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Posts Tagged ‘Jane Austen Fan Fiction’

Jane Austen Made Me Do It Short Story Contest submissions end – voting begins!

Posted in Austenesque Books, Jane Austen Inspired, Jane Austen Made Me Do It, tagged , , , , , , on 16 February 2011 | 6 Comments »

Jane Austen Made Me Do It Short Story Contest 2011 graphicCongratulations to the eighty eight (88) writers who submitted Austenesque stories to the Jane Austen Made Me Do It Short Story Contest. Well done indeed!

All of the stories are posted online at the official contest board, so please head on over and start reading before you cast your vote for your three favorite stories. Voting will continue until February 28, 2011 and the Top Ten will advance to the final selection committee. The lucky winner will be included in the new Austen-inspired short story anthology Jane Austen Made Me Do It, and be announced on 11 October 2011.

Cheers,

Laurel Ann

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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There Must be Murder, by Margaret C. Sullivan – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Jane Austen Sequels Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 19 January 2011 | 18 Comments »

There Must Be Murder, by Margaret C. Sullivan (2010)I was once told by an academic that Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey was the least read of her six major novels. Shocking. I can’t think why; or why we even need to rank masterpieces among masterpieces. I adore it. I will admit that it was the last of her major novels that I read, so I may be proof to her pudding. Yes, the academic shall remain unnamed and duly forgotten; but Northanger Abbey should not.

I sincerely regretted waiting so long to read it. I laughed and rolled my eyes at the incredible skill of Austen at parodying Gothic romances, and for creating a hero, unlike any of her others, whose sense of humor and endearing charm make the über romantic icon Mr. Darcy dull in comparison to Mr. Tilney’s sparkling wit. Who, pray tell, could not love a man who loves a woman who thinks she cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible, or who thinks people who have no pleasure in a good novel are intolerably stupid? *swoon*

Northanger Abbey sequels are as scarce as a comely heiress. I can count them on one hand. There Must Be Murder, by Margaret C. Sullivan is a welcome addition to the slim collection. At 118 pages and twelve chapters it qualifies as a novella. I am not complaining. At all. I will take a Jane Austen sequel continuing the story after the wedding of our heroine in the making Catherine Morland and Austen’s most underrated hero Henry Tilney without hesitation, but with a wary eye. The story has a promising beginning. The tone is pleasing and the reverence to canon characters a relief.

We find Catherine and Henry comfortably settled as newlyweds at Woodston parsonage in Gloucestershire. Ever the thoughtful romantic, Henry proposes that they celebrate the anniversary of their first meeting in Bath with a visit to the city. Once there they are reunited with Henry’s sister Eleanor and introduced to her new husband Lord Whiting. Also in attendance at the Lower Rooms is Henry’s father the dour autocrat General Tilney, his recently widowed wealthy neighbor Lady Beauclerk, her twenty-seven year-old unmarried daughter Judith, and her husband’s nephew and heir Sir Philip Beauclerk. Catherine is happy to dance the night away, while family differences bubble and stew.

Illustration by Cassandra Chouinard in There Must Be Murder, by Margaret C. Sullivan (2010)As Henry and Catherine continue to enjoy the delights of Bath attractions, they begin to learn that there are suspicious circumstances involving the death of General Tilney’s neighbor Sir Arthur Beauclerk brought forward by his widowed sister Fanny Findlay. She believes his death had not been natural – and it appears that many in this unhappy family would benefit from his early demise. The suspects stack up like winter cordwood ready for the fire. Is it the wife, Lady Beauclerk, eager to be free of his miserly pocketbook?  The daughter, Miss Judith, squashed by parental oppression? The dissipated nephew, Sir Philip, prohibiting his uncle from changing the will? Or the sister, Mrs. Findlay, ready to bump off all the heirs in line before her to regain the family fortune? Catherine’s Gothic inspired imagination may serve her well as a detective, if Henry can temper her impulses and guide them to a logical conclusion.

There Must Be Murder had me hooked at Henry reading Udolpho, Anne Radcliffe’s classic Gothic novel, to his young bride in bed. Brilliant. It is exactly how I envisioned their marriage would continue: Henry romantically feeding his wife’s passion for a horrid novel and Catherine finding new insights from the text from his patient and humorous explanations. The story cleverly builds, slowly layering in new characters, revealing family conflicts, planting evidence. Along the way we revisit Milsom-street, Beechen Cliff, the Pump-room, Laura Place and all the highlights of Catherine’s first adventure in the beautiful Georgian-era city. Sullivan has captured the charm and endearing delight of Austen’s characters beautifully, added new ones rich in folly and nonsense, and a Newfoundland dog named MacGuffin who steals every scene. The numerous illustrations by Cassandra Chouinard are enchanting. My only disappointment was in the length. It was over much too quickly. Austen’s Henry Tilney would have been annoyed, claiming this shortcoming was “nice.”  We will agree.

4 out of 5 Regency Stars

There Must Be Murder, by Margaret C. Sullivan, illustrations by Cassandra Chouinard
LibriFiles Publishing (2010)
Trade paperback (118) pages
ISBN: 978-0615425870

© 2007 – 2010 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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My Dear Charlotte, by Hazel Holt – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Jane Austen Sequels Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 15 January 2011 | 4 Comments »

My Dear Charlotte, by Hazel Holt (2009)Guest review by Shelley DeWees – The Uprising

“When I began to write a mystery story set in the early 1800’s in the form of a series of letters, I thought a splendid way to give it authenticity might be to interweave those of my heroine with the letters written by Jane Austen. Fully aware that this was a truly presumptuous thing to do, nevertheless I have plundered that treasure house—a most enjoyable occupation.” Hazel Holt, Author’s Note

The book positively reeks of academic and literary esteem. Written by the great Hazel Holt, who is known far and wide for her Mrs. Malory mystery series, My Dear Charlotte had all the appearances and praise of a work of one seriously admired author. It boasts a beautiful cover and spectacular printing, but, more impressively, also includes a raving introduction by Jan Fergus, a noted and appreciated literary scholar from Lehigh University. By the time you’ve flipped through the first few pages, you’ll begin to think, “Wow.  This is gonna be good.” And to some extent, you’d be right.

It’s no small challenge to weave pieces and parts of Austen’s letters into those of a protagonist with dignity. Ms. Holt was aware of the precarious nature of this experiment and likened it to borrowing an “expensive and powerful car that is thrilling to drive, but you’re terrified of breaking it.” She doesn’t break it, crash it, or even dent it. No dust on the paint, no mud on the floor. No bugs on the windshield, even. The car is returned in pristine condition, perhaps even looking a little better than it did before in its freshly-driven state, beautiful in its revitalized modernity.

Indeed, the structure of the novel was brought about carefully and with the good judgment of a seasoned author, but seemingly without much regard for the actual story. Under normal circumstances, Hazel Holt is capable of fantastic edge-of-your-seat mystery writing, portraying the kind of suspense that makes you cringe in your bed, huddled under dim lighting in the wee hours of the morning. Her writing isn’t usually the kind you can fall asleep to, and certainly not the kind that stagnates or wears out.  So, you can imagine my surprise when I found myself wondering where the shadowy, intoxicating mystery had run off to as I slumped against my pillows. What gives?

The story is told through the eyes of Elinor Cowper who writes unendingly to her sister, the “Dear Charlotte” of the novel. Charlotte is away visiting relatives and wishes to stay apprised of all the details of home, even those that a third-party reader could never care about. Fabrics and fashions, gossip and bonnets are talked about at great length, first inspiring the reader’s interest and gradually arousing annoyance. The constant presence of mundane minutiae doesn’t diminish, even after the untimely death of one of Miss Cowper’s neighbors, Mrs. Woodstock. Elinor is soon engaged by the justice of the peace, Sir Edward Hampton, to assist in solving the mystery after she innocently discovered a few clues, and she sets out to glean more information. Sir Edward also happens to live next door in this inordinately interesting neighborhood, along with a beautiful highly-sought maiden and her two potential suitors, the tension of which surrounds the mystery of Mrs. Woodstock’s death. Suspicions are raised, suspects are investigated, relationships are built and torn asunder, and people are eliminated all through the window of a tête-à-tête between sisters and snippets from Jane Austen’s letters. What results is an over-blown academic exercise that lacks meaningful settings, strong characters, or passionate musings by anyone except Elinor.  It’s disappointing and even a bit tiresome.

That’s not to say the story didn’t have promise, because it most certainly did! The decision to write it in letter format was the major blunder, every other shortcoming being symptomatic of that resolution, admirable though it was. Ms. Holt is talented and progressive, slightly sarcastic, and even hilarious at times, but My Dear Charlotte, despite its charming moments, is a departure from her usual genius and is less than marvelous. Enjoy it simply as another glimpse of Regency England, another depiction of the loveable Jane Austen and her world, another sweet taste of Janeite brain candy, but nothing more.

3 out 5 Regency Stars

My Dear Charlotte, by Hazel Holt
Coffetown Press (2009)
Trade paperback (202) pages
ISBN: 978-1603810401

© 2007 – 2011 Shelley DeWees, Austenprose

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Winners Announced in The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy Giveaway

Posted in Austenesque Books, tagged , , , , , , , , on 11 January 2011 | 5 Comments »

The Perfect Bride for Mr Darcy, by Mary Lydon Simonsen (2011)Three lucky winners were drawn from the comments in The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy Giveaway. Congratulations to:

Pat A., Elenatintil and Jessica M.

You have each won one copy of The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy, by Mary Lydon Simonsen. To claim your prize, please contact me by January 18, 2011 with your full name and address. Shipment is to the US and Canada only. Enjoy your books ladies. Many thanks to author Mary Lydon Simonsen for your blog contribution and Sourcebooks for the swag.

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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Prom and Prejudice, by Elizabeth Eulberg – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Jane Austen Sequels Book Reviews, Young Adult Fiction Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 5 January 2011 | 17 Comments »

Prom and Prejudice, by Elizabeth Eulberg (2011)Guest review by Kimberly Denny-Ryder of Reflections of a Book Addict

Young adult fiction author Elizabeth Eulberg is back with Prom and Prejudice, her teen driven homage to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Eulberg has quickly earned a name for herself in the world of teen romances due to the popularity of her debut novel The Lonely Hearts Club. Her novels have a flare for the comedic which this blogger believes is to her credit, as it shines as one of her strengths. She takes perhaps the most well known line that Austen ever wrote and adds her comedic flair to draw us in.

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single girl of high standing at Longbourn Academy must be in want of a prom date.”

It is with this line that we enter the world of Longbourn Academy, an all-girls school filled with rich, privileged, boy-crazy teen girls who have fashion designers on speed dial and have never heard the word no before. Hoboken native Elizabeth Bennet is the new scholarship student who is tortured on a daily basis for her poor and meager background. Her roommate Jane, fellow scholarship student Charlotte Collins, and piano teacher Mrs. Gardiner are the only friends that Lizzie has at Longbourn. Lizzie understands that she’ll never be accepted into the society of her fellow students and thus throws herself into her academic studies and the piano, where she has incredible talent. Being friends with Jane however does thrust her into the company of Charles Bingley, Caroline Bingley, and Will Darcy. (Will and Charles attend Pemberley Academy, the all-boys school near Longbourn) There are some sparks between Lizzie and Darcy at first, but they quickly fizzle out once her scholarship status is found out. Unfortunately the two continue to be thrown into each other’s paths since their best friends Jane and Charles are dating. Unbeknownst to Jane and to Elizabeth, Charles’ sister begins putting a wedge in between Jane and Charles. Caroline is unimpressed with the company that Jane keeps and finds Jane an unsuitable match for her brother. Charles soon disappears from Jane’s life, causing Jane to have a major meltdown. With prom only weeks away and Vera Wang already beginning her designer prom gown, how will she show her face without a date?! Elizabeth tries to convince Jane that prom is not the most important thing in life, but to a Longbourn girl it’s the social event of the season. Will Jane and Charles get back together in time for Prom? Will Lizzie and Darcy ever get over themselves to see the other for what they truly are?

If you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice and have a younger girl in your family that has no interest in reading it, get them to try Prom and Prejudice. I can almost guarantee that after reading it they will be interested in trying Jane Austen. Elizabeth Eulberg has crafted an excellent teen drama with the characters from the novel we’ve come to know and love. Elizabeth Bennet is a spieited heroine who has amazing strength, tenacity, accomplished piano skills that could rival Georgiana Darcy’s in the original novel and some misdirected notions of the wealthy. Jane and Charles are kind, caring, and looking for the good in everyone. Wickham is still a womanizing jerk, always scheming for a way to discredit Darcy. Darcy is still always looking out for his friends and family with a fierceness in him that is sometimes misjudged for arrogance and conceit.

I really enjoyed this fun retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Eulberg did a fantastic job in creating a new story to bring to a younger audience and adults too. I’ve read quite a few Austen inspired novels (as chronicled here of course) and I wasn’t bored with it at any point. It was refreshing to read not only a modern adaptation of Austen’s work, but one that adapted it to a time that we all experience in our lives, our teen years. You can definitely relate to the main characters as they struggle with finding a date for prom, trying to get through finals, first loves, broken friendships, etc.

My only disappointment was in its length. At 288 pages it was a tad short and could have benefited from a longer conclusion to the story. I’m hoping that Eulberg will continue writing more about Lizzie and Darcy inspired novels in the future. It’s a nice change to read about their teenage versions, and I think it provides a new audience an entrance into the world of Jane Austen.

4 out of 5 Regency Stars

Prom and Prejudice, by Elizabeth Eulberg
Scholastic, Inc. (2011)
Hardcover (288) pages
ISBN:  978-0545240772

© 2007 – 2010 Kimberly Denny-Ryder, Austenprose

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The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy: Author Mary Lydon Simonsen’s Blog Tour

Posted in Austenesque Authors, Austenesque Books, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 3 January 2011 | 35 Comments »

The Perfect Bride for Mr Darcy, by Mary Lydon Simonsen (2011)Please welcome Austenesque author Mary Lydon Simonsen on the first stop on her official blog tour today for her new Pride and Prejudice variation, The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy. This new novel released on New Year’s Day, and my review was posted yesterday. After reading it, I was curious about Mary’s inspiration and choices that she made in expanding characters and changes to the original Austen story line. She offers this blog in celebration of her book’s release, elaborating on her creative choices and insights that readers will find quite helpful.

Thank you, Laurel Ann, for inviting me to join you today to talk about my new book. As a long-time reader of your blog, I consider it to be an honor.

The first failed proposal – second thoughts and explanations…

The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy begins shortly after Darcy’s awful proposal to Elizabeth at Hunsford Lodge.  After parsing Darcy’s letter, Lizzy begins to have second thoughts about rejecting so worthy a suitor. As for Darcy, he quickly realizes that such a self-righteous, unfeeling response to Lizzy’s refusal probably closes the door to any renewal of his attentions. Between the letter and Lizzy’s harsh words, both parties leave Kent feeling that they will never come together. So that’s that. Right?

Fortunately, for our favorite couple, there are those who disagree. First, Anne De Bourgh, after realizing that Elizabeth is perfect for her cousin, sets a plan in motion to bring the two together at Pemberley. Along the way, she enlists the aid of an eager Georgiana Darcy.

When I first read Pride and Prejudice many years ago, I was about the age of Georgiana, and although I would have preferred to be more like the spunky Elizabeth Bennet, I was quiet and shy like Darcy’s sixteen year-old sister. Because of that, I wanted to know more about her. I also thought that Anne de Bourgh got the short end of Austen’s pen. After all, she had to live with Lady Catherine and had to accept the fact that her mother had decided that she was destined to marry Mr. Darcy without having any say in the matter. Wasn’t that punishment enough? Little did I know that more than three decades later I would have an opportunity to stage an intervention with these characters.

My first goal in writing the novel was to give Anne a personality. Other than being identified as “sickly and cross,” we know nothing about her. So I painted her as quiet and reserved, but a woman with steel in her spine, and because of her determination to see Darcy and Elizabeth together, it was necessary for her to step outside the comfortable world of Rosings Park in order to initiate a plan to bring the lovers together. As for Georgiana, I wanted this young lady to act like a teenager: curious, nosy, chatty, and someone who gets her romantic notions from reading Gothic and romance novels and even has aspirations to write her own.

In addition to fleshing out Anne and Georgiana, I also wanted to show a softer, more vulnerable Mr. Darcy, someone who, despite his best efforts to hide his feelings, wears his heart on his sleeve. This is the first time Darcy has ever been in love, and he doesn’t know how to handle it. As a result, he fumbles more than once. On the other hand, I think Austen nailed Lizzy’s character, and I was faithful to her wit, intelligence, and sense of self.

All Pride and Prejudice’s prized characters are present and accounted for: a conniving Caroline Bingley, Jane Bennet and her weak-willed suitor, Charles Bingley, the evil George Wickham and his prey, Lydia Bennet, and a handsome Colonel Fitzwilliam who joins with Anne and Georgiana in the plot to bring Darcy and Elizabeth together. But there are a few new characters who have been added for comedic effect: Antony, Lord Fitzwilliam, Darcy’s aristocratic cousin and brother to Colonel Fitzwilliam, who is a total rascal. Then there is Mr. Nesbitt. After accepting the finality of Mr. Bingley’s move to London, Jane allows the man to call on her, only to find that he is very much entwined in his mother’s apron strings.

After completing my first Austen tie-in, Searching for Pemberley, a complex historical novel that is set in post World War II England, I wanted to write something less serious, a book that would guarantee to put a smile on my readers’ faces. Although The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy is written with a light hand, I am hoping that when my readers reach the last page that they will have a better understanding of Mr. Darcy, his sister, and his cousins.

Thank you again Laurel Ann. It’s been a pleasure.

Author Mary Lydon SimonsenAuthor Bio: Mary Lydon Simonsen has been captivated by the novels of Jane Austen since she first read Pride and Prejudice in English class in high school many years ago. Following a career as a legal secretary and a second career as a special education assistant, she turned her attention to writing a novel that had been swirling around in her head for years. That story was Searching for Pemberley, published by Sourcebooks in 2010. Her second Austen re-imagining is her newly released, self-published novel, Anne Elliot: A New Beginning, a humorous retelling of Austen’s Persuasion, which is available exclusively on Amazon. Her next novel, A Wife for Mr. Darcy, is due out in July, 2011 from Sourcebooks. She currently lives in Peoria, Arizona.

Glorious Giveaway of The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy

Enter a chance to win one of three copies of The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy by leaving a comment on which of Austen’s novels or characters you would like Mary to write about in her next novel by midnight Pacific time, Monday, January 10, 2011. Winners announced on Tuesday, January 11, 2011. Shipment to US and Canadian addresses only. Good luck!

Mary Lydon Simonsen’s blog tour

  • Jan 03 – Austenprose
  • Jan 05 – Savvy Verse & Wit
  • Jan 06 – My Jane Austen Book Club
  • Jan 07 – Romance Fiction on Suite 101
  • Jan 10 – Debbie’s Book Bag
  • Jan 12 – Jenny Loves to Read
  • Jan 14 – Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell
  • Jan 17 – Jane Austen Sequel Examiner
  • Jan 18 – Diary of an Eccentric
  • Jan 19 – One Writer Skidding in Sideways
  • Jan 20 – Laura’s Reviews
  • Jan 24 – Historical Hussies
  • Jan 26 – Austenesque Reviews
  • Jan 27 – Love Romance Passion
  • Jan 31 – Psychotic State

Further reading

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy, by Mary Lydon Simonsen – A Review

Posted in Austenesque Books, Book Reviews, Jane Austen Sequels Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 2 January 2011 | 7 Comments »

The Perfect Bride for Mr Darcy, by Mary Lydon Simonsen (2011)I don’t think I would be exaggerating if I labeled Pride and Prejudice as Jane Austen’s most popular work. In fact, I will take it one step further and proclaim it one of the most beloved novels of all time. It is no surprise to me, at all, that readers want to revisit this tale, and movie makers and writers keep pumping out P&P inspired fare. In the past fifteen years, we have seen a plethora of Mr. Darcy and Lizzy Bennet prequels, sequels, retellings, variations and inspired books. Mary Lydon Simonsen’s new offering The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy falls into the variation category. She has reworked the classic love story of misconceptions and misunderstandings offering her own unique take. Purist, fair warning if you are easily “put out” by tampering with your cherished classic. Be advised to make haste and head back to the unadulterated original, now! You will not find faithful adherence to Austen’s characterizations here. But if you are liberal in approach and tempered for a good lark, there are abundant amusements to be had in this new novel.

The plot line runs parallel to Jane Austen’s original. Mr. Darcy, an arrogant, wealthy young man snubs Elizabeth Bennet, a spirited, overly confident gentleman’s daughter at a local assembly Ball. Her sister Jane and his best friend Charles Bingley fall in love but are separated by him. She is convinced that Darcy has spitefully withheld a promised living to her new flirtation Mr. Wickham. Mesmerized by her impertinence and fine eyes, he is compelled to propose despite his own objections to her family. She flatly rejects him. He writes the “Be not alarmed madam letter” of explanation then promptly departs. How will they reunite and find love? Austen’s narrative and denouement is famous for its plot twists and gradual reversal of his pride and her prejudice. Simonsen walks the same path, but her characters react differently changing the outcome requiring other minor characters to be developed to facilitate their eventual love match. Enter Mr. Darcy’s sickly cousin Anne de Bourgh and his shy younger sister Georgiana Darcy. Both ladies have had major character make-overs. Anne is now a dear friend and adviser to her cousin; Georgiana, a spunky and adventurous kid sister. Both heavily advocate and plan their reunion.

After Darcy returned to his room for the night, Anne thought about all that had happened between Will and Elizabeth and recognized that her cousin had got himself into a real mess. But Fitzwilliam Darcy was in love with Elizabeth Bennet, and Anne had seen real interest on Elizabeth’s part during their evenings together at Rosings Park, so something had to be done. Before retiring, she had settled on a course of action. It was as complicated as any battle plan, and it would take luck and timing to make it work. But her cousin’s happiness was at stake, and so she began to work out the details of her scheme. Page 37

Through expansion of other minor characters and introduction of new one’s we begin to see the back story to Austen’s masterpiece as Simonsen envisions it. Even the servants, who receive only a passing mention in the original, get some great lines. Hill, the housekeeper at Longbourn spreads all sorts of town tittle-tattle and pertinent tidbits to the Bennet family. More holes filled. And, Simonsen even ventures to mention the two affairs that Darcy had before he met Lizzy. Well, he is a Regency gentleman after all. One of the biggest changes in temperament is in Lizzy’s sister, the gentle and biddable Jane Bennet. She sees no fault with anyone in the original, which is in itself a fault, but not in this version. Jane sees through the Bingley sisters fake friendship, calls her father to account for his lack of guidance to his wife and three younger daughters, and believes the only reason why her sister rejected Mr. Darcy’s marriage proposal was in her defense. Yes. It’s not about Darcy being the last man in the world that Lizzy could be prevailed upon to marry (because he is a snob and a jerk at that point) but because Lizzy was so angry at him for separating her beloved sister from her beau Mr. Bingley.

It was true that Lizzy’s dislike for Mr. Darcy was based on his unkind words and haughty behavior at the assembly, but that would not have been enough for her to reject out of hand a proposal from a man of such consequence. And as sympathetic as Lizzy was to Mr. Wickham being denied a promised living, Lizzy had not known Mr. Wickham well enough to become so angry as to be dismissive of Mr. Darcy’s offer. The intensity of Lizzy’s rejection could come only as the result of someone she loved being hurt, and that someone was Jane. Page 117

If you are chuffed by my mention of some of the changes, take heed. This is true fanfiction where you “[S]uppose as much as you chuse; give a loose to your fancy, indulge your imagination in every possible flight which the subject will afford.” Simonsen has played the game well, though I struggled with the opening set-up and some who have not read the original novel nor seen one of the many movies may be lost as she leaps through the first third of the original book’s plot to the first proposal scene of Lizzy and Darcy at Hunsford. After that point she settles in and develops her slant more evenly.

Creative, well-paced and definitely diverting, The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy will surprise you, repeatedly, as you compare the original to this variation. I will concede that it is always difficult for me to warm to big changes in beloved characters, especially Lizzy and Darcy, who we all know so well. I can’t say that I enjoyed all the vicissitudes, but I admire the author’s creativity. Where this novel excelled at expanding upon minor characters and introducing new ones, it foundered in reverence to Austen’s hero and heroine, which is pretty much why many are drawn to read a Pride and Prejudice sequel with Mr. Darcy in the title in the first place. After her success with the historically driven Searching for Pemberley, this is Simonsen’s first attempt at pure fanfiction. It was a great start that promises an even greater future.

4 out of 5 Regency Stars

The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy, by Mary Lydon Simonsen
Sourcebooks Landmark (2011)
Trade paperback (400) pages
ISBN: 978-1402240256

© 2007 – 2011 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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The Legacy of Pemberley: The Pemberley Chronicles No 10, by Rebecca Ann Collins – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Jane Austen Sequels Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 22 December 2010 | 4 Comments »

The Legacy of Pemberley, by Rebecca Collins (2010)Guest review by Kimberly Denny-Ryder of Reflections of a Book Addict

The Legacy of Pemberley is the tenth and final novel in the acclaimed Pride and Prejudice sequel series by Rebecca Ann Collins.  The ten novels in the series cover the fifty years following the wedding of Elizabeth Bennet to Fitzwilliam Darcy.  It is by far the most complete series of sequels that I’ve had the pleasure of reading.

Beginning with a controversial engagement similar to Elizabeth and Darcy’s, we are thrust back into the lives of the Darcy, Bingley, and Gardiner families.  Continuing fifty years after the Darcy’s marriage we delve deeper into the lives of their children and grandchildren through marriage, death, friendship, love, conflict, etc.  As their childrens lives take center stage in the narrative Lizzie and Darcy make the difficult decision to travel to Europe with Jane and Charles Bingley in the hopes that it will restore Charles and Lizzie’s health.

“As you know, Richard, Charles, and Jane Bingley leave for Europe next week.  Bingley has leased a villa in the south of Italy where they will spend the Winter, and he has on more than one occasion invited us to join them.  Would it help Mrs. Darcy, too?  Would you recommend it?…Without any reservation , sir; it would be the very thing, since it would provide all those essential ingredients I have just mentioned.  In the company of Mr. and Mrs. Bingley, you would enjoy the benefits of travelling overseas without any of the aggravation of being with a party of strangers.”

With their departure as main characters, Collins is afforded the opportunity to focus on the characters she created and complete their storylines.  Character mysteries are solved, new romances begin budding, deaths are grieved, and much more.  This is only a sliver of the storylines that exist within The Legacy of Pemberley.

If this book was given to me without an author, I can honestly say that I might think that Austen herself wrote it.  Collins is without a doubt the only author I’ve read that has not strayed far from Austen’s style.  She is a true gem in the world of Jane Austen fan fiction, and it’s sad to see her Pemberley Chronicles series conclude.  They have afforded many Jane Austen purists an escape back in to the Regency world of Pemberley and into the Victorian-era.  Yes, the genre of Jane Austen fan fiction affords one the pleasure of exploring other characters and situations that would have definitely not existed in Austen’s original works, but Collins’ writing seems to transcend that.  Although it is an extrapolation of Darcy and Lizzie’s life it doesn’t feel like it.  We can grow along with them and feel as if we are there with them watching their children grow.

The series not only offers the reader the chance to feel like one of the family, but it gives insight into the social, political, and historical England of the period.  The Legacy of Pemberley takes place during the middle of the Victorian Era, where we can see the beginnings of the Christmas tree tradition that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert started making popular, as well as the beginning of trains and coal.

I personally have to state that I have not had the opportunity to read the books that fall in the middle of this series.  I did however read the first in the series a long time ago and remember being impressed with how rich the story and characters were.  Missing out on the middle books however did create some confusion for me in the characters.  Collins has created such rich lives for the characters that over the course of 50 years they’ve had children who have gotten married and have had their own children.  There are so many characters and so many storylines that I do have to warn you: if you haven’t read the other novels you might want to wait and read them in order.  It will definitely enrich the novels having knowledge of the characters from start to finish.

While all good things must come to an end, they do sometimes leave a “legacy” behind.  In the case of The Legacy of Pemberley and Collins’ entire Pemberley series, the legacy they inherit is a story with rich characters who teach love, family, friendship, honor, humility, courage, and much more.  If Austen were alive today, I think she would be proud that the themes so prevalent in her own novels continue to thrive in the works that emulate her own.

4 out of 5 Regency Stars

The Legacy of Pemberley: The Pemberley Chronicles No 10, by Rebecca Ann Collins
Sourcebooks (2010)
Trade paperback (352) pages
ISBN: 978-1402224522

© 2007 -2010 Kimberly Denny-Ryder, Austenprose

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The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, by Syrie James – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Jane Austen Sequels Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , on 19 December 2010 | 15 Comments »

The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, by Syrie James (2007)Guest review by Christina Boyd

Jane Austen. Fact: born December 16, 1775; died July 18, 1817 at age 41.  Fact:  never married.  Fact: wrote six complete novels, including a few unfinished works, and juvenilia.  Fact: lived out her life in a quiet Chawton Cottage with her older, spinster sister Cassandra and aging mother.   Also known is that not long before her own death, Cassandra burned much of Jane’s private correspondence and even cut out entire passages of the letters saved, driving many discussions as to why?  Many Jane Austen biographies abound and mention her brief flirtation with Tom Lefroy at the age of 19, and even her short-lived engagement to Harris Bigg-Wither, heir of Manydown Park, where over night she retracted her acceptance of his hand.  But nothing from the author herself.  Nothing as rich as a personal journal.  What a literary triumph that would be to discover such a one!  Surely, a writer with transparent understanding of romance, great love and human nature would have had her own back story to mine such rich characters, conversations and scenarios as found in Pride & Prejudice, Persuasion, et al.  Surely, such a mind would have experienced first-hand what it is to be in-love!   Author Syrie James undertakes this venture of speculation in her novel, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen.

In this fictional work, the story opens with an Editor’s Forward, written by a Mary I. Jesse, of Oxford University, President of the Jane Austen Literary Foundation, stating that manuscripts written in Jane Austen’s own hand were recently discovered in a chest that had been walled up at Chawton Manor House.  These memoirs begin with Jane and Cassandra moving to Bath in 1801 with their parents, until Mr. Austen dies four years later, leaving the women barely solvent. During these years they make extended stays with their Austen brothers and are quite dependent on their kindness.  On one particular occasion while visiting Lyme with her brother Henry, Jane meets the handsome, rich and amiable Mr. Frederick Ashford.  As devoted Janeites will clearly perceive the language, phrasing and situations found in Austen’s masterpieces, we would also easily recognize many of her male protagonists’ characteristics in this fine gentleman.  One example while strolling the Cobb, Jane loses her footing and would have fallen to her death on the hard pavement below if not for the quick actions by Mr. Ashford.  A few moments later after this prophetic initial meeting, Jane attempts to properly thank him, Ashford declares

‘ No thanks are necessary.’

‘Indeed they are.  Reaching out as you did, you might have lost your footing and come to harm yourself.’

‘Had that been the case, I would have given my life – or limb – in a worthy cause.’

‘Do you mean to imply that it was worth risking your life, to save mine?’

‘I do.’

‘A bold statement, on such a short acquaintance.’

‘In what way bold?’

‘You are a gentleman and the heir to a title and, apparently, a vast estate.  Whereas I am a woman with no fortune and of very little consequence.’

‘If first impressions are to be believed, Miss Austen’ he began.

‘Never trust your first impressions, Mr. Ashford.  They are invariably wrong.’

‘Mine are invariably right.  And they lead me to this conclusion: that you, Miss Austen, are a woman of greater fortune and consequence than I.’

‘On what grounds do you base this claim?’

‘On these grounds: if you were to have perished just now, how many people would have missed you?’

‘How many people?’

‘Yes.’

‘I would like to think my mother, my sister, my friend Martha, and my six brothers would miss me.  My brothers’ wives, my nieces and nephews, who number more than a dozen, and perhaps several dear old friends.’

‘Whereas I have only my friend and one younger sister to regret my passing.’

‘No wife, then?’

‘No.  So you see, although I may be rich in property, you are rich in family, and therefore the far more wealthy and important of us.’

I laughed.  ‘If wealth were based on your principle, Mr. Ashford, the entire class system of England would fall apart at the seams.’ Chapter 3

Although knowing from the beginning that this was entirely a tale of fancy, and knowing in my head that Jane never married, the story filled my heart with an impossible hope.   Moreover, I was surprised when I found myself weeping when the happy event never came to be.

Syrie James has extensively researched Austen’s life and Regency times blending what we know as fact with the mysterious lore created by the gaps unknown to her public, creating a beautiful, fictional what if.   The footnotes, maps and Austen family tree as well as the chronology of her life were delightful reference bonuses.   Also included is a Q & A with the author, Quotations from Austen’s works and letters, and even Book Club/Reading Group Study Guide discussion points.

Although this novel is a work of fiction, I read it through wishing all along that it were not.  Like many, I would like to imagine this brilliant, opinionated, witty woman had met the great love of her life and that she did in fact experience some of the magic she so keenly wrote of.  Syrie James successfully creates a world of Jane Austen we can only wonder. “…but for my part, if a book is well written, I always find it too short.” (The Juvenilia of Jane Austen)  With such sage words I can only echo that The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen is indeed entirely too short!

5 out of 5 Regency Stars

The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, by Syrie James
HarperCollins (2007)
Trade paperback (352)
ISBN: 978-0061341427

© 2010 Christina Boyd, Austenprose

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Announcing the Jane Austen Made Me Do It Short Story Contest

Posted in Austenesque Authors, Austenesque Books, Jane Austen Inspired, Jane Austen Made Me Do It, tagged , , , , , , , on 14 December 2010 | 22 Comments »

Jane Austen Made Me Do It Short Story Contest 2011 graphicThe Jane Austen Made Me Do It

Short Story Contest Begins

January 1, 2011

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

Contest Highlights

  • Eligibility: Previously unpublished U.S. residents over the age of 18
  • Entries must be approximately 5,000 words in length
  • Manuscript submission January 1 – February 13, 2011
  • Voting for the Top Ten finalists February 14 – 28, 2011
  • Top Ten finalists announced on March 1, 2011
  • One Grand Prize winner receives $500.00 and a contract for publication in the anthology Jane Austen Made Me Do It
  • Grand Prize winner announced Fall 2011 in conjunction with the official release by Ballantine Books (Random House, Inc.) of Jane Austen Made Me Do It

Jane Austen Made Me Do It contains more than twenty best-selling and popular authors who have contributed short stories inspired by Jane Austen, her novels and her philosophies of life and love. From historical continuations of her plots and characters to contemporary spinoffs and comedies, the stories encapsulate what we love about our favorite author: romance, social satire and witty humor. Contributing to the line-up are best-selling authors Karen Joy Fowler (The Jane Austen Book Club), Adriana Trigiani (Brava, Valentine), Lauren Willig (The Pink Carnation series), Laurie Viera Rigler (The Jane Austen Addict series), Syrie James (The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen), Stephanie Barron (Being A Jane Austen Mystery series), and the husband and wife writing team of Frank Delaney (Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show) and Diane Meier (The Season of Second Chances). Many Austenesque authors and others from related genres have also contributed stories to the project. One spot in the anthology remains open for the lucky Grand Prize winner.

The anthology’s editor, Laurel Ann Nattress of Austenprose.com, is very excited at the prospect of discovering the next star in the burgeoning sub-genre of Jane Austen sequels and inspired books. “Jane Austen has been inspiring writers for close to two hundred years. It seems quite fitting that she should be the witty muse of our anthology and short story contest. Encouraging writing and discovering new talent is in spirit with her true legacy. I am ‘all anticipation’ of what will develop, and am honored to be part of the selection team.”

Visit the official Jane Austen Made Me Do It Short Story Contest web page for official contest rules and eligibility requirements.  Best of luck to all entrants.

“[S]uppose as much as you chuse; give a loose to your fancy, indulge your imagination in every possible flight which the subject will afford.” Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 60

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UPDATED! Download Free Jane Austen-inspired eBooks on her Birthday, December 16, 2010

Posted in Austenesque Books, Jane Austen Inspired, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 14 December 2010 | 84 Comments »

Sourcebooks Jane Austen Birthday Banner 2010

Update 16 December 2010: 1:00 pm PT

Breaking News:

Sourcebooks has extended the one day offer through 17 December 2010.

Next Thursday, December 16th is Jane Austen’s 235th birthday and Sourcebooks, the world’s leading Jane Austen publisher, is throwing a huge one-day-only birthday book bash. They will be offering ten of their best Austen-inspired novels for FREE. Yep. That’s right. FREE!

Anyone with a digital eReader, or free application on their computer, or blackberry, or iPhone, or Android, or iPad can download the books. Just go to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc. online on December 16th and download away! (I highly recommend Barnes & Noble’s free Nook applications if you do not already own an eReader like me! You can read the eBooks on five different electronic devices )

Here is the list of amazing titles available:

  • Eliza’s Daughter by Joan Aiken – 9781402225963
  • The Darcys & the Bingleys by Marsha Altman – 9781402233227
  • Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll – 9781402234859
  • What Would Jane Austen Do? by Laurie Brown – 9781402227370
  • The Pemberley Chronicles by Rebecca Ann Collins – 9781402234996
  • The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview – 9781402245329
  • Mr. Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange – 9781402225727
  • Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One by Sharon Lathan – 9781402235184
  • Lydia Bennet’s Story by Jane Odiwe – 9781402234651
  • Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Abigail Reynolds – 9781402246289

But that’s not all – read on.

The party doesn’t stop there. For one day only Sourcebooks will also be offering free illustrated eBook editions of all six of Austen’s major novels filled with unabridged texts and the legendary color illustrations by the Brock brothers circa 1898.

  • Sense and Sensibility: The Illustrated Edition – 9781402256813
  • Pride and Prejudice: The Illustrated Edition – 9781402256776
  • Mansfield Park: The Illustrated Edition – 9781402256875
  • Emma: The Illustrated Edition – 9781402256790
  • Northanger Abbey: The Illustrated Edition – 9781402256837
  • Persuasion: The Illustrated Edition – 9781402256851

♥ Here is a link to Sourcebooks for the free Jane Austen eBooks with all of the links to download for Kindle, Nook, iBooks, Sourcebooks, Google eBookstore and Sony eBookstore. 

Don’t be a Mr. Knightley and miss the party. Make haste and mark your calendars today.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks for their generous tribute to our favorite author!

Cheers,

Laurel Ann

© 2007-2010 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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Jane Austen 101: Fanfiction Web Sites

Posted in Austenesque Authors, Austenesque Books, Jane Austen 101, Jane Austen Inspired, tagged , , , , , , , , on 5 December 2010 | 6 Comments »

Jane Austen Fan Club

Today, there are literally 100’s of Jane Austen prequels, sequels, retellings, reimagining’s and inspired by published books. Prior to 1995, there were just a few dozen in print. Why the explosion? Blame it on the incredible popularity of the 1995 Pride and Prejudice mini-series and the availability in our own homes of the Internet. The time and temperament were ripe for Jane Austen mania to sweep in and motivate budding authors to write stories inspired by our witty muse of the modern novel, Jane Austen.

Wondering what fanfiction, or fan fiction, or JAFF is? Generally, they are fictional stories written by fans of a movie, TV series or book that are either published on the Internet or are developed into a novel in a printed or digital book. If they are on the Internet they are published at fanfiction web sites (JAFF, or Jane Austen Fan Fiction web sites) by chapter installments. Readers can add comments as the story progresses and the writer can continue the story until they choose to end it.

There are generally two levels of engagement for authors of fanfiction: pleasure writers or aspiring novelist. Sometimes they are one-in-the same as budding writers discover that others greatly enjoy their stories and then choose to self-publish as a novel, or submit their story to a publisher for publication. Granted that the road to traditional publication can be quite long and arduous for an aspiring novelist, they can continue to write and publish fanfiction on the Internet to develop their readership. I have also seen some published authors post stories for feedback, or for their online fans. OK, this is getting complicated. An author writes fanfiction of their favorite author and then writes fanfiction of the fanfiction for their fans. Oh my!

Many of our popular Austenesque authors got their start at fanfiction web sites. Off the top of my head I can think of Abigail Reynolds of the Pride and Prejudice Variations series, Pamela Aidan of the Fitzwilliam Darcy Gentleman series, Marsha Altman of the Darcys and Bingleys series and Sharon Lathan of the Darcy Saga series, to name a few. Lately, I have noticed that more and more Jane Austen fanfiction writers are moving from Internet fan boards to the printed medium. This is encouragement enough to opine that the fanfiction boards are producing quality work with great potential.

If you would like to check out current stories by Jane Austen fanfiction authors, I highly recommend these web sites. Follow this link to my list of Jane Austen fanfiction websites including:

  • 50 Miles of Good Road
  • An Austen Interlude
  • Austen Underground
  • Derbyshire Writers’ Guild
  • Fanfiction.net
  • Fanlore
  • Jane Austen Fanfiction
  • Jane Austen Fanfiction Index
  • Mrs. Darcy’s Story Site
  • The Bennet Girls
  • The Meryton Assembly
  • The Republic of Pemberley Bits of Ivory

© 2010 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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Pemberley Ranch Author Jack Caldwell’s Whistle-stop Blog Tour

Posted in Austenesque Authors, Austenesque Books, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 29 November 2010 | 32 Comments »

Pemberley Ranch, by Jack Caldwell (2010)Pemberley Ranch, the latest re-imagining of Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice officially hits books stores this week. Transporting Austen’s classic Regency-era romance to the American West of post-Civil War Texas is an intriguing notion that I could not pass up. My co-reviewer Christina Boyd and I were so inspired by the ole Wild West spirit we offered a double barrel review of Pemberley Ranch for your consideration. As you will read, it was a heart pounding, rip-roaring, sure-fire page-turner.

Joining us today on the first leg of his whistle-stop blog tour is author Jack Caldwell. I was curious about his take on Mr. Darcy as a romantic icon in any century. Did he see parallels between the Regency gentleman and the American cowboy icon? How do the traits and characteristics from the Regency apply to the American West? Welcome Jack!

FITZWILLIAM DARCY AS A COWBOY? REALLY?

Greetings, everyone. I’m Jack Caldwell, author of Pemberley Ranch, a western-themed re-imagining of Pride & Prejudice. I hope all of you in the United States had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I’d like to thank Laurel Ann and Austenprose for this opportunity to talk to you about that great paragon of masculinity, Fitzwilliam Darcy, Esq.

Man, what we guys have to live up to.

Darcy—Jane Austen’s perfect man.  Rich, handsome, honorable, intelligent, generous, reasonable, modest, and romantic. Yet with just enough flaws—pride, lack of liveliness, and incivility—to make him “real” and “fixable.”  Yes, fixable.  Darcy’s far more interesting than Henry Tilney, isn’t he?

Let’s face it, ladies, you do like to civilize us animals.  Whether it is our manners, our dress, or our language, we men are often a life-long “work in progress.” And you ladies don’t have to succeed. If your improvements stick, all the better, but if they don’t, it gives you something to talk about with your girlfriends.

Anyhow, for the reasons above, Austen’s Darcy is one of literature’s great romantic icons. He is made to see his flaws and he labors to improve himself, all in the name of his unrequited love for a woman. Of course, his object cannot resist him—his efforts prove his devotion, and she accepts him.

It helps that Darcy is placed in the English Regency era, a rather romanticized period. The international interest in all things Austen shows that this is not a mere British obsession. Readers world-wide love Darcy and Elizabeth and their Regency world.

There is another romanticized period of time that has caught the attention of the world, and that is the American West in the years between the end of the US Civil War and the turn of the century.  The story of the great migrations of settlers into the wilderness of America has captured the imagination of millions for over a century.  The tales are endless: the miners panning for gold in the mountains, cowboys riding the range, long wagon trains of farmers looking for new land, and soldiers in blue and natives in feathered headdresses conducting epic battles on horseback.  They have become part of the soul of the United States. Americans are often considered “cowboys” by our foreign friends (and enemies), and while it is not always meant to be a compliment, we are proud of that heritage.

Consider the cowboy. Hard-working, honest, soft-spoken, independent, loyal, and competent. He loves quietly but intently. He respects others’ privacy and minds his own business until he, his friends, or his way of life is threatened. Then he is a man of action. He thirsts for justice, and if no one will protect him and his, he will do it, no matter the price.

Sounds like someone we know, doesn’t it?

There are some parallels between the Regency gentleman and the western cowboy, even though Austen’s Fitzwilliam Darcy would surely consider my William Darcy a brute, and Will would dismiss Fitzwilliam as a dandy.  Both lived in a time of iron-clad rules of propriety and behavior. A man’s word was his bond. Ladies were to be protected and honored (tavern maids and dancehall girls were a different matter). There were rules of courtship. Strong language before ladies and children was condemned. The penalty for breaking those rules was to be labeled by society as “un-gentlemanly” or “a no-good scoundrel.”

Read the works of Zane Grey, Louis L’Amour, and Larry McMurtry.  See the great movies, like Stagecoach, High Noon, Shane, The Outlaw Josie Wales, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. This is the great American mythology. It is how we American see ourselves—independent, self-reliant, honorable, and courageous. We can overcome anything and everything.

It is also how lovers of Austen see Fitzwilliam Darcy. So it is not too far-fetched to see him in a cowboy hat and chaps, is it?

Okay, ladies, you can stop drooling now.

Thank you for taking the time to read this little entry. What do you think? Do you think there are parallels between the Regency and the American West? Who else from Austen’s canon would make a great cowboy?

I want to wish Laurel Ann and all of you the very best during this Christmas Season.

It takes a real man to write historical romance, so let me tell you a story.

Author Jack CaldwellAuthor Bio: Jack Caldwell is an author, amateur historian, professional economic developer, playwright, and like many Cajuns, a darn good cook. Born and raised in the Bayou County of Louisiana, Jack and his wife, Barbara, are Hurricane Katrina victims, and now make the upper Midwest their home. Always a history buff, Jack found and fell in love with Jane Austen in his twenties, struck by her innate understanding of the human condition.

Jack uses his work to share his knowledge of history. Through his characters, he hopes the reader gains a better understanding of what went on before, developing an appreciation for our ancestors’ trials and tribulations. A devout convert to Roman Catholicism, Jack is married with three grown sons.

Thanks for joining us today Jack. Happy trails.

Glorious Pemberley Ranch Giveaway

Enter a chance to win one of five copies of Pemberley Ranch by leaving a comment answering Jack’s question regarding cultural parallels between the Regency-era and the American West, or which bothersome character from Pride and Prejudice deserves to be thrown from their horse into a water trough, by midnight Pacific time, Monday, December 13, 2010. Winners announced on Tuesday, December 14, 2010. Shipment to US and Canadian addresses only. Good luck!

Jack Caldwell’s blog tour

  • 11/29   Austenprose
  • 12/1     Austenesque Reviews
  • 12/3     Diary of an Eccentric
  • 12/6     The Royal Reviews
  • 12/8     Psychotic State
  • 12/10   Library of Clean Reads
  • 12/13   My Overstuffed Bookshelf
  • 12/15   A Moment with Mystee
  • 12/16   Laura’s Reviews
  • 12/20   Romance Fiction on Suite 101
  • 12/21   Thoughts In Progress
  • 12/28   Debbie’s Book Bag
  • 12/29   History Undressed

Further reading

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Pemberley Ranch, by Jack Caldwell – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Jane Austen Sequels Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 28 November 2010 | 10 Comments »

Pemberley Ranch, by Jack Caldwell (2010)In the spirit of the ole Wild West, Christina and Laurel Ann have agreed to a double barrel review!

Review by Christina Boyd

The latest re-imagining of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice is Jack Caldwell’s debut novel, Pemberley Ranch, a tale of fancy in a style entirely new. Set in the post-Civil War Era on the plains of Texas, ardent Union supporter Beth Bennet and family must retrench from Meryton, Ohio to the wilds of Rosings, Texas. When Beth encounters the handsome, rich yet unfortunately arrogant owner of Pemberley Ranch, Will Darcy, an attraction ensues. Rich or not, however, Beth cannot overlook his Confederate past and coupled with the town gossip and tales shared by carpetbagger George Whitehead, Darcy doesn’t stand a chance when he presses his suit. But as bullets start to fly, Darcy is the only one who can settle the dust and save the Bennet’s from ruin.

In this Wild West incarnation of Pride & Prejudice, Caldwell uses many familiar (or similar rather) names from Jane Austen’s canon in entirely original plot devices – as well as many newcomers, like the former slave family, the Washington’s. Like the Bennet’s, they too have come to Rosings for a fresh start. They buy land from Cate Burroughs, Darcy’s cousin, but encounter deadly prejudices along the way that prove all is not what it may seem. The railroad is coming to town and if the greedy, dangerous faction of Kid Denny, George Whitehead and Billy Collins have any say, nothing will stand in their way of becoming the new masters of the west.

This sure-fire page-turner with Jack Caldwell’s heart pounding standoffs and heart racing romantic moments is bested only by his real gift in the clever nuances and subtle references, ie.  Lizzy’s horse, a “paint,” named Turner (more than a nod to the famous Regency Era painter, J.M.W. Turner.) As an unabashed reader of this Louisiana native since his early Cajun ramblings at various fan-fiction sites, I must humbly admit to being “a partial, prejudiced, & ignorant historian.” His masterful handling of the historical action and colloquialisms authenticates this fictitious musing and the footnotes are quite helpful to one such as myself, who is rather uniformed regarding the particulars of this Reconstruction Period. To pinch a line or two from Daniel Decatur Emmett’s rallying song, Dixie, Caldwell takes his stand and triumphs in his debut novel retelling “old times there are not forgotten… Hooray! Hooray!” The slated Spring 2012 release of his next offering, The Three Colonels, really is too long a wait. *sigh*

5 out of 5 Regency Stars

Review by Laurel Ann

I have been patiently awaiting a Wild West rendition of Pride and Prejudice for some time, so when Pemberley Ranch rode into town, I was all anticipation. The blending of the two genres seemed like a natural to me; especially concerning two romantic archetypes – the Regency gentleman and the American cowboy. *swoon*

It’s really not surprising that so many elements from the Regency-era have transitioned neatly into Caldwell’s new adaption of Jane Austen classic story set in post-Civil War Texas. Lizzy and Darcy are as spirited and arrogant as ever in any century, transformed into Beth Bennet, a poor Yankee farmer’s daughter from Ohio relocated to Rosings, Texas where rich Johnny Reb William Darcy has a large cattle spread, Pemberley Ranch, and the local Darcy Bank. Caldwell does a great job of melding the plot to fit a western theme, changing enough of the story to make it original, yet harkening to all of the plot points that readers will recollect from the original narrative. There are some important exceptions. Given that this is a tall tale from the Wild, Wild West, Cate Burroughs (Lady Catherine de Bourgh), George Whitehead (George Wickham) and Lily Bennet (Lydia Bennet) can be “really” officious, dastardly and loose! Well maybe they were already, but in this setting the writer does not have to be as proprietous as Austen was obliged to be in the early nineteenth-century.

Pemberley Ranch had some surprises. The Team Tilney fan-girls will be happy to know that Henry himself makes an appearance as a very “likable” high plains rector in a supporting role. Even pedantic Mary Bennet is under his charms. The dialogue is lacking Austen’s wit and snappy retorts, but shucks, this is the Wild West where outlaws and lawmen talk with their guns. The story builds beautifully in the western theme of shoot-outs over the land as opposed to Austen’s conflict of social decorum with witty words. However, some things never change as both plots have money struggles in common, and, the eventual humbling of Darcy’s pride and dissolution of Beth’s prejudice – culminating in a great romance as they ride off into the sunset. Yippy ki-aye.

4 out of 5 Regency Stars

Pemberley Ranch, by Jack Caldwell
Sourcebooks, Landmark (2010)
Trade paperback (363) pages
ISBN: 978-1402241284

Glorious Pemberley Ranch Giveaway

Want to enter a chance to win one of five copies of Pemberley Ranch? Follow this link to Jack Caldwell’s whistle-stop blog tour and leave a comment there before December 13, 2010. Good luck!

© 2010 Austenprose

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Great Jane Austen Inspired Blogs Keep Janeites Connected and a Grand Austenesque Book Giveaway!

Posted in Jane Austen Inspired, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 22 November 2010 | 68 Comments »

Jane Austen is indeed everywhere on the Internet. Thanks to great blogging platforms like WordPress.com, Blogger and Typepad available today, there are numerous blogs honoring our favorite author to choose from. It seems like there is a continual stream of Jane Austen related posts in my Google Reader, far more than I can every read, but satisfying all the same.

Here is a list of some of my favorite Jane Austen blogs. My criteria was that the blog should be based on Jane Austen or her characters and have been active in the last two months. You can find a full list to links to Jane Austen blog by following this link.

Jane Austen Blogs

  1. Austen Inspired Fan Fiction by Mary Simonsen
  2. Austenacious by Miss Osborne and Mrs. Fitzpatrick
  3. AustenBlog by Magsl
  4. Austenised by Anna
  5. Austenesque Reviews by Meredith Esparza
  6. Austenonly by Julie Wakefield
  7. Austenprose by Laurel Ann
  8. Becoming Jane Austen Fansite by Icha and Rachel
  9. Fans of Jane by Natasha Zwick
  10. JaneAusten.nl by Karin
  11. Janetility by Jane Rubino and Catlen Rublino Bradway
  12. Austen Authors by Sharon Lathan and Abigail Reynolds
  13. Jane Austen’s World by Vic
  14. Austen Inspirations by Susan Jane
  15. At Pemberley by Kals
  16. First Impressions by Alexa Adams
  17. Jane Austen Addict by Bloggin BB
  18. Jane Austen Addict Blog by Laurie Viera Rigler
  19. Jane Austen em Português by Raquel
  20. Jane Austen Film Club by Jenny Allworthy
  21. Jane Austen in Vermont by Deb Barnum
  22. Jane Austen Prequels and Sequels by Sofia C.
  23. Jane Austen Sequels by Jane Odiwe
  24. Jane Austen Sequel Examiner by Kelly Yanke Deltner
  25. Jane Austen Society of Brazil Blog by Adriana Zardini
  26. Jane Austen Today by Vic
  27. My Jane Austen Book Club by Maria
  28. My Love of Jane Austen by Luthien84
  29. Pemberley Couture by Anna Kristine
  30. Sharp Elves Society by Arnie Perlstein
  31. Stitching with Jane Austen by The Sample Girl
  32. The Bennet Sisters by Jenni Duke
  33. The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen Flynn
  34. The Little White Attic by Lynnae
  35. The Secret Dreamworld of a Jane Austen Fan by Aurora

Chances are, I have overlooked someone – so my apologies in advance. Please contact me if you would like me to include your Jane Austen related blog on my list.

A Grand Austenesque Book Giveaway!

In celebration, and a thank you to all of the hardworking Jane Austen bloggers out there, I am offering a grand Austenesque book giveaway. Please leave a comment by midnight December 06, 2010 stating your top five favorite Jane Austen blogs and you will qualify to enter a drawing for one copy from the following list of ten Jane Austen inspired books available for giveaway (one copy per person, ten winners in total). Winners announced on December 07, 2010. Shipment to the US and Canadian addresses only.

Good luck! Thanks for your comments.

Cheers,

Laurel Ann

© 2007 – 2010 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

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Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion: Jane Austen’s Classic Retold Through His Eyes, by Regina Jeffers – A Review

Posted in Book Reviews, Jane Austen Sequels Book Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , on 21 November 2010 | 8 Comments »

Guest review by Kimberly Denny-Ryder of Reflections of a Book Addict

There are few readers of Jane Austen’s Persuasion who have finished the novel and not been more than a little in love with the dashing Captain Frederick Wentworth. His famous “you pierce my soul” letter to heroine Anne Elliot is one of the most moving love letters in literary history. Happily, author Regina Jeffers has given his fans another opportunity to relive the story in Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion. Entirely retold through his eyes via flashbacks and expanded sequences in the present, we are offered the same classic love story, but from an entirely new perspective.

Frederick Wentworth and Anne Elliot were engaged once upon a time. Anne was persuaded not to marry him due to his low standing in society and his lack of fortune. Being the daughter of a baronet she was expected to marry someone of good fortune and high social standing. Eight years later their paths cross again, but with reversed financial circumstances. He is now a wealthy Captain returned from the war, and the Elliot family is so far in debt they must retrench and rent out their family estate of Kellynch Hall to Frederick’s sister Sophy and her husband Admiral Croft. When Frederick and Anne are reunited, they must discover if they still love each other, or if they are lost to each other forever.

“I created a quagmire.  When I first went to Uppercross, I purposely entertained the attention of Miss Musgrove.  I needed Anne to see how others wanted me, even though she did not.  I played games for which I now must pay.  Lately, I decided I still wanted Anne, but I knew I had to distance myself from Louisa Musgrove, before I could plead my case with Miss Anne.”

With Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion, the entire story is infused with new life due to the strong characterizations that Ms. Jeffers writes. In the original Persuasion you know that Frederick stayed with his brother for a period of time that is not discussed in the novel. In Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion Jeffers creates the whole time period of their stay, essentially writing the character of Frederick’s brother Edward. She created a rich relationship that unlocked another portion of Frederick which was previously undiscovered.

My biggest disappointment in the novel was what Ms. Jeffers did to the character of Louisa Musgrove. She made her out to be a grudging, jealous, and immature character that just did not seem to fit with the character Austen originally created. Austen had Louisa become engaged to Captain Benwick due to a change in her personality from her fall at the Cobb at Lyme. In Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion I saw no change from the frivolous girl she was prior to her serious injury and recovery.

I absolutely loved this novel. Most Jane Austen inspired retellings that I’ve read just give the same story that Austen wrote without much of the author’s own creativity. Ms. Jeffers takes Austen’s story and gives it back to the reader in a new way, taking the events we know to have happened, but expanding on them. She takes what happens after the wedding and tells their past, present and future all at the same time.  It made the book fly by. I was done with it before I even realized it.

Previously published in 2009 as Wayward Love: Captain Wentworth’s Story, I highly recommend this book to any Persuasion fan. I can safely say that you will not be disappointed with it. The scenes and events that Ms. Jeffers creates for the unwritten scenes in Persuasion really do shed new light on the characters that we know and love.

5 out of 5 Regency Stars

Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion: Jane Austen’s Classic Retold Through His Eyes, by Regina Jeffers
Ulysses Press (2010)
Trade paperback (236) pages
ISBN: 978-1569757765

© 2007 – 2010 Kimberly Denny-Ryder Austenprose

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Follow Friday: The Meryton Assembly – A Jane Austen Fan Fiction Web Site

Posted in Austenesque Authors, Austenesque Books, Jane Austen Inspired, tagged , , , , on 19 November 2010 | 3 Comments »

Did you know that many published Jane Austen sequel writers got their start on fan fiction sites on the internet? If you skim the book shelves at The Meryton Assembly, you will notice many familiar names. Sara Angelini, Marsha Altman, Jack Caldwell, Mary Simonson and Sharon Lathan;  all Sourcebooks authors who contributed stories to the popular Jane Austen fan fiction web site The Meryton Assembly. There are many other aspiring Jane Austen sequels authors who post stories there for our enjoyment just waiting to be discovered by a larger readership, so do feed your JAFF (Jane Austen Fan Fiction) addiction and visit their great site today.

© Austenprose (2010)

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