Interview with May McGoldrick

Susan here, very pleased to welcome May McGoldrick--authors Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick, who also write as Jan Coffey--to Word Wenches to chat about their newest release, Jane Austen Cannot Marry.  The story moves between Regency England and the future as Nadine and Xander, traveling from the future, risk a little "un-matchmaking" in 1811 as they do their utmost to ensure that Jane Austen's novels will be written and her literary legacy will survive. The book is already earning stellar reviews -- "A stunning and beautifully written time travel novel unlike any other," said one Amazon reviewer.

Read on to learn more about the story and its unique and heartfelt inspiration from this real-life couple. And be sure to scroll to the end for a chance to win a copy of Jane Austen Cannot Marry!

Susan King: Welcome, Nikoo and Jim! Can you tell us a little about the story?

Nikoo & Jim: Yes! Much of this story takes place in April of 1811 in Hythe, England. Nadine Finley is a Scribe Guardian from the future who’s arrived there to play ‘un-matchmaker’ to a romance involving Jane Austen. The as-yet-unknown author is about to run into an old flame, a British naval officer with whom she had a serious romance ten years earlier. Because he was a junior officer at the time, Austen’s family quashed the relationship. If the two get together now, Austen will never write the great stories the world cherishes.  

Complications arise when Nadine’s own love interest from the future also arrives on the scene. Xander is a tech person who is cheerfully unfamiliar with both history and literature. He’s totally ‘fish-out-of-water’ in Regency England.

SK: Time travel. Scribe Guardians. Can you tell us why you decided to delve into this new genre? 

N & J:  As some of you already know, I (Nikoo) was given the difficult diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer earlier this year. My initial bout with breast cancer occurred nineteen years ago. Now, it’s back and I’m going through treatment.

After learning the prognosis, I was thrown into a very difficult state of mind, trying to come to terms with the time that I have left in this world. We’re all mortal, but when a more finite window of survival replaces the vague, hypothetical ‘someday’, it’s sometimes more difficult. During the early months, Jim and I had many conversations about what I would like to do with the time I have left. It was then that the idea of this novel was conceived and took shape.

 

In our novel, the quantum commuters are people from the not-so-distant future who have terminal illnesses. By time-traveling into the past, however, they can extend their lives and find personal fulfillment in their journeys through history.

Sort of like writers do.

SK: Jane Austen is a character in your novel. What drew you to her as the subject of your time-travel novel? Why did you choose to go back to 1811? 

N & J: We've always been starstruck fans of Austen’s ability to create lifelike characters. She herself lived a life which in many ways defied the restrictions of her time and of the cultural constraints her heroines lived with. Her characters—often young women feeling the pressure to find a good match—have remained incredibly relevant, across centuries and cultural perspectives. The social world Austen satirized, and the psychology behind her female protagonists, transcended her own lifetime.

Except for a small circle of people, Austen was completely anonymous in her day. The 1811 setting for Jane Austen Cannot Marry appealed to us because at the start of our story, Jane was on her way to London to prepare her first novel, Sense and Sensibility, for publication.

Having decided that, we then threw a great many ‘what if’ questions back and forth between the two of us:

What if the novel Persuasion was partially based on real events in her life?

What if Jane was caught up in a second-chance romance? Would she take a ‘happily-ever-after’ over literary ambition?

One thing really struck home for us about Jane Austen. There was no way during her life, especially in 1811, that she could have ever guessed the cultural impact her six novels would have on future books and movies...and even video games. Because we are writers too, that really resonates with us. 

SK: The two main characters have to function in very different times. Much of the early part of the novel is set in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado in 2022 before returning to Austen’s era. Why did you do that?

N & J: When Nadine tries to escape trouble in 1811, she suddenly finds herself in Xander’s path (literally) on a snowy Rocky Mountain road. Immediately, the romance between Nadine and Xander rekindles. These are two people who have not been able to get over their lost relationship, and now fate has thrown them together again. It creates a parallel between their relationship and the relationship that is occurring between Jane Austen and her Royal Navy captain back in Hythe.

SK: Tell us more about Hythe? Why did you choose it for the setting of this novel?

N & J: We’ve always enjoyed writing stories where the emotional chaos of our characters is reflected by the situational chaos of the place and time in which they find themselves. The village of Hythe in 1811 fits the bill for that perfectly. 

Located as it is on the English Channel, Hythe was particularly vulnerable to invasion. At the time, Napoleon was threatening to bring the war between France and England across the water. In preparation for that possibility, the British government was busy fortifying the defenses along the coast. In fact, at the moment Nadine time-travels to Hythe, workers were almost finished constructing a military canal that still runs through the village.

In our story, because the people of Hythe are nervous about Napoleon and suspicious of strangers, our heroine and hero run the risk of being arrested as spies. And what makes things worse, Xander—knowing almost nothing about this place or time—is likely to stumble into trouble at every turn.   

SK: Can you share an excerpt of Jane Austen Cannot Marry!?

We’d love to. Here’s a short passage featuring Jane Austen herself:

“Yes?” Her head tipped slightly in surprise, and she rose to her feet.

The candlelight was dim, but he could see that Jane Austen was wearing a dark shawl over a long dress that could have been gray or brown. Her hair was gathered up under a cap that looked like a floppy beret. Her face was neither friendly nor unfriendly. Just attentive and cautious. Even in this light, he could see her eyes were sharply focused on him, a bit like a mountain lion he’d once startled crossing the road.

“I hope I’m not disturbing you. I’m Xander Finley.” He gave a small bow as he’d seen others do this afternoon.

She returned the courtesy with a nod and a slight curtsy.

Too bad cell phones hadn’t been invented yet. He’d text Nadine right now. What were the chances of catching the writer down here alone?

“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Finley.”

Xander noticed that she gave his clothes the once over.

“Do we know each other?”

“Yes. Well, no. My wife knows you. Or knows of you. She pointed you out to me this afternoon when you arrived on the coach.”

“Your wife?”

“Yes. Nadine Finley,” he said. “By any chance, do you know what time it is?”

She hid a smile and glanced around the room. “I don’t know exactly. But I suspect it’s close to midnight.”

“Oh, that late.” Xander leaned back, inspecting the hallway. Not another soul was around.

Austen put a cork in a bottle of ink, hurriedly collecting up her papers and pens. Nervous. Hell, she had every right to be with a stranger showing up out of nowhere.

But he didn’t want her to leave. Not until they’d made some kind of connection.

“Do you know the way to the kitchen, Miss Austen?”

“The kitchen?”

“Yes.”

“May I ask why?”

“I can’t remember the last time I ate anything substantial. My wife, either. I need to order some food to be sent up to our room.”

She stopped packing up her things. “I don’t know exactly where the kitchen is, but a serving lad comes in occasionally to check on me.

“Okay.”

“Okay? That’s a curious word, Mr. Finley. Are you a stranger here?”

“I’m an American. My wife and I are newly married. The innkeeper did have some dinner sent up, but it was left outside our door. By the time I found it, a creepy four-legged thief was sampling the dishes.”

“You’re from America?” she asked quickly.

From her frown, Xander guessed she was more disturbed by that then the fact that a rat had been into his food.

“I am. And I apologize for the way I talk and the way I’m dressed. We’re newly arrived in England. Our luggage was lost, and I haven’t had the opportunity to go to a...a tailor.”

Did they have tailors in 1811? He had no idea, but it sounded right.

“This explains a great deal, sir. Though I must say I have never met anyone from America.”

“I hope you don’t have a bad opinion of them…of us.”

Her frown was replaced by a look of caution. “Are you asking my opinion of Americans?”

He took a few steps into the room, giving her a clear run for the door if she felt the need to flee. “Of course. I’d love to hear your opinion.”

“My honest opinion?”

“If you don’t mind sharing it.”

There was a slight pause as she studied him again from head to toe.

“I should warn you that a few persons of my acquaintance consider me a bit of a bluestocking.”

“A bluestocking?”

The hint of a smile pulled at her lips. “You have no bluestockings in America?”

“I’m not sure. What are they?”

“It is a woman who dares to discuss controversial issues, such as war and politics. Shocking as this sounds, she even reads books. Philosophy. Science. And not only that, she insists on having an opinion.”

“Then, I’m happy to say we’ve got them...in spades.”

“In spades?”

“I mean, we have quite a few.”

“I must say, I am surprised.”

“Why?”

“Many men are appalled by the thought of educated women with opinions.”

“I’m not. And I’d still love to know your opinion of America.”

“Very well. If you insist.” Her chin lifted. There was fire in her eyes. “I believe America is having a negative influence in the world. In my opinion, America is a dangerously radical, unreligious place where people of low birth and poor character can advance socially and materially, despite their unworthiness.”

He suppressed the urge to laugh out loud, but smiled. “There are quite a few people in America who would agree with that.”

N & J: We’d be delighted to give away a copy of the book, either in print or eBook format, to one commenter.

If you'd like to learn more about our books and our journey, look for us on our website, MayMcGoldrick.com-- and you can also find us and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Bookbub, and our blog (links available on our website). 

Thank you, Nikoo & Jim! We're honored and delighted to chat with you, and we wish you all the best with this wonderful book. 

If you'd like to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a copy of Jane Austen Cannot Marry, be sure to leave a comment on the blog. Nikoo and Jim will choose a winner at random. Good luck to all, and thanks for visiting Word Wenches! 

Comments

[Mary Jo Putney]

Lovely interview, Susan. Nikoo and Jim, great to see you here, and what an incredibly clever story premise! I just bought it to see how you work it all out. *G* PERSUASION is my favorite Austen novel, and it's interesting to speculate about 'what might have beens.' The fun of writing is that we get to make events turn out the way we want them to.

Happy writing, and best hopes and wishes for your health situation, Nikoo.

[Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick]

Thank you Mary Jo. Yes, PERSUASION has always been our favorite Austen's work, as well. And writing and our imagination has been a blessed escape out of the worries of medical and health issues. Thank you for all your well wishes and love Mary Jo. Our love to you.

[Pat Dupuy]

Time travel, second chances, and decisions. Whew. This sounds fabulous. And poignant. That is serious business to remove Jane's chance at romantic happiness.

[Jim McGoldrick]

Jim here. Thanks. Yes, serious business when it comes to toying with Ms. Austen and romance. But it was so much fun to think of her not as an icon, but as a real person. Hope you enjoy it!

[Tracy Griffin]

I love the description of Jane Austen's discerning gaze - that of a mountain lion! - which fits perfectly with what I imagine she would have been like. Just as I can't imagine a world without her books and all the ones that that have followed in her wake. I will be sure to catch up with yours!

[Kareni]

Welcome, Nikoo & Jim, and thank you both (and Susan, too) for a fun discussion. Best wishes, Nikoo, as you undergo treatment.

[Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick]

We can't imagine a world without her books either. And we've always been fascinated with what a master she was at creating characters. She SAW them, and they breathed with life on the page. If we even come close to that in our books, we'd feel blessed. Hope you enjoy them, Tracy.
Thanks for commenting!

[Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick]

Thanks so much, Kareni. It was our pleasure to be here. The Word Wenches are a wonderful, generous, and talented group of women...and we've been longtime fans of every one of them. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season.

[Mary M.]

My best wishes, Nikoo, that you defeat the cancer as you've done before.

I love the idea of Jane Austen as a real person, rather than St. Joan of the Quill! She clearly had interactive experience with family and society. I wonder if she'd lived longer, how her view of society (and its of her) might have developed and changed. It was such an eye opening era, anything might have happened.

[Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick]

Hi Mary,

Can you imagine how different her views would have been if she lived long enough to move into the Victorian era? The class changes. We see some of that in Bingley and Lizzie's aunt and uncle in P&P. We think she would have been in favor of class breakdown. 41 was way too young for her to die.
And thank you for your nest wishes. We truly appreciate it.

[Karin]

This sounds very entertaining! I wish Nikoo the best possible outcome with her cancer treatment, and thank you both for spending your precious time giving the world a new book to enjoy!

[Annette N]

First, and most importantly, I am sorry for the newest diagnosis. Best of luck with your treatment.
Second, I have read several of your books, and it is evident you have gone off on a new road. It is interesting to consider the idea of Ms Austen being pushed toward writing. For some reason, I cannot imagine she could not have been kept from writing. She did it so beautifully and it appears in every story that she had all these wonderful thoughts and ideas and characters right there waiting to get out in public.
Thanks for this interview and the introduction to this new book. Y'all have given me an entire new idea about where Jane might have been.
Take care and God Bless.

[Susan King]

Thank you, Nikoo and Jim, for such a lovely interview and such a wonderful book! I'm reading it now and I truly love it. What a unique story - your portayal of Jane makes me want to read Persuasion again, along with everything she wrote. Thank you!

And thank you, dear Word Wenches readers, for your comments this weekend. We always appreciate your support of the blog and we love all your comments! I'm looking forward to reading more of your thoughts for Jim and Nikoo - there's a chance to win a copy of this very special book! ;)

[Teresa Broderick]

I LOVE time travel stories and find it hard at times to get a good one. Also Persuasion is my absolute favourite Austen. Anne Elliot is a heroine of mine. Soooo, this sounds fascinating!!
Also the best of luck with your treatment Nikoo. You sound like a strong woman.

[Susan Lantz]

The book sounds wonderful! I am looking forward to reading it, and I ordered a copy fro
Amazon. If I should be fortunate enough to win, my youngest sister will receive one of the books.

[Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick]

Aww, thank you, Karin. Hope you'll give the novel a look. It was fun for us to write. It really was a 'book of the heart' for us both.

[Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick]

Thank you, Annette. Getting a diagnosis like this is really hard--almost overwhelming, to be honest--but we're both determined to make the most of every day. That's no cliche in our house. In many ways, we've always been pushed to write (as you say about Austen), and that hasn't changed. God bless.

[Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick]

Thank you, Susan. Thank you, thank you. You're a love. Hope you continue to enjoy the book. It was fun trying to bring Jane Austen 'back' to life. (-:

[Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick]

Thank you, Teresa. Sounds like we checked a few boxes for you with this novel. We love Persuasion too. And Anne Elliot. It was pretty challenging to write a time travel (can't lie), but we had such a blast with it that we already have two more planned out. Hope you like this one!
And thank for the good wishes about my treatment. We all need to be strong these days!

[Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick]

Thanks so much, Susan. That's a good plan, if you win the drawing. We love the idea of spreading the word that way! (-: