CAROLYN EBERHART - LOVING JANE AUSTEN AND REGENCY PASTIMES. GUESTPOST AND GIVEAWAY

Hello dear readers ,

I'm Carolyn Eberhart. This is my second time at My Jane Austen Book Club . First I visited for one of Maria Grazia's "Talking Jane Austen with..." interviews (HERE) where I also talked about my novella published in the collection "A Darcy Christmas". (see picture on the left)

I was born on Valentine’s Day, so it is any wonder that I enjoy the classic stories of love and relationships written by Jane Austen.

I grew up in Michigan and currently live in central Virginia, near the homes of three presidents Jane may have heard about – Jefferson, Madison and Monroe.

I first read Jane Austen after the 1995 mini-series of Pride and Prejudice.  I watched the series at least once a week for months! I started writing my sequels back in 1996 after I read one of the few published sequels available at the time and found it wanting.  I like to fill in the parts of the story that Jane only hints at her writing.

Besides a day job, I have been on the committee of the Republic of Pemberley for many years, first as the Bits of Ivory hostess and currently on the Austenuations board for minor works and sequels.  I am also the membership chair for Virginia Romance Writers.

In my spare time, I enjoy trying recipes from an extensive cook book collection (I never met a cook book I didn’t like). October is the start of my “truffle season” where I make between 30-40 different varieties of hand rolled truffles for Christmas presents. I also enjoy making Regency inspired Barbie clothes.  

In fact, the theme of today's guestblog should be games and pastimes. And one of them we can date back to the 18th century is ...Jigsaw Puzzles!

Jigsaw puzzles began as a simple educational tool.  The first one was invented by Englishman John Spilsbury in the mid-1760s. Spilsbury attached a map to a piece of wood and then cut out each country with a marquetry saw.  Jane Austen may have used one in the schoolroom as they proved quite popular as a learning aid.  Puzzles as we know them were not developed until the mid-1800s.

John Spilsbury map puzzle (above).  Only two of Spilsbury's puzzles are known to exist. 

Regency Pub Puzzle (above).  Not a period piece but it shows the elaborate or fanciful shapes often used in older jigsaw puzzles.

GIVEAWAY TIME!   This is the puzzle I am giving away.  The puzzle scene is Darcy's first lamentable proposal to Elizabeth.  The puzzle box looks like a book, so you can store on your bookcase and tell friends you have a rare copy of the Jane Austen's "Jigsaw Puzzle".

The giveaway is open WORLDWIDE and ends on August 13th when the winner will be announced. Good luck, everyone. Comment this post, telling us what is your favourite game or pastime. Don't forget to add your e-mail address to be contacted by Maria Grazia.

Carolyn Eberhart