Your online source for Jane Austen and her legacy
From the desk of Katie Jackson: Romance stories exist on a spectrum, from the fluffiest feel-good escapism to the powerfully poignant and every combination in between. The very best romances explore relatable emotions with deep insight into how people evolve through relationships. Historical romance author Megan Walker has skillfully crafted her second novel, Miss Newbury’s... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Katie Patchell:   Last year I had the immense good fortune to review Love and Lavender by Josi S. Kilpack. Trusting the logo of Shadow Mountain Publishing–one of my favorite Regency publishers–I cracked open its pages, not knowing what to expect…and then discovered that I was reading a work of art.... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Katie Patchell: Unconventional heroines are becoming more common in Regency-inspired fiction, which is something worthy of applause. Perhaps this shouldn’t come as a surprise, given the genre’s beloved originator. Jane Austen was the queen of unconventional heroines living in a conventional world; something Elizabeth Bennet, Catherine Morland, and company attest to.... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Katie Patchell: Thanks to Charles Dickens’ vivid imagination and keen eye for the overlooked, Victorian England’s readers met paupers and rag-sellers, prostitutes, and orphans. Many other authors followed his example in showing the light, the darkness, and everything in between, that are a very real part of our world. John Thornton,... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Katie Jackson: An outspoken bluestocking lady in Regency England, unless independently wealthy, was most likely to be shunned by Society into involuntary spinsterhood and poverty. Suitable husbands were difficult enough to come by, but for a lady with a clever mind and vibrant opinions, her options were fewer still. Desperation led... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Katie Patchell: Readers, beware: The Dread Penny Society is back in town. Their mission this time? Justice. In September 2019, acclaimed Regency author, Sarah M. Eden, published her first book in the “Dread Penny Society” series. Titled The Lady and the Highwayman, this novel is a tongue-in-cheek - albeit romantic -... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Katie Patchell: Â Pop Quiz: Which of the following is a penny dreadful -- a) the title of a recent TV series, b) a term for a gory but thrilling story or c) a serialized novel from the 1800s? If you answered any of the three, you would be correct! Besides... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Katie Patchell: Promises are tricky things, are they not? As quick as a word, as light as a breath, yet as unyielding as an adamant stone. In Promised, Leah Garriott’s 2020 debut, we see promises kept and promises broken; vows to engage and vows to escape engagements; promises for true romance... Continue Reading →
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