TALKING JANE AUSTEN WITH KARA LOUISE + GIVEAWAY

      Kara Louise grew up in the San Fernando Valley, just north of Los Angeles. She's married and has a married son. She began writing about 9 years ago, first, with an inspired story from her genealogy that she was researching. But then she discovered the writings of Jane Austen, in particular, her novel "Pride and Prejudice" and she  began writing stories to answer the "what happened next" and the "what ifs" in Elizabeth's and Darcy's story. You can follow Kara on her blog Delightful diversions from the heart and on www.AustenAuthors.com

    All your published novels are based on P&P. Why? What so special to you  in it?

     To put it succinctly, all my novels are based on P&P because at the moment those are the only novels I have completed. I actually began my venture in writing with some information I discovered doing some genealogy research that I thought would make a story. I actually wrote 3 chapters. When I discovered P&P, however, and the Jane Austen sites that had stories based on her novels, I put that one aside and began writing P&P. I loved her story and her characters, and it was a way to continue on with them. I still have those 3 chapters that I began years ago, occasionally go back to it, and hope to someday continue the story.

  

What do you think of the different movie adaptations of P&P? Have you got a favourite one?

I love the 1995 version the best. I look at the one from the 40s and even 2005 as having enough changes from the original, that they’re almost like the fan fiction variations that are written. I liked the fact that the 1995 version came so very close to being true to the original.

          Regency and Jane Austen ‘s World  seem to have a great appeal to contemporary audience.What is your interpretation of this phenomenon?

I think most people find some other time or culture fascinating to read about, whether it’s a past, future, or completely made up world. Part of it could be that our world is so busy and stressed, and Jane Austen writes of a time that is slower and less complicated. There were definitely hardships back then, and the same emotional ups and downs that we experience, but her books also shed light onto a society that is very different from ours, and yet I think people realize that even 200 years later, people still feel and experience the same things.

          What do you think is the secret of JA’s success through the centuries? Her irony and witty prose? Her characterization? Her plots? Or what according to you?

I believe her stories have stood the test of time because of several factors. She wrote characters we embrace and who capture our imagination; she wrote stories about life and love that anyone can relate to, and she had a wonderful way with words. I can open up a book of hers to any page, read it, and truly enjoy it.

  

          In Darcy’s Voyage, your latest release, the story begins in a completely different way from the novel we so much love . Elizabeth and Darcy meet on a ship bound for America, but are then separated when the ship docks in New York. Is the rest of the story a totally different take on JA’s P&P?

  
   I actually just wrote about this on the new Austen Authors blog, made up of (at the moment) 27 authors who have written a published Jane Austen novel.  There are many variations (including 2 of mine) that begin after Elizabeth turns down Mr. Darcy’s proposal and the events after that are then changed. In Darcy’s Voyage, their initial meeting is different, but when they return to England, the story merges into the P&P storyline with changes that are affected by what happened on the ship. 

     Do your Darcy or Lizzie differ from the original anyway? 

I would hope not too much. The difference in this story is that Elizabeth doesn’t  suffer from too much  a ‘personal’ insult from the lips of Mr. Darcy. He makes a general statement that she overhears, but he does not make one about her. She is still a little prejudiced against him, but begins to see who the man really is earlier in the book.

  

 Have you changed the fate of any minor character in your variations ?

Have no fear, Elizabeth and Darcy always end up together, as do Jane and Charles. Lydia’s fate is different; in fact, her fate is different in each of my 3 variations.

      What do you think Jane Austen would achieve would she not have died so young?

I would imagine she would have seen her ‘additional’ books published under her own name and received the credit she deserved. I would hope that she would have written several more, and possibly the sequel we all wish she had written to P&P.

  

      What about her minor or unfinished works? Have you ever thought to write sequels variations for those?

The only other pieces of hers that I have considered writing about are a Persuasion story, because it is my second favorite of hers, or possibly Emma. 

      How would you introduce your 6 novels to our readers? Try to tell about each of them as briefly as you can.

The next one to be released by Sourcebooks is called “Only Mr. Darcy Will Do.” It is a variation that was originally entitled “Something Like Regret,” that begins a year after Mr. Darcy’s proposal. Mr. Bennet dies fairly soon after Elizabeth returns from Kent, and she becomes a governess to a 6 year old girl when the Collinses move into Longbourn. The family she works for has a long association with the Darcy family, and Elizabeth finds herself thrown into his presence when the family is invited to Pemberley. There she begins to see who he truly is, while realizing the greater disparity in their stations.

The others are self-published, but Sourcebooks has the option to pick them up. “Assumed Engagement” begins after Darcy’s initial proposal. His carriage overturns, and he is knocked unconscious. Having previously written to his sister that he was going to ask for Elizabeth’s hand, Georgiana writes to Elizabeth asking her to come, thinking (logically) that they are engaged. Elizabeth is not aware of this misunderstanding, but upon hearing that Mr. Bingley has also been sent for, she decides to go with Jane so they can be reunited.
“Assumed Obligation” is the sequel to that novel, which follows Darcy and Elizabeth on their honeymoon to Paris, and then romances for Georgiana and Kitty.

“Master Under Good Regulation” is the story of P&P from the perspective of Mr. Darcy’s dog, Reggie, from the time Darcy is about 15 until he marries Elizabeth. Of course Reggie has a lot of influence over the events in Miss Austen’s story.

“Drive and Determination” is a modern story about Elyssa Barnett, a struggling interior designer, and Will Denton, president of a coffee company. It has several elements of P&P in the story, but is not a true modernization because of several very drastic differences.

 So, that's all Kara. Thank you so much for your kindness.

Thanks for inviting me today! 

Kara is  offering one copy of “Darcy’s Voyage” to a lucky winner who comments (The giveaway is open to the US and Canada only). The name of the winner will be announced next  Wednesday November 10th. Please, don't forget to add your e-mail address!

PEMBERLEY RANCH BY JACK CALDWELL - GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

To meet a man loving Jane Austen is such a rare experience that  I must thank Jack Calwell warmly and once again. Have you read my interview with him? For once a different perspective and a very interesting one. Now, giveaway time. Or, better, time to announce the two winners of the giveaway of Jack Caldwell's Pemberley Ranch. Here are their names , as usual,  through random.org

TRACY & AMY Z.

YOU ARE THE LUCKY WINNERS

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

THE LOST MEMOIRS OF JANE AUSTEN BY SYRIE JAMES - MY REVIEW

 My latest Austenesque reading is IL DIARIO PERDUTO DI JANE AUSTEN, the Italian translation of Syrie James's THE LOST MEMOIRS OF JANE AUSTEN. It's a book I got as a gift last June from my mates of the Jane Austen Book Club (see journal of the last meeting and the funny picture of me with  an awkward expression at receiving my gifts!) It has been a very pleasant reading, an intriguing story , which actually I had already "lived " in my mind and which I was so happy someone wrote down for me. Well, not only for me of course! Jane Austen's life as I wished it to be.  
This is my last task for the Everything Austen Challenge II and one of my reads for Jane Austen is My Homegirl Reading Challenge .

It is officially presented like this ...

What if, hidden in an old attic chest, Jane Austen's memoirs were discovered after hundreds of years? What if those pages revealed the untold story of a life-changing love affair? That's the premise behind this spellbinding novel, which delves into the secrets of Jane Austen's life, giving us untold insights into her mind and heart.

Jane Austen has given up her writing when, on a fateful trip to Lyme, she meets the well-read and charming Mr. Ashford, a man who is her equal in intellect and temperament. Inspired by the people and places around her, and encouraged by his faith in her, Jane begins revising Sense and Sensibility, a book she began years earlier, hoping to be published at last.

Deft and witty, written in a style that echoes Austen's own, this unforgettable novel offers a delightfully possible scenario for the inspiration behind this beloved author's romantic tales. It's a remarkable book, irresistible to anyone who loves Jane Austen—and to anyone who loves a great story. 

My review 

In Becoming Jane young Jane Austen is hooked by dashing Tom Lefroy and even agrees to  an elopment.  In Miss Austen Regrets ,  mature Jane regrets missing the chance of marrying and looks melancholicly at her niece’s love life . In the beautiful book I ‘ve just finished reading , THE LOST MEMOIRS OF JANE AUSTEN,  Syrie James imagines quite mature Jane in love with and loved  by a rich, handsome and fascinating Mr Ashworth. Their love story has got traits of the stories we all well know and love: Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice.

The novel , of course,  ends as anyone can expect since we all know that Jane never married ( and Ms James researched every detail so accurately).  The blend of biographical elements -  based on documents and letters -  with the events and characters from the novels results into an amiable page turner,  highly recommendable and, especially, believable! Never was fiction so near to the truth and  this is exactly how I’ve always interpreted Jane's decision not to marry: 

1. She must have loved to be so good at writing her very special love stories 
2. She must have loved someone she couldn’t marry to be so skillfull at describing that situation and the consequent  suffering.

Mr Ashworth is a unique character because he is a real Austen hero but, furthermore,  he combines three of Jane’s most loved  male characters:   Darcy, Edward Ferrars and Willoughby (though Mr Ashworth shares his first name with Captain Wentworth’s, Frederick). He lives at Pembroke,  an incredibly huge and beautiful residence in Derbyshire which  closely reminds of Pemberley. He is a baronet and , apparently, the heir of a huge patrimony . They meet in Lyme and he saves Jane from falling and hurting herself.  But their relationship is not simple and straightforward. Ashworth , like Edward Ferrars,  becomes awkward in his attempt at wooing Jane and the reason is the same: he also hides  a secret engagement. When Jane discovers Ashworth’s secret, she is terribly disappointed and suffers desperately,  like Marianne when Willoughby turns her  down .

It was such a verosimile scenario that I had to make an effort to convince myself I was reading fiction and not a biographical novel, more than once, while reading. It is historical fiction based on some documented facts, but so well written that, as I said above,  it sounds even truer than the truth!

TALKING JANE AUSTEN WITH ... JACK CALDWELL + DOUBLE GIVEAWAY

 Jack Caldwell is an author, amateur historian, professional economic developer, playwright, and like many Cajuns, a darn good cook. Born and raised in the Bayou County of Louisiana, Jack and his wife, Barbara, are Hurricane Katrina victims, and now make the upper Midwest their home. Always a history buff, Jack found and fell in love with Jane Austen in his twenties, struck by her innate understanding of the human condition.

 Jack uses his work to share his knowledge of history. Through his characters, he hopes the reader gains a better understanding of what went on before, developing an appreciation for our ancestors' trials and tribulations. A devout convert to Roman Catholicism, Jack is married with three grown sons.

As usual, in our "Talking Jane Austen with ... " sessions there's a great giveaway for My Jane Asuten Book Club readers! Leave your comments and e-mail addresses below and two of you will have the chance to win a copy of Jack Caldwell PEMBERLEY RANCH!!! The giveaway is open to US and Canada readers only and will end next Wednesday 3rd November. Enjoy our interview and good luck to all of you!

I'm so glad to host the first man ever on My Jane Austen Book Club. It’s such a rare event! Well, let’s say unique so far.  Quoting from a blogpost of yours … it takes a real man to write historical romance … so please, tell us all how and when you started doing it.

 Maria Grazia , thank you for inviting me on My Jane Austen Book Club.  It’s a pleasure talking with you.

I first read Jane Austen back in the early 1980’s, and I’ve always been fascinated by history.  About ten years ago, I came upon The Republic of Pemberley, the first of many Jane Austen fan fiction sites on the Internet I would visit in the years to follow.  I had no idea that fan fiction existed, and I enjoyed reading what others did with Miss Austen’s beloved characters.  By 2005, my muse had convinced me to take a stab at it, combining my love of Austen with my deep interest in history.  My first story, The Three Colonels, was very well received, and will be published by Sourcebooks in the spring of 2012.  My muse was aflame and I have been writing ever since.

  What do you particularly appreciate in Jane Austen’s work?

 From the beginning, I was struck by Miss Austen’s understanding of the human condition.  She knew how men and women acted and talked, admittedly in her version of the dialogue of Regency England.  From the beginning of time, men and woman have been involved in the great game of love and understanding.  The timeliness of her stories is as real today as it was two hundred years ago.

Also, as a reader, I admire Miss Austen’s genius in turning a phrase.  Is there any opening sentence better than, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife”?

  As a man, which of her fascinating heroines would you be more pleased to meet and woo?

 Ha!  As I already have met, wooed, and married the perfect woman—my dear wife Barbara—I can’t say I’m fascinated by any one of Miss Austen’s heroines.  Rather, I would say that I admire the wit and brightness of Elizabeth Bennet, the quiet sensibleness of Elinor Dashwood, and the steadfastness of Anne Elliot.  Characteristics that are found in my lovely wife.

Well, you are very lucky Jack. You can say you’ve found a typical Austen ending for your own life! A marriage of love with a real Austen heroine. Which of her heroes do you feel resembles you the most?

I would like to say Fitzwilliam Darcy, but Barbara would say that I’m more like Frederick Wentworth.  Hard working and loyal, but a bit hard-headed.

 

How do you explain such a great success for everything Austen these days?

 Obviously, the films help.  But I think there is a desire to look back at a simpler time.  Plus, Miss Austen wrote about such wonderful, real characters.  Readers just want to continue hanging out with them.

 Your Austenesque novel Pemberley Ranch  is going to be released in December and it is such an original, different interpretation of our beloved P&P.  You moved the Bennets and their adventures both in space and time.   Tell us something more about it, I’m so curious!

Pride and Prejudice is based upon misconceptions the lead characters have about each other over class, behavior, and motivations.  By moving the story to Reconstruction-era Texas, I’ve kicked the onflict up a few notches.

In my novel, Pemberley Ranch, Beth Bennet is a farm girl from Ohio whose only brother died while serving in the Union Army during the Civil War.  After the war, the family moved to Rosings, Texas to get a new start.  There, she meets and befriends a fellow Yankee, George Whitehead, who works for the occupation government.  She also comes in contact with the reclusive Will Darcy, ex-Confederate officer and owner of the largest spread in the county, Pemberley Ranch.  Beth is both attracted and repulsed by Darcy, for she had vowed to hate Southerners for causing her brother’s death.  Whitehead knows Darcy, and his tales of the former Rebel only intensify Beth’s aversion to the rancher.

 Unfortunately for the Bennets, not everything is as it seems.  Evil is stalking the plains of Texas, and Beth’s family is in deadly danger.  Will Beth set aside her prejudices and place her trust in the man she rejected—the man who is her family’s only hope of salvation?

 What do you think of the many Austen adaptations, I mean, the several different movies and TV series based on her major works? Have you seen any of them? Have you got any favorite one/s?

 Honestly, I have seen almost all of the Jane Austen TV and/or movie adaptations. Most are very, very good.  2009’s “Sense and Sensibility” and 1995’s “Persuasion” were excellent.

My favorite P&P adaptation is the first one I saw—the 1980 BBC miniseries starring Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul.  I enjoyed both the Jennifer Ehle/Colin Firth and the Keira Knightley/Matthew Macfadyen versions, but Garvie/Rintoul is the definitive depiction, in my opinion.

 However, my wife and I hold a special place in our hearts for the Bollywood extravaganza, “Bride and Prejudice.”  It’s a hoot!

Would you accept if they asked you to adapt your Pemberley Ranch? Any suggestion for the leads in the eventual casting?

 I would love to have Pemberley Ranch made into a movie.  I’ll leave the casting suggestions to the readers, though.

I’ve asked this several times before but, maybe, you are the right Austenite to ask this. How would you convince my teenage male students to read Jane Austen? I usually face a hard task when I try … my attempts are rarely very successful. Any tips?

 Young men—and men in general—consider Austen “chick lit,” to their detriment.  Jane Austen is one of the giants of English literature.  I have a couple of Ideas.

 Persuasion is the most “male” of Austen’s works—the reader has a greater understanding of who Frederick Wentworth is than they have of Fitzwilliam Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, which is told through Elizabeth’s eyes.  Wentworth is a naval officer, dashing and successful at war.  He is also deeply hurt by what he considers a betrayal by the girl he loves.  What teenaged boy doesn’t understand that?

 Another approach is what was used in the amusing film, “The Jane Austen Book Club.”  To put it bluntly, if a guy wants to understand girls, read what the girls read.  They will get more dates.  Same reason to take your girl to a “chick flick.”  If your girl is happy, the guy will be happy.

Persuasion is my favourite one! I ‘ve always felt Anne is the Austen heroine I can sympathize with the most. But I’ve never thought of it as the most “male” of Jane Austen’s works. Thanks a lot! It’ll be a great pleasure to try. Any other Austenesque future projects?

 I have written or co-written eight novels using Miss Austen’s characters, both Regency and Modern, and I’m in the process of writing a ninth.  Pemberley Ranch  is the first to be published.  The Three Colonels, a Regency sequel to Pride and Prejudice  and Sense and Sensibility, centered on the Battle of Waterloo, will be published in early 2012. 

 Excerpts from this and my other works can be found at my web site, Ramblings of a Cajun in Exile .

 I also invite your readers to stop by Austen Authors , the blog I share with some truly outstanding Austenesque writers.

 Final task, Jack! You’ve got about 50 words to convince our readers to read/buy your PEMBERLEY RANCH.

 Pemberley Ranch – hailed by critics as a “fresh and original” re-imagining of Jane Austen’s classic novel that is “’Pride & Prejudice’ meets ‘Gone With The Wind’!”

 Not enough?  How about—William Darcy is a tall, handsome cowboy.  How’s that?

Maria Grazia, thank you.  I’ve enjoyed this very much.

Thank you, Jack. I wish you great success in the  Jane Austen fan fiction world and, in general,  with your writing! I both love P&P and Gone with the Wind so I can’t wait to read your PEMBERLEY RANCH! Now it's your turn, dear readers! Suggest your ideal cast for  a movie adaptation of PEMBERLEY RANCH or just leave a comment and your e-mail address to enter the double giveaway! I'll announce the names of the winners next Wednesday 3rd November. But remember, US and Canada only!

AUSTENESQUE NEWS

1. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SENSE AND SENSIBILITY!!!

On October 27th 1811 Jane Austen published her first novel signing it ..."by a lady": SENSE AND SENSIBILITY is 199 years old! Let's start organizing something special for next year, it'll be its 200th birthday anniversary.

2. JASNA PORTLAND AGM

JASNA for the 2010 AGM in Portland.  It will take place over the Halloween weekend (October 29-31), very fitting as this AGM will feature Northanger Abbey.  The theme is “Jane Austen and the Abbey: Mystery, Mayhem and Muslin in Portland.”

3. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ON STAGE

Universities are not only place were you can study Jane Austen's works academically. For instance,  the  Davidson College Theatre Department  ( Charlotte ) 

 presents Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, adapted for the stage by Joseph Hanreddy and J.R. Sullivan, directed by Professor Ann Marie Costa. Times vary, Duke Family Performance Hall, Knobloch Campus Center. 

Dates:

• Thursday, October 28, 2010 @ 12:00 am
• Friday, October 29, 2010 @ 12:00 am
• Saturday, October 30, 2010 @ 12:00 am
• Sunday, October 31, 2010 @ 12:00 am

4. JANE AUSTEN ON  ... 27th OCTOBER 1798 

Cassandra's portrait

 "I shall think with tenderness and delight on his beautiful and smiling countenance and interesting manner, until a few years have turned him into an ungovernable, ungracious fellow."
— Jane Austen, on her three-year-old nephew, in a letter to Cassandra, 27 October 1798

5. EDITOR HELP FOR JANE AUSTEN

One of English Literature's greatest novelists, Jane Austen, had her work polished up by a male editor who took out her bad grammar and spelling, an Oxford academic has revealed.

Professor Kathryn Sutherland made the discovery while studying a collection of 1,100 original handwritten pages of Austen's unpublished writings.

Prof Sutherland said: "It's widely assumed that Austen was a perfect stylist - her brother Henry famously said in 1818 that 'everything came finished from her pen' and commentators continue to share this view today. ( go on reading)

6. GIVEAWAY WINNER

 

Now it's time to reveal the name of last week's giveaway winner . First of all, many thanks to Sharon Lathan and Sourcebooks for granting you the possibility to win a free copy of IN THE ARMS OF MR DARCY.

Congratulations to ... ARABELLA VIDAL for being the lucky one!

Till very soon for a new interview and a new giveaway. 

"Talking Jane Austen with..."  is tomorrow!

TALKING JANE AUSTEN WITH SHARON LATHAN & GIVEAWAY

My guest today is Sharon Lathan,  author of the bestselling Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One, Loving Mr. Darcy: Journeys Beyond Pemberley, and My Dearest Mr. Darcy. In addition to her writing, she works as a Registered Nurse in a Neonatal ICU. She resides with her family in Hanford, California in the sunny San Joaquin Valley. For more information, please visit  www.sharonlathan.net. You'll find her at Austen Authors – www.austenauthors.com - and Casablanca Authors – www.casablancaauthors.blogspot.com - where Sharon shares the spotlight with other writers.

Read and comment this interview. Sharon will be happy to answer your questions and has granted you a free copy of her latest release 

IN THE ARMS OF MR DARCY!

The giveaway ends next Wednesday 27 October and is open to US and Canada readers only. Don't forget to leave your e-mail address so that I can contact you in case you are the lucky winner.

  Now it's time to welcome Sharon Lathan on My Jane Austen Book Club. 

Hello and welcome, Sharon! Thanks a lot for accepting my invitation. First of all, can you tell us how you started writing your Darcy Saga? I’ve heard it has something to do with 2005 Pride & Prejudice adaptation. (Guess what? That was the first adaptation I ever saw of Jane Austen’s masterpiece! Colin Firth and his 1995 cult performance only came second).

 

Yes, it is true that I first came to know of the world of Jane Austen through a theater viewing of the 2005 version of P&P. I still adore the movie! I absolutely fell in love with the characters and story. So much so that I instantly rented the 1995 miniseries, read the novel by Jane Austen, and initiated a comprehensive Internet search for all things Austen related. The obsession grew from there. Along the way I discovered online fan fiction, which fed my imagination. The question of what would happen after they married was one I never found the answer to as I envisioned it, so eventually I started writing it myself. The rest is history as they say!

 You wrote “Mr and Mrs Fitzwilliam Darcy” and imagined our beloved couple live happily ever after. Can you tell us at least part of the secrets of their successful ménage?

Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy was written because I believe in happily ever after. Not necessarily in the perfect fairytale way, but certainly in the sense of a couple having a long marriage where joy abounds. The secrets? Commitment, faithfulness, open communication, romance in all the ways it can be expressed, devotion to the other, selflessness, appreciation for the blessing of finding your mate. It isn't always easy, as anyone married for a while will attest, but a marriage can thrive rather than shrivel away. Those who say this is not true, that my vision for Darcy and Lizzy is a fantasy, who do not believe two people can remain passionate past the honeymoon, or who deny that a couple from any era can actually enjoy being with each other are simply wrong. It isn't a "secret" at all! Just read my story to discover how it can be done!

 For what we know of her personality, what do you think Jane Austen would appreciate more in your continuation of her novel?

I think Jane was a believer in love and marital felicity, and wanted that for her hero and heroine. I think she would appreciate that although I take her characters in a direction perhaps she never imagined, even going into the bedroom where she never entered either in her writing or real life, I do so out of a deep love and devotion. I think she would be very pleased to see them living a full, happy life, unlike the examples of poor marriages that she clearly disapproved of.  

What is your personal interpretation of Darcy’s appeal?  How did you imagine him as a loving husband? Does he keep any of the traits of his proud countenance, those he showed in the first chapters of P&P?

Lots of questions here that I could, and have, written whole essays on! Darcy's appeal is multifaceted, but I honestly believe much of it has to do with his enigmatic quality. We know little of him within Austen's text so can paint a man to fit our personal image. However, what we do know of him once his true character is revealed is positive and appealing. He is loyal to a fault, proud but in a natural sense, loving, generous, selfless, forgiving, willing to change, and so on. All of this combined paints a man who is as close to perfect as is possible!

To me it was already shown within the original text that he would be a loving husband. Just look at what he does for Lizzy after being rejected and with no hope of winning her heart. Look at his devotion to Georgiana. Look at his concern and commitment to Bingley. Look at his care and generosity to Pemberley and the people who support him. Add this to the fact that a gentleman of this era was expected to respect, honor, and care for his wife and there is no way to assume otherwise! 

I don't interpret Darcy's pride as the horrible trait some do. Considering the era, his upbringing, and the nearly scandalous behavior of the Meryton crowd a portion of his attitude is understandable! Plus, I think he was awkward and shy, thus being largely mislabeled and misunderstood. My Darcy is a man who still is not socially adept and remains a bit uncomfortable. Like it or not he is in a social class that is high above others - as standard for the time period - so this does not change. But he is certainly loosened up with a lively wife like Lizzy!

The marriages of convenience were often targets of Jane Austen’s satire and I’m convinced this is not the case but … how would you answer those who suspect that Elizabeth married Darcy because,  after visiting  Pemberley , she became suddenly interested in his patrimony?  

Really? I don't see that at all. I mean let's face it Lizzy is only human! She would have been a fool to not recognize the benefits that she rejected. That is why I love the laugh Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet releases when she sees Pemberley for the first time. Nevertheless, I don't believe that drove her change of heart since she knew from the beginning how wealthy Mr. Darcy was. If this was her mindset she would have accepted his proposal the first time around, or thrown herself at him with a bit more vigor while at Pemberley or when he returned to Hertfordshire later.

" In the Arms of Mr Darcy” is another  installment in this saga.  How would you invite our readers to buy /read this second novel in let’s say no more than 50 words?

Precisely, In The Arms of Mr. Darcy is the fourth volume of my Darcy Saga series! After Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One came Loving Mr. Darcy: Journeys Beyond Pemberley and then My Dearest Mr. Darcy. The first three novels covered the initial year of the Darcys' marriage in a gradual, thematic pace and can be found in bookstores everywhere. In The Arms of Mr. Darcy moves faster and spans just over one year in their life. I think the synopsis from the back cover sums it up the best so I'll share that and hope it serves to entice readers--  

Darcy and Elizabeth are as much in love as ever—even more so as their relationship matures. Their passion inspires everyone around them, and as winter turns to spring, romance finds nearly everyone.

Confirmed bachelor Richard Fitzwilliam sets his sights on a seemingly unattainable, beautiful widow, Georgiana Darcy learns to flirt outrageously, the flighty Kitty Bennet develops her first crush, and Caroline Bingley meets her match.

But the path of true love never does run smooth, and Elizabeth and Darcy are kept busy navigating their friends and loved ones through the inevitable separations, misunderstandings, misgivings and lovers’ quarrels…

What is your opinion on the huge success that Jane Austen’s world is experiencing nowadays?

I think it is fantastic! I firmly believe that anything that brings classic literature to the attention of new readers is terrific. Thousands of people, such as myself, who never knew the beauty of Jane Austen's world now do because of a new cinema offering or published fan fiction novel or even a mashup! Austen's stories and characters are timeless. Their problems and personalities are relatable to a modern audience, hence why they fit well in adaptations like Lost in Austen which I loved.

 What is instead that attracted you to that world at first?

First and foremost I was captured by the love story between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. It was portrayed excellently by Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. This is where my heart was ensnared and what I wanted to explore initially by reading the novel and delving into online discussions. Very quickly I became fascinated by the Regency Era, the history and fashion and society intriguing me. I am a romantic and a lover of history, so this is where I focused my devotion initially. Next came a greater appreciation for Austen's incredible writing and her storytelling genius.  

 I’ve recently re-watched Lost in Austen, which I find a brilliant parody of P&P. Amanda ends up living in her favourite Austen novel. If you were given the same chance, which novel would you choose? Which characters would you be bothered to meet? Which instead would you be glad to meet?

Naturally I have to pick Pride and Prejudice! How could I resist? Especially if I was lucky like Amanda and Mr. Darcy fell in love with me! I would not want to meet Mr. Collins since fools irritate me. Lady Catherine would probably scare me to death, so I would avoid her. Yet, romance and fancy estates aside, I think the one Austen character I would most relate to and enjoy chatting with is Elinor Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility. I am very like her.

Are you working on a new project?

Yes I am! But before I tell you about that, I would like to talk about the finished novels. A Darcy Christmas is an anthology that was also released this month and is available everywhere. My novella, "A Darcy Christmas," joins those by Amanda Grange and Carolyn Eberhart in this holiday, Pride & Prejudice-themed book. In my story the reader visits with the Darcys in a series of Christmas memories over 25 years as their family matures. It is really fantastic if I say so myself! In April of 2011 the fifth volume in the Darcy Saga series will be released. The Trouble With Mr. Darcy sees the return of Mr. Wickham for the wedding of Kitty Bennet with some dramatic consequences!

My newest project that I am still writing is Miss Georgiana Darcy and will be released in the fall of 2011. This is a companion novel that tells the tale of Darcy's sister Georgiana as she travels through post-Napoleonic France and falls in love. Are you intrigued? I hope so!!  

I  am! That's all for now , Sharon , thank you so much for accepting my invitation to Talk Jane Austen with me.  Best wishes  and good luck! 

 Thank you, Maria Grazia. I appreciate your invitation and look forward to chatting more with your readers. Fire away! I am happy to answer questions and talk more about my saga.

AUSTENESQUE NEWS

A rapid blog tour to highlight interesting Austenesque posts!

1. Austenesque Reviews features an interesting interview with Jane Mullany. Meredith and Jane talk about "Jane and the Damned" .

Janet Mullany has worked as an archaeologist, waitress, draftsperson, radio announcer, performing arts administrator, proofreader, and bookseller. She was reared in England on a diet of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, and now lives near Washington, D.C. 

2. Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Movie Discussion of Pride and Prejudice 1995

 

Regina Jeffers writes about Pride and Prejudice 1995 on www.austenauthors.com

"In reading Jane Austen, one can easily imagine the Austen children acting out a play created by the boisterous Jane. Her novels have all the elements of drama: a small cast, limited settings, and no special effects. In this manner, Austen writes cinematic novels..."  (go on reading )

3.WATCH AND WIN ON LAURIE VIERA RIGLER'S SITE

 

• You have a chance to win signed copies of both "Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict" & "Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict."
• Take a two-minute break to watch Episode 19 of Sex and The Austen Girl, "Clothes Make the Man," and enter the giveaway!!! 
• More details on how to enter at http://www.janeaustenaddict.com

4.  DANCING WITH MR DARCY


 In celebration of the bicentenary of Jane Austen’s arrival at Chawton in Hampshire, the Jane Austen Short Story Award 2009 Competition was sponsored by the Jane Austen House Museum and Chawton House Library. Dancing with Mr. Darcy is a collection of winning entries from the competition. Comprising twenty stories inspired by Jane Austen and or Chawton Cottage, they include the grand prize winner Jane Austen over the Styx, by Victoria Owens, two runners up Jayne, by Kristy Mitchell and Second Thoughts, by Elsa A. Solender, and seventeen short listed stories chosen by a panel of judges and edited by author and Chair of Judges Sarah Waters. 

Read Laurel Ann's review on Austenprose

5. GIVEAWAY WINNER FOR MONICA FAIRVIEW 'S THE DARCY COUSINS

My latest interview in the " Talk Jane Austen with ..." series is was with Monica Fairview and commenters from the US and Canada had the chance to win her latest publication, THE DARCY COUSINS,  thanks to Sourcebooks,  her publisher.

The lucky winner is ....

LADY DOC

Congratulations !!! Enjoy your new Austenesque read.

Thanks to  Monica Fairview and Sourcebooks!

I'll wait for all of you tomorrow. My  new "Talking Jane Austen with ..." interview will be with Sharon Lathan. 

A new interesting chat and a new GIVEAWAY!!! 

Till tomorrow then. MG

ME & JANE AUSTEN - MY GUEST POST ON JASBRA

Last week Adriana Sales Zardini was my guest. Do you remember her guest post? Today it was my turn, I was her guest on JASBRA Blog. 

I wrote about ME & JANE AUSTEN and Adriana posted my text with some pictures in two parts.  I'm flattered and honoured. Many thanks, Adriana! It's such a pleasure to be part of this huge enthusiastic international community. And many thanks to "Auntie Jane" for being the reason and the inspiration of such enthusiasm!

I started like this ...

"When I was 14 I  hungrily read everything I found in  my relatives’ libraries : classics, children’s books, modern romances, history books, essays. I had been reading books since I was 8 and I still remember my first one was L. May Alcott’s Little Women. What I can’t forget is when I happened to read Pride and Prejudice. One of my aunts had given it to me saying, “Maybe you’ll find it a little boring”. Boring? I can still see my “little me”  identifying herself  with Elizabeth and experiencing her proud contempt for Mr Darcy, sympathy for Wickham, then her regret for her  wrong first impressions,  her acknowledging her affection and esteem for Mr Darcy little by little and,  finally,  her having the chance to marry him. It was so exciting!"

Go on reading if you wish ...

Have a look at  my blogpost on JASBRA Part I

and then my blogpost  on JASBRA Part II