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Welcome to the Tuesday Author Interview with Christina Boyd for the Who, What, When, Where, and Why.
CHRISTINA: I came to know award-winning author Brandon Dragan through Jane Austen. But not through the usual way at a conference or online Austen fan sites...but through his wife Jami. She and I became Facebook friends through our common interests (Jane Austen and Henry Cavill) and friends in common (author Joanna Starnes and blogger Mira Magdo.) Then, she mentioned her husband was a writer and asked if I would be interested in reading his then-upcoming short story, Cast No Shadows. I remember it had the same edgy feel as Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men. Not my usual cup of tea, more my MrB's fare, but a compelling and emotive story all the same.
So, tell me, what about your current project, latest release?
BRANDON: The new novel is Mr. Bingley: Just as a Gentleman Ought to Be, out October 8, 2024, from Quoir Publishing. Obviously, this is a Pride and Prejudice variation, but in this story, Mr. Bingley takes center stage. It felt like time that the loveable “second man” of Jane Austen’s masterpiece received some of the spotlight.
It’s always been interesting to me that Mr. Bingley disappears not only from Netherfield, but from the story entirely and for such a long period of time. Sure, an explanation is offered, but part of the brilliance of Pride and Prejudice is that situations—and, of course, people—were not always as they seemed.
So, as the idea churned in my mind, I began to wonder if I couldn’t write a story that helps fill in the gaps, and maybe even offers an alternate perspective on Bingley. Maybe there is way more to him than what meets the eye. And the further I got into exploring this new story running beneath the surface of P&P, the more I began to see opportunities to give lots of characters—from Mr. Hurst to Wickham (that rake!) to even Mr. Darcy himself—the chance to be something other than what they have always appeared to be. That’s what really excites me about this story!
CHRISTINA: You know how I love my Austen-adjacent novels! I love it when writers take beloved characters on a parallel journey or give us more backstory than canon. I was delighted to read and review an advanced copy.
What comes first: plot or characters?
BRANDON: If we’re talking about what develops first when I’m starting on a new idea, then plot. And usually, it’s just a general idea of where we start and where we’re headed. A lot of times, though, I don’t know how we get to our destination until the characters take shape, and
sometimes, the development of the characters changes the vision entirely.
If the question is about what is more important, I think both are equally important. A plot has
to move from beginning to someplace. So does a character. If the plot doesn’t move, the story
is boring. If a character doesn’t move, the story is pointless.
One of the really fun parts of writing Mr. Bingley: Just as a Gentleman Ought to Be was that the
characters and (a) plot were already in place. So, I was taking people that we think we know
and submerging them into a new plot that runs parallel to Jane Austen’s original novel. The
idea, then, became to bend those characters away from preconceived notions—first impressions, you might say—and reinterpret their arcs in light of the newly “revealed” undercurrent of a plot in my story.
CHRISTINA: Your Mr. Bingley is fantastic. It's so important for an Austenesque writer to build the interiority of a canon character when the arc goes in a different direction. Already familiar with your writing, I was all anticipation. You delivered! Well done. Your Bingley is the Regency James Bond. I always knew that there must be more to Charles Bingley than what Austen gave us. I love how he is still recognizable as the amiable Mr. Bingley we all adore but with a much more exciting private life. Swoon!
If you could have dinner with three people, who would be at your table?
BRANDON: That’s a fascinating question! For my answer, I’m going to assume that we’re talking about living people. I would first have to say my wife, Jami. I wouldn’t dream of having dinner with other interesting people without her by my side.
Second, I would love to have a meal with Dean Strang. He is one of the defense attorneys from the Netflix documentary Making a Murderer. Dean is an absolute inspiration to me as a criminal defense attorney. He is remarkably eloquent, operates from a deep well of empathy, and cares passionately about the preservation of human rights. Those are all traits that I try to model not only in my day job and how I treat my clients, but in my life generally, in how I interact with everyone I meet.
Last but certainly not least, would be Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. I am fascinated by Mikel’s
drive to make the people around him better and by his relentless positivity. I would love to sit
for a couple hours and just soak that in and hopefully let it rub off on me. One of my favorite
phrases Mikel often repeats has become something of a mantra for me: “We go again.” When
life gives us a victory: we go again. When we get knocked down: we go again. What a great way to approach the ups and downs life throws at us. Whether we’re winning or losing, keep
growing, keep changing, keep working at being better.
CHRISTINA: All of that is quite lovely but I love that that you include Jami at the table. Most people I've interviewed just name people they don't already know.
What are you reading now?
BRANDON: I’m not! Honestly, with the way work is keeping me busy and with the focus I’ve put on trying to give Mr. Bingley the best possible release, I haven’t had much time. I will say that on vacation this summer, I read As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner and The Orchard Keeper by my favorite novelist, Cormac McCarthy. Both fantastic books, though The Orchard Keeper is not where I would start if you’ve never read Cormac McCarthy and want to give him a go. I’d suggest No Country for Old Men and work your way up to Blood Meridian.
My publisher, Quoir, is planning a release of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as part of its “classics” division. I will definitely be picking up a copy as Quoir’s classic titles are beautiful books. I also contributed the afterword, so I’ve got to have one on my shelf!
CHRISTINA: It all makes sense to me now. No wonder Cast No Shadows was your first book, given how much you champion McCarthy's books.
So far, what is your greatest accomplishment as a writer?
BRANDON: There are many things I am proud of as a writer. First is the simple fact that I actually finished my first novel, The Wages of Grace. That was an absolute labor of love. I had mostly been writing music in the decade leading up to the idea for that story, and there’s a big difference between writing a three-minute song and a one-hundred-thousand-word novel. In fact, from concept to publication, Wages was eleven years in the making, but I stuck with it, and I’m grateful that I did.
Next is winning the American Bar Association Journal’s Ross Writing Contest with my short
story Advokat. I had never really dreamed of entering a nationwide writing competition, but I
believed in that story and as it turned out, the ABA did as well.
Most recently, I am incredibly proud to say that my new novel, Mr. Bingley, has the endorsement of Crispin Bonham-Carter, Mr. Bingley himself! Again, when I started writing this project, having the man who so perfectly portrayed Jane Austen’s character connected with mybook in any way seemed like an outrageous pipedream… And yet here we are!
CHRISTINA: You have much to be proud of. I look forward to watching your star continue to rise.
Best advice for new writers:
BRANDON: Two things: first, let it flow honestly. Some of the best advice I ever received was don’t judge your characters. Let them tell the story, even if you don’t like what they do. And surprisingly, if you write honestly and without forcing characters into molds they are straining against, you may find that you see yourself in even the characters you don’t like. That’s not only great therapy, it’s also great writing.
Second: write something you would want to read. Don’t aspire to something so lofty that you’d
get bored if it was written by anyone else. Be kind to your readers in that way, but also, don’t
don’t get hung up on what you think a particular set of readers might want. All art is subjective
and what one person loves another may not. So again, write it for yourself and let it be what it
is.
CHRISTINA: Wise words. Thank you. One must remember to write for oneself. Otherwise, it's not fun anymore.
Do you hide any secrets in your novels only a select few might know?
BRANDON: Absolutely. First of all, I am a massive supporter of Arsenal Football Club. Thus, some of my characters—good ones, of course—share names with former Arsenal players. For instance, the main character in my first novel, The Wages of Grace, is the son of a French immigrant to the U.S. His name is Thierry, after Arsenal and France footballing legend, Thierry Henry. If you dig a little, you might find that some of Mr. Bingley’s new friends also share an Arsenal connection.
CHRISTINA: What? Now I'm going to have to go back and reread for that detail.
Thanks so much, Brandon, for taking the time to share a little of your writing journey. Wishing you much success as your new novel releases. I get such a kick that Crispin Bonham-Carter has endorsed the book! Well done, you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brandon Dragan is an attorney in Tennessee and winner of the
American Bar Association Journal's 2021 Ross Writing Contest. His writing draws on a wide
array of influences from modern novelists such as Cormac McCarthy and Richard Yates to classic writers like Fyodor Dostoevsky and Jane Austen. He enjoys a good cigar and road cycling and is an avid supporter of the Arsenal Football Club. Connect with Brandon via his website and social media: the work of Brandon Dragan.
ABOUT THE BOOK For centuries, Jane Austen's classic novel, Pride & Prejudice, has been dearly loved the world over. However, few people know the truth about Mr. Darcy's closest friend, the affable Mr. Bingley–who is much more than he appears on first impression.
Mr. Bingley: Just as a Gentleman Ought to Be is the previously untold story of a young man who unwittingly uncovers an evil cabal among the British Empire's aristocracy. Bingley confronts an enterprise so nefarious that he cannot help but act to redress it, even if it costs him his own reputation and the love of his life, the angelic Miss Jane Bennet.
Follow Mr. Bingley down a rabbit hole of intrigue and corruption as he fights to protect the
country's most vulnerable alongside friends old and new. Can he set things right before he loses Jane forever?
Wow, Brandon -- what wonderful array of work (both as a writer and attorney)! And you're Jami's husband (best thing of all)! Congrats on your new release and all you've accomplished so far!
Always insightful to hear from the author about the book and also good to learn how the writing process works. Loved Brandon's take on Bingley so much!
For me, as a Bingley fan who feels he too-often receives a weak portrayal in variations, this book has to be one of the most anticipated for me in a very long time. I love a ‘strong’ Bingley and I’m always delighted when an author make him so—and to have him ‘center stage’ excites me. I’m absolutely dying to read it. I have it preordered and can’t wait to see it in my Kindle when I wake on release day.
Thanks for this interview, Christina and Brandon, it was such a great read! And my oh my, what a roller-coaster of a novel! Gripping plot and superb execution. Huge congrats, Brandon, and here's to many more!