If that title sounds familiar, it might be because I’ve used it before as the name of Mr. Collins’s talk show, which (hosted by Darcyholic Diversions) I visit each time I have a new book to take on tour (read the most recent one, for It’s a Wonderful Life, Mr. Darcy here). Today’s questions, though, came from another source. This is an interview I was asked to do for Austen Variations, where it will post later this month. But I thought I’d share it here today in a slightly expanded form (all the stuff in parentheses), supplemented with some pretty pictures!

Where do you live?  I’m a life-long resident of the beautiful Pacific Northwest. My husband and I reside in a rural area about 30 miles south of Seattle, not too far from Mt. Rainier National Park, where we live in a log home that we built. When I say we built it, I don’t mean we cut down the trees or poured the concrete ourselves, but we did most everything else. (This was when we were young, had more energy, and not enough sense to realize how hard it would be or how long it would take. But we did it, and more importantly, our marriage survived the test.)

Drink of choice? Hot: I know tea is more Austen-ish, but the truth is I prefer hot chocolate (and I don’t drink coffee). Cold: Most of the time, just plain water, and plenty of it. (Sorry. Pretty boring, I know.)

Do you have any pets?  Although we’ve had lots of animals in the past – dogs, cats, various kinds of fish, a parakeet, anole lizards, gerbils, and even a domesticated rat – we are currently without any pets. If we need to cuddle something furry, we can always visit our two grand dogs and one grand cat. (I’m a cat person, but I’ve tested allergic, so I can’t have any of my own again, unfortunately.)

Place you most want to travel: England. No surprise there. I’ve been twice before, much too briefly, but I haven’t yet done the full Jane Austen tour. While we’re sort of in the neighborhood, though, comparatively speaking, I might try to sneak in a second trip to Italy too. (10 days in Venice was wonderful, but I’d like to see the rest! I wouldn’t complain about another Hawaiian vacation either.)

What food could you eat every day? That’s a tough one, but I think I’m going to go with chocolate chip cookies. That sweet, buttery crunch with the added bonus of chocolate is an unbeatable combination that I’m pretty sure I’d never get tired of. At least, I’d be willing to give it a try! (Ice cream, french fries, and really good fresh peaches are some other candidates. Oh, and bread still warm out of the oven, with melting butter!)

What is something you couldn’t live without? Beyond the literal essentials, I’d put faith, family, and the arts at the top of my list. To quote Mrs. Elton, “Without music [and the other arts] life would be a blank to me.” (I sing, play flute passably and piano poorly. My mother was an artist, and so I’ve painted in most mediums, although not at well as she did. And of course, the literary arts are a must for me.) I’m pretty dedicated to my morning walks, too.

What is your ideal writing location? Although I have romantic notions of writing at my bistro table on the patio and have done so on occasion, the weather here in western Washington often doesn’t cooperate. So I normally settle for my comfortable desk in front of a big window, facing Mt. Rainier, where everything I need is within reach, and where I can enjoy the inspiration of nature while staying dry. (The plus of being empty nested is being able to claim a now-spare bedroom as an art/writing studio if you want to… and I did!)

Name something that instantly makes your day better – When I wake up to find the sun shining, the mountain out, and my husband with me. (Here he is in front of two ancient giants at Mt. Rainier Nat. Park)

Where is your happy place? Home. I’m so lucky that my “happy place” is where I end up spending most of my time. (I don’t have to go to parks or wilderness areas to look upon verdure and be refreshed [Mansfield Park], because that’s what I see out of every window. (Other favorite places are Mt. Rainier National Park and Ashley Lake, Montana. We visit both pretty much every year.)

What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you? – I was a dental hygienist for many years before retiring to write full time. It was a great job, but I like the one I have now better! (Not a very obvious segue is it? – from cleaning teeth to writing Jane Austen fiction – but I successfully made the leap.)

So there you have it! Did you learn anything new about me? Is there anything else (within reason) that you’d like to know? I will do my best to satisfy your curiosity, but…

“I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer.” (Elizabeth to Lady Catherine, Pride and Prejudice, chapter 56)