Born and raised in Marin County, California, author Captain Charles Swensen attended Cornell University on an NROTC scholarship. Upon graduation, he received a commission as a naval officer and, after thirty years of service as an active and reserve officer, he retired as a captain. In civilian life, the author pursued a career as a civil engineer, and has published articles in the “Proceedings” of the Naval Institute and in trade journals before turning to fiction.
“One might well ask what excuse I have for substantially altering one of the finest love stories in English literature,” writes Captain Swensen. “I can only plead that I have always found the thought of the very respectable and reasonable Colonel Brandon forever tied to one who would inevitably prove a poor match to be very unsatisfying. Her insistence on seeing the world not as the colonel knows it to be but rather as she would like to see it bodes poorly for their long-term happiness. Conversely, he and Elinor are portrayed as so compatible an enjoyable and prosperous future together seems almost inevitable.
“I first saw a movie version of this story and was struck by this right away. Reading the book made Colonel Brandon’s and Miss Marianne’s coming together seem an even-more-implausible ending. I have read the book very closely as I wrote this version. I deliberately cast the narrator as a man who believes he served as Miss Austen’s inspiration and told this as his story in the hope it will not deface the original in the eyes of Miss Austen’s devoted fans.”
Published by Fulton Books, Captain Charles Swensen’s book will delight fans of the “Sense and Sensibility” as the author puts his own unique spin on Jane Austen’s original story, providing a new perspective on the classic novel. Expertly paced and written with effort to remain true to Jane Austen’s tone and that of the era in which it is set, Captain Swensen weaves an endearing new take that will leave readers spellbound right until the very end.
Readers who wish to experience this thought-provoking work can purchase “Miss Austen’s Mistake: The Real Story Behind Sense and Sensibility” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.
Please direct all media inquiries to Author Support via email at support@fultonbooks.com or via telephone at 877-210-0816.
