, cardigan…
— Artist’s Color Wheel? win.
Charity 0 / Maria Grace 2
- What Jane Austen character do you find you are most like?
Maria Grace – Hands down, I’m Anne Elliot.
Charity – Aw! So, you must be the sweetest thing ever! I am definitely Marianne. Absolutely. I have a bit of Emma in me too.
— JANE AUSTEN ALWAYS WINS!
- Camping, Historical Sites, Hotels and a Broadway Show, or the Beach?
Maria Grace – I don’t camp…too many winter camping trips as a Girl Scout…brrrr. I think it would be a toss-up between historical sites and the beach. We love hiking and caves, snorkeling is another favorite. Just make sure I have a real bed and shower at the end!
Charity – I hear ya, girl! whew. I am not one for “roughing it”. I like dinner and a movie and a pretty hotel.
— You are adventurous! I love it. Wish I was healthy enough to do all those things.
Charity 0 / Maria Grace 3
— This is not good!!!!!!!!!!
- Are you an organizer, or do you prefer organized chaos?
Maria Grace – Ummm…I’m the gal who thinks in alphabetized lists, so I think I’d have to go with organized. I have 10 colors of highlighters and 12 colors of ball point pen on my best because those alphabetized lists I think in are also color coded in my head. My family just humors me…
Charity – ha. I hear ya! I completely understand!!! It’s hard when there are 3 boys living in this house with me and none of them are organizers. ahhhhhhhh
— tie
- Yoga? Zumba? Martial Arts? Running? Spinning? Favorite type of exercise?
Maria Grace – I’m one of those sick types who actually like to exercise. I did martial arts with my kids and earned black belts in Tae Kwon Do and Ta Chi. Now that they’re out of martial arts, I find myself running more. I love to just strap on my shoes and take off. So many plots have taken shape while I’m out on the trails. I can really get into my head and get into my characters there. I used to lift weight, but after my mother had a major health crisis a couple years ago I got away from it. I really want to get back to it. It’s a great way to spend time with my sons.
Charity – Uh……
— uh….
Charity 0 / Maria Grace 4
- What’s your secret (not anymore) guilty pleasure?
Maria Grace – Chocolate. Dark chocolate. Ghiradelli 72% Cocao dark chocolate. For breakfast.
Charity – ha ha ha. Nice. I love chips and sour skittles. Not a huge chocolate lover.
— I NEED a point, so I am taking it. I don’t care if you eat chocolate for every meal, I’m still taking it!!
Charity 1 / Maria Grace 4
- Which Regency Era movie’s hero has your heart a’fluttering? (specifically the actor…)
Maria Grace – That’s an easy one! Colin Firth (Darcy, 1995) and Cirian Hinds (Wentworth, 1995) Just don’t make me choose between them!
Charity – I have three…Alan Rickman (OF COURSE)(Sense and Sensibility 1995), Johnny Lee Miller (Emma 2009), and Rupert Penry-Jones (Persuasion 2008)
— I picked three!! I win!!
Charity 2 / Maria Grace 4
- Are you super crafty?
Maria Grace – Sort-of-ish. I sew—working on some new Regency costumes now for my husband and I. I crochet, mainly afghans. I’ll never catch up on my scrapbooks, LOL. I decorate cakes, but not nearly as much as when the kids were small and I we did fun birthday parties.
Charity – Sounds like a big fat “yes, I am crafty!” to me! (: I am too. I crochet and sew but DO NOT scrapbook.
–tie
- Lastly, how hard was it authoring a book with four other people? Honestly now, did you guys get in any cat fights or long deliberation sessions?
Maria Grace – It was pretty challenging. Writing is usually a pretty solitary activity and to have to do it together was equal parts fun and challenging. The brainstorming sessions were great fun, but when we didn’t see eye to eye, it took some real effort to sort it all out. But we’re all professionals, so we found ways to sort it all out—and we’re still friends at the end of it all, which is the real proof of the pudding!
Charity – I can imagine it being totally crazy!! I am glad it worked out because the book is wonderful!!! I love all the Jane Austen stuff you guys are working. So cool.
Final:
Charity 2(ish) / Maria Grace 4+
Link is in the pic!
I am certain you are going to love Theo Darcy as much as I do!! Watch for my review tomorrow!
Here are some fun pics!! (:
A couple pics of me with my mom and my youngest son is in one too (with his Revolutionary War hat on!).
This book was a collaboration between 5 DIFFERENT AUTHORS!!! Can you even imagine? Well, these generous ladies have offered to do a second giveaway of The Darcy Brothers (ebook). You can click on the link here for multiple entries. Review to follow tomorrow!! *Just a hint…I love it (;
Before you start aiming that mouse at the rafflecopter link, BEWARE!! This book was written by 5 authors, as I have already pointed out. There are MANY, MANY options for entries. Only THREE are mandatory. The rest are COMPLETELY OPTIONAL! So, don’t worry or get overwhelmed. Just do the ones that you want (: If you do them all, you will have a bazillion entries.
GOOD LUCK!
Charity Andrews 