THE DARCY MONOLOGUES - COVER REVEAL BLITZ & GIVEAWAY

Welcome to our cover reveal blitz, dear readers! The Darcy Monologues will be out soon, on May 22nd,  but we are here to anticipate the release with an exciting event including a great giveaway contest too.

The amazing cover art is the genius of Shari Ryan of MadHat Books. She took the cover concept and created exactly as I envisioned. Shari professionally, quickly, and concisely handled my countless questions, suggestions, and “just one more tweak” in the challenging format of the print interior—even had a special script code written to make it happen. And then when the original concept had to be scrapped because of the print-on-demand company’s limitations that were beyond our control (long, convoluted story only to be shared over strong cocktails), Shari AGAIN created the present cover and interior for both print and e-book. I could not recommend her expertise more!

SPOTLIGHT ON ... MRS DARCY'S DIAMONDS - A JANE AUSTEN JEWEL BOX NOVELLA BY JANE ODIWE. NEW RELEASE!

Mrs Darcy's Diamonds

Elizabeth is newly married to Fitzwilliam Darcy, the richest man in Derbyshire, landowner of a vast estate, and master of Pemberley House. Her new role is daunting at first, and having to deal with Mr Darcy’s aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, is a daily challenge. But, Elizabeth is deeply in love and determined to rise to every test and trial she is forced to endure. When her husband presents her with a diamond ring, part of the precious and irreplaceable Darcy suite of jewels, she feels not only honoured and secure in her husband’s love, but also ready to accept her new responsibilities and position.

Elizabeth knows she will face exacting scrutiny at the approaching Christmas Ball, but it will be her chance to prove that she is a worthy mistress, and she is excited to be playing hostess to the Bennets, the Bingleys, and the gentry families of Derbyshire, as well as Mr Darcy’s French cousins. Antoine de Valois and his sister Louise have arrived at the invitation of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Elizabeth is delighted that this young and lively couple are helping to bring Miss Georgiana Darcy out of her shell. However, when her ring goes missing before the ball, Elizabeth is distraught, and her dilemma further increased by the threat of a scandal that appears to involve the French cousins. 

 

Read Jane Odiwe's Book Launch Post  

Read an excerpt from the book

Longbourn House, Hertfordshire - 11th December 1812
 
‘My dear, you are determined to vex me at every turn,’ said Mrs Bennet to her husband on the day before they were to travel to Pemberley House in Derbyshire. ‘I simply must know your opinion.’

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!

SECOND IMPRESSIONS BY AVA FARMER - TRIBUTE TO JANE AUSTEN BY AN EXTRAORDINARILY SUCCESSFUL WOMAN

Ava Farmer is a fictious nom de plume of Sandy Lerner, a successful business woman, the founder of a large technology company and a small grunge cosmetics company. She  now spends her time contemplating cow and the scourge which is industrialized, chemical agriculture and she love it!  She is also the author of a now-obsolete dictionary of terms related to digital music, and the translator/editor of an old book on carriage driving.  None of the above qualifies her to write this novel, but she hopes you will buy it anyway as all profits from her Second Impressions go to The Chawton House Library, a non-profit resource for the study of English women’s writing to support students and research of women writers, pre-1830, writing in English, world-wide.

The book

Written in the idiom of Austen’s time, Second Impressions is a story of the Darcy family, their friends, and relations.  It has been ten years’ time since that happiest of days when Mrs. Bennet got rid of her two most deserving daughters.  What does Elizabeth do all day at Pemberly? Has Lady Catherine been allowed to visit? Have Mr. and Mrs. Wickham become, as Jane Bennet predicted, steady and rational? What about England’s most eligible daughter, Georgiana Darcy? Even Anne de Bourgh has a life after P&P.

With the Great French War over and peace come, at least, what doesEnglandlook like in the late Regency? Is there a place for Austen’s heroes and heroines in anEnglandgreatly changed by industrializations, a new elite of fortunes made in trade, and reformist politics? It may be safely conjectured that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are settled and happy, as are Jane and her Bingley, Austen left the protagonists finished and complete (or are they?), but there are other characters, other lives, and other loves to explore.

The author


To know more about Ava Farmer (aka Sandy Lerner) watch this video from Fox News or this one below from the Morgan Library.

Remember, if you buy Second Impressions, you help  The Chawton House Library!
You can meet the author Wednesday, January 25, 2012  Time: 5:30 PM–7:30 PM  Virginia Shop at The Library of Virginia 

AUSTENESQUE NEWS

1. The Jane Austen Dating Book

New installment of this online teenage comedy.  Dance like Lizzy Bennet is the title this time.  You find it at Sparknotes This brilliant teenage journal of a today's teenage Lizzy Bennet ends with a tough question: Do you think a college guy (Fitwilliam or Fitzy)  can date a high school girl (Lizzy)? Read and guess what the answer can be. 

2. Orlando Shakespeare Theater opens Pride and Prejudice

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Orlando Shakespeare Theater presents a staged version of “Pride and Prejudice,” adapted by Jon Jory. It opens Friday and runs through March 20.

“Like all great works, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is rooted in its historical time and place, but it has a lot to say to contemporary audiences about love, courtship, risk, forgiveness and families,” says director Thomas Ouellette. “It reminds us that we can never, ever fully know anyone else, and that falling in love is always a dizzying — terrifying — and wonderful journey into mystery and faith.” 

Elizabeth Bennet (Michele Vazquez) and handsome Mr. Darcy (Avery Clark) will have to look beyond their pride and prejudice to find true and lasting love. The cast also includes Anne Hering as excitable Mrs. Bennet, Wynn Harmon as her husband, Walter Kmiec as Mr. Bingley and Courtney Moors as Jane.

Click here for further info

3. Jane Austen Twitter Project

This stunningly original project has just started. You can follow it on twitter , of course,  thanks to author Lynn Shepherd @GhostingAusten  and @Adam Spunberg. More info on the project and the first chapters of the resulting story can be found at http://austenproject.com/about/

Lynn has been interviewed at BBC radio about this special project . You can listen to the interview HERE 

4. Giveaways on My Jane Austen Book Club

I just wanted to make sure you haven't missed the occasion of winning a free copy of two Austen - related books. The two giveaways end on 16th February when the winners will be announced here on My Jane Austen Book Club. The first one is linked to my "Talking Jane Austen with ..." Susan Adriani  and is open worldwide. So,  wherever you live on the planet, click HERE, leave your comment and e-mail address if you want to be entered and win a copy of The Annotated Pride and Prejudice.

If , instead,  you live in the US or  Canada you have one more chance: you can also win a copy of Michael Thomas Ford's brand new vampire Jane's adventure, Jane Goes Batty. Just click HERE, read my interview with the author, leave your comment + e-mail address and ... good luck!

5. A Woman can dream, can't she?

 Well, I totally agree with Syrie James. She was my guest a couple of weeks ago (my interview HERE) and we discussed about Jane Austen as well as about her new modern romance, NOCTURNE. Her books are extremely romantic, perfect to celebrate next Valentine's Day. But,  today , I've discovered something more and very curious about how she created the heroes in her 4 amazing novels, that is what /who she had in mind creating them: Frederick Ashworth in LOST MEMOIRS OF JANE AUSTEN, Arthur Bell Nichols in THE SECRET DIARIES OF CHARLOTTE BRONTE, Dracula in DRACULA MY LOVE and Michael Tyler in NOCTURNE.  Have a look here! 

 

In her newsletter , Syrie says:

"Do you recognize the four hunks above? They're the men I had in mind when I created the heroes in my novels: Mr. Frederick Ashford, Arthur Bell Nicholls, Dracula, and Michael Tyler. Wouldn't you just love to see these actors play the parts in the movie versions? (A woman can dream, can't she?)"

 I would just love it, Syrie! Especially,  your Michael Tyler. Richard Armitage (on the right)  said in one of his latest interviews that he would like to stop being cast as a baddie and in action movies, and for once, to be able to do something all about love. So, it would be perfect , wouldn't it?

6. Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Celebration on My Jane Austen Book Club

We started with Jennifer Becton last month. Do you remember her Men, Marriage and Money in Sense and Sensibility?  It stimulated  interesting discussion in our online Austen club. Next week , our second meeting: Alexa Adams will post about Sense and Sensibility on Film with the giveaway of a free copy of the DVD Sense and Sensibility 1995. Alexa and I will wait for all of you here next Saturday, Februrary 19th.

AUSTENESQUE NEWS

1.  JUST RELEASED 

Karen Wasylowski, DARCY & FITZWILLIAM

For the first time ever, a bromance with the famous Mr. Darcy takes readers on a whirlwind look at an elegant sequel to Pride and Prejudice.

The novel is set into three parts; Volume 1 focuses on Darcy and the continuation of what began in Pride and Prejudice, Volume 2 focuses more on Fitzwilliam and where he is heading in life, and Volume 3 is the conclusion of the two and focuses on the family as a whole.

Michael Thomas Ford, JANE GOES BATTY

Readers and critics alike embraced Michael Thomas Ford’s clever and campy novel Jane Bites Back, which recasts everyone’s favorite Regency era author as a vampire.  Now Jane returns—fangs and all—in JANE GOES BATTY (Ballantine Trade Paperback Original; On Sale from  February 1, 2011) and the pre-pub reviews have been glowing. 

Jane Odiwe, MR DARCY'S SECRET 

Caroline Bingley and George Wickham begin to besmirch Darcy's good name and sow seeds of discontent, but while Darcy and Elizabeth are already at odds, revelations of past conduct emerge that threaten to destroy their happiness...
Jane Odiwe's latest release promises great twists and surprises! 

2. THE HEALING POWER OF JANE AUSTEN

Emma Thompson reveals the work of Jane Austen saved her from depression and  romantic novelist JoJo Moyes examines the healing power of literature in this article from  The Telegraph. Emma Thompson suffered severe depression after the break-up of her first marriage, and to such a debilitating extent that, in her own words, she “should have sought professional help”.

But her choice of self-medication drew a huge nod of recognition, in this house at least. For Thompson was “saved” not by Prozac, or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, but by immersing herself in Sense and Sensibility, the Jane Austen novel she turned into an Oscar-winning screenplay. Obviously meeting the very handsome Greg Wise, starring opposite him in said film, and then marrying him might have provided a little balm to the soul too, but as anyone who loves books knows, fiction – and Austen especially – is a great remedy for the steeper humps of the human condition.  Read more 

3. SOCIAL NETWORKING IN THE AGE OF AUSTEN?

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet on Facebook? With social networking the hot topic of the day, a computer science grad student, his advisor and a literature professor teamed up to analyze social interactions in 19th century British novels.

The answer was to use Elson’s program to try to analyze a longstanding literary theory that Victorian novels set in the city have more characters, looser social networks and less dialogue than those with country settings. Read more

4. JANE AUSTEN'S HOUSE MUSEUM AT CHAWTON - CELEBRATING SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

2011 is the 200th anniversary of the publication of Jane's first published novel, Sense & Sensibility. Celebrations are going over the Net and everywhere there's a big or small community of Austenites. Chawton House Museum will be celebrating throughout the year with a range of events including talks, music events, family activities and more. Events will be added to the website as they are confirmed. If you would like to join our Event Mailing List please sign up via the Contact Us page of the website. CLICK HERE

5. JANE AUSTEN'S EMMA PERFECT FOR THE STAGE

Very positive review for Emma on stage, the musical: "All 12 members of the cast gave stand-out performances, most notably Murin. Her sunny portrayal of the lead role makes her immediately engaging and it helps that she has strong comedic, drama and musical skills. Her Mr. Knightley (Adam Monley) is very sarcastic and completely believable as he banters and playfully insults Emma while she innocently wreaks havoc on others’ lives. The Jan. 29 performance had an understudy play Emma’s father, Mr. Woodhouse (Richert Easley). His interpretation of a man who does not like change is hilarious, because he takes everything much more seriously than the other villagers of Hartfield".

GO ON READING

  

Tickets and information on “Jane Austen’s Emma” can be found at theoldglobe.org.  

 

WATCH A VIDEO

AUSTENESQUE NEWS

SIX THINGS JANE AUSTEN NEVER DID

How would  Jane Austen and Charles Dickens fare as writers marketing their books in today’s world? This is what Kathleen Baldwin, author of Regency romances, wonders in her  curious brilliant post Six Things Austen and Dickens Never Did: they never tweeted, They did not set up a home office network, They never bought promotional pens, bookmarks, postcards, or other give-away goodies. Read the rest of the delightful blogpost HERE

FROM PRADA TO NADA RELEASED IN THE US

Directed by Angel Gracia; written by Fina Torres, Luis Alfaro and Craig Fernandez, based on “Sense and Sensibility,” by Jane Austen , has been just released in the US. Read this review from The New York Times

From Prada to Nada - promo picture

 JANE AUSTEN INSPIRED BUSINESS WOMAN

While watching an adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense And Sensibility, Kathryn Davis had a sudden brainwave. The key scene was when Mr Willoughby rode at a galloping pace across hill and down dale to the rescue of Miss Dashwood.

As any good horsewoman would note, what excited Kathryn was not the dashing Willoughby but rather his powerful horse traversing miles of uninterrupted bridleway. It was that experience of riding freely across open landscapes that Kathryn wanted to offer riders, not nose-to-tale trekking on weary ponies across road and motorway. Read more.

 COLIN FIRTH: FROM LITERARY SEX SYMBOL TO BRITISH ACTING ICON 

For years, Colin Firth was the reading woman’s sex symbol. When a TV mini-series was made of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in 1995, and when a movie version was made of Bridget Jones’s Diary, Helen Fielding’s chick lit classic, in 2001, he wowed as the flesh-and-blood embodiment of each book’s respective version of Mr. Darcy. Now, with back-to-back Oscar nominations for Best Actor for demanding roles in two terrific dramas, 2009’s A Single Man and this winter’s The King’s Speech, the British actor has become more popular than ever. (Make of it what you will that at the same time, the star wattage of fellow British male stars such as Hugh Grant and Jude Law, who in Hollywood’s eyes once outshone Firth, has dimmed considerably). Go on reading and watching (there are great clips!) 

By the way, I've seen The King's Speech! 
I saw it yesterday. My review is on Fly High! 

Another interesting article is on The Telegraph.  Philip Sherwell  states that Colin's triumph has fuelled Jane  Austen fever.

AUSTENESQUE NEWS

1. EMMA , THE MUSICAL

If you live in San Diego, California, or nearby you are very lucky. You've got the chance to see this new musical at the Old Globe Theatre:  Jane Austen's Emma – A Musical Romantic Comedy, by Tony Award nominee Paul Gordon, starring Patti Murin as Emma Woodhouse and Adam Monley as Mr. Knightley, begins performances Jan. 15 in San Diego, CA. Jeff Calhoun directs.

The musical, based on Austen's novel, has book, music and lyrics by Tony Award nominee Gordon, known for Broadway's Jane Eyre and the recent Daddy Long Legs musical. Tony nominee Calhoun staged Broadway's Brooklyn and the Deaf West revival of Big River, and the regional Bonnie and Clyde musical by Frank Wildhorn and Don Black. Jane Austen's Emma will open Jan. 23 and play to Feb. 27.

GO ON READING

2. SENSE AND SENSIBILITIES - MUSIC AT TEA-TIME

If you live in Surrey, England, you may like to take part in this event. I'd love to !

St George’s Arts present Penelope Cave and Helena Brown in a  St Valentine’s Tea –Time Recital; Sense & Sensibilities, a tribute to Jane Austen in words and music for piano duet with a Broadwood square piano of 1795.
Date: Sunday 13th February 2011 at 2.30pm
Venue: St George’s Church, Esher Park Avenue, Esher, Surrey KT10 9RQ

This specially created musical entertainment includes duets from Jane Austen’s own books, residing in the library at Chawton; the very ones she played with her sister, Cassandra. The charming forgotten works for four hands and those by Haydn, Burney, Clementi, Pleyel, and Giordani and the popular Battle of Prague, are interspersed with entertaining contemporary readings, chosen from diaries, letters, novels and poetry.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 

3. THE JANE AUSTEN DATING SCHOOL

 

Enthusiasm&austen is taking lessons from Jane Austen characters to find her soul mate. Awesome, isn't it?You'll find her on Sparknotes where my students usually  look for summaries and analysis of books they are supposed to read and study. But this series is good! 

 Read this issue, for instance Don't Pull a Jane Bennet

4. CREATE AND DRESS UP YOUR REGENCY HERO 

Have you ever dreamt of undressing a Regency hero? Ehm...No, sorry. This was not the question I intended to ask. Would you like to dress up your dream Regency Hero? Here's a game which makes your dream come true:  you create and then dress up a Regency doll on line.  It's fun! Do you want to try?

JUST CLICK HERE!

5. LIZZIE & WICKHAM SPLIT UP

No surprise, of course! We Austen lovers knew they were not meant to be together. She must marry Mr Darcy! Joking,  but it seems Keira Knightley , Lizzie Bennet 2005,  is free to look for her Mr Darcy now since the  relationship with Rupert Friend, Wickham 2005, is over.

Good luck to both of them. They were a lovely couple.

READ MORE

 6. MR DARCY CONQUERS  HOLLYWOOD

Colin Firth is living an extraordinary moment of his life and career. We are all here fingers crossed  for him on occasion of his nominations for the Golden Globe and the Oscar as best actor. Meanwhile, he's been receiving other acknowledgements: he has been named best actor at Critics' Choice Movie Awards (HERE) and he has been honoured with a star in Hollywood's Walk of Fame (HERE).

AUSTENESQUE NEWS

1. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES- THE MOVIE

Anne Hathaway might join James McAvoy in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES according to "MovieWeb". Anne would play Elizabeth Bennett and McAvoy would be Mister Darcy :) As you know, the film will be based on the book by Seth Grahame Smith who wrote a new version of Jane Austen's famous classic, pitting Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy against the living dead in the mix of romance, horror and comedy.

(from http://hollywood-spy.blogspot.com/2010/12/james-mcavoy-is-mr-darcy-in-pride-and.html)

2. WRITING, WRITING, WRITING & TWITTERING

a. THE JANE AUSTEN TWITTER PROJECT
 Lynn Shepherd and  Adam Spunberg have planned a brilliant joint writing event on twitter. They’re planning a completely new experiment in creative collaboration, and would love you to get involved. The idea is to work together to write a whole new Jane Austen-style story, with a plot chosen on Twitter, developed on Twitter, and published on Twitter.

They  plan to run a storytelling session one day every week for about three months next year. Each week’s chapter will be posted online and on http://www.austenauthors.com/ on Sunday. You don’t have to be a published writer to join in – you just have to love your Jane!   Read more about the project.


b. CHAWTON HOUSE - SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2011

JANE AUSTEN SHORT STORY AWARD -the competition that celebrates the life and work of Jane Austen by inspiring and encouraging new writers.

Their  intention is to publish the very best short fiction. The Chair of judges is Michèle Roberts, award-winning author and Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia.

They are looking for short stories of 2,000-2,500 words in length. This year the theme is ‘the heroes and villains in Jane Austen’s novels’. You can draw inspiration from any character or characters, male or female, whom you perceive to be heroic or villainous. Stories can have a historical or a contemporary setting – anything goes as long as it is well written and you state on the entry form how your idea originated.

First prize: £1,000. Two runners up: £200 each. All three finalists will also win a week’s writers’ retreat at Chawton House. Seventeen other shortlisted authors will receive £40 plus publication in the winners’ anthology (the collection of last year’s winners, Dancing with Mr Darcy, has been sold in bookshops across the UK and has recently been published in the USA by Harper Collins).

Entrants can be based anywhere in the world- stories must be submitted in English.

The closing date is the 31st March 2011. For further information click here.

c. THE JANE AUSTEN MADE ME DO IT SHORT STORY CONTEST

In conjunction with the publication of the new anthology Jane Austen Made Me Do It, Ballantine Books, Austenprose.com, and The Republic of Pemberley are pleased to announce an online short story contest. Enter for a chance to win the Grand Prize: publication of your entry in the anthology – a collection of original short stories inspired by the life and works of popular English novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817). Hosted by the Jane Austen web site The Republic of Pemberley, the contest begins on January 1, 2011. Publication of Jane Austen Made Me Do It is tentatively scheduled for publication by Ballantine in Fall 2011. Read more

3. FREE EXCERPT AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT

Sharon Lathan's free excerpt from The Trouble with Mr Darcy (due to release April 2011)

You can read a free excerpt from Sharon Lathan's next release which is part of  her Darcy saga. A nice Christmas gift isn't it? Click read and enjoy!!

4.  THE JANE AUSTEN'S REGENCY WORLD


In the January / February  issue (now on sale):

- Sense & Sensibility at 200 Leading writers look at the history, relevance, importance and morality of Jane Austen’s first published novel

- What price Paradise? life as a Jewish person in Regency England

- Wives by Advertisement The risks and rewards of Georgian lonely hearts’ adverts

- Jane Austen and Robert Burns What she really thought about the Scottish poet

- Jane Austen edited by a man One writer’s angry response to recent news reports

- The new curator at Jane Austen’s House Museum reveals what Jane means to her

Plus: All the latest news from the world of Jane Austen, as well as letters, book reviews, quiz, competition and news from JAS and JASNA

Further information and subscriptions

 

5. THE " HAPPY BIRTHDAY,  JANE" BLOG TOUR

Thanks to all the participants and to the numerous enthusiastic commenters,  Jane Austen's birthday,  last Thursday December 16th , was incredible! I know Jane is one of the most appreciated writers of all time , but I really didn't expect to get about 800 visits to my blog that day and neither 84 comments to my humble tribute post. I was actually stunned at the response. I must  thank you all the Janeite friends and the writers who  accepted  my invitation and I must also  remind you to stay tuned: the names of the giveaway winners will be announced tomorrow night. 15 names for 15 lovely Austenesque gifts!

Here's my post with my tribute to Jane Austen, the list of blogs involved in the event and the gift list.



AUSTENESQUE VIDEOS & GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!!

Hello there!

Happy JA reading and watching to you all. Are you ready for another Talking Jane Austen with ...  session? It'll be tomorrow with a new guest post/ interview  and a new giveaway open worldwide. Did you like my latest chat with Janet Mullany? Have you left your comments and e-mail address for the giveaway? Good! Jane and the Damned or Bespelling Jane Austen maybe flying to you soon. Just wait on, till the end of this rather miscellaneous post to discover the names of the 2 winners...

So...I mentioned Austenesque videos in the title. I've actually re-watched them this afternoon, bumping onto them  searching other video materials on Utube.

The first one is an interview with screenwriter Andrew Davies about The Men and Women of Jane Austen. It is definitely interesting to listen to such an accomplished connoisseur while watching bits of our beloved series ( especially P&P 1995 and S&S 2008 ) Here it is !

The second video is the lovely presentation of one of my favourite Austenesque murder mysteries: Murder at Mansfield Park. It was a delightful reading! (see my review and my interview with Lynn Shepherd part I / part II)

In it, Lynn Shepherd herself talks about her novel and she is such a capable speecher ! Well done, Lynn! You could be a terrific TV presenter!
By the way, I love the cover that the Spanish publishers have chosen for this novel. Isn't it extremely pretty? Blood stains included! Have you ever been hooked by a book cover?

OK! Here's Lynn Shepherd introducing her Murder at Mansfield Park. She is at one of the P&P 2005 locations for this clip! Can you recognize it?

Last but not least, the most frequently clicked video on my Utube Channel ( where you find  a few scenes from Austen adaptations as well as  other costume series among lots of videos with my favourite actor, Richard Armitage )

It is one of my favourite proposal scenes from  Austen adaptations. It has been seen 109, 719 times so far and there are lots of comments too. Well, I contributed to increase the number myself !What about re-watching it? Jonny Lee Miller and Romola Garai as Mr Knightley and Emma (2009) ...

  
Time to stop now! I must announce the giveaway winners of Jane and the Damned or Bespelling Jane Austen by Janet Mullany.

The winner of Bespelling Jane Austen is Audra while the winner of Jane and the Damned is MsRobinson!!! Congratulations!!! Enjoy reading! MG

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!

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