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)!

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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.

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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)

Just For Fun: Elizabeth & Darcy Wedding Manips

First of all, the 2005 Pride & Prejudice film was already beautiful and amazing as it was (with the American "Mrs. Darcy" ending scene on it), but there's always at least one thing lacking or missing on it that I think would've made this film even more amazing and perfect. A wedding scene for Elizabeth & Darcy or for both Lizzie & Darcy and Jane & Bingley (either shown as a double or separate wedding scenes). Makes me wonder if they ever filmed a deleted "wedding" scene...perhaps they did...or perhaps they did not. Who knows? Except for Keira & Matthew and especially Joe Wright and his editor, right? But then again, they probably did not film it at all. Still, I couldn't help, but wonder if they had deleted and extended scenes for this movie (which were never released or included on the DVD and Blu-ray discs that have been released in the past...or maybe they were saving it for a special director's cut edition for future P&P 10th anniversary release or something...) somewhere out there in a dusty cutting room or in JW's secret vault, lol. Ok, this might be a wishful thinking on my part, but I can dream for those never-before-seen-deleted and extended scenes from my all-time favorite P&P movie, right? Also, an outtakes would be nice too as well as Matthew's audition and reading with Keira. Hopefully, Focus Features and Universal Pictures will release those essential never-before-seen footages for us devoted P&P fans someday in the near future. 

Anyway, since there weren't any deleted "wedding" scenes or stills to post here, lol...I thought just for fun, I'd make some P&P fanarts with photoshop manipulation (manip) of Darcy & Lizzie's fantasy wedding (since I've been and still in the manip arts mood lately, lol) and what it would look like at least in pictures or through fanarts (from my own imagination or at least on the ones I've attempted to have tried and done here, lol). The April royal wedding of the equally beautiful young royal couple Prince William & Catherine Middleton (The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge) inspired me with starting this P&P wedding manips idea (I tried and made quite a few manips from their royal engagement and wedding below....they're not that good, but you get the idea, lol). Fortunately, Keira Knightley had done some or rather many period movies where some of her characters wore wedding dresses (ie. Pirates 2, The Duchess, King Arthur, Silk, Doctor Zhivago, and even Love Actually). As for Matthew Macfadyen, he had done other period films as well and I would've used at least one or two of his other characters' stills, but I just love his Darcy character and look overall...whether he looks serious, sad, or happy...I'd still used any of them, lol. I guess, I'm just biased when it comes to his Darcy character. After all, I love P&P and this blog is about it and his Darcy is part of it...and besides, a few of his Darcy stills actually matches a few of KK's serious, sad, and happy facial expressions in the images of hers I've attempted to used in some of the manips here. I've mostly used her Pirates (2) movies and King Arthur stills where her characters Elizabeth Swann (Pirates 2 had the best images stills of her in a wedding dress and her name's Elizabeth Swann too...just removed the last name and insert Bennet and viola...we got Miss Elizabeth Bennet in a bridal costume! lol)...and her Guinevere character in King Arthur, where she was wearing a wedding dress for the wedding scene with Clive Owen's King Arthur. The beautiful wedding dresses for KK's characters in those two films just looked great when I manipped them with MM's Darcy (which were not easy to do, but I kept practicing and had continue to take Lady Catherine's only good advice and practiced some more, lol). You can see the result of the manip arts I came up with and if they turned out good (or not). They're not the best ones, but...hey, at least I tried...and you get the idea of what I was aiming for!)...

Elizabeth & Darcy - The (Second) Proposal scene

Save The Date

Elizabeth Bennet  (The Bride)
(images I've used for wedding manips)

Fitzwilliam Darcy (The Groom)

Fitzwilliam & Elizabeth: The Wedding Manips

 

Miss Elizabeth Swann Bennet & Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy

Elizabeth & Darcy

Elizabeth & Fitzwilliam: Royal Inspired Engagement Manips

Fitzwilliam & Elizabeth: Royal Inspired Wedding Manips

Pemberley Ball 2011

Last year I attended (virtually, at least) the Pemberley Ball 2010, which I've posted all about it here. It was a lot of fun! I had a great time and even surprisingly (and unexpectedly) won one of the book giveaways (The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview), which I loved and enjoyed reading. Great book!

This year, Velvet (aka Lady Vee) at vvb32 reads is hosting (again) her third annual virtual...

PEMBERLEY BALL 2011
November 14-19, 2011

- an interactive blog party
- a Darcy love-fest
- prize trinkets

Check out the Pemberley Ball schedule and while you're there, join the fun party and sign the Pemberley Ball guestbook to join the party and fun festivities for a chance to win those lovely prize trinkets and Austen/Darcy related book giveaways.




I am attending again this year, of course. My Pemberley Ball 2011/party name is once again, Miss Lizzie Evening (my alter-ego for the evening's Ball, which I previously and randomly picked here, lol... last year when I first attended the Pemberley Ball 2010)...

My ball gown (this year is quite different from last year and) is another exact replica of...

The dazzling burgundy silk-taffeta one-shoulder gown that Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley wore at the 2006 Oscars. She was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride & Prejudice)

At the Pemberley Ball 2011, which has already started, I just had the pleasure of meeting and interacting (once again) with the handsome Mr. Darcy and the beautiful Miss Elizabeth...aka Mr. & Mrs. Darcy, the master and mistress of Pemberley.

 

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.

Just For Fun: More of my Pride & Prejudice Manip Arts (Part 2)

 

A little slow on P&P Actors News today, so I thought I'd keep you all entertain with posting more of my amateurish attempt on P&P fan manip arts...since I'm still in the mood for it, lol. I must say, Lady Catherine's advice had been beneficial (probably the only advice I'll ever follow from her, haha!) and I'm improving with it as I go along...still learning and practicing though. I've had a lot of fun doing these newer ones.

Check them out and let me know what you think. Feedback is very much appreciated, of course. So, feel free to leave your comment. Take a look at them below and enjoy!

  

 Little Dorrit/P&P Crossover: Arthur Clennam & Elizabeth Bennet?
(Watch out Mr. Darcy!)

 Inspired by Keira's upcoming Syfy miniseries  
(see the original image of this here) comes Darcyland...lol!

View more of my P&P Fanmade Manip Arts on FB!