Seen on the Blogosphere

Lori Smith book signing on November 13

Lori Smith, the author of A Walk With Jane Austen writes:
I'll be signing books at the Borders in Tysons Corner, VA on Tuesday, November 13, at 7:30 pm. So all of you Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland Jane fans, make plans to stop by Borders and visit Lori. The winner of the icon contest will receive a free copy of her book, a personal account of her struggles with faith and love as she travels through England and visits the sites where Jane lived and traveled. For more details about the location of Borders and parking, click here.

An Afternoon With Jane and Friends

In Illinois, story teller Patricia Hruby Powell will spend an afternoon with Jane Austen, Emily Bronte, and Emily Dickisnon at the Wauconda Area Library. The event will be held this Sunday, November 5th. Click here for details.


Writing in Style

The holidays are not far around the corner, and even the Prince Regent, that most discerning patron of the arts, would approve of this richly designed The Prince Regent Mont Blanc Pen. It's not inexpensive, but then no limited edition Mont Blanc pen is. If you have a spare three or five hundred dollars lying around (hah!), this is a great gift idea for your special Mr. Darcy.

Jane Goes Techno

Speaking of gift ideas, how about giving your true love a blackberry reader? In the article, Reading Jane on a Blackberry Reader: I Liked It, a darling man named Steve Johnson writes,

I just read "Pride and Prejudice" on my BlackBerry. And, reader, I liked it. Against all my own prejudices, all my own pride in the history and tradition of the printed word, I liked it.

I liked holding it in one hand, having it always with me, and customizing my fonts and screen color. I liked reading it on the train without advertising my tastes; I could have been reading "Tropic of Cancer" or "The Firm."

I really liked reading it in bed without the encumbrance of a book light.

I liked it all so much, I've moved on to Austen's "Persuasion" and am, frankly, halfway annoyed at having to take time away from that to write this. What comeuppance will the vain spendthrift Sir Walter receive, and will his deserving daughter Anne find satisfaction?

Becoming Jane Burdensome?

Last but not least, although the article Becoming Jane Has Its Burdens was published last summer in The Telegraph, I found it a perfect read for this post-Halloween weekend. Writer Chloe Rhodes takes on Jane's persona for a day at the Jane Austen Centre. Being Jane is not as easy as Chloe thought it would be, and she came away with a newfound respect for our Miss Austen. The article includes a cute video of Chloe in Bath, as well as photos of the movie and an interview with James Mcavoy.

OK, one more. I love visiting Go Fug Yourself. The clothes on that site provide my guffaw for the day. Here's Maggy Grace's rendition of The Jane Austen Fug Club.