Visiting the Inspirations behind Pride and Prejudice by Olivia Lennox

For anybody visiting England, traveling to Jane Austen’s birthplace and other nearby locations is both a fascinating and insightful experience for any Pride and Prejudice fan. The locations where Jane Austen lived and worked provided much of the inspiration that enabled her to pen such a masterpiece, and seeing these for yourself is a memorable and rewarding experience.

Nestled away in the quiet English countryside, just outside the town of Basingstoke in Hampshire, is the leafy village of Steventon, where Jane Austen was born and raised. Steventon provided Austen with much of her inspiration for Pride and Prejudice, which she wrote whilst living there. When Jane Austen was born, in 1775, stage coaches to London regularly stopped by on the Winchester Road, formerly Popham Lane, where the young writer would walk with her father and soak in the inspiration provided by the village and its regular visitors.



Although Pride and Prejudice was not published until much later, Steventon and the active social life that Jane enjoyed there provided much of the inspiration for the novel. Jane was a very sociable girl, and regularly attended local gatherings and also traveled to nearby Basingstoke, before retiring back to the family’s 17^th century rectory on where she wrote her notes and began work on the book that was destined to become such a classic.

Visiting Steventon

Steventon is a must see location for any Pride and Prejudice fan visiting England, and is the perfect starting point for seeing the places where she lived and worked. Here you can walk in the same footsteps as the young novelist. Jane was a keen walker, much like Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice, and visitors to Steventon can meander down the lanes and take in the sights and atmosphere of the village just as Jane did two centuries ago.

Steventon is a picturesque place, where little has changed in the last two hundred years. The fields where Jane’s father grew potatoes are still there, where the young novelist would have enjoyed playing as a child, and even the original church, St. Nicholas, much visited by Jane and her family, is still standing. Many of the gravestones precede Jane’s birth and a visitor can imagine how the young writer would have walked through the cemetery looking for names to inspire her many famous characters. The local pub, the Wheatsheaf Inn, used to be where Jane and her father collected their post and is the perfect place to stop for some refreshments and reflect on the sights of the village.

While the family home and its traditional furniture are no longer standing - her original home was demolished not long after she died - remnants of the seven-bedroom rectory still exist, with the original railings, which circled the wooden water pump that served the family, still visible. The village is very welcoming to visitors too - the locals are much used to people wanting to savor the birthplace and original home of the Pride and Prejudice author, and are most helpful in pointing out places of interest. For any fan, Steventon is the ideal place to start a Jane Austen tour. Not only can you savor the sights of the village where the young author grew up and wrote her famous classic, but also it is very close to other must see destinations.

Moving On

Austen house at Chawton

Several other key locations played an important part in Jane Austen’s incredible life, and visiting these is easily done from Steventon. Just over 20 miles to the southeast is the village or Chawton, where Jane spent the last years of her life. Her home is still standing and serves as the Jane Austen Museum, where visitors can see some of the author’s own possessions, , and read personal correspondence written by Austen herself.

The cathedral city of Winchester is 15 miles to the southwest of Chawton and is another essential location for any Pride and Prejudice fan interested in the life of the author. Jane moved to Winchester from Chawton only in the last few months of her life. Here she died, at the tragically young age of 41. She was buried in the grounds of the cathedral and her grave is a popular location for many fans who wish to pay their respects and remember how much she gave the world of literature in such a short lifetime.

Related Links
Jane Austen Locations (via Republic of Pemberley)


Note: Olivia Lennox is our new guest blogger/contributor here at P&P Blog. Her P&P/Austen related articles will be posted here randomly from time to time.

Happy 236th Birthday Jane Austen!

Re-posting this here (slightly edited), from my similar post in 2009 (since I can't top, think of anything new or better to write than what I wrote two years ago, lol) for this very special occasion, a birthday tribute post to the lovely, genius and way ahead of her time, beloved English novelist, the one and only Jane Austen.

Remembering and celebrating her birthday today, Jane Austen, the woman who wrote the original Pride and Prejudice novel (which had been made into several TV and Film adaptations including the 2005 film, Pride & Prejudice), which was her first (can you believe unsuccessful?!) submission to a publisher back in 1797 (214 years ago) titled "First Impressions" (later changed to "Pride and Prejudice"). She revised "First Impressions" and published it entitled "Pride and Prejudice" in 1813 (198 years ago!). 

Jane Austen was born on this day back on December 16th, 1775 (she would've been 236 years old!!! today...) to the local rector, Rev. George Austen (1731-1805), and Cassandra Leigh (1739-1827). She was the 7th child amongst 8 children. She had one older sister, Cassandra.

Her only six published novels (Pride and Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Emma, Persuasion, and Northanger Abbey) were all popular (esp. Pride and Prejudice, of course) and made into several TV and film adaptations for over 72 years (since 1938) to this day.

HAPPY 236th BIRTHDAY
JANE AUSTEN!!!

Without her, P&P wouldn't have existed (nor this blog)...we wouldn't have read P&P novel or seen various TV and film adaptations including the Oscar nominated 2005 film version, which is my absolute (and all-time) favorite film adaptation based on this classic novel. So, yeah, JA rocks (and so ahead of her time) deserves to be recognized and remembered today on her birthday.

Here are some interesting Jane Austen trivia (via JA's profile on imdb.com)...

Jane Austen Trivia

• Listed in "People Weekly"s "Most Intriguing People" list. (December 25, 1995/January 1, 1996 issue)
• Was fluent in French.
• The Prince Regent was such a fan of her work that he asked her to dedicate her next book to him, which she did.
• In July of 2002 a first edition of "Pride and Prejudice" was auctioned and sold for £40,000, nearly doubling the previous record set for an Austen novel in 2001 of £23,500.
  
• Her books have never been out of print since they were first published.
  
• Between 1900 and 1975, there were more than 60 radio, television and stage productions of Austen novels. The first film adaptation was in 1940.
  
• Her brother Edward's descendant married the daughter of Louis Mountbatten (aka Lord Mountbatten; assassinated in 1979 by the IRA), who in turn was a descendant of QueenVictoria.
  
• Anne Hathaway portrayed her in Becoming Jane (2007).
  
• Seventh generation aunt (through her brother Edward) of actress Anna Chancellor, who appeared in Jane's favored romance "Pride and Prejudice" (1995) mini-series and who also narrates the documentary The Real Jane Austen (2002) (TV).
  
• The film Clueless (1995) is based on Austen's novel Emma.

See/read a list of all Jane Austen movies on IMDB!

Jane Austen Related Links of Interest

• Jane Austen - IMDB Profile
• Jane Austen on Wikipedia
• The Republic of Pemberley (the largest Jane Austen site on the web)
• The Jane Austen Society of Australia
• The Jane Austen Society of North America (aka JASNA)
• The Jane Austen Society of United Kingdom
• Jane Austen.Org
• Timeline results for Jane Austen
• Austenprose (Laurel Anne's Jane Austen Blog)
• Austen Authors
• The Jane Austen Centre 
• Jane Austen Today
• Jane Austen World

Book Review: Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy (+ a Giveaway!)

I've recently read Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy by Barbara Tiller Cole and I am posting my book review here.

But first, I would like to say that the lovely and amazingly generous Barbara Cole Tiller herself has offered another book giveaway here of her novel, which we previously had a giveaway here and picked the lucky Winner of Fitzwilliam Ebanezer Darcy book Giveaway!. If you didn't get to win last time, you have another chance to winning this one (like Mr. Darcy had his second chance of winning his one and only true love and soul mate Miss Elizabeth Bennet in the novel). Read more below for more giveaway details...

Synopsis

A Jane Austen/Charles Dickens crossoverstory, Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy takesthe best of both classics and spins them into a delightful Holiday treat! F.E.Darcy has fallen into pitiful self-loathing and sorrowful angst-ridden despair;all of this due to his belief that he has lost forever the chance to marry theonly woman he has ever loved—Elizabeth Bennet. Seeing her son in such a state,the Ghost of Anne Darcy reaches out to him; informing him that three ghostswould visit him and give him hope. Will these Spirits provide him with thecourage to try again to win the esteem of his one true soul mate?

I really loved and enjoyed reading FE Darcy and must say that I had read this book in less than a day (and will be re-reading it more this holiday season!). It was a quick read, all because it was a short story and less than 150 pages. I would've loved for it to be longer, but it was a good length for this particular story as it was a delight and fun to read at the same time, which makes you wish it was longer... Barbara Tiller Cole did a great job writing this novel combining her two favorite authors Jane Austen and Charles Dickens into a wonderful crossover story of her own, which Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy, as the book description says, takes the best of both classics and spins them into a delightful holiday treat. A delightful holiday treat, indeed! A brilliant idea to combine Austen and Dickens' classics into one great book.

I even read this and was listening to one of  my all-time favorite Christmas CDs (Mariah Carey's classic 1994 Merry Christmas album) to get into the story and the Christmas spirit. All I want for Christmas Is You is a perfect Christmas song for Darcy & Elizabeth especially when you listen to this song and read this book at the same time. Another great combo!

Though I felt very sad for Mr. Fitzwillam Darcy as he was miserable (and depressed...so not into Darcy being angsty...) for most of the story in this book, but it was necessary for this type of story. Also, it was nice to read his journey into winning back the love of his life, Elizabeth Bennet. I laughed and smiled at some of the funny and happy moments like when the three ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future visited him to help and give him hope of redeeming himself to Elizabeth, to win her back, and for him to finally be happy for himself as well as to have the happiness he deserves with the only woman he truly ever loved (the very lucky aforementioned woman, the lovely Miss Elizabeth Bennet) as he longed to be reunited with her and to be with her always. William Darcy's (as he liked to be called in the book) life for sure, wouldn't have been complete without his Elizabeth and so does she. These two are truly soul mates and a perfect match as Austen wrote it on her original Pride and Prejudice novel. I love that even when Darcy was miserable, so was she as they really loved and cared for each other despite their misunderstandings and slow road to admitting and showing their true feelings and love for each other and just get on and be together already. But it was all worth it at the end when they finally get together for a truly deserving love and happiness as I was rooting for both of them, all the way, to be reunited and be Mr. & Mrs. Darcy that they were destined to be.

I just love reading all about my favorite P&P characters especially Elizabeth & Darcy, be it in the original P&P novel or its prequels, sequels, variations, and this crossover one, which I've never read written in this way before until now. I'm very glad I did read this one as It was different than other sequels and variations I've read previously (which they were all great too) and this one is a must-read for this holiday season...just in time for Christmas too.

Overall, Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy was a great book! Quite a page turner too and a fast-paced read with an interesting twist. I was hooked from the prologue to the epilogue. Wish it was longer, but other than that, It was a lot of fun to read. I highly recommend you check this book out and read it this holiday season.

Book Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)!

_________________________________________________________________

Giveaway of Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy

Comment (with your name and valid email address) here about your favorite Pride and Prejudice prequels, sequels, variations you've read or tell us your favorite P&P adaptation along with your favorite Darcy actor below for achance to WIN a signed copy of Barbara Tiller Cole’s newest book, Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy by midnight on Sunday ET, December 18, 2011. One lucky Winner will be drawn atrandom and announced on Tuesday, December 20th, 2011.Open to ALL participants/entrants worldwide! Good luck to all! 

 

Barbara Tiller Cole, an Atlanta native and thewriter of the popular book White Liesand Other Half Truths, presents this family friendly classic—a delightfulcombination of the best of her two favorite authors, Jane Austen and CharlesDickens. Barbara credits her parents with fostering a love for both of theseauthors. Each Christmas, Barbara’s father would sit and read Dicken’s classic A Christmas Carol to the family. Hermother consistently challenged her to improve her mind by extensive reading,Jane Austen style. This book is dedicated to the memory of Cliff and Jeanne andthe season they loved the best.

THE AUTHOR’S BLOG:

An Austen Adventure

Facebook Author Fan Page:

Barbara Tiller Cole

Barbara Tiller Cole’s Amazon Author Page:

Visit Amazon's Barbara Tiller Cole Page

(FEDarcy book cover courtesy of Barbara Tiller Cole)

Elizabeth Darcy and Black Friday Sales by Barbara Tiller Cole (+ Win a giveaway!)

Friday begins the shopping rush for the upcoming HolidaySeason. While I am not a huge fan of Dayafter Thanksgiving sales (now called Black Friday since 2005), I know many ofmy friends anticipate them all year long. While contemplating that today I wasquite shocked and extremely excited when Elizabeth Darcy, from my story Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy, stopped by to talk with me. I will not question how she managed to transport herself to my humbleabode (after all I wrote a story about ghostly visitations), but she did wantto speak to me about this particular Holidaycustom.  I recorded our conversation andwill transcribe it for your entertainment.

EDarcy:  Miss Cole, orshould I say Lady Cole? 

BTCole:  Ms. Cole, butI would be happy if you would wish to call me Barbara, Mrs. Darcy.

EDarcy:  I would behonored, Barbara.  Please call me,Elizabeth.

BTCole:  Thank you, Elizabeth.I understand you have some questions to ask me about the twenty-first century Holidaycustom of Black Friday?

EDarcy:  I do.  First of all, I cannot understand all thesigns I see about Black Friday?  Is aplague coming?  Has someone veryimportant in your world died?  Are youall to be in mourning and wear black clothes on Friday?  I just cannot determine the meaning. Mostpeculiar of all is something will be sold on that day? Is it some type ofarmband or mourning jewelry?

BTCole:  No,Elizabeth.  Black Friday refers to thecustom of deeply discounting merchandise for sale on the day afterThanksgiving.  It is called ‘Black’because most stores open in the middle of the night for these sales to begin,while it is still black outside. For many businesses it is from this point onthat they are making profit during the year, or being ‘in the black’. ‘In theblack’ means they are on the profit side of the profit and loss statement fortheir business.

EDarcy:  Thank you,Barbara.  I have heard of this holidaycalled Thanksgiving, but do not know much about it.  Can you tell me more?

BTCole:  In the UnitedStated, the Thanksgiving holiday originated in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 as a celebration of asuccessful harvest after arriving in the colonies.

EDarcy:  Fitzwilliamand I have studied some of the history of the formation of the colonies andtheir uprising against the British.  Sothis is not an event to celebrate freedom from their native homeland?

BTCole:  No, it isnot.  And even if you understand thehistory, over the years, it has just become a time when family and friends gettogether for a good meal and talk about their gratitude for the year. 

EDarcy:  The historyof the event was about a successful harvest you said?  It sounds similar to our harvestcelebration.  I assume you clear thetables after dinner and dance a jig, or a similar dance?

BTCole:  I am surethere are some families that might dance after the meal, but my family mostlyrelaxes on the couch and either takes a nap or watches football games.

EDarcy:  Footballgames?

BTCole:  Believe me,you are much better off not knowing about them. Many a modern woman becomes afootball widow during the Bowl game season.

EDarcy:  BowlGames?  I am quite a proficient at lawnbowling!  Fitzwilliam and I love to playwith our children.

BTCole:  No,Elizabeth.  It is not like lawn bowling.I am not sure I can explain it appropriately. It is nothing like games in the Regency period.  Believe me, you are much better off notknowing about it.  Let us just leave itthat the men folk go off and watch these sporting events—perhaps not unlikethey disappeared into the billiard room or the smoking room after dinner inyour time.

EDarcy:  My dear Darcytaught me how to play billiards.  Heparticularly enjoys getting behind me and helping me handle the long pole tomanipulate the balls into a pocket.  Sothis football is like that? 

BTCole:  Oh dear!  I am not explaining this well.  Perhaps I can show you a game on TV.

EDarcy:  What is a TV?

BTCole:  This is alsoa bit difficult to explain.  I will callit an electronic box that shows sports, and plays and news.  It is almost as good as being inattendance.  Instead of going to theopera or the theatre, you can watch the events on this device.

EDarcy:  It soundsquite fascinating.  Perhaps I will havean opportunity to watch one of these electronic boxes while I am here in yourcentury.  I still find I need tounderstand more about the purpose of Black Friday.  It is about buying things?

BTCole:  It is aboutpurchasing deeply discounted merchandise for sale on that one day.

EDarcy:  I am tryingto understand this.  Would it be similarto my going to the modiste shop the day after Thanksgiving and receiving adiscount on the things I ordered?

BTCole:  That isprobably the closest to what transpires in our century, but few people purchasetheir clothes made to order in this century. We go to stores and purchase them ready-made.  They come in a wide variety of sizes. 

EDarcy: You mean all the classes shop in these stores? Arethere not shops that specialize in catering to the upper classes?

BTCole:  There arespecial designer shops, that is true, but even in those stores they havesales.  Most people purchase items offthe rack.

EDarcy:  Off the rack,you say.  I think that Fitzwilliam likesmy rack. (she giggled)

BTCole:  Mrs.Darcy!  I am happy to see a bit of yourimpertience showing through. I am sure Mr. Darcy appreciates all of you, butthis kind of rack is actually a long stand that holds the items, and those thatare shopping can look through the items as they hang.  It works in a similar way to the rod in yourwardrobe closet.  At least I am assumingI am correct in that conclusion.

EDarcy:  I certainlyhave rods in my closet. But there are none in my good friend Mrs. Collins’closet.   Mr. Collins insisted in puttingshelves in the closets as Lady Catherine declared it the most efficient use ofthe space.  And as we all know, she isnever wrong. (she laughed)

BTCole:  (laughing)How are you and your ‘aunt’ getting along these days?

EDarcy:  I am quitehappy to report that with the intervention of Fitzwilliam’s ghosts, she isquickly becoming a very dear friend.  Itmay sound impossible, but I am very happy to report that it is indeedtrue.  Thank you, dear author, forsuggesting that as a possibility in your story. Perhaps I can tell you more about it and you will write about it in thefuture!

BTCole:  I would behappy to learn more about how the ghosts intervened into Lady Catherine’slife.  I could write about that for nextholiday season.  Would you like toaccompany me to the Black Friday sales this coming Friday, Elizabeth?

EDarcy:  While Icannot promise I will be allowed to return, I would love the opportunity to doso!  I hope to see you soon!

BTCole:  Thanks again Elizabeth,for coming and visiting with me today.

_________________________________________________________________

Giveaway of Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy

Comment (with your name and valid email address) below for achance to WIN a signed copy of Barbara Tiller Cole’s newest book, Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy by midnight on Friday ET, December 2nd, 2011. One lucky Winner will be drawn atrandom and announced on Monday, December 5th, 2011.Open to ALL participants/entrants worldwide! Good luck to all! 

The contest is now closed and a winner has been selected here. 

 

BOOK AND AUTHOR BLURB:

A Jane Austen/Charles Dickens crossoverstory, Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy takesthe best of both classics and spins them into a delightful Holiday treat! F.E.Darcy has fallen into pitiful self-loathing and sorrowful angst-ridden despair;all of this due to his belief that he has lost forever the chance to marry theonly woman he has ever loved—Elizabeth Bennet. Seeing her son in such a state,the Ghost of Anne Darcy reaches out to him; informing him that three ghostswould visit him and give him hope. Will these Spirits provide him with thecourage to try again to win the esteem of his one true soul mate?  Barbara Tiller Cole, an Atlanta native and thewriter of the popular book White Liesand Other Half Truths, presents this family friendly classic—a delightfulcombination of the best of her two favorite authors, Jane Austen and CharlesDickens. Barbara credits her parents with fostering a love for both of theseauthors. Each Christmas, Barbara’s father would sit and read Dicken’s classic A Christmas Carol to the family. Hermother consistently challenged her to improve her mind by extensive reading,Jane Austen style. This book is dedicated to the memory of Cliff and Jeanne andthe season they loved the best.

THE AUTHOR’S BLOG:

An Austen Adventure

Facebook Author Fan Page:

Barbara Tiller Cole

Barbara Tiller Cole’s Amazon Author Page:

Visit Amazon's Barbara Tiller Cole Page

(FEDarcy book cover and Barbara Tiller Cole photo courtesy of Barbara Tiller Cole)

Jane Austen for President?

 

Jane Austen for President?! Sounds interesting, doesn't it? How about Mr. Darcy for President! It got your attention reading this, didn't it? lol...

I was contacted by Bradley S. Wirz, the founder and CEO of his new philanthropic organization called Gone Reading International. He told me about a new Jane Austen for President! gift collection, the design in which you see in the image above.

His philanthropic organization market a line of gifts for readers and donate 100% of the profits to fund new libraries in the developing world.


Here's a ...

Letter from Brad Wirz, Founder & CEO

   

Dear Fellow Book Lovers:

If you're like me, you just can't imagine living in a world without reading. Unfortunately, for almost a billion people today, that's exactly where they find themselves. There are countless villages, towns and vast regions of this planet where the power of reading has yet to shine its light.

Gone Reading International, LLC was founded to bring the magic effect of reading to places where it doesn't exist. We believe that when people have open access to great reading materials, life always changes for the better. When libraries and reading materials are made available, entire villages, communities and their citizens achieve unprecedented levels of self-sufficiency.

That's why Gone Reading International, founded in 2011, has pledged to donate 100% of our company’s profits to fund new reading libraries and other literacy projects in the developing world. By purchasing our gifts for readers, you're changing the world while treating yourself and the bibliophiles in your life to a great gift.

We donate to amazing non-profits – we call them our mission partners – such as READ Global and Ethiopia Reads, amazing organizations with proven models, long track records, and dedicated teams on the ground. Such groups partner with local villages in the most underdeveloped parts of the world to build small libraries that profoundly effect their communities. Our goal is to provide significant financial assistance to such organizations, allowing them to achieve greater scale and impact.

We invite you to join the GoneReading family by making a purchase of our gifts for readers, and equally important, sharing our story with the book lovers, bibliophiles and readers in your life!

Happy Reading!

Bradley S. Wirz
Founder & CEO
Gone Reading International, LLC

Visit us online at www.GoneReading.com!

Contact:
Bradley S. Wirz
Gone Reading International, LLC
678.793.7373
brad.wirz@gonereading.com    

You can read more about Brad's philanthropic organization at his website: Gone Reading.

I thought that's very interesting and a great cause, so I had to mention this wonderful philanthropic organization here to share with you my fellow book lovers and readers out there. And did I mention, he has a Jane Austen for President! gift collection? Yeah, he sure does and is a fan of Austen too (or at least he had just started reading Pride and Prejudice novel and had blogged about what he thought about it in the following links:

• A Dude Reads Jane Austen – Volume 1
• A Dude Reads Jane Austen – Volume 2 
• A Dude Reads Jane Austen – Volume 3

It's interesting to read what he thought about the novel (thus far), isn't it?). In addition, he has Jane Austen themed gifts at his Gone Reading online store!

 

Jane Austen Themed Gifts

Everyone loves a Jane Austen themed gift!  Proclaim your love of Jane Austen by purchasing a “Jane Austen for President” gift featuring the design you see here!  The Jane Austen collection of gifts includes a variety of clothing, shirts, mugs, bags, dog t-shirts and more.

So, check out Gone Reading and get your Austen theme gifts either for yourself or for your fellow Austen book lover friends. Your purchase of these merchandise will support Gone Reading's philanthropic mission.

Speaking of Mr. Darcy for President!, now wouldn't that be awesome if that was included in Gone Reading's Austen theme gifts? Any Pride & Prejudice/Darcy theme gift items really would make the best gift items for most P&P/Austen fans like those lovely P&P/Darcy gift merchandise at Cafe Press. I know P&P/Austen fans would most definitely love those, myself included. I suggested this to Brad and here's what he said about my suggestion of a P&P/Darcy merchandise:

Goodadvice on the gift collection.  I fully envision a much broader line ofJane Austen related merchandise in the coming months, in which P&Pand Mr. Darcy will clearly have good billing!

Hopefully, Gone Reading will make some P&P/Darcy gift items soon. They'll make a great addition to their Austen theme gifts, and besides items purchased there will support Gone Reading's philanthropic mission and they'll be worth purchasing for, for a great cause.

(All Gone Reading images courtesy of Brad Wirz. Thanks!)

Q&A with Laurel Ann Nattress

Pride & Prejudice Blog's Q&A with Laurel Ann Nattress

Jeane: How and when did you become a Jane Austen fan?

Laurel Ann: Hi Jeane, I am very happy to be here today at Pride and Prejudice 2005 blog on my Grand Tour of the blogosphere to celebrate therelease of Jane Austen Made Me Do It.I love talking about my favorite author Jane Austen and my new short storyanthology.

I was first introduced to Jane Austen as a pre-teen by mymother Carolyn. We had watched the 1940 MGM Prideand Prejudice together. I liked it, but I was not really hooked until 1980when I saw the Masterpiece Theatre mini-series of Pride and Prejudice on television. It was a seminal moment. I readthe novel and all of Jane’s works shortly after and have been a fan ever since.

J: Did you read all of her novels? If so, which one of her 6 novels isyour favorite and why?

LA: It is difficult to pare it down to just one favorite, but ofher six major works, I am most drawn to MansfieldPark. It is Austen’s dark horse. Many readers are mystified by it being sodifferent than her light and bright and sparkling P&P. I like her more complex characterizations of Mary andHenry Crawford, Mrs. Norris, the dysfunctional Bertram family, and of coursethe quasi-heroine, the prudential Fanny Price. Austen gives us much tocontemplate and I have found over the years that I am intrigued most by one ofher novels that she wrote in a more mature phase of her life.

J: Being an Austen fan, have you seen all the Austen TV and filmadaptations? If so, which one of her 6 adapted to the big and small screen isyour favorite and why?

LA: Yes, I will readily admit that I have seen all the adaptationsof the novels and anything that might be called related to Austen and hercharacters. Of her novels I like the 1995 Persuasionand the 1995 Pride and Prejudice. Ialso like Clueless which is a modern Emma, and You’ve Got Mail, which is really a modern P&P. I think each of these succeeds because, of the noveladaptations, they are faithful to Austen’s intent, and of the inspired-by’s,they capture her spirit in a positive and enjoyable way.

J: I love your Austenprose blog. It's very insightful and informativewith all things Jane Austen. How did you get started with your blog?

LA: Austenprose was started totally on a whim. I just wanted acreative outlet for my lifelong obsession with Jane Austen. I had no grandintensions for it, nor did I think that it would eventually culminate into abook deal for me. The phrase “follow your bliss” is droned into us, but in mycase, I am the poster girl for it.

 

J: What's your favorite part on blogging about Jane Austen?

LA: Meeting other Austen obsessives of course! It is also athrill to introduce new readers to Austen and other authors that I enjoy.

J: What is it about Austen that fascinated you, made you admire herwork and have been a lifelong fan of hers?

LA: Looking back on my first viewing of P&P 1980, the strong first impression that it made on me wasdefinitely from the romantic tension and the fine resolution between ElizabethBennet and Mr. Darcy. I was of course a young woman keen for my own romance atthe time, but I also remember laughing at the sharp dialogue and loving theRegency era and its civility and manners. When I read P&P for the first time, it was challenge to get through thelanguage, but I soon got the hang of it, and have read the novel every yearsince. I think my continued attraction to Austen is her witty dialogue, beinglost in the language and the Regency era.

J: Who is your favorite Darcy actor and Elizabeth actress?

LA: They say that one is bonded with the first Pride and Prejudice adaptation that yousee. I must agree, because Elizabeth Garvie will always be the perfectElizabeth Bennet for me, and David Rintoul actually plays Darcy closer toAusten’s intensions than anyone else. I do enjoy Colin Firth & Matthew Macfadyen’s interpretations, but Rintoul is just such an arrogant andmysterious Darcy, that I continue to be engrossed by his performance.

J: Your new novel, Jane Austen Made Me Do It is a great collection of22 short stories from various Austen inspired and best-selling authors. How didyou get this novel started? How did you get all those 24 authors to contributeon your first book?

LA: Over the years I had been working with many authors to helppromote their new books on Austenprose. They were such an agreeable group, sopassionate about Jane and enthusiastic about their work. I thought to myself “Iwant to work with these authors. Why couldn’t I be the editor of anAusten-inspired short story anthology and ask them to contribute?” At that timethere were no Austen anthologies in print. I thought it is a grand idea, I justdidn’t know how to get it published.

After I had my book deal with Random House, I compiled alist of my “dream team” of authors and my editor added a few authors that she thought might be interesting and I emailed them allone momentous day in January 2010. The first response came back in about 5minutes from Lauren Willig with a profound yes. The rest followed shortly afterand in about a month, we had the line-up set. It was surreal.

J: How did the title came about?

LA: I give full credit to the title to my brilliant agentMitchell Waters. He is a Janeite and a gentleman in the true Darcy spirit. Thesubtitle was a combination of some writing that my editor liked from my blogand her own modification. I was very pleased with both.

J: How did you get it published, and what was your first reaction whenyou found out it was being published and you were the editor/author?

LA: I asked some the authors that I had been working with on myblog for advice, and before I could write up a book proposal, I was contactedby a literary agent thanking me for the work I had done with his client. Ithought about it for about 10 seconds, then, I seized the opportunity at once,called him and pitched my idea. He loved it. So did Random House!

It all happened so quickly that it was like a dream. It tooka while for the reality to sink in. It was all a big secret for almost sixmonths. That was the hard part. Not being able to talk about it on my blog. Theday I signed the publication contract and later posted the announcement on myblog were big milestones. Another was the day the editing was complete and thebook was done. It has continued to be an exciting ride.

J: What's next for you after this novel?  Will there be another one and are you editingit again or will you be writing it?

LA: I have two projects in development. One is another anthologyand the second is a new kind of annotated Austen edition. I can’t say muchmore, but I am quite excited about both of them.

Thanks for hosting me here today Jeane. It was a pleasure.

Cheers, Laurel Ann Nattress

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Want to win a copy of Jane Austen Made Me Do It novel? If so, check out the previous post...
Pride and Prejudice’s Indelible Influence by Laurel Ann Nattress (with a Book Giveaway!)

Pride and Prejudice’s Indelible Influence by Laurel Ann Nattress (with a Book Giveaway!)

Hi Jeane, thanks again for hosting me during my Grand Tour of the blogosphere incelebration of the release of my new Austen-inspired anthology, Jane Austen Made Me Do It. The bookpremiered last week and I could not be more pleased by the reception itreceived during its launch party at the Sundance Square Barnes & Nobleduring the 2011 Jane Austen Society of North America’s conference in Ft. Worth,TX.

Jane Austen’s second published novel, Pride and Prejudice, is by far her most well-known and popularworks. In fact, it continually pops into the top five “favorite books of alltime” lists, and Mr. Darcy is equally acclaimed as the most romantic man in allfiction. There are hundreds of Mr. Darcy does “this and that” sequels andretellings in print, and many movie adaptations gracing the screen andtelevision of our cherished P&P.Websites and blogs also herald its charms. Here I am at one of them today!

With all this adoration and praise thrown at its feet, it isno surprise that there are seven Prideand Prejudice-inspired stories in my new anthology, Jane Austen Made Me Do It. I am very happy to offer this preview ofthem with you today:

“The Riding Habit,”by Pamela Aidan

It is April 1814, almost sixteen months since the wedding ofElizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, and the happily married couple is inLondon for the Season. The months have been full for Elizabeth, but since removingto Town, she has discovered that the blunt words of Lady Catherine held moretruth than she knew. Negotiating Society is complicated, and it promises tobecome more so as she prepares for Georgiana’s coming out ball. Why, then, musther beloved Fitzwilliam insist she learn to ride a horse now before the eyes ofthem all?

“Mr. Bennet Meets His Match,” by Amanda GrangeOn his daughters’ wedding day, Mr. John Bennet’s mind drifts back to theevents of twenty-three years before, and the events leading to his own marriage. . .  Encouraged by his parents to marry sooner rather than later andthereby provide a new generation of Bennet heirs for the estate, John laughedat their hurry. However, a meeting with his Cousin Collins, who was next inline for the entail, and an unfortunate accident, made him reconsider hisposition, and the proximity of the lively, pretty Miss Jane Gardiner sealed hisfate.

“Faux Jane,” by F. J. Meier (Frank Delaney & Diane Meier)
A rich young American actress anxious to marry an English Lord buys a“signed first edition” of Pride and Prejudice as a gift to impress hisrare book collecting mother – which, of course, is a fake. The actress’sfriends are the story’s two protagonists – a fashionable New York photographerand her chic-restaurant owner husband – they’re Nicola and Charles Scott. Thestory mirrors many of the snob and society nuances excelled in by Jane Austen –on whom the restaurateur, Charlie (as his wife calls him: he’s “Charles” toeveryone else) is encyclopedic. With the help of their butler-manservant, aformer hood named Uncle Julius, Charles and Nicola crack the fraud.

“When Only A Darcy Will Do,” by Beth Pattillo
Elizabeth Brown hopes her bootleg tour of Jane Austen’s London will bring insome quick extra cash, but when a real-live Mr. Darcy shows up for the tour,her day takes an unexpected turn.  Elizabeth has very real problems. Her father’s lost everything in the economic downturn, her parents have splitup, and she has no idea where she’ll get the money she needs for grad schooltuition.  Her afternoon with Mr. Darcy, though, shows her that even in themidst of turmoil, happiness can arrive in the most unexpected ways.

“Me and Mr. Darcy, Again…,” by Alexandra Potter
Mr. Darcy is every woman’s fantasy. But what happens when he becomes onewoman’s reality? In 2007 Emily traveled from New York to England to go on aJane Austen-inspired literary tour. There she met and fell in love with Spike,an English journalist.

She also met Mr. Darcy… Or did she? She can never be sure if it reallyhappened, or it was her over-active imagination. Now, four years later, she’shad a huge row with Spike and is back in London nursing a broken heart. Andthere’s only one person who can mend it. Mr. Darcy….

“Letters to Lydia,” by Maya Slater
While visiting her newly married sister Charlotte Collins, Maria Lucaswrites to her best friend Lydia Bennet of her experiences in Kent. Top on herlist of tittle-tattle is the budding romance of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.Present throughout the Hunsford episode, which culminates in Darcy’s firstdisastrous proposal of marriage to Elizabeth, we are privileged to Maria’s ownaccount of their romance from the point of view of her naïve sixteen-year-oldimaginings. Although she misinterprets everything she observes, it turns outthat she is partly responsible for bringing about the marriage of Elizabeth andDarcy.

 “Intolerable Stupidity,” byLaurie Viera Rigler
Well hidden from the ordinary world, in a little-known corner ofjurisprudential hell known as the Court of Intolerable Stupidity, a legal dramaof literary proportions unfolds. The plaintiff is none other than the mostfamous romantic hero of all time, Mr. Darcy. The defendants are the authors whodared write sequels, adaptations, and inspired-by’s of his Creator’s mostbeloved work, Pride and Prejudice. One of those works, whose authorwas tried and convicted in absentia, is so popular that its salaciousswimming-in-the-lake scene has resulted in Darcy’s being forced to endure aperpetual state of shivering wetness in a transparent white shirt. For whenDarcy’s adoring public isn’t throwing water on him, his umbrella breaks in themidst of a downpour. And now, between the zombies and the vampires, Darcy andhis wife Elizabeth are at their wit’s end. So is defense attorney FritzWilliams, who not only fights a losing battle in a kangaroo court ruled byDarcy’s tyrannical aunt, the Honorable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, but also hissecret infatuation with prosecuting attorney Tawny Wolfson. Who has her ownsecret: a hopeless addiction to the illegal miniseries that she is supposed toabhor.

It is quite amazing how Pride andPrejudice’s indelible influence has become such a part of culture and howit inspired all of these great stories. I hope that you enjoy them, and theother fifteen stories in Jane Austen MadeMe Do It.

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Editor bio:

A life-long acolyte of Jane Austen, Laurel Ann Nattress isthe author/editor of Austenprose.com, a blog devoted to the oeuvre of herfavorite author and the many books and movies that she has inspired. She is alife member of the Jane Austen Society of North America, a regular contributorto the PBS blog Remotely Connected and the Jane Austen Centre online magazine.An expatriate of southern California, Laurel Ann lives in a country cottagenear Snohomish, Washington. Visit Laurel Ann at her blogs Austenprose.comand JaneAustenMadeMeDoIt.com, onTwitter as @Austenprose, and on Facebook as Laurel Ann Nattress.

JaneAusten Made Me Do It: Original Stories Inspired by Literature’s Most AstuteObserver of the Human Heart, edited by Laurel Ann Nattress

Ballantine Books • ISBN: 978-0345524966

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Giveaway of Jane Austen Made Me Do It

Enter a chance to WIN one copy of Jane Austen Made Me Do It by leaving a comment here by midnight on Friday ET, October 28, 2011, stating what intrigues youabout reading an Austen-inspired short story anthology. One lucky Winner will be drawn atrandom and announced on Monday, October 31, 2011.Shipment to US and Canadian addresses only. Good luck to all!
The contest is now closed and a winner has been selected.

Book Review: Jane Austen Made Me Do It

I got my advance reader's copy (ARC) about almost two weeks ago or so of Jane Austen Made Me Do It: Original Stories Inspired by Literature's Most Astute Observer of the Human Heartedited by Laurel Ann Nattress of Austenprose. In her first published novel, in which shecompiled and edited a short story anthology of 22 short stories by 24 of themost talented writers in the Austen genre. All twenty-four authors were personally selected by Laurel Ann from a diverse range of writing backgrounds and interests including: popular Austenesque fiction, best-selling literary fiction, historical fiction, romance, mystery, contemporary chick-lit, paranormal, and one new debut voice, a grand prize winner.   

While I've mostly done P&P/Austen related and (you can read more of my film reviews in my Movies Blog), this is actually my very first book review as Ashley (my fellow blog contributor here at the P&P Blog) does most of the P&P/Austen related 
 
Before I do my book review, First, here (again) is the lowdown of Jane Austen Made Me Do It...

Edited by Austenprose’s Laurel Ann Nattress and published just in time for the 200th anniversary of the publication of Sense & Sensibility, JANE AUSTEN MADE ME DO IT: Original Stories Inspired by Literature’s Most Astute Observer of the Human Heart (Ballantine Books; October 11, 2011) is an engaging collection of 22 never-before-published original short stories inspired by Jane Austen. The treasures in this volume include exclusive short fiction, Q&As and reading group material from beloved bestselling authors Jo Beverley, Adriani Trigiani, and Lauren Willig; topAusten sequel writers Pamela Aidan, Amanda Grange, Laurie Viera Rigler,Stephanie Barron and Alexandra Potter; and a brand new voice inAustenesque fiction - the announced winner Brenna Aubrey of a short storycontest hosted by Ballantine Books, Austenprose, and the highlytrafficked Austen fan site The Republic of Pemberley (Pemberley.com),which receives 80 million hits per year.
Nattress says, “Oneof the joys of editing this anthology was composing a list of my ‘dreamauthors’ who write in the genre, and others whom I greatly admire whohave been influenced by Austen’s style, and asking them to contribute ashort story. My only request was that they stay within the theme ofexploring Austen’s philosophies of life and love by reacquaintingreaders with characters from her novels or introducing original storiesinspired by her ideals. From historical to contemporary to young-adultfiction to paranormal, five of Austen’s major novels and her life arefeatured in this anthology, covering ‘every possible flight which thesubject will afford.’ I hope you will be as pleased and delighted as Iam by the variety of amusing and poignant stories created for thiscollection.”
Each of these marvelous works ofshort fiction reaffirms the incomparable influence of one of history’smost cherished authors. As Nattress writes in her introduction,“we all have our favorites.” Mine may be the first in the volume, “JaneAusten’s Nightmare,” by Syrie James—if you’ve ever wondered what wouldhappen if Jane Austen encountered her own characters in real life, thisone is a must-read.

Now, read My Book Review of Jane Austen Made Me Do It...

I must say, I really loved and enjoyed reading all the 22 original never-before published short stories from JAMMDI novel. Laurel Ann did an AMAZING job putting together all these 24very talented authors (a few of which I'm very familiar with and have read at least one or two of their novels), the 22 short stories they wrote and contributed, and of course,  editing andcompiling them in all one book. The result is a great collection of amazing 22 short stories you'll read in one amazing book! Her introduction was quite engaging,insightful, and informative to read. I love all the familiar Austen quotes from all six of Austen's popular novels included in her introduction. All of the best-selling authors (including the grand prize winner, Brenna Aubrey,of the JAMMDI short story contest) did a great job writing their stories. I dowant to say that the following short stories (in random order) were myfavorite and rather the ones that stayed with me even long after I finishedreading this novel (that's not to say I didn't enjoy reading the others, because I did as well), which I must say was a lot of fun and quite a pageturner. I couldn't put this book down while I was reading it!

Here are the highlights or rather my thoughts of some of my favorite short stories from JAMMDI...

Jane Austen's Nightmare by Syrie James
I love how inthis story, Jane Austen encountered and met her characters that shecreated and wrote from her novels in Bath, but it was of something in adream, a nightmare one. Most of them either have some complaints or something they were unhappy about in the way they were written by her. My most favorite part was whenAusten met her most beloved characters Elizabeth and Darcy as well asJane and Bingley.


Waiting by Jane Odiwe
Her very interesting take on Austen'sPersuasion was really fun and entertaining to read. I love how itstarted of with Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot's engagement and how he was getting ready to see Sir Walter Elliot,Anne's father for a private interview...or rather to ask his permission tomarry his daughter once again.


Nothing Less Than Fairy-Land by Monica Fairview
I've reallyenjoyed reading Monica Fairview's debut Austenesque novel, "The OtherMr. Darcy" (which I was very lucky and fortunate to have won at the virtual Pemberley Ball 2010 with book giveaways I've participated last year!) and this short story she wrote for JAMMDI was another one that I enjoyed as well. Thisone though was about newlyweds  Emma Woodhouse and Mr. Knightley (from Austen'sEmma) and how they were adjusting as newlyweds and their livingarrangement back in the Woodhouse residence in Hartfield and of course, Emma unexpectedly gettingback to her matchmaking days even though she promised Mr. Knightley she was not doing it anymore asshe'd learned her lesson.

Love and Best Wishes, Aunt Jane by Adriana Trigiani
I lovedhow this was written as a Jane Austen letter to her beloved niece Annaabout the news of her engagement. Beautifully written and It was quiteinspiring and touching to read.

Jane Austen and the Mistletoe Kiss by Jo Beverely
This was aquite engaging and fun to read. It was like Sense & Sensibility,but with different names of characters and in a different (or rather modern) time. Loved how the titleJane Austen and the Mistletoe Kiss were incorporated into this lovely and delightfulshort story, which made me want to read more!

When Only Darcy Will Do by Beth Pattillo
An interestingshort story with a mysterious guy who dressed up in Darcy's likeness.When Only Mr. Darcy Will Do, indeed. Basically, any stories with Darcyon it...will always do for me, haha!

Heard of You by Margaret C. Sullivan
This was a really niceand sweet short story to read about Austen's Persuasion, but is toldand written in a different way. Even though the newlyweds, Captain andMrs. Wentworth were not really the focus of the story as it was abouthis elder sister Sophy and how he had something to do with her meetingher husband the Admiral Croft, then Captain Croft. Loved their untoldstory of meeting and falling in love due to the young FredrickWentworth's unknowing matchmaking of his older sister and the captain.

Mr. Bennet Meets His Match by Amanda Grange
I really lovethis story of how Mr. & Mrs. Bennet met when they were younger andMr. Bennet looking back at his marriage proposal to Mrs. Bennet some 23years ago just when at the present his two beloved eldest daughtersJane and Elizabeth had just gotten married to the love of their lives, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy.Amanda Grange, who wrote one of my favorite retelling of Austen's classic P&P novel,but in Darcy's perspective, "Mr. Darcy's Diary" did an amazing jobwriting this short story. I loved reading it from beginning to end and wishedit was longer and there were more to when the Bennets had their 5daughters when they were born and infants/toddlers...like a prequel leading up to the original Pride and Prejudice novel by Jane Austen.

Me and Mr. Darcy, Again... by Alexandra Potter
I've read(and enjoyed reading it too) Alexandra Potter's "Me and Mr. Darcy" and thought this shortstory made a very nice sequel to it especially with the mysterious and handsome Mr. Darcy on it.

The Love Letter by Brenna Aubrey
(grand prize winner of JAMMDI short story contest)
This was a great read! Iloved how the present characters' relationship mirrored the JaneAusten's Persuasion characters' Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot.Definitely a deserving grand prize winner as I really loved and enjoyedreading it and the title of this novel was mentioned too!

Intolerable Stupidity by Laurie Viera Rigler
I loved and enjoyedreading Laurie Viera Rigler's first two Austenesque novels: Confessions and Rude Awakening of a Jane Austen Addictnovels. This one was another one that I also enjoyed reading albeitwritten differently but with "Intolerable Stupidity" bringing Mr. Dacycharges to all the writers of Pride and Prejudice (my obvious favoriteof Austen's six novels) sequels and spin-offs in a courtroom with Lady Catherine as the judge. The male protagonist's name Fritz Williams was interesting too.

All the other short stories were great too, but too many (andtoo long) to list here. The random ones I've listed here were the ones I really loved and enjoyed reading the most and as aforementioned, really stayed with me long after I finished reading them. Overall, I thought Jane Austen Made Me Do It was a great collection of short stories in different genres and compiled all in one amazing book. A must-read for all Jane Austen fansespecially to those of you who either had read all of her six novels or seen allsix Austen adaptations. Or even if you were just a Pride & Prejudice fan (in general), you'll lovethis too as P&P, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet were prominently featured and mentioned in most of the short stories written here especially in AmandaGrange's "Mr. Bennet Meets His Match," Beth Pattillo's "When Only Mr. Darcy Will Do," and Alexandra Potter's "Me andMr. Darcy, Again..." to name a few.

I highly recommend you check it out and read this book! You'll love it! I did! All great 22 original short stories with 24 of the best Austen authors in the Austenesque genre compiled into this wonderful and beautifully edited novel.

Book Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)!

==========================================================

JAMMDI Editor bio:
A life-long acolyte of Jane Austen, Laurel Ann Nattress is the author/editor of Austenprose.com a blog devoted to the oeuvre of her favorite author and the many books and movies that she has inspired. She is a life member of the Jane Austen Society of North America, a regular contributor to the PBS blog Remotely Connected and the Jane Austen Centre online magazine. Classically trained as a landscape designer at California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, she has also worked in marketing for a Grand Opera company and at present she delights in introducing neophytes to the charms of Miss Austen’s prose as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble. An expatriate of southern California, Laurel Ann lives in a country cottage near Snohomish, Washington. Visit Laurel Ann at her blogs Austenprose.com and JaneAustenMadeMeDoIt.com, on Twitter as @Austenprose, and on Facebook as Laurel Ann Nattress.

In Bookstores Today: Jane Austen Made Me Do It

Today is the big released day for the new Jane Austen inspired and tribute novel, Jane Austen Made Me Do It: Original Stories Inspired by Literature's Most Astute Observer of the Human Heart edited by Laurel Ann Nattress (of Austenprose). It's a fantastic book! I had the pleasure and honor of getting an ARC (Thank you Laurel Ann and Random House Publishing Group) of it! I will be posting my book review of JAMMDI in a bit. Jane Austen Made Me Do It (by Ballantine Books) is now available in all bookstores and online retailers around the country. Go get your copy! 

Jane Austen Made Me Do It is a short story anthology of 22 short stories by 24 of the most talented writers including Laurie Viera Rigler (author of Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, & Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict), which I had the pleasure of interviewing her here last December 2010), Monica Fairview, Amanda Grange, Alexandra Potter, Pamela Aidan, and Jane Odiwe to name some.

Come help the lovely Laurel Ann party like it’s 1811 on her Grand Tour of the blogosphere, October 10 – November 10, 2011, in celebration of the book’s release. P&P Blog is taking part of her book tour! Laurel Ann will make a special guest blog appearance here next (with a book giveaway!) Friday October 21st and I'll be doing a Q&A/interview with her on the following day October 22nd!

Mark your calendars:

• Friday - Oct 21st – P&P 2005 Blog Part 1
• Saturday - Oct 22nd – P&P 2005 Blog Part 2

See more of Jane Austen Made Me Do It Blog Tour Schedule!

Here is the lowdown of  Jane Austen Made Me Do It (via Laurel Ann of AUSTENPROSE):

Edited by Austenprose’s Laurel Ann Nattress and published just in time for the 200th anniversary of the publication of Sense & Sensibility, JANE AUSTEN MADE ME DO IT: Original Stories Inspired by Literature’s Most Astute Observer of the Human Heart (Ballantine Books; October 11, 2011) is an engaging collection of 22 never-before-published original short stories inspired by Jane Austen. The treasures in this volume include exclusive short fiction, Q&As and reading group material from beloved bestselling authors Jo Beverley, Adriani Trigiani, and Lauren Willig; top Austen sequel writers Pamela Aidan, Amanda Grange, Laurie Viera Rigler, Stephanie Barron and Alexandra Potter; and a brand new voice in Austenesque fiction—the as-yet-unannounced winner of a short story contest hosted by Ballantine Books, Austenprose, and the highly trafficked Austen fan site The Republic of Pemberley (Pemberley.com), which receives 80 million hits per year.

Nattress says, “One of the joys of editing this anthology was composing a list of my ‘dream authors’ who write in the genre, and others whom I greatly admire who have been influenced by Austen’s style, and asking them to contribute a short story. My only request was that they stay within the theme of exploring Austen’s philosophies of life and love by reacquainting readers with characters from her novels or introducing original stories inspired by her ideals. From historical to contemporary to young-adult fiction to paranormal, five of Austen’s major novels and her life are featured in this anthology, covering ‘every possible flight which the subject will afford.’ I hope you will be as pleased and delighted as I am by the variety of amusing and poignant stories created for this collection.”

Each of these marvelous works of short fiction reaffirms the incomparable influence of one of history’s most cherished authors. As Nattress writes in her introduction, “we all have our favorites.” Mine may be the first in the volume, “Jane Austen’s Nightmare,” by Syrie James—if you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Jane Austen encountered her own characters in real life, this one is a must-read. 

For more info on this novel visit its official website or Laurel Ann's own  AUSTENPROSE- A JANE AUSTEN BLOG!