Your online source for Jane Austen and her legacy
From the desk of Kimberly Denny-Ryder: I’ve come to the realization that Pride and Prejudice “what if’s” are my favorite sub-genre to read in the world of Jane Austen fan fiction (JAFF). They give us the opportunity to cut and mold the storyline of Austen’s work in a fresh new way, and to explore all... Continue Reading →
Nominated for seven Academy Awards®, the 1995 movie Sense and Sensibility remains one of my most cherished interpretations of a Jane Austen novel. Everything about this film project seems to be touched with gold; from the award winning screenplay by actress Emma Thompson; to the incredible depth of British acting talent: Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman,... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Laura A. Wallace: Our hero is 28, wealthy, with vast estates and dependents, and head of his house, having come into his inheritance at a young age. He was given good principles, but left to follow them in pride and conceit; but to be fair, he is no more villainous than... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Shelley DeWees: “The books went out of print, and Jane’s generation of Austens aged and died secure in their belief that the public’s curiosity about their sister had been satisfied. But almost two hundred years and tens of thousands of books on Austen later, her fame and readership worldwide continues to... Continue Reading →
In the summer of 1805, we find Jane Austen visiting her wealthy brother Edward and his large family at their palatial country estate Godmersham Park in Kent, enjoying the comforts of living above “vulgar economy,” and the privileges of ease and splendor. Her father Rev. Austen had passed away the following January, displacing herself, her... Continue Reading →
Guest review by Kimberly Denny-Ryder of Reflections of a Book Addict The happily-ever-after at Pemberley takes a sharp left in The Trouble with Mr. Darcy, the fifth book in Sharon Lathan’s lush, romantic Darcy Saga. Darker and more complex than the preceding novels in the series, Lathan tackles deeper elements in Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy’s... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Shelley DeWees: “In summer the trees are full, but in fall they drop their leaves, and the valley surrounding land crouches below the house like a cat before it springs. If someone searched very hard, they could just see, from that attic window, the things they hold most dear: the faintest... Continue Reading →
Everyone loves a new frock to brighten their day, and authors are as equally excitable when it comes to re-issues of their works. We were very happy for Margaret C. Sullivan of AustenBlog fame when we learned that her excellent The Jane Austen Handbook (2007) hardcover edition was getting a second go round from its... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: I confess to being a silly, shallow creature when it comes to my partiality to fine art and the stage. Show me a beautiful Regency-era portrait by Thomas Lawrence or Richard Cosway, mention famous Drury Lane actors Sarah Siddons and her brothers Charles and John Kemble, and my... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Kimberly Denny-Ryder: Many Pride and Prejudice fans often have “what if” moments. What if Elizabeth accepted Darcy the first time? What if they had met previously and were kind to each other? What if Elizabeth was forced to accept Darcy, knowing he was still very proud? Author Kara Louise has answered... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: Manners meet mayhem again in the second Being a Jane Austen Mystery, Jane and the Man of the Cloth. It is 1804 and Jane and her family are traveling by post chaise to Lyme Regis on the Dorset coast to escape the oppressive summer heat in Bath when... Continue Reading →
Our Janeite sensibilities tell us that the notion of Jane Austen as a vampire is pretty wacky. It’s just so hard to visualize “our” Jane as one of the undead, still here after two hundred years, and struggling with life challenges and her condition. Author Michael Thomas Ford understands this too. He has created a... Continue Reading →
