Thursday, July 30
Jane Austen Girls: A Video to She's So High
A great video montage from Tugger29, featuring Jane Austen movie heroines. Enjoy!
Wednesday, July 29
How Loud Can Mr. Darcy Yell Stelllaaa? Elliot Cowan Debuts as Stanley Kowalski in Streetcar Named Desire in London
The reviews are rolling in for the new production of Tennessee William’s Pulitzer Prize winning 1947 play A Streetcar Named Desire. Elliot Cowan (Mr. Darcy in Lost in Austen) is playing the role of brutish and sensual Stanley Kowalski, husband of Stella (Ruth Wilson), and tormenter of her sister Blanche DuBois (Rachel Weisz) in the new west end production which opened last night, July 28th at the Donmar Warehouse in London’s Covent Garden.
But, boy, did Cowan exude danger and power. At times I felt he was overstating the boorish, crude manners — give him a beer bottle and he’ll virtually swallow it whole — but he’s riveting when he lolls, swaggers, flexes his biceps, lets rip with a violent gesture or a big, hoarse bellow. He’s the ferocious bull in the porcelain parlour that’s Blanche DuBois. Benedict Nightingale Times OnlineReaders may be familiar with the 1951 movie adaptation staring Marlon Brandon as Stanley with big arms and bigger mouth, woefully yelling Stelllaaa from streetside to his wife in their second floor apartment in New Orleans. Actress Vivien Leigh won an Academy Award for her portrayal of the fading southern belle who had a fondness for underage boys and booze. In a nice six degree of separation, Leigh also stared as Blanche in the 1949 stage production in London at the Aldwych Theatre, which was directed by her husband, Laurence Olivier who also portrayed Mr. Darcy in the 1940 movie adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
In a review by Phil and Andrew of the West End Wingers blog, they mention that Elliot Cowan’s performance as Stanley was "excellent, but alarmingly muscular." Another article in Metro.co.uk reports his biceps are like oak trees! Given that his costar Rachel Weisz was also struck by how buff her co-star Elliot Cowan looked, the actor known for his commitment to physical fitness must really be aproaching amazing Hulk status."You seem to be getting bigger every day," she told him during rehearsals.Cowan, who plays the brutish Stanley Kowalski, tells me he had taken up boxing to give him the muscles his part required.
His exacting exercise routine afforded other advantages apart from the admiring looks from Miss Weisz. "It means I can eat as much as I like as every calorie gets burned off," he says.
This Mr. Darcy must be sporting less than the iconic wet white shirt!
- Review by BBC News
- Review in The Independent
- Review in The Telegraph
- Check out the opening night party photos at What's On Stage
Monday, July 27
Author Michele Ann Young Chats About Her Life Long Love of Georgette Heyer, and The Grand Sophy
Gentle Readers: The Grand Sophy, Georgette Heyer's 1950 novel was re-released on July 1st by Sourcebooks. In celebration, please join us in welcoming author Michele Ann Young who will chat about how Regency romance author Georgette Heyer fired her desire to write Regency romances.
Among all of the authors I love to read, I do wish I might have met Georgette Heyer. I could think of a hundred questions to ask her, and not just about her research, but about character development and story ideas.
My father introduced me to Ms. Heyer’s books when I was a teen and we would wrestle for first dibs on whichever book he’d brought home from the library. I read The Grand Sophy then and have read it many times since, along with her other books.
Georgette Heyer’s novels fired my desire to write Regencies. The world she created came alive and drew me in. One of the things she does so brilliantly is bring the people of the day to life in a reader’s mind. The Grand Sophy not only transports us to the London of the ton, but her history is impeccable and laced with references to the important people of the era, from Wellington to Prinny. Events such as Waterloo and the Congress of Vienna set the backdrop for her characters’ conversations.
While fictional, her finely drawn characters are true to their time: her heroines are strong resourceful women within the confines of the time period, and her heroes are men we would all want to meet on the marriage mart. It doesn’t take Sophy, our protagonist of The Grand Sophy, a moment to recognize that Charles Rivenhall, while handsome and worthy, is in need of rescue from a disaster of his own making, or that she is the woman for the task. Charles, on the other hand, shows great restraint and a sense of humor. He is instantly likable given his unwanted responsibility for a large family at a time when he should be enjoying life. This is a theme is several of her novels. The banter between Sophy and Charles, along with the underlying spark when they drive out for the first time is classic Heyer wit.
When asked about influences on my writing, she is always at the top of the list. Something must have rubbed off from my reading over the years, for while our styles are different and our stories are our own, readers and reviewers often remark on my level of comfort in portraying the Regency era. I am delighted to see her works being reissued, and will make sure I have all of her books on my keeper shelf.
Thank you Michele Ann for sharing your appreciation of this great author with us today.
Author Bio
An army brat, born and raised in England, Michèle Ann Young now lives and writes in Canada. She has four Regency novels currently in print. Her most recent with Sourcebooks Casablanca is The Lady Flees Her Lord, October 2008, Sourcebooks, Casablanca. When Michèle is not reading her favorite Georgette Heyer novels, or writing her own, she loves researching Regency facts for her books. If you would like to know more about Michèle Ann Young, her books and her research visit her blog Regency Ramble.
Only four more day to Enter a chance to win one of five copies of The Grand Sophy and a set of ten Georgette Heyer novels from Sourcebooks. Don’t delay. The contest ends July 31st.
Read Vic's review of The Grand Sophy at Jane Austen's World
Read Laurel Ann's review of The Grand Sophy at Austenprose
Among all of the authors I love to read, I do wish I might have met Georgette Heyer. I could think of a hundred questions to ask her, and not just about her research, but about character development and story ideas.My father introduced me to Ms. Heyer’s books when I was a teen and we would wrestle for first dibs on whichever book he’d brought home from the library. I read The Grand Sophy then and have read it many times since, along with her other books.
Georgette Heyer’s novels fired my desire to write Regencies. The world she created came alive and drew me in. One of the things she does so brilliantly is bring the people of the day to life in a reader’s mind. The Grand Sophy not only transports us to the London of the ton, but her history is impeccable and laced with references to the important people of the era, from Wellington to Prinny. Events such as Waterloo and the Congress of Vienna set the backdrop for her characters’ conversations.
While fictional, her finely drawn characters are true to their time: her heroines are strong resourceful women within the confines of the time period, and her heroes are men we would all want to meet on the marriage mart. It doesn’t take Sophy, our protagonist of The Grand Sophy, a moment to recognize that Charles Rivenhall, while handsome and worthy, is in need of rescue from a disaster of his own making, or that she is the woman for the task. Charles, on the other hand, shows great restraint and a sense of humor. He is instantly likable given his unwanted responsibility for a large family at a time when he should be enjoying life. This is a theme is several of her novels. The banter between Sophy and Charles, along with the underlying spark when they drive out for the first time is classic Heyer wit.
When asked about influences on my writing, she is always at the top of the list. Something must have rubbed off from my reading over the years, for while our styles are different and our stories are our own, readers and reviewers often remark on my level of comfort in portraying the Regency era. I am delighted to see her works being reissued, and will make sure I have all of her books on my keeper shelf.
Thank you Michele Ann for sharing your appreciation of this great author with us today.
Author Bio
An army brat, born and raised in England, Michèle Ann Young now lives and writes in Canada. She has four Regency novels currently in print. Her most recent with Sourcebooks Casablanca is The Lady Flees Her Lord, October 2008, Sourcebooks, Casablanca. When Michèle is not reading her favorite Georgette Heyer novels, or writing her own, she loves researching Regency facts for her books. If you would like to know more about Michèle Ann Young, her books and her research visit her blog Regency Ramble.
Only four more day to Enter a chance to win one of five copies of The Grand Sophy and a set of ten Georgette Heyer novels from Sourcebooks. Don’t delay. The contest ends July 31st.Read Vic's review of The Grand Sophy at Jane Austen's World
Read Laurel Ann's review of The Grand Sophy at Austenprose
Upcoming Books
The following descriptions are taken from the publishers' websites. All three books are in our reading queues!
Mr.Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange, August 2009
Amanda Grange's style and wit bring readers back to Jane Austen's timeless storytelling, but always from a very unique and unusual perspective, and now Grange is back with an exciting and completely new take on Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. Mr. Darcy, Vampyre starts where Pride and Prejudice ends and introduces a dark family curse so perfectly that the result is a delightfully thrilling, spine-chilling, breathtaking read. A dark, poignant and visionary continuation of Austen's beloved story, this tale is full of danger, darkness and immortal love.
Murder at Longbourn, a mystery by Tracy Kiely, September 2009
Planning New Year’s resolutions to rid her life of all things unhealthy, Elizabeth Parker has dumped fatty foods, processed sugar, and her two-timing boyfriend. Indeed, the invitation to join her Aunt Winnie for a How to Host a Murder Party on New Year’s Eve at Winnie’s new Cape Cod B and B comes just in time. But when the local wealthy miser ends up the unscripted victim, Elizabeth must unearth old secrets and new motives in order to clear her beloved aunt of suspicion. By reimagining characters and themes lifted from the treasured classic Pride and Prejudice, and crafting an expert, intricate mystery, Tracy Kiely has brought to life something very special: a new cozy series that is clever, vibrant, and utterly disarming.
Willoughby's Return by Jane Odiwe, November 2009
Three years after the conclusion of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, domestic bliss is not always easy to achieve. Colonel Brandon's responsibilities for Eliza, the daughter of his first love, regularly take him away from home, and Marianne's passionate, jealous nature threatens to rock the foundations of their marriage. Now Willoughby and his wife have returned to the West Country. When Brandon is called away, Marianne meets Willoughby at a dinner and feels herself once again succumbing to his charm. The more she sees him, the more she's in danger of giving in to her passion. Willoughby has everything to gain in driving a wedge between them. Will Brandon realize in time that his passionate young wife's feelings of neglect may drive her into scandal? Can Marianne find the courage to turn her back on her first love? Or is it too late to save themselves and their marriage?
Mr.Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange, August 2009Amanda Grange's style and wit bring readers back to Jane Austen's timeless storytelling, but always from a very unique and unusual perspective, and now Grange is back with an exciting and completely new take on Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. Mr. Darcy, Vampyre starts where Pride and Prejudice ends and introduces a dark family curse so perfectly that the result is a delightfully thrilling, spine-chilling, breathtaking read. A dark, poignant and visionary continuation of Austen's beloved story, this tale is full of danger, darkness and immortal love.
Murder at Longbourn, a mystery by Tracy Kiely, September 2009Planning New Year’s resolutions to rid her life of all things unhealthy, Elizabeth Parker has dumped fatty foods, processed sugar, and her two-timing boyfriend. Indeed, the invitation to join her Aunt Winnie for a How to Host a Murder Party on New Year’s Eve at Winnie’s new Cape Cod B and B comes just in time. But when the local wealthy miser ends up the unscripted victim, Elizabeth must unearth old secrets and new motives in order to clear her beloved aunt of suspicion. By reimagining characters and themes lifted from the treasured classic Pride and Prejudice, and crafting an expert, intricate mystery, Tracy Kiely has brought to life something very special: a new cozy series that is clever, vibrant, and utterly disarming.
Willoughby's Return by Jane Odiwe, November 2009Three years after the conclusion of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, domestic bliss is not always easy to achieve. Colonel Brandon's responsibilities for Eliza, the daughter of his first love, regularly take him away from home, and Marianne's passionate, jealous nature threatens to rock the foundations of their marriage. Now Willoughby and his wife have returned to the West Country. When Brandon is called away, Marianne meets Willoughby at a dinner and feels herself once again succumbing to his charm. The more she sees him, the more she's in danger of giving in to her passion. Willoughby has everything to gain in driving a wedge between them. Will Brandon realize in time that his passionate young wife's feelings of neglect may drive her into scandal? Can Marianne find the courage to turn her back on her first love? Or is it too late to save themselves and their marriage?
Sunday, July 26
Jane Austen Movie Throwdown
This week's throwdown asks you to choose your favorite Elinor Dashwood: the witty, charming, and talented Emma Thompson, or quietly beautiful and talented Hattie Morahan. Let the votes begin!
Favorite Elinor Dashwood
Emma Thompson, Sense and Sensibility, 1995An academy award winning actress when she played Elinor, Emma "scored one of her biggest hits with Sense and Sensibility, a pleasing, literate adaptation of the Jane Austen novel. Thompson not only stars as Elinor Dashwood but also scripted—and earned an Academy Award for her effort—lending to the material a refreshing contemporary air." - Film Reference
.jpg)
Hattie Morahan, Sense and Sensibility, 2007Interviewed by Jasper Rees from the Telegraph.Uk.Com, Hattie Morahan said about her role as Elinor, "People would say, 'Why are they making it again?' I kept saying, 'It was 12 years ago.' I deliberately didn't watch the film again and decided not to think about Emma Thompson. Because you would go mad. It would distort your work. I thought, it'll be original by virtue of the fact that it's me doing it and there is only one me."
Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World
Saturday, July 25
Final Miss Marple Mystery on PBS on Sunday
Missed Elliot Cowan's performance as Wally Hudd in "They Do it With Mirrors"? You can watch the episode online until August 2 if you live in the U.S. or see images of Elliot here on Elliot Cowan Picspam. The last installment of the series, "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" will be shown tomorrow night, July 29th. Read the review on Jane Austen's World.
If you recall, Elliot played a yummy Mr. Darcy in Lost in Austen.
Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World
Marriage to Mr. Darcy
After fourteen years of marriage to Mr. Darcy, Lizzy's still dancing on the furniture and swinging for joy.
Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World
Mr. Darcy, Vampyre
Marriage to Mr. Darcy might not be what Lizzy anticipated in Amanda Grange's Mr. Darcy, Vampyre, coming out in mid-August by Source Books.
Original images: Worth 1000
Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World
Original images: Worth 1000
Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World
Friday, July 24
Firth-o-rama Friday on Twitter
Calling all Collin Firth fans. Join the Firth-o-rama Friday on Twitter. Today July 24th, each hour starting at 7:00 am through 6:00 pm eastern time (US), there will be a new tweet with links to great Firth videos and stuff on the web. Just sign on to your Twitter account and put #FirthFriday in the search field, or follow this link to Laurel Ann's Twitter account. So much fun Firthyness that you'll think its Saturday already.Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose
Update
Real-time results for Firth-o-rama Friday can be viewed at this link to #firthfriday on Twitter. Thanks to all who participated. It was great fun.
Emma Cooks
In this 8-minute video, Gwynneth Paltrow discusses her love of cooking and shows you how to cook a roast chicken, potatoes and a farmer's market salad.
Thursday, July 23
The Jane Austen House Museum Gets a Grand Make-over
The Jane Austen House Museum at Chawton in Hampshire has under gone a big renovation in honor of the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's move to the village. A grand re-opening was celebrated by the community on July 5th. Visitors will now see a newly renovated interior, restoration of the Austen kitchen and a new learning center which features an audio-visual presentation of the life of Jane Austen, her family and her works.
Austen lived at Chawton Cottage from 1809-1817, and all of her six major novels were either revised or written there. You can read further about how this special home inspired her to continue writing after a ten year lapse, and its significance to Janeites at The Jane Austen House Museum Celebrates 200th Anniversary of the Author's Arrival at Chawton at Austenprose.
Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose
Austen lived at Chawton Cottage from 1809-1817, and all of her six major novels were either revised or written there. You can read further about how this special home inspired her to continue writing after a ten year lapse, and its significance to Janeites at The Jane Austen House Museum Celebrates 200th Anniversary of the Author's Arrival at Chawton at Austenprose.
Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose
Seen on the Blogosphere
Whenever the travel bug hits me and my pockets are flat, I turn to the web. This month especially I had an urge to visit Bath. First stop? Flickr.
Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World
Philip Sheppard, who wrote Crystallised Beauty (second choice down), the song that played in the background as the Jane Austen season was advertised last year, is rapidly becoming one of my favorite composers. He's posted a new track for piano and cello orchestra on his site. Click here to listen to a beautiful track entitled "Not Coming Back."
Only one week left to leave your comment for a chance to win 10 Georgette Heyer books from Source Books or a chance to win a copy of The Grand Sophy. Click here to enter the contest.
Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World
Can You Stand It? Another Book Giveaway: The Plight of the Darcy Brothers
Inquiring readers, This July we have been offering a cornucopia of Austenesque book reviews and book giveaways. Not only are we celebrating The Grand Sophy month by giving away 15 Georgette Heyer books (contest is open until July 31), but we have already given away copies of The Secret Diary of Charlotte Bronte by Syrie James and Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler.We are announcing ANOTHER GIVEAWAY. You have a week to leave a comment to win a copy of Marsha Altman's new book, The Plight of the Darcy Brothers, which will become available in bookstores in August. Darcy and Elizabeth set off for the Continent in yet another attempt to clear one of the Bennet sister’s reputations (this time it’s Mary). But their journey leads them to discover that the Darcy family has even deeper, darker secrets to hide…
Meanwhile, back at Pemberley, the Bingleys try to manage two unruly toddlers; Caroline Bingley’s husband has a wild encounter with King George himself, and the ever-dastardly George Wickham arrives, determined to seize the Darcy fortune once and for all. Full of surprises, this lively Pride and Prejudice sequel plunges the Darcys and Bingleys into a most delightful adventure!
Meanwhile, back at Pemberley, the Bingleys try to manage two unruly toddlers; Caroline Bingley’s husband has a wild encounter with King George himself, and the ever-dastardly George Wickham arrives, determined to seize the Darcy fortune once and for all. Full of surprises, this lively Pride and Prejudice sequel plunges the Darcys and Bingleys into a most delightful adventure!
To learn more about the novel, issued by Source Books, we asked Marsha a few questions about her new novel, and she graciously sent us her answers:
What was your inspiration to write the series?
What part do you like the most or think is of interest to readers?
What was your inspiration to write the series?
I started the first story, then had more ideas, so I kept going. The idea of a “series” really didn’t take shape until several books in, when I considered at what point the story should come to its conclusion and how much material I thought I had in me. Fan fiction – and I will not hesitate to call this entire Austen sequel business fan fiction – is about the desire to do more with the characters than the original source material did. The story in the first half of book 1 accomplished my goal of playing around with the Austen characters, but then I realized there was more to do. I wanted to give Caroline Bingley some sympathy (and a husband). I also decided to do something with Mary Bennet, though I wanted to do something more interesting than “she meets a nice guy and marries him after some period of trepidation.” So I created a huge scandal, but I had to come up with an interesting reason for the journey to find her suitor. This gave me an excuse to delve into Darcy's family history that was not buried in England and that Darcy did not know about. When you read the book you can see how things build on themselves. It’s hard for me to get to a point where I know that I’m “done,” though I definitely know when it happens.
What part do you like the most or think is of interest to readers?
My experience with readers in online drafts and actual publication for the first book has been that the readers and I can disagree on what is the “best” segment/plotline/theme, but as long as we’re both satisfied then I think I’ve done my job. So there’s a little of everything in my new book. My particular interest is in doing things that haven’t been done before in other Pride and Prejudice sequels, or that have been done very rarely. In my first book, Darcy was shot, and I described a kilted highlander swinging from a chandelier (always fun). In the second book, I feature a French monk and a scandal involving the Prince of Wales (he is not yet Prince Regent). I also expand more about the Darcy family's past. Hopefully people will like the story line, especially since Darcy and Elizabeth save the day together.
Marsha Altman is the author of The Plight of the Darcy Brothers, a sequel to The Darcys and the Bingleys, which is a sequel to Pride and Prejudice. This is book 2 in a series; book 3 (Mr. Darcy’s Great Escape) is due out in Feb 2010. Order The Plight of the Darcy Brothers at this link. Enter Marsha Altman's website here.
Deadline for Book Giveaway: July 31. Please leave a comment about Fitzwilliam Darcy's and Elizabeth Bennet's growing love for each other in Pride and Prejudice. Sadly for our foreign friends, only those who live in the U.S. and Canada are eligible to win.
Follow the grand unveiling of Marsha's book in blogs around the blogosphere:
July 24: Fresh Fiction
July 28 J. Kaye’s Book Blog
July 29: This Book For Free
July 30: Debbie’s World
July 31: Grace’s Book Blog
August 3: Jenny Loves to Read
August 4: Stephanie’s Written World
August 5: A Bibliophile’s Bookshelf
August 10: Everything Victorian
August 12: A Curious Statistical Anomaly - Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World
Follow the grand unveiling of Marsha's book in blogs around the blogosphere:
July 24: Fresh Fiction
July 28 J. Kaye’s Book Blog
July 29: This Book For Free
July 30: Debbie’s World
July 31: Grace’s Book Blog
August 3: Jenny Loves to Read
August 4: Stephanie’s Written World
August 5: A Bibliophile’s Bookshelf
August 10: Everything Victorian
August 12: A Curious Statistical Anomaly - Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World
Wednesday, July 22
Winner announced in the giveaway of a copy of Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict
Congratulations go out to Laura's Reviews. You are the lucky winner of a signed copy of Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict, by Laurie Viera Rigler. Please contact us by July 28th to claim your prize at janeaustentoday at yahoo dot com.A big thank you to author Laurie Viera Rigler for her interview and answers to our readers questions. The turn-out was great, and our thanks to you all for participating.
- Read the original interview of author Laurie Viera Rigler
- Visit Laurie at her website and blog Jane Austen Addict
- Read Vic's review of Rude Awakenings
- Read Laurel's review of Rude Awakenings
Cheers, Vic & Laurel Ann
Tuesday, July 21
Seen on the Blogosphere
Bath Daily Photo Blog is back! Same wonderful city but different photographers (Tom and Emma Dawson). The old Bath Daily Photo with James Russielo gave us a splendid year of images. This one seems equal to the task, as you can see of this photo of Pulteney Bridge.Want a handsome man to read Pride and Prejudice to you? During a Carte Noir moment, Dominic West reads the scene in which Mr. Darcy proposes to Elizabeth and rouses her resentment by avowing that which he had felt and long felt.
Meanwhile, the deadline for winning Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict is tonight. Contest rules sit in the side bar.
Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World
Monday, July 20
Georgette Heyer Continues to Inspire New Authors: The Grand Sophy Guest Blog with Romance Author Mary Margret Daughtridge
Gentle Readers: The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer was re-released on July 1st by Sourcebooks. Joining us today is romance author Mary Margret Daughtridge who will chat about how Regency romance author Georgette Heyer continues to inspire her writing of contemporary romances today.
A SEAL contemporary might seem like a far cry from a Georgette Heyer Regency, but it was Georgette Heyer who single-handedly converted me to romance--more years ago than I care to admit to. I would reread her books until the pages were soft and frayed and falling out, and then go buy a new one. Unfortunately, they were out of print in the eighties and nineties, so a "new" one could only be found in a used bookstore. Even after all these years, I would have to say Heyer's is the strongest influence on my writing. Just the other day I was thinking about how Sophy shoots one of the other characters with the best of intentions -- and with very good results.
Heyer is always aware that a story is about people, not the plot. She creates humor not by contrived situations but by letting characters reveal themselves, and as a result it never goes stale. I can (and have) reread her books over and over and laugh every time.
In fact, one of the funniest scenes I ever read happens in The Grand Sophy when the hero complains that Sophy has compared his fiancée to a horse. He counters that he considers his fiancée’s countenance particularly well-bred. “Oh,” she reassures him, “I meant a particularly well-bred horse!”
As the argument becomes more and more ridiculous, he sees for himself how narrow-minded he has become, which provides the opening for a change of heart.
I'm so thrilled Sourcebooks is reissuing Heyer, and letting a new generation of romance fans and writers discover her.
The Grand Sophy is one of her best.
Thank you Mary Margret for sharing your appreciation of this great author with us today.
Author Bio
Mary Margret Daughtridge is the author of the SEAL Series: SEALed with a Kiss (April 2008) and SEALed with a Promise (April 2009), contemporary romance novels featuring stories of Navy SEALS, hard men with soft hearts, published by Sourcebooks Casablanca. She has been a grade school teacher, speech therapist, family educator, biofeedback therapist, and Transpersonal Hypnotherapist. She is a member of Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Romance Writers of America, and Romancing the Military Soul, and is a sought-after judge in writing contests. She resides in North Carolina. You can visit Mary Margret at her website and read excerts of her novels.
Enter a chance to win one of five copies of The Grand Sophy and a set of ten Georgette Heyer novels from Sourcebooks. Don’t delay. The contest ends July 31st.
Read Vic's review of The Grand Sophy at Jane Austen's World
A SEAL contemporary might seem like a far cry from a Georgette Heyer Regency, but it was Georgette Heyer who single-handedly converted me to romance--more years ago than I care to admit to. I would reread her books until the pages were soft and frayed and falling out, and then go buy a new one. Unfortunately, they were out of print in the eighties and nineties, so a "new" one could only be found in a used bookstore. Even after all these years, I would have to say Heyer's is the strongest influence on my writing. Just the other day I was thinking about how Sophy shoots one of the other characters with the best of intentions -- and with very good results.Heyer is always aware that a story is about people, not the plot. She creates humor not by contrived situations but by letting characters reveal themselves, and as a result it never goes stale. I can (and have) reread her books over and over and laugh every time.
In fact, one of the funniest scenes I ever read happens in The Grand Sophy when the hero complains that Sophy has compared his fiancée to a horse. He counters that he considers his fiancée’s countenance particularly well-bred. “Oh,” she reassures him, “I meant a particularly well-bred horse!”
As the argument becomes more and more ridiculous, he sees for himself how narrow-minded he has become, which provides the opening for a change of heart.
I'm so thrilled Sourcebooks is reissuing Heyer, and letting a new generation of romance fans and writers discover her.
The Grand Sophy is one of her best.
Thank you Mary Margret for sharing your appreciation of this great author with us today.
Author Bio
Mary Margret Daughtridge is the author of the SEAL Series: SEALed with a Kiss (April 2008) and SEALed with a Promise (April 2009), contemporary romance novels featuring stories of Navy SEALS, hard men with soft hearts, published by Sourcebooks Casablanca. She has been a grade school teacher, speech therapist, family educator, biofeedback therapist, and Transpersonal Hypnotherapist. She is a member of Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Romance Writers of America, and Romancing the Military Soul, and is a sought-after judge in writing contests. She resides in North Carolina. You can visit Mary Margret at her website and read excerts of her novels.
Enter a chance to win one of five copies of The Grand Sophy and a set of ten Georgette Heyer novels from Sourcebooks. Don’t delay. The contest ends July 31st.Read Vic's review of The Grand Sophy at Jane Austen's World
Book Giveaway Reminder
Gentle Readers, Tomorrow is the deadline to leave a comment for a chance to win Laurie Viera Rigler's Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict. You've read our reviews (see sidebar), now read for yourselves! Click here for details & to enter the contest.The FABULOUS Georgette Heyer book giveaway contest will stay open until July 31st. One lucky winner will receive 10 Georgette Heyer books, and 5 lucky winners will receive their very own copy of The Grand Sophy. How outstanding is that? Click here to leave your comment.
Sunday, July 19
Jane Austen Movie Throwdown
This weekend marks the sad anniversary of Jane Austen's death 192 years ago: which movie about her life do you prefer? The wildly romantic and inaccurate Becoming Jane or the more somber, speculative Miss Austen Regrets?
Miss Austen Regrets: (From PBS Masterpiece Classic): Based on the life and letters of Jane Austen (Olivia Williams), Miss Austen Regrets tells the story of the novelist's final years, examining why, despite setting the standard for romantic fiction, she died having never married or met her own Mr. Darcy.
Becoming Jane: (From Wikipedia): Becoming Jane is a 2007 historical film inspired by the early life of author Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway), and her posited relationship with Thomas Langlois Lefroy (James McAvoy). The film was produced in cooperation with several companies, including BBC Films and the Irish Film Board.
I Prefer This Film of Jane Austen's Life
Miss Austen Regrets: (From PBS Masterpiece Classic): Based on the life and letters of Jane Austen (Olivia Williams), Miss Austen Regrets tells the story of the novelist's final years, examining why, despite setting the standard for romantic fiction, she died having never married or met her own Mr. Darcy.
Becoming Jane: (From Wikipedia): Becoming Jane is a 2007 historical film inspired by the early life of author Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway), and her posited relationship with Thomas Langlois Lefroy (James McAvoy). The film was produced in cooperation with several companies, including BBC Films and the Irish Film Board.Saturday, July 18
Jane Austen Needlework Book Covers by Leigh-Anne Mullock
It is fitting to showcase these bookcovers on the anniverary of Jane Austen's death. One can imagine a Regency miss working assiduously on her needlework to create these protective gems.
RIP Jane Austen
Today is the 192nd anniversary of Jane Austen's death. Night, a poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), sums up our sadness at a life cut down too soon. Below are additional posts about Jane's final days on Austenprose and Jane Austen Today, and other blogs.Night
SWIFTLY walk o'er the western wave,
Spirit of Night!
Out of the misty eastern cave,-
Where, all the long and lone daylight,
Thou wovest dreams of joy and fear
Which make thee terrible and dear,-
Swift be thy flight!
Wrap thy form in a mantle grey,
Star-inwrought!
Blind with thine hair the eyes of Day;
Kiss her until she be wearied out.
Then wander o'er city and sea and land,
Touching all with thine opiate wand-
Come, long-sought!
When I arose and saw the dawn,
I sigh'd for thee;
When light rode high, and the dew was gone,
And noon lay heavy on flower and tree,
And the weary Day turn'd to his rest,
Lingering like an unloved guest,
I sigh'd for thee.
Thy brother Death came, and cried,
'Wouldst thou me?'
Thy sweet child Sleep, the filmy-eyed,
Murmur'd like a noontide bee,
'Shall I nestle near thy side?
Wouldst thou me?'-And I replied,
'No, not thee!'
Death will come when thou art dead,
Soon, too soon-
Sleep will come when thou art fled.
Of neither would I ask the boon
I ask of thee, belovèd Night-
Swift be thine approaching flight,
Come soon, soon!
Blog Posts About Jane Austen's Last Illness & Days
- Reflection Upon the Death of Jane Austen and Civility
- Jane Austen's Legacy: Precious Bits of Ivory Turned into Monsters
- Jane Austen's Last Days
- Jane Austen's Final Hours
- In Memoriam Jane Austen
- On the Anniverary of Jane's Death
- Austen Obituaries
- Jane Austen's Will
Images: Jane's grave in Winchester, Lock of Jane's hair shaped in a weeping willow pattern, and Mourning Dress, 1811.
Friday, July 17
Are You Crafty? Create Your Own Pineapple Shaped Reticule
Gentle Readers, Isabel G sent this link to a PDF document that provides explicit instructions for creating a pineapple-shaped reticule. The image on the right is of a costume at the Kyoto Costume Institute in which the mannequin is holding a regency era pineapple reticule, and the image on the left is of a similar reticule that you can make.
If I might add only one critique: I'd choose the softer pineapple yellow of the Regency era than the more garish banana yellow in the image depicted at left.
Posts about reticules on Jane Austen's World
Has Quirk Classics Gone Too Far? Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters
The follow-up to Quirk Books' best seller, 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' is ... Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. The book expands the original text of the beloved Jane Austen novel with all-new scenes of giant lobsters, rampaging octopi, two-headed sea serpents, and other biological monstrosities. As the story opens, the Dashwood sisters are evicted from their childhood home and sent to live on a mysterious island full of savage creatures and dark secrets. While sensible Elinor falls in love with Edward Ferrars, her romantic sister Marianne is courted by both the handsome Willoughby and the hideous man-monster Colonel Brandon.Can the Dashwood sisters triumph over meddlesome matriarchs and unscrupulous rogues to find true love? Or will they fall prey to the tentacles that are forever snapping at their heels? This creative portrait of Regency England blends Jane Austen’s biting social commentary with ultraviolent depictions of sea monsters biting. It’s survival of the fittest-and only the swiftest swimmers will find true love! (Irreference)
Ben H. Winters, the coauthor of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (Jane Austen is the primary author) is a writer based in Brooklyn. The book will be in stores on 9/15/09. For more information, visit this link: www.quirkclassics.com. Video written and directed by Ransom Riggs, and stars Martin Roe and Michelle Page. Grand Central Press will soon publish Seth Grahame-Smith's "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
So, gentle reader, please give us your opinions. Has Quirk Classics gone too far? Or is this all a lark and just in fun? Here are our opinions:
Wednesday, July 15
Book Give-away & Interview with Laurie Viera Rigler, Author of Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict
Gentle Readers: Austen-esque author Laurie Viera Rigler’s new book Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict was just released in June by Dutton. Please join us for an interview as Laurie chats about her highly anticipated new novel.
Thanks for joining us today Laurie. Your bestselling debut novel Confession of a Jane Austen Addict received rave reviews from critics and fans. Your second novel Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict is a mirror story to Confessions. What was your inspiration in developing Jane/Courtney’s story, and how were influenced by your first novel?
First may I say how happy I am to be here on Jane Austen Today, which is one of my favorite blogs? Thanks for inviting me!
When I was writing Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, I knew that if my twenty-first-century protagonist, Courtney Stone, was taking over the life of Jane, a nineteenth-century gentleman's daughter in Regency England, then Jane had to be taking over Courtney's life in twenty-first-century L.A. I thought about including that mirror story in the first book, but it just didn't work—Jane's journey in the modern world was a very different journey, and I knew it had to be its own book.
As for how the first novel influenced me, I was pretty sure how Rude Awakenings would end (that is, who Jane would end up with), but I had absolutely no idea how she would get to that point. For me, not knowing is the most fun part of writing—I have no idea what's going to happen next, and how the story unfolds is a constant surprise.
Time travel is an important element in your story requiring readers to “suspend disbelief” and just go with the story as the two characters, Jane Mansfield from 1813 and Courtney Stone from 2009, swap bodies, and lives. Have you always been a fan of time travel, or did you embark on this writing journey because of your "vision" of that four poster bed as you stood in your kitchen? What plot elements of time travel did you use to make Jane's/Courtney's experiences more believable?
I've long been fascinated with the idea of time travel—is there anyone who hasn't fantasized about traveling to another time and place? And is there any Janeite who hasn't wished to go to Regency England?
What particularly fascinates me are the "many worlds" or "parallel worlds" theories of quantum physics in nonfiction works by such visionaries as physicists Brian Greene and Michio Kaku. And in fiction I love the work of novelist David Ambrose, who wrote "The Man Who Turned Into Himself" and "Superstition," two books that will definitely twist your mind into pretzels!
I think of my stories more as tales of parallel realities rather than time travel stories per se. But then again, that view is really a matter of reader's perspective. I didn't consciously make use of any of the conventions of time travel literature in my stories. For me what makes any story believable is my own willingness to believe in it—as the writer I make that leap of faith, and as the reader as well.
The bottom line is that it really was my vision of Courtney awakening in that four-poster bed in Regency England that started me on the journey of writing Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, and consequently Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict.
When you wrote Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict did you also have the idea of writing a mirror story for Regency heroine Jane Mansfield time traveling into Courtney Stone’s technology infused world of 2009? How did you decide which plot elements were best to flesh out Jane's/Courtney's new life? Like dancing, modern courtship rituals, or taking a car vs. a carriage.
When I was writing Confessions I realized that Jane's mirror story had to be its own book. I had no idea how the plot was going to unfold, because I don't work from an outline, but I did make a list of what I thought would be most jarring about our twenty-first-century world to a gentleman's daughter from Regency England, and a lot of that list did find its way into the book. Certainly modern courtship rituals and so-called sexual freedom were high up on that list, because I thought these aspects of contemporary life would be even more challenging for Jane to adjust to than mere technology.
Research was obviously an important element in developing a believable and accurate experience for your heroines during both eras in each of the novels. What resources did you use to inspire your historical and modern interpretations? Did you unearth any surprise discoveries or revelations that inspired your plots or characters?
Even before I started writing my first novel, Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, I was an avid reader and collector of books and articles about Jane Austen's world. Although Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict is almost wholly set in twenty-first-century Los Angeles, it's written from the first-person point of view of a lady from 1813 England, and thus my research of her time had to be extensive. All the work I put into researching the first book, which takes place almost entirely in Regency England, really paid off, but the research didn't end there. One of my most frequently consulted resources in writing Rude Awakenings, aside from Jane Austen's own texts, was my online subscription to the Oxford English Dictionary, because my protagonist's language, both spoken and inner monologue, had to be authentic to the period. It also had to have an arc as she becomes more familiar with, and indeed begins to access from Courtney's memories, the modern lexicon. I got so deeply immersed in the language that I created my own mini-glossary of words that I used in the novel, along with a notation as to whether they had the same meaning then as they do now, and if not, what they did mean. What surprised me was how many commonplace words we use in our modern world that either were not used at all in Jane Austen's day, or had a different shade of meaning.
Jane Austen has obviously inspired your writing life. She chose to write about what she knew, “two or three families in a country village.” Were you influenced by her simple scope and emphasis on character development? Aside from inspiring two books, how has she influenced your own world? Are you indeed the biggest Austen addict of us all?
I could never presume to be the biggest Austen addict of us all, but I can say that I don't see myself giving up Jane Austen any time soon. She is an endless source of wisdom, comfort, and entertainment in my life, which is why being an Austen addict is one of the healthiest addictions I can think of. I get something new out of reading Austen every time I close one of her books. I learn something new about myself, about the people in my life, about human nature and all its beauty and flaws and potential for greatness, about the human heart and its capacity for love and growth and change. That is how Jane Austen has influenced my world, aside from inspiring me to write both of my novels. For that, and for all of her delightfully entertaining stories and enduring words of wisdom, I will always be grateful.
In conclusion, now that you have charmed us with Jane and Courtney’s stories, can you share any future plans for books? Will you stay with the Jane Austen theme, or venture abroad?
Although plans for my next novel are in too early a stage to talk about just yet, I hope that what I love best about Jane Austen will always inform and inspire my writing.
Thank you again Laurie for joining us today. Both Vic & I had a great time reading Rude Awakenings, and wish you all the best with your new novel.
Contest Now Closed: Win a signed copy of Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict personally inscribed to you by author Laurie Viera Rigler. Just post a comment asking Laurie about her writing experience or tell us what you think would be the biggest challenge for a Regency era woman in our 21st-century world. The contest is open to continental US residents only and will end on midnight eastern time Tuesday, July 21st. A winner will be drawn and announced on Wednesday, July 22nd.
Read Vic’s review of Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict at Jane Austen’s World
Read Laurel Ann’s review of Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict at Austenprose
Purchase Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict, by Laurie Viera Rigler
Thanks for joining us today Laurie. Your bestselling debut novel Confession of a Jane Austen Addict received rave reviews from critics and fans. Your second novel Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict is a mirror story to Confessions. What was your inspiration in developing Jane/Courtney’s story, and how were influenced by your first novel?First may I say how happy I am to be here on Jane Austen Today, which is one of my favorite blogs? Thanks for inviting me!
When I was writing Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, I knew that if my twenty-first-century protagonist, Courtney Stone, was taking over the life of Jane, a nineteenth-century gentleman's daughter in Regency England, then Jane had to be taking over Courtney's life in twenty-first-century L.A. I thought about including that mirror story in the first book, but it just didn't work—Jane's journey in the modern world was a very different journey, and I knew it had to be its own book.
As for how the first novel influenced me, I was pretty sure how Rude Awakenings would end (that is, who Jane would end up with), but I had absolutely no idea how she would get to that point. For me, not knowing is the most fun part of writing—I have no idea what's going to happen next, and how the story unfolds is a constant surprise.
Time travel is an important element in your story requiring readers to “suspend disbelief” and just go with the story as the two characters, Jane Mansfield from 1813 and Courtney Stone from 2009, swap bodies, and lives. Have you always been a fan of time travel, or did you embark on this writing journey because of your "vision" of that four poster bed as you stood in your kitchen? What plot elements of time travel did you use to make Jane's/Courtney's experiences more believable?
I've long been fascinated with the idea of time travel—is there anyone who hasn't fantasized about traveling to another time and place? And is there any Janeite who hasn't wished to go to Regency England?
What particularly fascinates me are the "many worlds" or "parallel worlds" theories of quantum physics in nonfiction works by such visionaries as physicists Brian Greene and Michio Kaku. And in fiction I love the work of novelist David Ambrose, who wrote "The Man Who Turned Into Himself" and "Superstition," two books that will definitely twist your mind into pretzels!
I think of my stories more as tales of parallel realities rather than time travel stories per se. But then again, that view is really a matter of reader's perspective. I didn't consciously make use of any of the conventions of time travel literature in my stories. For me what makes any story believable is my own willingness to believe in it—as the writer I make that leap of faith, and as the reader as well.
The bottom line is that it really was my vision of Courtney awakening in that four-poster bed in Regency England that started me on the journey of writing Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, and consequently Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict.
When you wrote Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict did you also have the idea of writing a mirror story for Regency heroine Jane Mansfield time traveling into Courtney Stone’s technology infused world of 2009? How did you decide which plot elements were best to flesh out Jane's/Courtney's new life? Like dancing, modern courtship rituals, or taking a car vs. a carriage.
When I was writing Confessions I realized that Jane's mirror story had to be its own book. I had no idea how the plot was going to unfold, because I don't work from an outline, but I did make a list of what I thought would be most jarring about our twenty-first-century world to a gentleman's daughter from Regency England, and a lot of that list did find its way into the book. Certainly modern courtship rituals and so-called sexual freedom were high up on that list, because I thought these aspects of contemporary life would be even more challenging for Jane to adjust to than mere technology.
Research was obviously an important element in developing a believable and accurate experience for your heroines during both eras in each of the novels. What resources did you use to inspire your historical and modern interpretations? Did you unearth any surprise discoveries or revelations that inspired your plots or characters?
Even before I started writing my first novel, Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, I was an avid reader and collector of books and articles about Jane Austen's world. Although Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict is almost wholly set in twenty-first-century Los Angeles, it's written from the first-person point of view of a lady from 1813 England, and thus my research of her time had to be extensive. All the work I put into researching the first book, which takes place almost entirely in Regency England, really paid off, but the research didn't end there. One of my most frequently consulted resources in writing Rude Awakenings, aside from Jane Austen's own texts, was my online subscription to the Oxford English Dictionary, because my protagonist's language, both spoken and inner monologue, had to be authentic to the period. It also had to have an arc as she becomes more familiar with, and indeed begins to access from Courtney's memories, the modern lexicon. I got so deeply immersed in the language that I created my own mini-glossary of words that I used in the novel, along with a notation as to whether they had the same meaning then as they do now, and if not, what they did mean. What surprised me was how many commonplace words we use in our modern world that either were not used at all in Jane Austen's day, or had a different shade of meaning.
Jane Austen has obviously inspired your writing life. She chose to write about what she knew, “two or three families in a country village.” Were you influenced by her simple scope and emphasis on character development? Aside from inspiring two books, how has she influenced your own world? Are you indeed the biggest Austen addict of us all?
I could never presume to be the biggest Austen addict of us all, but I can say that I don't see myself giving up Jane Austen any time soon. She is an endless source of wisdom, comfort, and entertainment in my life, which is why being an Austen addict is one of the healthiest addictions I can think of. I get something new out of reading Austen every time I close one of her books. I learn something new about myself, about the people in my life, about human nature and all its beauty and flaws and potential for greatness, about the human heart and its capacity for love and growth and change. That is how Jane Austen has influenced my world, aside from inspiring me to write both of my novels. For that, and for all of her delightfully entertaining stories and enduring words of wisdom, I will always be grateful.
In conclusion, now that you have charmed us with Jane and Courtney’s stories, can you share any future plans for books? Will you stay with the Jane Austen theme, or venture abroad?
Although plans for my next novel are in too early a stage to talk about just yet, I hope that what I love best about Jane Austen will always inform and inspire my writing.
Thank you again Laurie for joining us today. Both Vic & I had a great time reading Rude Awakenings, and wish you all the best with your new novel.
Contest Now Closed: Win a signed copy of Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict personally inscribed to you by author Laurie Viera Rigler. Just post a comment asking Laurie about her writing experience or tell us what you think would be the biggest challenge for a Regency era woman in our 21st-century world. The contest is open to continental US residents only and will end on midnight eastern time Tuesday, July 21st. A winner will be drawn and announced on Wednesday, July 22nd.Read Vic’s review of Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict at Jane Austen’s World
Read Laurel Ann’s review of Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict at Austenprose
Purchase Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict, by Laurie Viera Rigler
Tuesday, July 14
Winner of Syrie James's The Secret Diary of Charlotte Bronte
Update! WINNER! Congratulations, Deleilan, please email janeaustensworld[at]gmail[dot]com with your address. We want to thank every person who left a comment for entering this contest on 3 separate posts.Midnight EST US is the deadline today for winning a copy of Syrie James's fabulous new novel. Please leave a comment at this link!
Contest is open to those who live in the U.S. and Canada. - Vic, Jane Austen's World
Monday, July 13
Little Sophy Strikes Again: The Grand Sophy Guest Blog with Author Monica Fairview
Gentle Readers: The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer was re-released on July 1st by Sourcebooks. Joining us today is Regency Romance author Monica Fairview who will chat about one of Heyer’s most famous heroines, Sophy Stanton-Lacy, who she feels is “one of the most memorable and colourful characters in modern literature.”
Little Sophy Strikes Again:
No, it isn’t a children’s book. It’s Georgette Heyer’s delightful heroine, “dear little Sophia” who sweeps through The Grand Sophy and brings chaos to the very ordered world ruled by Charles Rivenhall. Sophy, of course, is not little, and the discovery that she is a tall, very self-possessed, independent woman is the beginning of the disorder that threatens everything that everyone has taken for granted so far.
This is only one example of Georgette Heyer’s amazing craft. Because once she has introduced the idea of Sophy as a child, there is some level at which we respond to her as if she is. What’s delightful about The Grand Sophy is that it appeals to the mischievous child in us as much as it appeals to our adult romantic side. It’s about things a child would delight in; about stuffy adults screeching at the sight of a monkey, about parrots using the language of “horrid rough sailors”, about breaking all the rules and getting away with it. It’s about defying authority – whether that of the overly dutiful Charles Rivenhall or of his fiancée Miss Eugenia Wraxton.
Only Sophy isn’t a child. She’s a brilliantly intelligent young lady who knows very well how to bend social rules and use them to her advantage. But since she also has a streak of the heroic, she does not bend the rules for her own selfish end, but to set right what she perceives is wrong in the world around her. As one of the characters says, “Do they tread blindly towards their doom, Sophy, or did they willing receive a firebrand into their midst?”
At the hands of a lesser writer, Sophy could have been an annoyingly managing female. In this she has something in common with Jane Austen’s Emma, who is also convinced she knows what is best for everyone. Just as Emma sets out to arrange everyone’s lives – especially their marital prospects, Sophy, too, proceeds on the assumption that she had better rearrange everyone’s lives. But the two writers approach the same kind of character from completely different angles.
Heyer did not intend her heroine to be fallible. The title really says it all. She is the Grand Sophy, a figure bigger than life. It’s a swashbuckling romance, with a heroine who rides through it with her pistols and rescues everyone from unquestionable misery. And as an audience watching the action unfold, we cheer Sophy on, hoping that she will succeed in her goals. Unlike Emma, who muddles her way through, and who bases all her plans on mistaken assumptions, the Grand Sophy, versed in military tactics, launches her attack and never wavers from it for a moment. Again, it is no coincidence that a pistol features in three very crucial scenes, all of them revealing her unwavering determination and “iron composure.”
It’s very unfortunate that one of the three scenes featuring a pistol demonstrates racist stereotyping of the most blatant kind (it certainly made this reader squirm) in the case of the money lender. Particularly when Heyer succeeds in breaking down stereotypes of women by having Sophy refuse to fit into any of them. And she does avoid stereotyping very neatly in the case of the Spanish Marquessa, Sancia, who, despite being lethargic and prone to inviting her guests to take a siesta, is a well-rounded character, and is one of my favourite secondary characters in a cast that is quite extensive.
Ultimately, the irrepressible Sophia rises above the faults of the novel and brings us one of the most memorable and colourful characters in modern literature. There really is no one quite like the Grand Sophy, and if she has brought into being a whole genre of Regency romance full of “feisty” heroines, still, they cannot compare. For, as Sancia sums it up, “One does not know what next she will do, or, which is worse by far, what she will make one do that one does not wish at all.”
Thank you Monica for your lovely tribute to a most worthy young lady. I too have fallen for Sophy and enjoyed the book greatly.
Author Bio
Monica Fairview’s fascination of the Regency period was inspired by the novels of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. A former literature professor, she now writes Regency Romances. Her first novel An Improper Suitor was released in 2008 to much acclaim. Her new novel The Other Mr. Darcy has just been released in the UK, and will also be issued in an American edition in October by Sourcebooks. You can visit Monica at her blog and website for further information on her novels and read chapter excerpts. She also contributes to the blog Historical Romance UK and tweets regularly on Twitter.
Enter a chance to win one of five copies of The Grand Sophy and a set of ten Georgette Heyer novels from Sourcebooks. Contest ends July 31st.
Read Vic's review of The Grand Sophy at Jane Austen's World
Read Laurel Ann's review of The Grand Sophy at Austenprose
Little Sophy Strikes Again:No, it isn’t a children’s book. It’s Georgette Heyer’s delightful heroine, “dear little Sophia” who sweeps through The Grand Sophy and brings chaos to the very ordered world ruled by Charles Rivenhall. Sophy, of course, is not little, and the discovery that she is a tall, very self-possessed, independent woman is the beginning of the disorder that threatens everything that everyone has taken for granted so far.
This is only one example of Georgette Heyer’s amazing craft. Because once she has introduced the idea of Sophy as a child, there is some level at which we respond to her as if she is. What’s delightful about The Grand Sophy is that it appeals to the mischievous child in us as much as it appeals to our adult romantic side. It’s about things a child would delight in; about stuffy adults screeching at the sight of a monkey, about parrots using the language of “horrid rough sailors”, about breaking all the rules and getting away with it. It’s about defying authority – whether that of the overly dutiful Charles Rivenhall or of his fiancée Miss Eugenia Wraxton.Only Sophy isn’t a child. She’s a brilliantly intelligent young lady who knows very well how to bend social rules and use them to her advantage. But since she also has a streak of the heroic, she does not bend the rules for her own selfish end, but to set right what she perceives is wrong in the world around her. As one of the characters says, “Do they tread blindly towards their doom, Sophy, or did they willing receive a firebrand into their midst?”
At the hands of a lesser writer, Sophy could have been an annoyingly managing female. In this she has something in common with Jane Austen’s Emma, who is also convinced she knows what is best for everyone. Just as Emma sets out to arrange everyone’s lives – especially their marital prospects, Sophy, too, proceeds on the assumption that she had better rearrange everyone’s lives. But the two writers approach the same kind of character from completely different angles.
Heyer did not intend her heroine to be fallible. The title really says it all. She is the Grand Sophy, a figure bigger than life. It’s a swashbuckling romance, with a heroine who rides through it with her pistols and rescues everyone from unquestionable misery. And as an audience watching the action unfold, we cheer Sophy on, hoping that she will succeed in her goals. Unlike Emma, who muddles her way through, and who bases all her plans on mistaken assumptions, the Grand Sophy, versed in military tactics, launches her attack and never wavers from it for a moment. Again, it is no coincidence that a pistol features in three very crucial scenes, all of them revealing her unwavering determination and “iron composure.”It’s very unfortunate that one of the three scenes featuring a pistol demonstrates racist stereotyping of the most blatant kind (it certainly made this reader squirm) in the case of the money lender. Particularly when Heyer succeeds in breaking down stereotypes of women by having Sophy refuse to fit into any of them. And she does avoid stereotyping very neatly in the case of the Spanish Marquessa, Sancia, who, despite being lethargic and prone to inviting her guests to take a siesta, is a well-rounded character, and is one of my favourite secondary characters in a cast that is quite extensive.
Ultimately, the irrepressible Sophia rises above the faults of the novel and brings us one of the most memorable and colourful characters in modern literature. There really is no one quite like the Grand Sophy, and if she has brought into being a whole genre of Regency romance full of “feisty” heroines, still, they cannot compare. For, as Sancia sums it up, “One does not know what next she will do, or, which is worse by far, what she will make one do that one does not wish at all.”
Thank you Monica for your lovely tribute to a most worthy young lady. I too have fallen for Sophy and enjoyed the book greatly.
Author Bio
Monica Fairview’s fascination of the Regency period was inspired by the novels of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. A former literature professor, she now writes Regency Romances. Her first novel An Improper Suitor was released in 2008 to much acclaim. Her new novel The Other Mr. Darcy has just been released in the UK, and will also be issued in an American edition in October by Sourcebooks. You can visit Monica at her blog and website for further information on her novels and read chapter excerpts. She also contributes to the blog Historical Romance UK and tweets regularly on Twitter.
Enter a chance to win one of five copies of The Grand Sophy and a set of ten Georgette Heyer novels from Sourcebooks. Contest ends July 31st.Read Vic's review of The Grand Sophy at Jane Austen's World
Read Laurel Ann's review of The Grand Sophy at Austenprose
Sunday, July 12
Jane Austen Movie Throwdown
Poll of the week: Who is your favorite cinematic Elizabeth Bennet? I am including three choices this week, because each actress has given widely different interpretations of the role. She is also a product of her time, so that in 1939 Hollywood thought it was perfectly acceptable for a 30-something actress like Greer Garson to play Elizabeth in Civil War era garb. For these reasons, I am not including her in the mix. Plus, I can never forgive the producers for changing the ending and turning Lady Catherine de Bourgh into a nice person.
Keira Knightley, 2005 Pride and Prejudice
Favorite Elizabeth Bennet
Elizabeth Garvey, 1980 Pride and Prejudice
Ms. Garvey was for a long time my favorite Lizzy. A pretty and talented actress, her interpretation of a lady like Lizzy was wonderfully natural compared to the other 1980's BBC adaptations of Jane Austen's novels. When I think of her portrayal of Pride and Prejudice's famous heroine, I fondly recall her sparring conversations with Lady Catherine de Bourgh. There was fire in this Lizzy's eyes. Elizabeth, who is aging remarkably well, will be present at JASNA's annual meeting in Philadelphia. Lucky us.
Jennifer Ehle, 1995 Pride and Prejudice
A pretty and healthy looking Lizzy with the striking eyes so admired by her dashing Mr. Darcy, Jennifer was present in almost every scene of this 6-hour adaptation. One of Jennifer's more memorable scenes is when she is standing at the piano with Georgianna Darcy, who is playing. She and Colin Firth share a look that so perfectly captures their changing feelings for each other, that I very often use an image from that scene to represent her character.
Keira Knightley, 2005 Pride and PrejudiceA major film star today, Keira was just beginning to make her mark as an actress when she took on the role of Lizzy. Her interpretation of Lizzy is as a feisty and tomboyish young woman who prefers to dress in plain clothes. The rain scene, in which Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy proposes was made memorable by the crackling chemistry between the two actors. Even as her Lizzy is repelled by the way Mr. Darcy chose to propose to her, she is sexually atracted to him.
P Fug P
Oh, Rosamund Pike. You are such a pretty lady and I really liked your performance as Jane Bennet. But honestly, girlfriend, what were you thinking when you put this outfit together? It takes WORK to be showcased by the Go Fug Yourself gals. I mean, usually they point out the errors of starlets with absolutely no taste, like Roisin Murphy's fugly Minnie Mouse outfit. But, et tu, Rosamund?
In the future, find yourself a nice empire waist gown.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)