I have a very high regard for the clergy in general and for the several members of the profession I know personally. So it may seem strange that I made the premeditated death of a country parson my first literary act. But I hope I will be forgiven for it because Mr. Collins was 1) a very poor example of a clergyman, and 2)not a real person.
Actually, I take part of that back. Mr. Collins’s death wasn’t premeditated. When, seven years ago now, I sat down to begin my sequel to Pride and Prejudice, that’s the first idea that popped into my mind. And, I admit, I had a lot of fun putting the story down on paper, although I ended up cutting out a lot of what I wrote then (see related post Darling Exiles). Those trimmings became the basis for this short story.
Mr. Collins’s Last Supper is the tongue-in-cheek tale of how a pompous clergyman discovers too late why gluttony is considered one of the seven deadly sins. It was a finalist in a short story contest, and now I’m pleased to make it available to the public at an extremely reasonable price ($.99) in Kindle and Nook formats.
The story serves as a prequel of sorts to The Darcys of Pemberley, since news of Mr. Collins’s untimely demise opens that book. So if you’re a linear, chronological sort of person, read it after Pride and Prejudice and before The Darcys of Pemberley. Or read it anytime if you just want more of the gruesome details of Mr. Collins’s death. And just so you know, I’m kidding about the gruesome part.
Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society… The subjection in which his father had brought him up had given him originally great humility of manner; but it was now a good deal counteracted by the self-conceit of a weak head, living in retirement, and the consequential feelings of early and unexpected prosperity. (Pride and Prejudice, chapter 15)
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I ordered the Kindle version of Mr. Collins’s Last Supper the other day and immediately began to read it. Finished it in one gulp – it was delicious! I have long harbored the feeling that Mr. Collins needs to have his comeuppance, and this was a dish delicately served! Bravo! Can’t wait to read the Darcy’s of Pemberley now, even though my JA book club is decreeing that I re-read all of the novels this year along with some relevant side-reading! And I’m a very slow reader, hahaha.
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed “devouring” my story, Julie, and thanks for your comments. I LOVE hearing back from happy readers! If you’re willing to tell the world, you can be the first to leave a review for Mr. C on Amazon. That would be excessively agreeable! As for your future reading plans, I can’t argue with re-reading JA. But I know you’ll like TDOP when you do get to it (and I’m a slow reader too).
Of course – why didn’t I think of that? I’ll do that right now.
Julie
Julie – I’ve changed my mind; you must read my novel right away! Why? Because I can’t wait for you to write a review of that too! You did such a beautiful job with Mr C’s Last Supper that I suspect you have some writing tendencies yourself. Thank you SO MUCH for your kind words and for taking the time to do a review!
Aw, shucks! 😀 I do, I must admit, love to write – though seldom get to dip my toe into fiction. I am of like mind, though – I need to read the novel right away. As I thought about the story, I realized how masterfully you had made me believe that Miss Austen could easily have written this, and how much she would have liked it! So of course, I will love the novel too. It sits on my Kindle waiting, and I will have to stick a pin in the Spencer Tracy biography and come back to it later, hahaha.
Julie
Keep this up and I’m going to have to appoint you president of my as-yet-unformed fan club!