TO ENGLAND ON THE FOOTPRINTS OF JANE AUSTEN - Q & A POST WITH LAUREL ANN NATTRESS AND SYRIE JAMES

Laurel Ann Nattress (a life-long acolyte of Jane Austen, the editor of the short story anthology Jane Austen Made Me Do It, and Austenprose.com,)  and Syrie James (bestselling author of eight critically acclaimed novels) are going to travel back in time on a very special quest in search of Jane Austen.  They will  in fact travel to England and visit the homes and estates of Jane Austen as well as famous film locations used for Austen adaptations. Do you wish to join them?  Read about their exciting  plans...

Thanks a lot to both of you, Laurel Ann and Syrie, for being my guests again here at My Jane Austen Book Club. Useless to say I envy you!  How excited are you to go on your September trip to England?

Laurel Ann  : I am thrilled beyond belief! A Jane Austen Tour: Seascapes and Landscapes is indeed a dream come true for me, and sharing the experince with my good friend and author Syrie James makes it even more special. When Maria Stefanopoulos invited us to craft the itinerary to our liking, it was akin to the moment in Pride and Prejudice when Elizabeth Bennet writes to her Aunt Gardiner,“give a loose to your fancy, indulge your imagination in every possible flight which the subject will afford.” Amazingly, this Anglophile has never been to England before, so this excursion through Ingenious Travel is the perfect opportunity.

 Syrie: It has been five years since I last visited England, when I researched my novel The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen--and I had such a fabulous time, I can’t wait to return! We hope we have designed the ultimate Janeite fantasy trip! Wespecially requested all the locations on this tour, because they were such important places in Jane Austen’s own life. We will literally be walking in Jane’s footsteps—and for a Janeite,it is an awe-inspiring and unforgettable experience!

Pride and Prejudice - How Your Relationship Can Work Like Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s

(by guest blogger Jack Meyers) 

As I watch the romance of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy unfold before my eyes for the umpteenth time I still get carried away with the sweet aroma of romance. I am also overwhelmed with the mutual respect, courtesy, and mystery that surround this book-worthy couple. How do romances like this happen? Are they magical, well written romances that only can be found in a book? I come to the conclusion every time I watch the move or read the book that in all the imperfections and misunderstandings between them the sweeter the intrigue grows. 

After every trip into their world I find myself trying to understand the complexities of their interactions with each other and how they finally realized they were actually on the same page but did not see it. As you watch all their miscommunications, their arrogant, indignant attitudes, and their seemingly utter dismissal of each other’s emotional well-being, how did they fall in love?

MARILYN BRANT, PRIDE PREJUDICE AND THE PERFECT MATCH - GIVEAWAY WINNER

Have you read Marilyn Brant presentation of her latest Austenesque novel, Price Prejudice and The Perfect Match here at My Jane Austen Book Club?  If you've missed it have a look here.
Among the commenters, one lucky winner will have the chance to choose and win one of Marilyn previous publications  (see book covers above).

The winner picked up via random.org is ... LisaS !!!

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS GIVEAWAY HOP - LET'S CELEBRATE PRIDE & PREJUDICE

Published 200 years ago in 1813, Jane Austen's most popular novel, Pride and Prejudice, turns 200 years old today but has never been fresher and more loved. Pride and Prejudice is in many ways a record book. For instance, it  has never been out of print. It remains one of the best-read novels in the English language, with more than 20 million copies sold.

It's also the most filmed of the Austen novels, with 10 major films and TV miniseries, including the classic 1940 adaptation starring Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson with a script cowritten by no less a literary light than Aldous Huxley. Of course, for many of us Elizabeth has Jennifer Ehle's sweet smile and Mr Darcy Colin Firth dreamy stare.

So I've chosen a P&P - related gift to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Lizzy and Darcy and take part in the Random Acts of Kindness Giveaway Hop hosted at Read for the Future and I Am a Reader Not a Writer.

Take your chances in the rafflecopter form below and win the current issue (61 January/February) of 

Jane Austen's Regency World Magazine

WHAT ABOUT PLANNING A JANE AUSTEN SUMMER HOLIDAY? THE 6TH JANE AUSTEN FESTIVAL, LOUISVILLE

One of my dream is to be able to take part in a Jane Austen Festival sooner or later. Bath or New York, that wouldn't mind. The nearest event I can dream of is Bath Festival. I'm in Italy, Bath is in England, just a two-hours' flight and I may be there. If only I wasn't a teacher! Teachers work in September and to have days off for entertainment is not that easy, if not impossible.

However, that is not the only Jane Austen Festival in the world, isn't it? If you are too far or you can' t go in September, check out the upcoming Austen events among my tweets or on my daily paper, The Everything Austen Daily . Year after year there are lots of new amazing events all over the world,   in which hundreds of Janeites meet, have fun and celebrate our beloved author. 

What about having a look at one of them and its schedule? And what about starting planning a Jane Austen summer holiday?
One of the greatest summer events is the 6^th Annual Jane Austen Festival which will tale place on July 20 & 21, 2013 at beautiful Historic Locust Grove, Louisville, KY. 

MARILYN BRANT, PRIDE PREJUDICE AND THE PERFECT MATCH - AUTHOR GUEST POST AND GIVEAWAY

I've had the pleasure of being a guest on one of Maria Grazia's blogs before and, always, it's been a delightful experience! About 2 years ago, we did a Q&A about my debut novel, According to Jane, which was the story of a woman who had the ghost of Jane Austen in her head giving her dating advice. (To read Maria Grazia's post, just click HERE  and, if you'd like, you can find an excerpt from that novel HERE ).

 

My debut came out back in October 2009 and several other books followed it, but this new book -- my seventh novel, Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match -- is the first one since then that was an Austen-inspired story. I had a lot of fun writing this it! It's a short, contemporary romantic comedy about two people who don't believe they're really right for each other. Love has a way of changing their minds, though! Here's the premise:

 

A single mother and an ER doctor meet on an Internet dating site—each for reasons that have little to do with finding their perfect match—in this modern, Austen-inspired story. It’s a tribute to the power of both “pride” and “prejudice” in bringing two people romantically together, despite their mutual insistence that they should stay apart…

SPOTLIGHT ON ... JESSICA GREY, ATTEMPTING ELIZABETH + GIVEAWAY

The Book

Kelsey Edmundson is a geek and proud of it. She makes no secret of her love for TV, movies, and, most especially, books. After a bad breakup, she retreats into her favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice, wishing she had some of the wit and spirit of Elizabeth Bennett.

One night at a party Kelsey meets handsome Australian bartender Mark Barnes. From then on, she always seems to run into him when she least expects it. No matter how Kelsey tries, she always seems to say the wrong thing.

After a particularly gaffe-filled evening around Mark, Kelsey is in desperate need of inspiration from Jane Austen. She falls asleep reading Darcy’s letter to Lizzy and awakens to find herself in an unfamiliar place that looks and sounds suspiciously like her favorite book. Has she somehow been transported into Pride and Prejudice, or is it just a dream?

As Kelsey tries to discover what’s happening to her, she must also discover her own heart. Is Mark Barnes destined to be her Mr. Darcy? In the end, she must decide whether attempting to become Elizabeth is worth the risk or if being Kelsey Edmundson is enough.

HAPPY 200TH ANNIVERSARY, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE!

Published 200 years ago in 1813, Jane Austen's most popular novel, Pride and Prejudice, turns 200 years old today but has never been fresher and more loved. Pride and Prejudice is in many ways a record book. For instance, it  has never been out of print. It remains one of the best-read novels in the English language, with more than 20 million copies sold.

It's also the most filmed of the Austen novels, with 10 major films and TV miniseries, including the classic 1940 adaptation starring Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson with a script cowritten by no less a literary light than Aldous Huxley. Of course, for many of us Elizabeth has Jennifer Ehle's sweet smile and Mr Darcy Colin Firth dreamy stare. 

These days 'Jane Austen' is a very big brand name, masses of money are made in her name. Would she be offended? I don't think so. She would have loved to earn money by her quill, that was what she aspired to as a woman and as a writer: financial independence, freedom. 

P&P ANNIVERSARY - CELEBRATING JANE AUSTEN’S PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: 200 YEARS OF JANE AUSTEN’S MASTERPIECE BY SUSANNAH FULLERTON

The celebrative atmosphere all around the Net has made me look for the perfect read to join the festive mood in honour of the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice. What about this just released book by Australian Austen scholar, Susannah Fullerton? 

The Book - Celebrating Pride and Prejudice

“Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure,” Elizabeth Bennet tells Fitzwilliam Darcy in one of countless exhilarating scenes in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The remembrance of Austen’s brilliant work has given its readers pleasure for 200 years and is certain to do so for centuries to come. The book is incomparable for its wit, humor, and insights into how we think and act—and how our “first impressions” (the book’s initial title) can often be remarkably off-base. All of these facets are explored and commemorated in Celebrating Pride and Prejudice, written by preeminent Austen scholar Susannah Fullerton. Fullerton delves into what makes Pride and Prejudice such a groundbreaking masterpiece, including the story behind its creation (the first version may have been an epistolary novel written when Austen was only twenty), its reception upon publication, and its tremendous legacy, from the many films and miniseries inspired by the book (such as the 1995 BBC miniseries starring Colin Firth) to the even more numerous “sequels,” adaptations, mash-ups (zombies and vampires and the like), and pieces of merchandise, many of them very bizarre.

AUTHOR GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY: MARY JANE HATHAWAY, "PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND CHEESE GRITS"

Mary Jane Hathaway is the pen name of an award-nominated writer who spends the majority of her literary energy on subjects un-related to Jane Austen. A homeschooling mother of six young children who rarely wear shoes, she’s madly in love with a man who has never read Pride and Prejudice. She holds degrees in Religious Studies and Theoretical Linguistics, and has a Jane Austen quote on the back of her van. She can be reached on facebook at her regular author page of Virginia Carmichael (which is another pen name, because she’s just that cool). She is here today to meet the readers of My Jane Austen Book Club and present her new "Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits!"  Read her guest post and take your chances in the rafflecopter form below to win an e-book copy!

Hello, fellow friends of Miss Jane! I’m so excited to be talking about my new book, “Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits”!

Wait, did the blogger reader count just slip? I think I heard the sound of hundreds of people quietly clicking past this post. But why, dear ones??

I hear a brave soul in the back yelling out something about that title… I can’t quite catch it…

Blasphemy? How can cheese grits, that so lowly of the Southern dishes, possibly occur in the same title with Austen’s wit and genius?

 Oh. I see. Well, let me explain.

MOVIES THAT JANE AUSTEN FANS MIGHT ENJOY

by guest blogger Allison Foster

If you are an Austen fan and you crave more “Austen” then I am here to recommend a couple other movies you might enjoy. While nothing can replace our favorites like Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility I have found a couple movies in the past which have not disappointed. You have to be a certain type of individual to like these kinds of movies: the English made or dramatic movies which move a little slower and add a lot of extra detail. This is what I love and crave and if you are of the same mind then I want to recommend what I consider a beautifully made movie that any Austen fan would love.

NORTH AND SOUTH 

That movie is called North and South, written by Elizabeth Gaskell in 1855. It was a made for television movie in 2004 by the BBC. I had not seen this movie until a couple of years ago when I started watching other BBC shows and ran across this one. It was considered an industrial novel when it was written; it was written about relations between employers and workers of that time period.

UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT - PAULA BYRNE, JANE AUSTEN. A LIFE IN SMALL THINGS

I'm sure 2013 will be filled with great Austen fun since it is the year of Pride and Prejudice bicentenary and there have been  many great events announced already. 

There are also several interesting books coming out, though not all of them related to Pride and Prejudice, but all of them Austen-related . Among the ones coming out soon, here is one   I'm really curious about.

Paula Byrne, Jane Austen -  A Life in Small Things

Paula Byrne announced she was writing a book about Jane Austen last year when she brought to our attention a mysterious portrait of a lady she declared to be of our beloved Jane. Many Austenites were and still are skeptical, but, maybe , Ms Byrne will win them over with her new achievement: an unusual biography of their favourite writer.

Book Blurb from publishers Harper Collins site

Who was the real Jane Austen? Overturning the traditional portrait of the author as conventional and genteel, bestseller Paula Byrne’s landmark biography reveals the real woman behind the books.

In this new biography, best-selling author Paula Byrne (bestselling author of Perdita, Mad World) explores the forces that shaped the interior life of Britain’s most beloved novelist: her father’s religious faith, her mother’s aristocratic pedigree, her eldest brother’s adoption, her other brothers’ naval and military experiences, her relatives in the East and West Indies, her cousin who lived through the trauma of the French Revolution, the family’s 

amateur theatricals, the female novelists she admired, her 

SYRIE JAMES DISCUSSES WHY JANE AUSTEN CAPTURES HER WRITING IMAGINATION - WIN "THE MISSING MANUSCRIPT OF JANE AUSTEN"

Syrie James, author of The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen, a brilliant Austen-inspired novel (my review) ,  is my guest today to discuss  why Jane Austen captures her writing imagination. Take your chances to win a copy of the book using the rafflecopter form below. The contest is for US readers only and ends on January 10th. Good luck!

I love Jane Austen because her books transport us to another world, another time and place—that doesn't seem that far away. Jane Austen doesn't need elaborate plot lines, exotic locales, or a lot of action to create the most engaging, entertaining, funny, and insightful stories I have ever read.

It doesn’t hurt that Austen wrote about the English gentry class at a time when men had impeccable manners and wore tight breeches, tailcoats, and cravats (which are eminently sexy), ladies wore bewitching, gossamer gowns, and the primary social entertainment was to dance at a ball. But it’s the stories themselves that make Austen great, and more importantly, the characters she created.

Austen is an acute observer of people. Although her novels take place two hundred years ago, her characters are people we recognize; they all wrestle with social and emotional problems that we still confront on a daily basis. She sees straight through people’s pretensions, hypocrisies, politeness, and correctness to reveal their true opinions and motivations. Her characters’ inconsistencies and absurdities become fodder for her wit and humor—sometimes, they are so subtly drawn that it can take a while to truly appreciate what makes them so memorable and marvelous—but memorable and marvelous they are.

Unlocking secrets from Jane Austen's Steventon home

Finds from an archaeological dig at the birthplace of Jane Austen are beginning to reveal details of the author's early home life. Aren't you curious to discover more?

Read this interesting report from BBC news!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

JANE AUSTEN SOIREE - A CELEBRATION OF JANE AUSTEN'S BIRTHDAY - GIVEAWAY HOP

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JANE!

Thanks to all the Janeites who will drop by and decide to celebrate Jane Austen's birthday with us. It is a very special day, one in which I feel we must express our gratitude to our beloved best favourite author and spread the love for her and her work.

This event, The Jane Austen Soirée is a simple hop,  linking  a few blogs, the ones you find listed below,  in the effort to celebrate Jane's talent and wit. 

The Austenite bloggers involved are posting their favourite page from their favourite Austen novel and readers will have the chance to win some gorgeous Austen gifts in several giveaway contests.

After taking your chances in the rafflecopter form at the end of this post, check out all the blogs taking part in the event. Good luck and Happy Jane Austen Soirée, everyone!

Here's my favourite page

EMMA & MR KNIGHTLEY

You will not ask me what is the point of envy.--You are determined, I see, to have no curiosity.--You are wise--but _I_ cannot be wise. Emma, I must tell you what you will not ask, though I may wish it unsaid the next moment." (…)

BOOK BLAST - SALLY SMITH O'ROURKE, YOURS AFFECTIONATELY, JANE AUSTEN / CHRISTMAS AT SEA PINE COTTAGE + GIVEAWAY

Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen

Was Mr. Darcy real? Is time travel really possible? For pragmatic Manhattan artist Eliza Knight the answer to both questions is absolutely, Yes! And Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley Farms, Virginia is the reason why!

His tale of love and romance in Regency England leaves Eliza in no doubt that Fitz Darcy is the embodiment of Jane Austen’s legendary hero. And she’s falling in love with him. But can the man who loved the inimitable Jane Austen ever love average, ordinary Eliza Knight?

Eliza’s doubts grow, perhaps out of proportion, when things start to happen in the quiet hamlet of Chawton, England; events that could change everything. Will the beloved author become the wedge that divides Fitz and Eliza or the tie that binds them?

SPOTLIGHT ON ... A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM BY SCOTT D. SOUTHARD

The Book

Jane Austen thought she knew everything about love, but was there something she wasn't telling us?

A self-confessed dreamer, gossip, and matchmaker, Jane emerges from a prophetic meeting with gypsies and sets out to discover her soul mate. As Jane writes through the twists and turns of her turbulent romances, Southard ponders the question faced by many devoted readers over the years - did she ever find love? What would the story of that love be like if Jane could write it?

Binding fact with fiction, courting brave new literary twists, and written in the style of Jane Austen herself, A Jane Austen Daydream is the tale of Jane's life as a novel. It contemplates the eventual fate of Jane's heart, and uses her own stories to fill the gaps that history left to the imagination.

The author

Scott D. Southard, the author of A Jane Austen Daydream, swears he is not obsessed with Jane Austen. He is, however, also the author of the award-winning novels, My Problem With Doors, Megan, and 3 Days in Rome. His eclectic writing has also found its way into radio, being the creator of the radio comedy series The Dante Experience. The production was honored with the Golden Headset Award for Best MultiCast Audio and the Silver Ogle Award for Best Fantasy Audio Production. Scott received his Master's in writing from the University of Southern California. Scott can be found on the internet via his writing blog "The Musings & Artful Blunders of Scott D. Southard" where he writes on topics ranging from writing, art, books, TV, writing, parenting, life, movies, and writing. He even shares original fiction on the site (currently creating a novel in "real time" with one fresh chapter a week; it is entitled Permanent Spring Showers). His blog can be found at http://sdsouthard.com. Currently, Scott resides in Michigan with his very understanding wife, his patient two children, and a very opinionated dog named Bronte.

Read the first two chapters from A Jane Austen Daydream

CHRISTMAS WITH JANE - JOIN ME AT KRISTA'S BOOK REVIEW CLUB

Today I'm guest blogger at Krista's Book Review Club on her December event dedicated to Jane Austen. My post is ME, JANE AND HER BAD BOYS. You know, I've got a weakness for Austen handsome scoundrels ... CLICK HERE and join me at Krista's blog.

"When I first met Jane…  I got everything wrong.I was 14 and reading Pride and Prejudice for the first time I hit it off with George Wickham (OMG!) . So I  got quite angry with Jane for making him a villain. OK, Mr Darcy was a great catch for Lizzy, that’s undeniable,  but why couldn’t Jane let her at least meet George Wickham at Netherfield and dance with him, flirt a bit  and then marry her well-off,  dashing baronet?  Closing the book at the words THE END , my disappointment was not completely over yet.Then I read Sense and Sensibility and I  was mesmerized by John Willoughby’s  romantic charm and passionate ways.  Again, Jane had played a trick on me: he was the villain in the novel . Once the two  heroines were in London,  I happened to be extremely disappointed  like Marianne.  Of course, I didn’t risk my life and I even kind of accepted the excuses he alleged to Elinor while Marianne is very ill.  I so wanted Willoughby to be my hero! Jane must have laughed a lot at my naivety". (...)

 GO ON READING AT BOOK REVIEW CLUB 

CHRISTMAS BOOKS GIVEAWAY HOP - VICTORIA CONNELLY , CHRISTMAS WITH MR DARCY

Ready to spend your Christmas holidays with your special one? What about  adding some dreamy time with Victoria Connelly's Christmas with Mr Darcy, a  truly romantic novella? (Read my review HERE).

Read Victoria Connelly's Christmas interview,  then take your chances in the rafflecopter form below. The giveaway is open internationally and ends on Dec. 7th . Thanks to Kathy at I am a Reader not a Writer and to  Laurie Here for hosting another great hop. Remember to check all the sites taking part in the event. Lots of Christmas books for you and many chances to win! You'll find them in the list  at the end of this post. Good luck!

Welcome back to My Jane Austen Book Club, Victoria.  My questions today will focus on Christmas and your Christmas novella. Are you ready?  What do you like best and what the least of Christmas time?

Best thing – it’s a good excuse to eat plenty of wonderful food. Worst – the cold, dark days.

What is your favourite …

     Christmas movie            It’s a Wonderful Life

    Christmas book             A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

    Christmas song             Silent Night

    Christmas decoration?  Christmas tree lights!