Q&A with Emma Campbell Webster
If Jane Austen was alive today, on this chilly December 16th, she would be 250 years old. Happy Birthday Jane, you diva! As part of our celebration for the very special occasion, we were lucky enough to chat to author and Austen specialist, Emma Campbell Webster, about the republication of her book You Are Elizabeth Bennet. Check out what she had to say below!
We were so happy to hear about the republication of You Are Elizabeth Bennet.
Could you tell us a bit about your novel and its ‘choose your own adventure’ format?
Yes! The idea is that, as the reader, you are ‘playing’ Elizabeth Bennet on a mission: to ‘marry prudently and for love, eluding undesirable suitors and avoiding family scandals which would almost certainly ruin any hope of a financially advantageous marriage for you or any of your sisters.’You begin in the plot of Pride and Prejudice, but depending on the choices you make at various decision points throughout the book, you may find yourself suddenly in the plot of any one of her other novels, her juvenilia, moments from Austen’s life, or occasionally some very enjoyable moments that aren’t in the originals but perhaps ought to be. There are several ways to ‘win’, and almost as many to fail in humorous ways. It’s a really fun way to explore Austen’s world and characters, and get to feel like Mr. Darcy (or Wentworth, or Knightley!) is falling in love with you, which I think is a particularly fun way to experience these beloved storylines.
Both light and dark humour are a big part of these stories (we think Austen herself would be proud), how did you find writing the comedic elements and what inspired them?
It’s probably self-evident, but I greatly enjoyed writing the dark humour! I think creativity is often a way for the psyche to explore forbidden and taboo aspects of the self, and as a woman conditioned to be nice and protect connection at all costs, meanness and cruelty can therefore be delightful to express in comedic form. Even as an actress I was cast several times as a bitchy character, and there’s a certain glee that accompanies the process of expressing these things in play. Some of the slightly more melodramatic moments were inspired by Austen’s juvenilia in which she herself seems to delight in both spoofing the popular genres of the time, and also entertaining her friends and family with tales of misconduct and misfortune. Although her style matures in her later works, I feel there’s an essence of that spirit still running through them, and that’s how we end up with the delicious snideness of Miss Bingley, or hilariously inflated self-importance of Lady Catherine. As I’m answering this question, I’m thinking how enjoyable it is that whereas another author of her era might be tempted to split light and dark down gender lines, by focusing so directly on the female experience, Austen is able to explore the full spectrum across the large range of her female characters.
Besides Elizabeth Bennet, which Austen heroine and world would you most like to be transported into? Is this different from your absolute favourite Austen novel?
Well, I can’t help thinking it might be fun to spend a few minutes in the shoes of my namesake, Emma, and experience what it’s like to be ‘handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition’ and to possess ‘the power of having rather too much [my] own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of [myself]’. That seems like it would be a nice holiday from being myself… I also think it would be quite interesting to step into some of her minor characters, like Mary Bennet for example. It would be really interesting to see the events of Pride and Prejudice through her eyes, and to feel what it’s like to be the least popular of the Bennet sisters. I’ve got a feeling she’d have a lot of interesting things to reveal, and preconceptions to dismantle! As for my favourite Austen novel, it really is Pride and Prejudice, so I’d still always choose to step into Lizzy’s shoes first if given the choice.
Would it be too cheeky if we asked what’s next for you? Are there any other writing bits or otherwise in the works that we can look forward to?
Yes! I’m currently working on a new novel. Without giving too much away I can say that like You Are Elizabeth Bennet it’s comedic, romantic, a genre-mash up, and feels like a bit of an adventure. Unlike You Are Elizabeth Bennet, it has a very delightful metaphysical element which I really think readers will enjoy. I can’t wait to share it!
Something we’re always curious about when we talk to the authors of our favourite stories is what your perfect writing day looks like?
My ideal writing day begins with my butler bringing me breakfast in bed, followed by a long bath in milk and rose petals, a visit from a masseuse, a long walk with a friend, then maybe an hour or two of excellent writing, followed by cocktails and dinner. In reality, there’s usually a school run to do, then I take a walk and exercise, shower, do quite a lot of faffing around, and then maybe I can actually get down to it at around 11am. Approximately five minutes later it’s time to pick up the kids again, which I’ve never really understood. My favourite writing days are ones where I can bring my coffee back to bed and there’s nothing else to do for the entire day but think and write. There’s a certain decadence to that, even without a butler (still want one of those though).