The Cousins Of Pemberley series

‘The dream? Colin Firth reads my books and reprises his role’

After falling in love with Jane Austen’s writing, author Linda O’Byrne decided to put pen to paper for a new spin-off series based on the Pride and Prejudice sisters called The Cousins of Pemberley. Here, Linda reveals all about her gripping tales, including her latest release, Miriam.

Tell us about your books…

They’re historical romances called The Cousins of Pemberley, which takes the Pride and Prejudice girls 20 years into the future. They’ve all got daughters and boys.

Where did the idea come from?

My sister was in complete lockdown in Covid, so I wrote her a 5,000 word story about one of the girls’ daughters running away from home just to cheer her up. But then she said to me, ‘Well, where’s the rest of it?!’ So I finished it, my agent sent it off and it got picked up by Spellbound Publishers.

Does your sister still read them before they’re published?

Oh, yes. She’s my biggest critic. I dedicated the first book to her.

Where did your love of Austen come from?

I’ve always been a great Austen fan. I love the books, and the TV and film versions. With her books, there’s something new every time you read them. She’s very clever.

Lots of books are adapted into TV shows or films, would you be interested in that?

[Laughs] That’s the pipe dream – that Colin Firth picks it up and thinks, ‘I could reprise my role 20 years on.’ I would enjoy that immensely, but I don’t think it’s likely to happen.

What would be your top tips for other aspiring writers?

Do it – go for it! And don’t fall into the trap of the phrase, ‘write what you know.’ Let’s face it, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter wouldn’t actually

have been written if that was the case. Instead, write what you want to read yourself, and what your imagination tells you. ● Linda’s Cousins of Pemberley series, including new release The Cousins of Pemberley: Miriam, is available from Amazon at amazon.co.uk/ Linda-OByrne