"Plain Expectations" by K.M. Bishop
It’s been a while since I did an author Q & A. Today’s author is K.M. Bishop on her novel Plain Expectations. Set in the Regency ara, it features two sisters navigating the ins and outs of courtship. Let’s take a look at the fantastic cover first.
Rebecca: What sparked the idea of "Plain Expectations?" I'm wondering if the title is a play off Dickens's "Great Expectations."
K.M. Bishop: The idea for Plain Expectations ("PE") actually came from Instagram. I cannot remember the instagrammer who said it or what the post was about that they commented on, but essentially, they said something to the effect "Why does the beautiful girl always get the guy? Where are the stories where the plain, fat girl getting the guy?" So, I said to myself, "Challenge accepted!" And, that is how I came up with the idea/plot for PE. Instead of Jane Bennett, my character is Mary Bennett. She is studious, prefers books to people and parties. She is not elegant or sleek like her younger sister, but there is still more to her than her looks.
Yes! PE is a play on Great Expectations. The title is just one of the many literary "easter eggs" that I have hidden in the book. Though this book takes place a few decades before Great Expectations and they are not related, I still felt the title fit perfectly. Georgia is plain so no one had 'great' expectations for her. They thought her life would turn out as plain as she was.
Rebecca: The title is brilliant, by the way! Did you have a say in designing your cover art? It fits in extremely well with the storyline and genre.
K.M. Bishop: Thank you! Yes! There were a few different versions of the cover and the one we chose was my top pick. It was a bit of a trial because my publisher could not tell the difference between Regency style clothing and any other period styles, like colonial America, Victorian, Edwardian, French 1770s. We had a few laughs about it because to me they are so glaringly different, but she would send me something and the woman on the cover looked like Martha Washington or someone from Downtown Abbey and I would reject them all. I told her to rewatch Pride and Prejudice (1995 version with Colin Firth, of course) and get back to me. We had a few laughs about it.
Rebecca: Did you have any writing rituals that helped get you into the right mindset for writing "Plain Expectations"? Any playlists or other novels that helped to inspire the right tone?
K.M. Bishop: No, I did not. Normally, I don't think I have a ritual for writing. I write in silence, or if I play music it has to have no lyrics like Piano Guys or Lindsay Sterling. I actually wrote PE in a whirlwind. The idea hit me late August or early September of 2020 and I went with it. I wrote it in less than a month because I had NaNoWriMo coming up in November and I had planned to outline a completely different book for that, but I really wanted to write this one first. So I finished it before October because that is usually the month I have reserved for outlining and researching whatever I am going to write for NaNoWriMo. That isn't to say PE didn't need A LOT of work when I came back to editing it. I added over 10,000 words to it when I was able to come back. Took out a scene here and there, added some more. It took three years from first draft to published, but I am very happy with it.
Rebecca: If "Plain Expectations" were to be made into a movie or mini-series, who would play the main roles of Georgia and Evangelina and their respective love interests?
K.M. Bishop: I don't know why these questions are so difficult for me. I think sometimes it's just difficult to imagine someone stepping into the shoes of your creation because, in a way, they are taking it over and making it their own. So it is a little scary. That being said, I would cast Nicola Coughlin as Georgia. I actually loved her before Bridgerton when I watched her in Derry Girls but seeing her as Penelope makes me think she could play Georgia. Florence Pugh for Evangelina because I loved her in Outlaw King. She is very pretty and looks like she could play a mean girl. Ross would have to be someone cute but not hot with boy-next-door vibes, so maybe Tom Holland. For Mr. Garrett Tom Brittney. I don't have much of an explanation for it. Look him up if you don't know who that is and his eyes will tell you.
Rebecca: What's next? Are you planning any other novels set in Regency England? Or any other novels in other settings?
K.M. Bishop: The Regency era is by far my favorite time period to write about, however, I don't have a story based in that time frame coming out right now. or any ideas for one yet. I have the second book in my murder mystery series we are hoping to publish this year. Those are based in the 1790s so just before the regency era. I am waiting to hear back from my publisher on her first read through. I am currently editing the third book in my fantasy series and I am outlining a book that will be taking place in the Victorian Era. So I do have other projects I am working on. There could possibly be a follow up to PE. I have had a few readers ask for one, but we will see!
Rebecca: Thank you for talking to us today. For all you readers out there, check out K.M. Bishop on social media and stay in the know for any possible sequels.
Facebook/Instagram, Threads, Twitter (X): @author.k.m.bishop