Welcome to the Jane Austen's Birthday Soiree on My Jane Austen Book Club! You know, this is an idea Katherine Cox's at November's Autumn and I had some time ago and we've invited other bloggers and Austen writers to join us in this celebration of Jane Austen's Birthday.
But, after 30 of those friends accepted the invitation, something strange happenedto me: the more I tried to figure out something special and original as Jane's birthday gift the more I found my ideas and words inadequate. Our gifts could be letters (Jane loved writing them and wrote brilliant ones), cards or any other item we could think of, and we had to post it or about it today, on December 16th. So, I decided to leave space to Jane's best men: who better than them can use words effectively and to the point? And who could make Jane happier as guests to her birthday party? So, I'll leave the stage to Mr Darcy, Mr Tilney, Mr Knightley, Edmund Bertram, Colonel Brandon and Captain Wentworth. They and their words are my gift to Jane.
There are gifts for you as well! You'll find a great Austenesque giveaway contest on each one of the participating blogs. Click, visit, comment all of them following the links in the list below and you'll get plenty of chances to win extraordinary prizes! Start from here, if you wish. The details of my giveaway are below, at the end of this post, which I really hope you'll like. Good luck to you all and a very happy birthday to our dear Jane.
THE GIVEAWAY
Choose one of the cards above, your favourite one, and tell us which is it in your comment. Don't forget to add your e-mail address, please. Then choose one of the following books:
1. Tracey Kiely, Murder Most Persuasive
2. Victoria Connelly, A Weekend with Mr Darcy
3. Mary Lydon Simonsen, Mr Darcy's Bite
4. William Deresiewicz, A Jane Austen Education
5. Claire Harman, Jane's Fame
I'll pick up the name of one winner on 23rd December and will announce it here. This giveaway is open internationally.
Now the celebration goes on all over the Austen blogosphere: the more, the merrier!
Here's the list of the other blogs/sites participating in this cheerful Austen Soiree. Visit all of them and leave your comments. You will have lots of chances to enter awesome giveaway contests and read brilliant posts dedicated to Jane Austen on occasion of her birthday. Good luck!!!
(N.B. Remember we all live in different time zones, so not all of the participants will have posted their gifts to Jane when I am posting this. However, be patient, hold on. The wonderful prizes you'll find in the various contests are worth the effort to wait and try again. Don't miss any of the posts!)
o Austenprose, Laurel Ann Nattress
o Brant Flakes, Marilyn Brant
o Choc Lit Authors’ Corner, Juliet Archer
o The Fiction vs. Reality Smackdown, Karen Doornebos
o First Draft, Cindy Jones
o The Heroine’s Bookshelf, Erin Blakemore
o Jane Austen Brazil, Adriana Zardini
o The Jane Austen Film ClubJenny Allworthy
o Jane Austen SequelsJane Odiwe
o Jane Started It! Laura Hile, Susan Kaye, Pamela Aidan, and Barbara Cornthwaite
o Jane Austen in Vermont, Deb
o O! Beauty Unattempted, Emily Snyder
o One Literature Nut, Becky Rhodehouse
o Pemberley Variations, Abigail Reynolds
o Reading, Writing, Working, Playing, Jane Greensmith
o Regency Sketches, Farida Mestek
o SemiTrue Stories, C. Allyn Pierson
o Stiletto Storytime, Courtney Webb
o Urban Girl Takes Vermont, Vera Nazarian
(The graphics for the event has been created by Katherine Cox at November's Autumn)
88 comments:
the card/picture i would choose is CaptainWentworth..........*sighs!!!!
& the book i choose is Mr Darcy's Bite by Mary Lydon Simonsen........
thank you for this giveaway & HappyBirthday to Jane!!!
cyn209(at)juno(dot)com
Without a doubt Mr. Darcy's card. That is one of my favorite lines! I choose Jane's Fame. Thanks!
Margaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com
Oooo...decisions....
I pick Captain Wentworth (mmmm..)
And as I have read most of the books, I pick Murder Most Persuasive.
Happy birthday Jane!
cherringtonmb(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
The card/picture I would choose is Captain Wentworth!*_*
And the book is "Victoria Connelly, A Weekend with Mr Darcy";
My e-mail is>
luciennemachado12@gmail.com
Thanks for this post!:)
Happy Birthday Jane!!
I choose Capt Wentworth's card because of the quote! I also choose Mr Darcy's Bite. Thanks for the giveaway :)
Happy Birthday Jane - let the celebration begin!
monicaperry00 @ gmail. com
My favorite quote is Edmund Bertram's card---very romantic!
The book I would select is A Jane Austen Education.
Thank you for this splendid way to honor Jane on her birthday!
marilyn
daniel423@centurytel.net
Oh, Captain Wentworth, without a doubt. You can feel the agony in his words and his breath.......
A Weekend with Mr. Darcy is my choice and you can find me at
elaine489atgmaildotcom
I'll raise a cup of tea to Jane.
Original idea!
I definitely choose Mr Tilney's.
The book I choose is A Jane Austen Education.
Happy birthday dear Jane!
pato3_89(at)hotmail(dot)com
I want Mr Knightley's card! It represents a typical male mind :) I would like A Weekend with Mr Darcy, please. Thank you!
My email address is
siokhian at gmail dot com
I choose the Colonel Brandon card!
ddcknitt@yahoo.com
The book : William Deresiewicz, A Jane Austen Education
Captain Wentworth Card is my favorite. I love the letter he writes to Anne. marcie(dot)turner(at)yahoo(dot)com
I would love Murder Most Persuasive.
I love the quote on Colonel Brandon's card, so I have to choose that one! I remember that moment well.
hrose2931(at)gmail(dot)com
The book I'd choose is A Weekend with Mr. Darcy!
Thanks for the giveaway and Happy Birthday Jane!
Heather
Happy Birthday Jane!!!!
I choose Captain Wentworth's card, and William Deresiewicz, A Jane Austen Education.
cait.lore@gmail.com
Such a lovely way to celebrate her birthday!
Oh my heart is fluttering. I have to choose Captain Wentworth.
As for the books, I'll go with A weekend with Mr. Darcy.
lynnaep@aol.com
This is lovely! I'd pick Mr. Knightley's card because it sort of sums up my feelings on Jane Austen. I've written about her so much lately that I'm beginning to be at a loss for words.
Of course we could send an Edward Ferrars card: "My heart is, and always will be, yours."
Tracey Kiely's Murder Most Persuasive sounds delightful!
My e-mail is: OldFashionedCharming@gmail.com
Happy Birthday Miss Austen! And much thanks to you Maria for organizing this soiree! :)
Great idea to celebrate JAne's birthday!
I choose Mr Tilney and I'll go with A Jane Austen Education.
Thank you!
wengeroff@gmail.com
Col. Brandon's card: "Give me an occcupation..or I shall run mad.." Oh, how the pain in that line reverberates. That's love that hurts like a dagger in the gut!! That's a love that's completely self-sacrificing. And, it's a lover who is wise and old enough to know what true love means.
Oh, the book...:] "Mr. Darcy's Bite" by the lovely Mary Lydon Simonsen! Cannot wait to read that one.
Thanks for participating in this birthday anniversary honoring our brightest English social commentator of the Age...Miss Jane.
Deborah/TheBookishDame
thebookishdame(at)aol(dot)com
What a beautiful way to celebrate Jane's birthday! Thank you for honouring her on this day.
Do I really have to choose only one card?
I would choose Captain Wentworth's words, because I love his letter; but I also would like to send to Jane a picture of Colin... I mean Mr. Darcy...
Well, I choose Mr. Darcy....
And as a book Jane's Fame by Claire Harman.
Monica
moon.card(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thank you so much for co-organizing such a beautiful birthday soiree. I would pick all of these cards if I could as I remembered each instance when they were quoted. But as 'Persuasion' is my favorite novel, I'll choose Frederick Wentworth to send to dearest Jane.
Thank you also for the giveaway opportunity. If I were to win, I choose 'A Jane Austen Education'.
sophiarose1816@gmail.com
Happy Birthday, Jane!
I prefer Captain Wentworth's card, because of his wonderful letter.
I choose Murder Most Persuasive.
pottypo(at)yahoo(dot)it
There can be only one and of course I am going with Wenworth's phrase.
booksforlife01 gmail dot com
A weekend with Mr Darcy
All cards are great and it's difficult to choose only one:) But if I have to, it would be card with Mr.Darcy!
As for the book, I would have troubles with choosing in this sphere as well:) Everything looks interesting, especially those books about Jane Austen herself. But if I had the chance to choose, I would decide on A Jane Austen Education by William Deresiewicz
My e-mail is: oloore@gmail.com
Even though I am a bigger Darcy fan, I have to go with Col. Brandon's card. Also, I'd choose Mr. Darcy's Bite.
Thanks for the Giveaway.
colleenday at hotmail dot com
I'll choose Captain Wentworht's card (the glamour of the navy uniform!!).
Thank you Maria Grazia for your nice blog.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANE! Thank you for saving my life.
The book I'd like to read is "A weekend with Mr. Darcy" of Victoria Connelly.
carrer.loredana@yahoo.it
What a very clever post for wishing Miss Austen a Happy Birthday. Loved all the pictures and quotes, but just the first four words of Captain Wentworth's quote are amazingly meaningful - "You pierce my soul." (sigh)
I would love to win A Jane Austen Education.
Thanks for the giveaway.
I pick the Colonel Brandon card. I would pick Jane's Fame by Claire Harman. arianne(dot)hartsell(at)gmail(dot)com
I choose the Henry Tilney card! For the book, I pick A Jane Austen Education.
eponwyn(at)gmail(dot)com
I LOVE the Capt Wentworth card!! Persuasion has always been my favorite Austen novel.
I would love to win the book by William Deresiewicz, A Jane Austen Education.
drcopeland(at)hotmail(dot)com
Wow, that's a tough one, but I'd have to say, after much deliberation, I have to choose Mr. Darcy. I just can't deny my obsession with Colin Firth! He will always be my ideal Darcy.
Oh, and the book, Mr. Darcy's Bite, because I'm eager to read it!
Card: Bertram and Knightly
Book: Mr. Darcy's Bite
Fun giveaway, Thanks!
Im torn between Edmund Bertram and Captain Wentworth.
Id choose Murder most persuasive
Happy Birthday Jane
Darcy's card for sure!
I pick Mr Darcy's Bite
nikostar@gmail.com
Happy Birthday Jane!
The card I'd choose is Captain Wentworth, because I could look at him (portrayed by RPJ) ALL DAY.
I'd love to win A Jane Austen Education. Although I've already read it, I want a copy of it on my shelf because I loved it!
lisaquing@gmail.com
Happy Jane's Birthday!
Mr. Darcy's card!
Book 5 - Jane's Fame - Claire Harman
Happy Birthday, Jane!
Lia Freitas
labcosta@hotmail.com
I vote for Henry Tilney's card -- he's very amusing.
I choose book 3 Mr. Darcy's Bite.
Happy Birthday, Jane.
Even if I love Captain Wentworth's letter to Anne, I must choose Mr Darcy's card because I adore him! I still hope to find a man like him... yes I know, I'm a dreamer but what can I do?
I would like to win "A Jane Austen education"
Very beautiful giveaway, thanks and Happy Birthday Jane!!!
newyorkgirl82@gmail.com
I loved Mr. Knightly's card, (but I also loved captain Wentworth's as well).
The book I choose is Mr Darcy's Bite by Mary Lydon Simonsen.
I forgot my email address
jkaplan2@socal.rr.com
Thanks for putting together a wonderful event, Maria. I am having a blast!
I would pick Mr. Tilney's card. What a cutie pie! For the book I will choose Claire Harman; Jane's Fame.
I hope everyone has a great time popping all over the net.
adelaidehelena@yahoo.it
Tinley gives pearls of wisdom: "No man is offended by another man's admiration of the women he loves; it is the women only who can make it a torment" . Jane Aysten knew that a women and men must be loyal to each other. "A Jane Austen Education" is what I need
I love Mr.Darcy but i'll have to go with Captain Wentworth! His quote is so enchanting! I would be ever grateful to win A Jane Austen Education!
Thank you for this give away and happy birthday, Jane!
Arianna
ariannarafi@gmail.com
Love the Capt. Wentwroth Card! One, he is HOT, two, he pierces my soul! :)
I would love Murder Most Persuasive! Love Tracy's work!
Thanks for the giveaway!
jakki36 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Definitely the Captain Wentworth card, that love letter is the best one ever written.
irisonbooks [at] gmail [dot] com
As for the books, so hard to choose! I think A Jane Austen Education.
It is without a doubt Mr. Darcy's card for me because I am simply incapable of NOT choosing Mr. Darcy. My book choice would be A Weekend with Mr. Darcy because that is exactly what I would like to have!
Bonnie Carlson
bonniewcarlson@gmail.com
Love visiting everyone's blog and meeting new Austen friends. I vote for Collin/Darcy I just think he was so perfectly cast and his performance is so good.
I would pick JANE'S FAME, always meant to pick it up.
Thank you.
Mr Tillney, because of his quiet confidence and assurance...besides that he has an extensive knowledge of muslin
Jane Austen education
yarn yenta at yahoo dot com
What a great and sweet idea!
I choose Mr Knightley's card; I love his words!!
And what about the book, I'd like to read "A weekend with Mr Darcy".
8zeronove4@excite.it
Those cards look amazing, Maria! I love the Knightley one the most, although Colonel Brandon one makes me laugh!
I think I choose Henry Tilney's card. He's a sweetie that often gets ignored. As for the book, I'd pick Victoria Connelly's A Weekend with Mr Darcy.
Happy birthday Jane!
Thank you!
lcsieck at gmail dot com
I want to share with you something coming up next year!
The Sixth Annual AJC (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) Decatur Book Festival – Labor Day Weekend 2012 - wants to host authors of Jane Austen inspired stories! and their fans!
This is the largest independent book festival in the country and one of the five largest overall. Since its launch, more than 600 world-class authors and 190,000 festival-goers have crowded the historic downtown Decatur square to enjoy book signings, author readings, an interactive children's area, live music, parades, cooking demonstrations, poetry slams, writing workshops, and more. (In 2009, 70,000 people swarmed Decatur Square to catch 350-plus authors, and it’s bigger every year!)
JASNA – Atlanta Chapter is considering setting up a Jane Austen tent to host JAFF writers. Tables would be available for authors to sell and sign their books. Members in Regency clothing would be present and Jane Austen memorabilia available. Many enhancements, such as, panel discussions, author readings, Regency workshops, etc. at a nearby site are also possible, but we need to know how much interest there is among JAFF fans to participate in this event!
For more information on this prestigious festival check out http://www.decaturbookfestival.com
For more information about our organization, go to http://www.jasnaatlanta.org/
To show your interest, please contact Randy at RB@JASNAAtlanta.org
We will look at the kind of response we receive and determine in January whether or not to go ahead and begin the serious planning. If we are doing this, we should have some firm details by early February. So, please, do let us know what you think about our hosting JAFF authors and making Jane Austen a part of the Bookfest in 2012, particularly if you are an author and might want to participate!
I have to go with Cpt Wentworth and Murder Most Persuasive! ooh, what a treat they both are!
Oh Mr. Darcy, be still my heart.
Victoria Connelly's book sounds great.
Great job with all the cards- I just have a personal preference for Mr. Darcy.
donna
ljldml@gmail.com
Those cards are great, Maria! Too bad you can't actually market and sell them?! They'd be a hit buy! Geez...you're so clever!
Thanks for letting me be a part of this fun birthday soiree in honor of Jane. It has been a pleasure!
Hugs,
Kaitlin
Oh, Col. Brandon, definitely!
I'd love to read Murder Most Persuasive...
teabird17 atyahoodotcom
Most definitely the card of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. That is the only scene in the entire mini-series in which he even comes close to smiling until the scene when Darcy and Lizzie are getting into their carriage after the wedding.
I would like a chance to win A Jane Austen Education, please.
Thank you for hosting this lovely soiree!
Regards,
Kat
Maria Grazia,
Thank you so much for joining with Katherine and coming up with such a wonderful idea!
For me, though my heart will always be with Darcy, I love Wentworth's words above the most ;). And for a book I'd choose Mary Simonsen's Mr. Darcy's Bite!
Oh, I choose Mr. Knightley, but my Mr. Knightley looks like Jonny Lee Miller!!:)
And the book I choose is Weekend with Mr Darcy by Victoria Connelly!Thanks for the giveaway!!
kellik115@yahoo.com
Ooh, definitely Mr Tilney's card! and the book I choose is "Murder Most Persuasive" :D
Thanks!
araminta18 at gmail dot com
Although my heart is decanted by Cap. Wentworth I will choose the greeting of Mr. Knightley, who certainly has pulled me many sighs. His words seem most appropriate for the happy occasion. If I loved you less I might be able to talk about it more. Indeed, with that phrase, any lover would save many words smoothly.
The book I choose is:
2. Victoria Connelly, A Weekend with Mr Darcy
Happy Birthday Dear Miss Austen!!!
My e-mail address is
tiernarebeldia@gmail.com
Captain Wentworth (the only true Austen hero)
I'd love to win a copy of "A Jane Austen Education"
blr098@hotmail.com
Cheers!
Oh, I love them all! But Capt. Wentoworth wins this round. :) Happy birthday, Jane!
I choose a Murder Most Persuasive. Thank you!
liedermadchen(at)hotmail(dot)com
A very difficult choice - as always with everything Jane Austen! But I think I'll choose Mr. Knightley's card after all.
Thank you for the wonderful cards and the lovely idea!
I'd love to try my luck with Claire Harman's "Jane's Fame".
What an excellent celebration!!!
Difficult coice... But Mr Knightley's sentence is so touching. I choose his card without demur.
(Dear Maria Grazia, I've just won one of your splendid giveaways so do not include me in this - I could not help leaving a comment here, I really appreciate this post!)
I have to pick Capt. Wentworth as well with a close second Mr. Knightley :)
I would pick weekend with Mr. Darcy!
kewinkler at gmail dot com
Captain Wentworth's card is the one I'll pick because of the great line. I would love to have A Jane Austen Education.
Thanks MG for organising and co-hosting this marvelous event dedicated to JA.
evangelineace2020(at)yahoo(dot)com
Very fitting and lovely, as usual. Cpt Wentworth set the high mark, as expected, but they all rose to the occasion.
Thanks so much for co-hosting this incredible event. It's been fun reading all the posts and comments.
Really looking forward to reading A Jane Austen Education in 2012.
Decisions, decisions! At the end of the day, I'm with my friend, JaneGS (above). Much as I'd like to *be* Elizabeth Bennet, Jane and I would fight over Captain Wentworth. Ha!
I'm also interested in the same book: William Deresiewicz's A Jane Austen Education.
But I didn't come by to enter a giveaway. I simply wish to say 'thank you, thank you' to you and Katherine for hosting this very successful Birthday Soiree. I've had a lovely day in the Austen blogosphere and have met many new friends at Jane Started It! All because you and Katherine decided to make your 'idea' into a reality.
Hugs,
Laura
The first card for me! Definitely Mr. Darcy, and I love that scene in the film!
I'd like to be entered in the give away for Jane's Fame.
Felicia
felicialso @gmail .com
Oh, how I love Colonel Brandon's birthday card to Jane the most.
And my chose of book would be Murder Most Persuasive by Tracey Kiely.
orishallrunmad@yahoo.com
Thanks for this wonderful giveaway opportunity!
Gloria
I would take Colonel Brandon's card and give it to my friend Brooke, who adores Alan Rickman.
For a book, I would choose Victoria's title.
Colonel Brandon of course. My favorite.
MURDER MOST PERSUASIVE would be wonderful thank you.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
My favorite card is the last one.... Oh le sigh....
I would love to win A Weekend with Mr. Darcy!
justforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Oh, I love all of Jane's heroes, but I would have to pick Captain Wentworth's card - "You pierce my soul" how romantic is that?
Also, I would pick A Weekend With Mr. Darcy for the book.
Margay1122ATaolDOTcom
Mr. Knightley - despite the fact that I am almost never at a loss for words, especially not about Jane Austen. But Mr. Knightley, and Mark Strong as Mr. Knightley, have a very special place in my heart.
Jane's Fame by Claire Harmon.
I choose the card of Fitzwilliam Darcy to wish Jane a very Happy Birthday. The book I would choose is A Weekend with Mr. Darcy. My email address is jbtaylor12@gmail.com
I loved the cards. Naturally Wentworth gets the win from me. 2nd place though, is Tilney; he's so witty!
A Weekend with Mr Darcy looks interesting. Thank you for the giveaway!
melorabrock {at} gmail {dot} com
Really nicely done! I like Wentworth's card the best.
I would love to read Jane's Fame. It seems very interesting.
marijke_vd_hamer(at)hotmail(dot)com
i'm hesitating because all of the quotes melted me when i have read the book :) but i would say ...captain wentworth
"your pierce my soul. i am half agony , half hope "
i loved so much when he wrote that XD
the book that i woudld like to read is , "Murder Most Persuasive "
Because , austen's story +mystery is christmas for me [THE BEST FOR ME } XDD
jandia4junopyo@yahoo.fr
I love the card from Edmund Bertram. It's romantic, lovely and what every woman wants to hear from her beloved. Thank you for this great post and for the giveaway. I would love to have the "weekend with Darcy"! Thanks!
What a great idea having Jane's fabulous leading men wish her a happy birthday!
I'm having so much fun discovering so many great Austen sites. Thanks.
I would choose Colonel Brandon. His words are expressing so much love and care, it's just breathtaking , that Austen expresses with a few words so much. It's such an aura between the lines.
As giveaway I would choose:
William Deresiewicz, A Jane Austen Education
elektraw@hotmai.com
I love Captain Wentworth's card (both the picture and words) but I love the words on Henry Tilney's card as well. Great giveaway! Thank you:)
sarah.setar@gmail.com
A most excellent gift, Maria! Lovely choice. Mr. Knightley's card is my favorite.
And the book I'd choose would be Weekend with Mr. Darcy, but no need to enter me in the giveaway.
Thank you so much for allowing me to participate in such a fun tribute to Ms. Austen!
Happy Holidays!
Oops! Hit return too quickly. Last comment was from me too...
I would love to win William Deresiewicz's "A Jane Austen Education." Thank you again for inviting me to co-host the event Maria Grazia. I hope you and your family have a lovely Christmas and New Year! :)
gaskellblog gmail com
Very nice photos of my favorite characters with rather "interesting" happy birthday messages on them. Very nice!
Each photos have very a nice happy birthday message on them. Interesting. i like the photos chosen too.
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