Thursday 3 October 2024

NEW RELEASE: ONCE HE MADE A BEGINNING BY P.O. DIXON

 


From the Author

 Thank you, Maria Grazia, for the wonderful opportunity to visit My Jane Austen Book Club. I’m excited to share an excerpt from my newest release, Once He Made a Beginning, and connect with fellow historical romance enthusiasts.

For those unfamiliar with my work, I love reimagining Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, crafting new and captivating adventures for Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet. With nearly fifty titles in my growing catalog, I’m always eager to explore fresh narratives that stay true to the heart of these beloved characters.

Tuesday 1 October 2024

BLOG TOUR: THE LAKE HOUSE AT RAMSGATE. GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY

 

In 1812, Elizabeth Bennet, eager for her first visit to the seaside, accompanies her beloved sister Jane and her new brother, Charles Bingley, to Ramsgate. Their retreat, the Lake House, offers an ideal location for Mrs. Bingley, whose delicate condition requires rest and care by the sea.

Wednesday 25 September 2024

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.

Sunday 8 September 2024

CRIME & CULPABILITY: A JANE AUSTEN MYSTERY ANTHOLOGY

 

Hello and happy Sunday, dear readers! Today I'd like to invite you to step into a world where Regency elegance meets thrilling intrigue! In this upcoming release, Crime & Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology, some of your favorite Austen characters find themselves entangled in captivating mysteries, with clues hidden beneath the surface of every story. Whether it’s Darcy investigating a murder or Emma Woodhouse solving an art heist, each tale invites you to join the sleuths and unravel the secrets within. Ready to discover how Austen’s timeless charm blends seamlessly with a dash of mystery? Scroll down and dive into this unique anthology where the game is afoot! MG x

Monday 2 September 2024

JANE AUSTEN RETURNS TO THE SHAKESPEARE THEATRE OF NEW JERSEY'S MAIN STAGE WITH SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

 


Why Does Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility Continue to Captivate Audiences?

Long before Bridgerton enchanted our screens, a young writer named Jane Austen was already setting hearts ablaze across England. Her timeless tales of love, societal expectations, and sisterhood continue to resonate today, and now, fans of Austen’s work have a new reason to rejoice.

What’s Happening at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey?

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) is bringing Austen’s beloved novel Sense and Sensibility to life with a stage adaptation by the acclaimed Jessica Swale. This production promises to overflow with humor, style, and the unmistakable wit of Austen herself.

Saturday 17 August 2024

BACK TO THE SHORES OF SANDITON WITH A NEWLY RELEASED COLLECTION OF STORIES BY CAROLINE MALCOM BOULTON


The Shores of Sanditon: A Must-Read for All Jane Austen and Sanditon Fans

If you’re a fan of Jane Austen and the mesmerizing world of Sanditon, you won’t want to miss The Shores of Sanditon by Caroline Malcom Boulton, a newly published collection of 24 short stories that beautifully blend the timeless charm of Austen’s characters with the creative vision of modern storytellers. Released in 2024 through Amazon KDP, this book offers a unique glimpse into the lives of Charlotte Heywood, Alexander Colbourne and other beloved characters from the Sanditon television series, expanding their stories in ways that are sure to captivate your heart.

Thursday 8 August 2024

THWARTED, A NEW AUSTENESQUE DELIGHT BY MJ STRATTON. EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY.

 


Dear Janeites,

Prepare yourselves for a new journey into the heart of Regency England with MJ Stratton's latest release, Thwarted. If you’ve ever wondered what might happen if Mr. Darcy faced an insurmountable obstacle in his pursuit of love, this novel is sure to delight and intrigue you.

MJ Stratton, a devoted aficionado of all things Austen, brings us a fresh and imaginative tale that seamlessly intertwines the beloved world of Pride and Prejudice with a tantalizing new twist.

Friday 26 July 2024

A VERSATILE, RESONANT STORYTELLER: BENJAMIN FIFE

 


Today I’m very glad to feature an exclusive interview with Benjamin Fife, a seasoned narrator whose captivating voice brings literature to life. He started his career in the world of narration from a young age, honing his skills through dramatic readings and exploring a diverse range of genres. Today, he is best known for his narration of Maria Grace's Jane Austen’s Dragons series and is celebrated for his versatility in tackling everything from Fantasy to Health and beyond.

Get ready for an insightful conversation with a narrator who has mastered the delicate dance of bringing words to life through the power of the spoken voice. 

Maria Grace on My Jane Austen Book Club

Monday 22 July 2024

IN CONVERSATION WITH DON JACOBSON: DISCOVERING 'IN WESTMINSTER'S HALLS'


IN WESTMINSTER’S HALLS: DARCY’S ABOLITIONIST ROMANCE

 

What inspired you to set the characters of Pride and Prejudice against the backdrop of the British abolitionist movement?

I am one of those oddities: my favorite Austen book is Mansfield Park, at least when it comes to dealing with the social questions of Austen’s time. However, while I liked the thematics either overt or implied, in the book, I found the characters to be rather pale. However, that’s where P&P came in…Darcy and Elizabeth are dynamic. I also wanted to see how Mr. Bennet would act when principle forced him from his library. 

Wednesday 10 July 2024

BRIGID HUEY, LEARNING TO LOVE: A PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND LITTLE WOMEN CROSSOVER!

 


Thank you for having me at My Jane Austen Book Club! I am so happy to be here to share my upcoming novel. Learning to Love is a Pride and Prejudice and Little Women crossover! In it, Amy and Laurie keep up a lively correspondence and grow closer through their letters.

We all know how digitized our world has become. I’m always texting, emailing, scrolling. As a writer, I used to write all my stories in notebooks. But I transitioned my writing from pen and paper to my laptop a few years ago. It’s more efficient (no more typing out what I’ve written) and I can type faster than I can write by hand.

Tuesday 25 June 2024

Leah Page Answers Questions About Her New Book, Georgiana Darcy’s Magical Meddling



In her new lovely novel, Georgiana Darcy’s Magical Meddling, Leah Page weaves a delightful tale where the classic world of Jane Austen meets the charm of witchcraft. Georgiana Darcy, newly aware of her magical abilities, uses her powers to assist her brother Fitzwilliam Darcy in his quest for true love. With a mix of humor, heart, and a dash of magic, Page crafts a narrative that offers fresh insights into the beloved characters of Pride and Prejudice.

Monday 17 June 2024

NEW BOOK UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT! DARCY'S STRUGGLE BY KELLY DEAN JOLLEY

 


Explore the world of Fitzwilliam Darcy like never before with Kelly Dean Jolley's new novel, Darcy's Struggle. This romantic and reflective story offers a fresh perspective on the classic tale, probing deep into Darcy's internal conflicts and emotions as he navigates his feelings for Elizabeth Bennet. In the following excerpt, we witness a pivotal moment where Darcy's perception of Elizabeth begins to shift, illuminating his struggle between intellect and heart.

 About the Book

Brilliant, sensitive, and private, Fitzwilliam Darcy finds himself at the Meryton Assembly, consciously troubled by recent events in Ramsgate and unconsciously troubled by himself.  He insults Elizabeth Bennet, at whom he has only glanced.

It is not until she appears at Netherfield—full of life, skirted in mud, and eager to attend to 

her sick sister—that Darcy truly looks at her. When he does, he knows she is the woman he has been searching for, the elusive her of his heart. He falls for her completely…despite her apparent unsuitability to be the Mistress of Pemberley and his half-hearted efforts to convince himself he can live without her.

Shortly before Elizabeth leaves Netherfield, Darcy apologizes for what he said at the Assembly. Will that apology and the depth of his sudden but durable feelings give him hope with Elizabeth? Might George Wickham’s arrival frustrate his hopes, especially after Darcy blunders into a marriage proposal to Elizabeth? 

Romantic, reflective, and ironic, this is a story told from Darcy’s point of view, a story of the struggle from intellect to heart—a deliberate character study and a delicate love story.    

 

 Read an Excerpt

Darcy finally stopped staring.

It took an act of will. Normally, Darcy had willpower in abundance. This time, it took all he had.

When he turned, Miss Bingley was staring at him. She had been staring at him staring at Miss Elizabeth. He realized Miss Bingley had been aware of his staring since it began—since Miss Elizabeth had entered Netherfield.

Bingley’s sister always strained the world through his reactions, and he had forgotten that. His reactions normally determined hers.

Behind him, he heard Miss Elizabeth's voice, now fully contrite and containing no trace of the challenge that had been in her eyes. She spoke softly to the servants. “I am sorry. I tried to clean them before I knocked on the door and believed I had, but the November mud is like glue.”

“It’s no problem, ma’am,” one of the servants said, responding softly in kind.

Miss Bingley turned as Darcy reached her, shaking her head in disapproval. “She walked here. What would she be about?” 

Darcy glanced at her, but only after he finally looked away from Miss Elizabeth. “She has come to help care for her sister. An errand of kindness.”

She went on shaking her head.

Tolerable? 

Darcy could now hear the question in his voice—in foro interno, as it were: the voice of conscience.

Did I say that? Was I that insensible? That inattentive? That mistaken? 

He replayed the scene at the Assembly in his memory again. He had noticed Miss Elizabeth before Bingley pointed her out, and he had glanced at her several times during and after his exchange with him. But Darcy had not actually paid attention to her—he had noticed the peculiar brightness of her eyes, and that was all.

Tolerable? Like saying Shakespeare had a minor gift for phrases. 

He had seen her now—truly seen her—and he would not judge so poorly again. She might have inadvertently trailed mud into Netherfield, but she had also brought life into it.

“Go and sit down, Mr. Darcy. Join the others.” Although Miss Bingley managed a faint smile, her tone was tense, hovering between request and command. “I will go back and see that Miss Eliza finds her way to Jane's room. The apothecary remains there.”

He nodded. He did not glance back at Miss Elizabeth until Miss Bingley was walking toward her and could not see.

When he entered the drawing room, he realized his hands were clammy.

It was a new sensation.

*** 

His personal copy of Johnson's Rambler was open on Darcy's lap and his eyes were fixed on the page, but he managed to read nothing.

He remained distracted.

Miss Elizabeth. Her. Her?

Darcy had never had any patience for those who believed that regard, love, could spring from a first interview or show itself before two words had been exchanged. A fantasy.

He had always believed, to the contrary, that love was the result of less interesting but more promising modes of attachment: knowledge of character, esteem—or even, perhaps, gratitude. These were trustworthy foundations of love.

If any love was possible before two words had been exchanged, it would have to be love without knowledge of character or love without esteem, a house built on sand, the result of passion outstripping virtue, taking reason hostage.

His parents had loved and esteemed one another, learning to do so during a long courtship, and their example of wedded harmony had shaped Darcy's hopes, creating his understanding of connubial bliss.

He knew Christopher Marlowe’s lines—Where both deliberate, the love is slight: Who ever loved, that loved not at first sight?—but he rejected them. He expected a deliberate love, like his parents’. A fine, stout love, solidly three-dimensional, capable of withstanding the contradictions and varieties of life.

As a result, he had never imagined meeting her as involving immediate recognition, of a vision with sudden, compulsive power. He had expected to come to know her as her, as the woman, slowly, over time, after first discovering that she satisfied his demands for her situation and connections, that she was eligible. Eligible for Pemberley. Perhaps she would even have a title. Only then could he begin to ascertain whether she was the woman for whom he was searching. Unfortunately, all the eligible women he had so far met had quickly proven not to be the woman he was looking for.

He had not known what she looked like, but experience had taught him a great deal about what she did not look like. The words of one of his Cambridge tutors came to mind: “Plato asks the question that became the Learner’s Paradox. If you don't know what you are searching for, how can you recognize it when you find it, and if you do know, why is searching necessary? Either way, learning seems impossible.”

But when Miss Elizabeth tracked muddily into Netherfield with November on her hair and in the color of her cheeks, eyes aflame, what Darcy saw had sudden, compulsive power. She was herself a lesson. It was her. He had not known who he was searching for, yet he knew it was she.

But it could not be. She was ineligible.

Did you enjoy this excerpt? Grab your copy then and immerse yourself in this delicate love story and character study, where every glance and gesture holds significance. Darcy's Struggle is a tale of transformation and self-discovery, perfect for fans of Pride and Prejudice and anyone who enjoys a deep, introspective romance. Don't miss out on this compelling new release! 

Amazon Universal Buy Link

 Darcy’s Struggle


About the Author

 Kelly Dean Jolley, a professor at Auburn University, has penned several novels. His first, Big Swamp, is a detective novel, which he followed with a Christmas mystery, The Vanishing Woman. He also composed a book of poetry, Stony Lonesome.

        Using the pseudonym Newton Priors, he released three additional novels: Balter (A Retelling of Pride and Prejudice)Tides of Bath (A Retelling of Persuasion), and a Western, Heaven and Hell: A Romance. 

        Professor Jolley has made contributions to many academic publications as well. He is the author of The Concept 'Horse' Paradox and Wittgensteinian Conceptual Investigations, the editor of Wittgenstein: Key Concepts, and has published over forty academic articles. He is a past Alumni Professor and currently the Goodwin-Philpott Endowed Chair in Religion and Professor of Philosophy.  

Contact Information

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 Other Meryton Press Books by Kelly Dean Jolley

Big Swamp

The Vanishing Woman

Coming Soon from Kelly Dean Jolley and Meryton Press

Pride, Prejudice, and Pretense (A spy novel, a romance, and a character study)

Friday 7 June 2024

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR MJ STRATTON: EXPLORING WHAT OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN + GIVEAWAY

 



Welcome to My Jane Austen Book Club! Today, we have the pleasure of hosting MJ Stratton, author of the captivating Sense and Sensibility variation, "What Ought to Have Been." In this intriguing tale, Stratton invites readers to explore a world where the Dashwood sisters take fate into their own hands, seeking justice and redemption amidst the challenges of love and society.

Monday 20 May 2024

PEMBERLEY BEACH, A MODERN RETELLING OF JANE AUSTEN'S PRIDE AND PREJUDICE BY ELIZABETH FAMOUS.

 




Welcome, Austen Admirers! Today, we have a special treat for you as we welcome the talented author Elizabeth Famous to our cozy corner of the internet. With her recent publication, Pemberley Beach, a contemporary reimagining of Jane Austen’s timeless classic Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth has captivated readers with her fresh take on beloved characters and themes.

We invite you to join us in exploring Elizabeth’s creative process, her love for Austen’s work, and the delightful twists and turns she introduces in Pemberley Beach. This interview is not just a conversation between author and interviewer; it’s an invitation for all of you to participate. Feel free to share your thoughts, questions, and favourite Austen moments in the comments section below. After all, what’s better than discussing literature with fellow enthusiasts? So, brew a cup of tea, settle into your favourite reading nook, and Elizabeth Famous as she shares insights into her literary world and her passion for all things Austen.

Saturday 6 April 2024

DOUBLE BOOK RELEASE! AMANDA KAI, A LITTLE BIT FOOLISH & SWIPE RIGHT FOR MR DARCY

 


I’m here today celebrating a double book release! A Little Bit Foolish is a collection of Pride and Prejudice April Fool’s stories, and Swipe Right for Mr. Darcy is a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice.

In 2021, I began a new tradition of releasing a new comedy story on April Fool’s Day with my  short story Unconventional, an Austentatious Comedy that Defies Expectations!   The following year, I wrote An Unexpected Party.  Last year, my plans for a short story were interrupted by the release of my full-length variation A Favorable Impression, and thus I did not complete an April Fool’s story in 2023. Therefore, this year, I decided to release a whole collection, including 3 brand-new stories!

Wednesday 3 April 2024

COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY! CROSSROADS BY MJ STRATTON

 Dear Austen Admirers,

Are you ready to dive back into the enchanting world of Jane Austen's beloved characters? Brace yourselves because a new exciting journey awaits as we're on the brink of revealing the cover for "Crossroads", a collection of four new novellas by MJ Stratton. Here we go!

Wednesday 27 March 2024

Charming Echoes: A Review of Pride and Preston Lin


Discover a new brilliant retelling of Jane Austen's classic: Pride and Preston Lin. Here's why Christina Hwang Dudley's contemporary riff is a must-read for Austen enthusiasts and lovers of heartfelt romance.

Monday 4 March 2024

NEW RELEASE! FINDING JANE FAIRFAX BY ROBBIN J. PETERSON



ABOUT THE BOOK

Jane Fairfax knows she is truly fortunate. Most orphans face lives of hardship, whereas she was adopted by doting surrogate parents who elevated her place in society and love her as their own. Yet even they cannot shield her from the grim realities of life without a suitable marriage. In moments of despair, Jane comforts herself with a well-worn memory: that of a young man whose kind words when they were children once soothed her heartbreak. But now that boy has grown into a dashing gentleman―and their lives could not be more distant. Frank Churchill is a prisoner of his station. His inheritance is held in the balance by his demanding aunt, and the weight of her expectations is suffocating him. But when a chance encounter brings the lovely Miss Fairfax back into his life, he discovers what it is to truly live. As the pair secretly become acquainted amid the confines of society’s strict rules, their friendship blossoms into love. But in a world ruled by unyielding traditions, endeavoring to build a life together would mean inviting a scandal that would shake the very foundation of the ton.

Sunday 3 March 2024

DISCOVERING THE HUSBANDS OF ELIZABETH BENNET WITH CHRISTINE COMBE: EXCERPT AND GIVEAWAY!

 

 Dear Austenians,

Welcome, one and all, to My Jane Austen Book Club! I am thrilled to extend a heartfelt welcome to each of you who decided to join us on the second day of a truly special journey.

Today, it is my distinct pleasure to introduce our esteemed guest, Christine Combe! Welcome back and thank you for being a part of this delightful gathering.

Today, we have the privilege of exploring Christine's latest literary marvel, The Husbands of Elizabeth Bennet. This brilliant duet, crafted with Christine's masterful pen, promises to whisk us away to the enchanting world of Jane Austen's iconic characters.