A MOST CLEVER GIRL BLOG TOUR: TALKING JANE AUSTEN WITH ... JASMINE A. STIRLING

 

Hello Jasmine and welcome to My Jane Austen Book Club! My first question for you is “When was your first encounter with Jane Austen”?

I first fell in love with Jane Austen while reading Persuasion at age nineteen while studying abroad as an associate member of Keble College at the University of Oxford.

Soon thereafter, I read Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park. In all three instances, I was struck by Austen’s realistic heroines. It was the first time I had ever encountered female characters in any novel that seemed so relatable—so like me, in fact! I loved seeing complicated, bookish, outspoken, flawed women change and grow through the course of each novel.

JAYNE BAMBER, FIVE DAUGHTERS OUT AT ONCE. AUTHOR GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY

 

Hello Dear Janeites, it is a pleasure to be back at My Jane Austen Book Club to kick off the blog tour of my new release, Five Daughters Out At Once.

DANGEROUS MAGIC, MONICA FAIRVIEW ANSWERS A FEW QUESTIONS + GIVEAWAY

Hello everyone and welcome to our blog! What's new today? On release day, Monica Fairview answers a few questions about her "magical" Pride and Prejdice Variation: Dangerous Magic. Check our post and good luck in the giveaway contest! MG

How did you find inspiration for your new Pride and Prejudice variation, Dangerous Magic?      

I’m a long-time reader of fantasy, and for some time now I’ve been imagining Mr. Darcy wearing a swirling cloak [I know, I know…😊) And as Maria Grazia knows already from my interview last year, I like to imagine him as Henry Cavill from ‘The Witcher’ (but without any of the gore, because I’m squeamish, and I don’t think Jane Austen would have approved).Once I started imagining Mr. Darcy as a mage (a mage is a wizard who doesn’t use a wand], I started imagining what kind of a world he would inhabit. I knew it was going to be solidly rooted in Jane Austen’s, just with the addition of magic. I quickly began to see how his relationship with Elizabeth would shape up.  From there, Before I knew it, I had planned the whole thing out. It was so exciting to start writing the novel – but also a bit nerve-racking [Mrs. Bennet’s nerves come to mind] because you have to get all the details of the world-building to fit together. Once I got past that point, the novel sort of wrote itself, which is unusual for me. I loved returning again and again to that fantasy world, especially during the dark days of the pandemic. It provided a perfect escape to an enchanted version of Jane Austen’s England that I would love to live in!Some of my early reviewers have compared DANGEROUSMAGIC to Harry Potter. I’m flattered, of course, because I think J.K. Rowling is amazing, but my novel doesn’t have any fantasy creatures, and the world-building is much simpler.

INSIGHT & SUITABILITY: INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR JAMES WOLLAK + GIVEAWAY

 

Hello and welcome to My Jane Austen Book Club, James. Let’s start talking Jane Austen. When was your first encounter with her work?

I first encountered her work as a college freshman.  I was attracted to a Signet paperback compilation in my college bookstore that included Pride and Prejudice, along with Silas Marner, and I think Jane Eyre.  I liked the idea of reading such classics, which I’d heard of, and as a lover of history and dates, I really liked Pride and Prejudice’s original publication date of 1813. 

AMAZING GIVEAWAY: JAYNE BAMBER'S AUDIOBOOKS

Hello, dear Janeites! It is a delight to be back at My Jane Austen Book Club. I am hard at work on my eighth book, Five Daughters Out At Once, and I will be back later this month to share an excerpt from this novel after it is available on Kindle. For now, at least, I am happy to share other good tidings pertaining to the number five: my fifth audiobook is now available on Audible!

To celebrate the accomplishment, I am hosting my biggest giveaway ever, and raffling off five copies of each of my audiobooks. The newest release is NorthFanger, narrated by the fabulous Amanda S. Brown, who also narrated Madness in Meryton. These, and all my other novels, are still available on KU of course, and I hope to have all of my JAFF novels available as audiobooks by summer time.

For those of you that may have missed my newest release, NorthFanger, last fall, it is a short gothic parody that merges Pride & Prejudice with Northanger Abbey as Elizabeth Bennet leads the charge against a horde of vampires and their dastardly leader – a villain we all know and loathe.

I have included descriptions of all the audiobooks below, and raffle winners will be given their choice from among the five audiobooks. I always say happy reading, but for now, Happy Listening!

JAYNE BAMBER

INTERRUPTED PLANS BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY

Hello everyone! A new blog tour takes off right here right now. Interrupted Plans is Brigid Huey's Pride and Prejudice Variation we are going to introduce to you today. Are you ready to discover more? Scroll down and you'll find the author's greetings, a super cute excerpt, info about the book and its writer, and, of course, a giveway contest to get your chance to win an ebook copy of Interrupted Plans. Enjoy reading and good luck! MG

A CAPTAIN FOR CAROLINE GRAY BLOG TOUR - READ AN EXCERPT

 

Join the virtual blog tour of A CAPTAIN FOR CAROLINE GRAY (Proper Romance Regency), Julie Wright’s highly acclaimed historical romance novel March 1 – 28, 2021. Over forty popular blogs specializing in historical romance, inspirational fiction, and Austenesque fiction will join in the celebration of its release with excerpts, spotlights, and reviews of this new Regency-era novel set aboard an English ship bound for India.

BOOK UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: CAME A FLIGHT GENTLY

CAME A FLIGHT GENTLY 

In the exciting conclusion of Leigh Dreyer's Pride in Flight Series (The Best Laid Flight Plans and The Flight Path Less Traveled), our dear couple Elizabeth and Darcy have moved to Pemberley to begin their lives together. An outsider to New York society and the affluent world of Darcy, our heroine uses her characteristic drive and wit to begin her marriage and all that comes with him.  Helped along by Mrs. Reynolds and a curmudgeonly airplane mechanic, Elizabeth discovers a new path to the civilian flight world. Darcy, ever the hero, supports her and learns to trust her instincts. Fast-paced and dramatic, Came a Flight Gently soars through love, adventure, and intrigue as it races through Reno to the finish.

ELIZABETH AND DARCY: BEGINNING AGAIN

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! I have a lovely Valentine's gift for you all: a new excerpt from a new Pride and Prejudice Variation, 'Elizabeth and Darcy: Beginning Again,  and the chance to win one of two ebook copies author Elaine Jeremiah has granted to the readers and followers of My Jane Austen Book Club. Enjoy reading and ... good luck!  MG

DEAR CLARA IS OUT TODAY! INTERVIEW WITH SHELLY POWELL

Regency romances have been gaining new attention, new readers and new recognition after the huge success of alluring TV series like Bridgerton or Sanditon.  They share the historical and social background of Jane Austen's novels, so they are often compared to her works. This is why I invited author Shelly Powell to join us today. 

The book we discuss is Shelly's Dear Clara, a gripping Regency Romance you can't miss if you love the genre. Read our chat and discover more about Clara  and Mr Thayne and their unforgettable love story. 

Dear Clara is out today, by the way! Check the purchase links below ;-)

DANGEROUS MAGIC BY MONICA FAIRVIEW: COVER REVEAL DAY

 

Above a first glimpse of DANGEROUS MAGIC book cover. Promising, isn't it? Monica Fairviews' new Pride and Prejudice Variation will be released on 15th March 2021 and it's cover reveal day today!

Here's a special message from Monica to us all here at My Jane Austen Book Club. Scroll down, read through and, finally,  discover the beauty of the new book cover.  

Maria Grazia

NINE LADIES BLOG TOUR: EXCERPT AND GIVEAWAY

 

Hello Maria Grazia and thank you for welcoming me back to My Jane Austen Book Club! I’m so glad that I get to share a snippet from my new Pride and Prejudice variation with your readers. Nine Ladies is a time travel story with a modern Elizabeth and a Regency-era Darcy. It’s full of secrets, and one of them is what Elizabeth knows about the fate of Pemberley in the 21st century. After she goes back in time, she has to balance what she knows will happen against what—if anything—she can change. In this scene, Elizabeth’s new friends in England—in 2011—have taken her to see what remains of a Georgian-era building.

 Heather Moll

FALLEN BLOG TOUR: ELIZABETH AND THE DRIPPING WELLS

 

Elizabeth and the Dripping Wells, guest post from Jessie Lewis

“But surely,” said she, “I may enter his county with impunity, and rob it of a few petrified spars without his perceiving me.”

 So Elizabeth Bennet thinks to herself in Pride and Prejudice when faced with the prospect of a truncated tour of Derbyshire instead of the Lakes. She makes the same trip in Fallen, though this time, she doesn’t make it all the way to Pemberley and is instead waylaid in Matlock Bath, where she and the Gardiners visit the famous petrifying well. But what are petrifying (or ‘dripping’) wells? 

GEORGANA'S SECRET BLOG TOUR

Welcome to the virtual blog tour of GEORGANA’S SECRET, Arlem Hawks’ highly acclaimed debut historical romance novel,  which starts today at our blog and will close on February 14. Over forty-five popular blogs specializing in historical romance, inspirational fiction, and Austenesque fiction will join in the celebration of its release with excerpts, spotlights, and reviews of this new Regency-era novel set aboard a Royal Naval ship. Discover more about the book and the other blog tour stops scrolling down and enjoy reading the exclusive excerpt Arlem Hawks has granted us.  

ALL THAT THIS ENTAILS BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY

 

I have loved the works of Jane Austen since I was a young woman. I have always identified with Elizabeth Bennet in particular being the second of four daughters with a love of reading and a wry sense of humour myself. I developed a special affinity for Pride & Prejudice after watching the BBC miniseries with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. What warm-blooded single woman wouldn’t with Colin Firth sending smoldering looks your way through your television screen?

 

MARIA GRACE, UNEXPECTED GIFTS BLOG TOUR

 

Maria Grace is back with a lovely holiday story, Unexepcted Gifts. We are all invited to join the Darcys and celebrate the Yuletide with them. Let's spend the most romantic time of the year with the most romantic couple of all time!  Read Maria Grace's guest post introducing the excerpt she has  graciously granted us and discover more on the entire series! 

Thank you, Maria Grazia for hosting me at My Jane Austen Book Club.  I love to write holiday stories. In the past, I’ve done holiday romances—I mean who doesn’t love a feel-good holiday romance, right? But somehow that didn’t feel quite right this year.

With all this this year has brought, I wanted to write about some of the other relationships that come to the fore during the holiday, friends and family—particularly difficult ones. The holidays just seem to bring out all those rough edges and leave us at risk for rubbing each other the wrong way. They also offer us a great opportunity for making things right between us and them. That seemed to be a very appropriate place to dwell this year.

FITZWILLIAM DARCY UNDONE BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY

 

What would Pride & Prejudice be like if Darcy and Elizabeth had a touch of magic in their lives?

 

Deleted Scene

 

This deleted scene starts with the familiar portion of the story where Caroline Bingley, desperate for Mr. Darcy’s attention, demands that Elizabeth walk about the room with her at Netherfield Park.

The stark contrast between the two became glaringly apparent the previous evening when he’d ignored Miss Bingley completely and read a book. With an abruptness, which startled everyone, she insisted Elizabeth parade about the room with her. In some small-minded way, she knew the only way his eyes would follow her was if Elizabeth remained tethered to her side. And they had. He’d unconsciously closed his book and watched them, appreciating how Elizabeth’s gown moved over her body, following every luscious line, caressing her skin like a lover. Upon noticing his attention, Miss Bingley immediately invited him to join them. Not trusting himself to stand so near his beloved, he’d politely declined and when Richard, the imp, interrupted his thoughts with a bawdy remark, he almost blurted out his affection but covered by saying the ladies had only but two motives for choosing to walk about and his joining them would only interfere.

GENTLEMAN JIM BLOG TOUR, A TALE OF ROMANCE AND REVENGE

The virtual blog tour of GENTLEMAN JIM; A TALE OF ROMANCE AND REVENGE, Mimi Matthews’s highly acclaimed new historical romance novel, started on November 9 and will go on through December 6, 2020. Forty-five popular blogs specializing in historical fiction, historical romance, and Austenesque fiction have joined in the celebration of its release with exclusive excerpts, interviews, spotlights, or reviews of this new Regency-era novel set in Somerset, England. Ready to discover more?

BLOG TOUR AND GIVEAWAY: NORTHFANGER BY JAYNE BAMBER

Are you ready for a Gothic Austen mash-up? NORTHFANGER is a a campy, vampy Northanger Abbey/ Pride and Prejudice crossover just released by Jayne Bamber. Read an excerpt and take your chances to win a copy in the giveaway below. Enjoy and ... good luck!

BLOG TOUR - THE GENTLEMAN AND THE THIEF: PROPER ROMANCE VICTORIAN

A standalone novel in The Dread Penny Society set in 1865 London brimming with secrets, scandal, suspense, and romance.

From the moment Hollis Darby meets Ana Newport, he's smitten. Even though he's from a wealthy, established family and she isn't, he wishes he could have a life with her by his side. But Hollis has a secret: the deep coffers that have kept his family afloat for generations are bare, so he supports himself by writing penny dreadfuls under a pseudonym. If not for the income from his novels, he would be broke.