Dear readers, last week I reviewed Lynn Shepherd's new Austen inspired mystery Murder at Mansfield Park. Not only is she an accomplished novelist, she is a distinguished Samuel Richardson scholar with a new book, Clarissa's Painter: Portraiture, Illustration, and Representation in the Novels of Samuel Richardson, published by the venerable Oxford University Press. Richardson was... Continue Reading →
An Infamous Army, by Georgette Heyer – A Review
From the desk of Elaine Simpson-Long: An Infamous Army is a novel about the battle of Waterloo with a love story attached, not the other way round and the title refers to the Duke of Wellington's unkind nickname for the motley collection of national armies under his command in 1815. The story is set in... Continue Reading →
For the King, by Catherine Delors – A Review
Summer is upon us and I am taking a bold move and jumping ship from my usual fare of Jane Austen and her offspring to cross the channel into France during the Napoleonic Wars with For the King, a detective thriller set in post-Revolutionary Paris steeped in politics and revenge. Firstly, this book has an... Continue Reading →
Austen Book Sleuth: New Books in the Queue for August 2010
The Jane Austen book sleuth is happy to inform Janeites that many Austen inspired books are heading our way in August, so keep your eyes open for these new titles. Audio The Convenient Marriage, by Georgette Heyer, read by Richard Armitage In honor of historical romance novelist Georgette Heyer’s birthday this month, I am sure... Continue Reading →
Georgette Heyer: An Introduction, Biography & Online Resources
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: Considered the pioneer of Regency romance, Georgette Heyer has been delighting readers with her engaging stories, memorable characters and historical accuracy for eight-nine years. In honor of her birthday on August 16th, we will be focusing over the next month on her romance novels with thirty-four book reviews,... Continue Reading →
‘Celebrating Georgette Heyer’ at Austenprose – August 1st – 31st, 2010
Stylish, witty and historically accurate, novelist Georgette Heyer has been delighting readers with her romantic comedies for eighty-nine years. In honor of her birthday on August 16th, Austenprose.com will feature a month long event ‘Celebrating Georgette Heyer’ featuring thirty-four book reviews of her romance novels, guest blogs, interviews of Heyer enthusiast from the blog-o-sphere, academia... Continue Reading →
New Jane Austen Short Story Anthology Announced Today
Hot off the presses is an announcement today in Publishers Weekly of a new Jane Austen short story anthology to be published by Random House in 2011. The collection will include approximately twenty stories inspired by Jane Austen, literature’s witty muse of the modern novel and astute observer of human nature and the heart. Readers familiar... Continue Reading →
Cranford, by Elizabeth Gaskell: A Naxos Audiobooks Review & Giveaway
To prime myself for Return to Cranford, the new Masterpiece Classic sequel to last year's award-winning mini-series Cranford on PBS, I wanted to read Mrs. Gaskell’s original novel that it was adapted from. Since I am always short of reading time, I chose instead to listen to an audio recording, my favorite pastime during my commute to... Continue Reading →
My Top 20 Favorite Austenesque Books of 2009
Another year – another plethora of Austen inspired sequels, re-tellings, mash-ups and nonfiction fare devoured! In 2009 we saw zombies invade Pride and Prejudice hungry for more brains and ascending the bestseller lists for months, Mr. Darcy go paranormal in a way we could never have imagined before with Mr. Darcy Vampyre, and Jane Austen... Continue Reading →
Darcy and Anne, by Judith Brocklehurst – A Review
Originally self-published in 2007 as A Letter to Lady Catherine, this Pride and Prejudice spinoff has a surprising new heroine – Anne De Bourgh! Yes, I heard that collective gasp of astonishment. A whole novel devoted to Mr. Darcy’s sickly, unaccomplished, and henpecked cousin? Indeed! Judith Brocklehurst’s novel may have been given a grand makeover... Continue Reading →
A Preview of Lady Vernon and her Daughter & Guest Blog with Authors Jane Rubino & Caitlen Rubino-Bradway
There are some great writers who wrote too much. There are others who wrote enough. There are yet others who wrote nothing like enough to satisfy their admirers, and Jane Austen is certainly one of these. Margaret Drabble I love this quote by Austen scholar Margaret Drabble. It is the opening line of her introduction... Continue Reading →
Announcing – Lady Vernon and her Daughter Book Trailer
Austenprose is very honored to have the privilege of announcing the exclusive premiere of the Lady Vernon and her Daughter: A Novel of Jane Austen's Lady Susan book trailer. This new retelling of Jane Austen's novella Lady Susan was co-written by mother and daughter team Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway and is due out on October 6th, 2009.... Continue Reading →