A SUMMER WITH JANE: PAULA BYRNE ON SIX WEEKS BY THE SEA

 

by Maria Grazia, My Jane Austen Book Club

 It is a real pleasure to welcome acclaimed biographer, novelist and Austen scholar Paula Byrne to our blog today. Paula is the author of numerous bestselling works, including Belle: The Slave Daughter and the Lord Chief Justice, The Real Jane Austen, The Genius of Jane Austen, and Mad World: Evelyn Waugh and the Secrets of Brideshead, and she is widely respected for the depth, elegance, and originality of her work including biographies, literature, and history.

Her latest novel, Six Weeks by the Sea, offers a compelling blend of historical insight and imaginative storytelling. Set during the summer of 1801, the book follows a young Jane Austen during a six-week holiday in Sidmouth, where she becomes entangled in a quietly dramatic love triangle—with both a dashing Royal Navy captain and a thoughtful, abolitionist lawyer vying for her heart. Drawing on known facts and rich period detail, Paula creates a vivid world of family ties, social pressures, and romantic possibility—all with her signature grace and intelligence.

SOLVING MYSTERIES WITH JANE AUSTEN: AN INTERVIEW WITH JESSICA BULL

 

Welcome, Jessica Bull, to My Jane Austen Book Club!

It’s always a delight to explore new takes on Jane Austen’s world, and today, we’re thrilled to welcome Jessica Bull, author of the Miss Austen Investigates series. Her latest novel, A Fortune Most Fatal, brings us another delightful mystery featuring none other than Jane Austen herself—this time, unravelling secrets in 1797 Kent. With wit, charm, and an irresistible puzzle at its heart, this book is sure to captivate both Austen fans and mystery lovers alike.

Scroll down and join us as Jessica shares insights into her inspiration, the challenges of blending history with detective fiction, and what’s next for our favourite literary sleuth!

A YEAR IN JANE AUSTEN'S WORLD: AN INTERVIEW WITH SOPHIE REYNOLDS OF THE JANE AUSTEN'S HOUSE

2025 marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth—a milestone that invites us to reflect on her enduring legacy and the world that shaped her genius. As we celebrate this special year, a stunning new book offers a fresh and intimate perspective on Austen’s life. A Jane Austen Year takes us on a journey through the seasons, weaving together letters, objects, and manuscripts from Jane Austen’s House—the beloved Hampshire cottage where she lived and wrote some of her most cherished novels.

I’m delighted to welcome Sophie Reynolds, the curator of Jane Austen’s House, and the mind behind this beautifully illustrated volume, to My Jane Austen Book Club. In our conversation, we discuss the treasures of Austen’s home, the inspiration behind the book’s unique structure, and the remarkable moments that shaped the author’s life. Join us as we step into Austen’s world, one season at a time, in this very special anniversary year.

SUDDEN AWAKENING BOOK TOUR: INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR AMANDA KAI & GIVEAWAY

 

Interview with Amanda Kai

Hello Amanda and welcome back to My Jane Austen Book Club. Congratulation on your new release, Sudden Awakenings. It brings a fresh twist to Pride and Prejudice by introducing Elizabeth Bennet's struggle with sleepwalking. What inspired you to incorporate this unique aspect into her character, and how do you think it influences her relationship with Mr. Darcy?

Well, originally, I planned to write a compromise scenario based on the scene from the end of the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie, where Elizabeth walks out into the field in her nightgown and Mr. Darcy meets her there in a state of half-dress and they are witnessed by some gossipping neighbor.

However, I struggled to conceive a realistic reason for why these otherwise upstanding people would suffer from such a gross lack of propriety (even in the movie, it is a stretch, but I forgive it, just because I love it so darn much!)

BOOK TOUR - TALKING ABOUT MR BINGLEY JUST AS A GENTLEMAN OUGHT TO BE WITH AUTHOR BRANDON DRAGAN

 

ABOUT THE BOOK 

For centuries Jane Austen's classic novel, Pride & Prejudice, has been dearly loved the world over. However, few people know the truth about Mr. Darcy's closest friend, the affable Mr. Bingley–who is much more than he appears on first impression. 

Mr. Bingley: Just as a Gentleman Ought to Be is the previously untold story of a young man who unwittingly uncovers an evil cabal among the British Empire's aristocracy. Bingley confronts an enterprise so nefarious that he cannot help but act to redress it, even if it costs him his own reputation and the love of his life, the angelic Miss Jane Bennet.