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Sunday, August 30

Jane Austen Movie Throwdown

Gentle Reader,

Do you recall this passage from Pride and Prejudice, when Elizabeth visits Pemberley with her aunt and uncle? Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper, describes her master in a way that is totally counter to Elizabeth's first perception of him. She has since received his proposal, rejected it, and then read his letter, and her feelings towards him are softening, though still mixed. In this scene, she encounters Mr. Darcy's portrait hanging on the wall:

The picture gallery and two or three of the principal bedrooms were all that remained to be shown. In the former were many good paintings, but Elizabeth knew nothing of the art, and from such as had been already visible below, she had willingly turned to look at some drawings of Miss Darcy's in crayons, whose subjects were usually more interesting and also more intelligible. In the gallery there were many family portraits, but they could have little to fix the attention of a stranger. Elizabeth walked on in quest of the only face whose features would be known to her. At last it arrested her and she beheld a striking resemblance of Mr Darcy with such a smile over the face as she remembered to have sometimes seen when he looked at her. She stood several minutes before the picture in earnest contemplation and returned to it again before they quitted the gallery. Mrs Reynolds informed them that it had been taken in his father's lifetime. There was certainly at this moment in Elizabeth's mind a more gentle sensation towards the original than she had ever felt in the height of their acquaintance.

This week we ask you to decide, which image of Mr. Darcy do you think is best? (Please note: the wording has been changed to clarify the question.) The portrait in Pride and Prejudice 1995? Or the bust in the statue gallery in Pride and Prejudice 2005? Below we show both the work of art and Lizzy's reaction to the work.

Best Art Work of Mr. Darcy

Colin Firth Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice 1995, Portrait in oil




pollcode.com free polls
Best Art Work of Mr. Darcy
1995 Oil portait 2005 Sculpture bust


Matthew MacFadyen Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice 2005, Sculpture bust



Saturday, August 29

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Offensive Rip-off or Clever Parody?

Having sold over a million copies, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is still on the New York Times Best Seller List after 21 weeks, coming in the top ten this week at number 9. While we think that this mash-up concept of combining Jane Austen’s genteel novel and bone-crunching zombie bedlam was, well novel, we are *rolling our eyes* in amazement and just wondering why it is such a hit?

New York Times columnist Jennifer Schuessler infers that adding zombies to Austen’s refined prose took the old fuddieness out of the classic quoting author Pamela Redmond Satran’s book How Not to Act Old as proof that us Janeites are over-the-hill in our taste.

“I like Jane Austen as much as the next novel-writing and -reading middle-aged woman,” she writes, but “there’s something a little too order-seeking, rich-man-loving and sanitized (i.e., fussily middle-aged) about the J.A. mania.”

Pleaaase. How marginalizing can you be Ms. Satran? Jane Austen sanitized? J. A. mania middle-aged fussy? Pray, we entreat you to re-read any of her novels. You will find time-honored themes AND eye popping topics such as adultery, illegitimate babies, pre-martial sex and other un-sanitized subjects infused into the subtext. They may not be the main theme as in contemporary novels, but it is there. And, Ms. Schuessler, if you think that we need to “Lay off the Jane” and read monster mash-ups to be hipper, you might want to surf the net and check out a few Austen themed blogs, websites, or message boards. Amazingly, the young can recognize and enjoy a great story, even without zombies in it!

So the question remains gentle young but acting old readers, why do you think that Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has remained on the best seller list for 21 weeks? Is it an offensive rip-off or just a clever parody? Who do think is reading this novel, and why do you think it has had such a mass appeal?

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Friday, August 28

Masterpiece Mystery Inspector Lewis: Series II Preview

Masterpiece Mystery continues with seven new episodes of Inspector Lewis: Series II premiering on Sunday, August 30th on PBS. Kevin Whately (Inspector Morse) returns as Inspector Lewis for a second season. The much-loved Oxford policeman is joined once again by Laurence Fox (Becoming Jane) as his young partner DS Hathaway. As the relationship between inspector and sergeant grows and develops, the viewer sees new sides to the inimitable duo.

There are several actors with Austen connections in the series: Tom Riley (George Wickham in Lost in Austen), Neil Pearson (Richard Finch in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason & Bridget Jones’ Diary), Pippa Haywood (Frankie in Lost in Austen), Tom Goodman-Hill (Mr. Lushington MP in Miss Austen Regrets), Ian McNeice (Quizmaster in Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason), Richard McCabe (Captain Benwick in Persuasion 1995) Jason Watkins (Rev. Clarke in Miss Austen Regrets & Charlie Parker-Knowles in Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason), Tom Mison (Charles Bingley in Lost in Austen) and Adrian Lukis (George Wickham P&P 1995).

Here is preview of the coming season:

'And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea'
Sunday, August 30, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

Stolen rare books and the murders of a brilliant Oxford fine arts student and a library maintenance engineer lead Lewis and Hathaway to a treatment center for gambling addicts and two talented painters. Can Oxford’s finest trace the killers before they claim their next victim? Pictured (l-r): DI Lewis (Kevin Whately), Philip Horton (Tom Riley) and DS Hathaway (Laurence Fox).

'Music to Die For'
Sunday, September 06, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

The worlds of no-rules boxing, Oxford dons and Cold War intrigue surround the death of a prominent Oxford don. Consequences from the investigation hit Lewis surprisingly close to home, leading to revelations about the loss suffered by Lewis since the death of his wife. Pictured: Jack Roth (Bradley James) taking part in an underground boxing match.

'Life Born of Fire'
Sunday, September 13, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

A serial killer seems to be targeting a religious group, “The Garden,” which claims to give guidance to lost souls. As he learns more about the group and its true purpose, Lewis’ trust in Hathaway wavers when he finds that his young sergeant has his own dangerous personal connections to “The Garden.” Pictured (l-r): DI Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately) rescues Hathaway (Laurence Fox) from a fire.

'The Great and the Good'
Sunday, September 20, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

When a teenage girl is assaulted, Lewis and Hathaway track down a possible suspect — only to find he has a seemingly watertight alibi provided by three pillars of the Oxford community. When the suspect is suddenly murdered, Lewis untangles a web of intrigue to expose the Oxford elite. Pictured: Kevin Whately as DI Robert Lewis.

'Allegory of Love'
Sunday, October 04, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

Literary whimsy becomes murderous reality with the death of a Czech barmaid. The scene of the crime yields two puzzling clues: a bloodstained note and a broken antique mirror. To find the killer, Lewis and Hathaway must uncover the hidden connections between the victim and a prominent Oxford professor, a literary society and a book by Oxford’s hottest new author. Pictured (l-r): DS James Hathaway (Laurence Fox), Norman Deering (James Fox) and DI Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately).

'Quality of Mercy'
Sunday, October 11, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

When a young actor is murdered during a student Shakespeare production, Lewis (Kevin Whately, shown) and Hathaway sift through the motives of several suspects — from a jealous thespian to an Oxford dropout to a playgoer only too anxious to use his ticket stub as an alibi. As the duo tracks down the truth, they unearth a dark secret that hits Lewis eerily close to home.

'The Point of Vanishing'
Sunday, October 18, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

The murder of a small-time criminal leads Lewis and Hathaway to a prominent Oxford don-turned-celebrity atheist who years earlier had been the intended target of a botched murder attempt. Could these isolated incidents be connected? As the pair investigates further, they uncover a web of deceit and a case of mistaken identity that will lead them to their killer. Pictured (l-r): DS James Hathaway (Laurence Fox), DI Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately) and Hope Ransome (Zoe Boyle).

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Thursday, August 27

The Author of a Murder at Longbourn offers a Pride and Prejudice Quiz

Tracy Kiely's debut book, Murder at Longbourn, is coming out next week, and we'll be reviewing it soon. Meanwhile, get to know Tracy on her site and take this very hard Pride and Prejudice quiz. Let us know how well you did (there were quite a few I could not answer off the top of my head.) The answers are on the site.

Murder at Longbourn is set in the modern world in a Cape Cod inn. This murder mystery boasts characters like Elizabeth and Colin, and a cat named Lady Catherine. A "How to Host a Murder Party" has been planned for New Year's Eve, but something goes horribly wrong. Instead of guessing who dunnit in a faux murder, the guests are suspecting each other of a real life dastardly deed.

Tracy's first novel is a must read for Jane Austen fans who like their mysteries light, bright, and sparkling! Stay tuned for more about this "can't put it down" novel, and look for our review of the book and interview with the author. Enjoy the trailer!


Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World

Carey Mulligan in the News

Isabella Thorpe would be very pleased with all the attention she is receiving this week in the form of actress Carey Mulligan who portrayed her in the 2007 movie adaptation of Northanger Abbey. Recently, Carey was a sensation at the Sundance Film Festival for her role in the movie An Education in which she played Jenny, a 16-year old schoolgirl in 1960’s London who falls for a much older man. She was also featured in a glitzy five cover spread in the New York Times special feature Womens’ Fashion Fall 2009 Issue where five leading fashion designers dressed her up in designer duds and high fashion photographers captured five fantasy covers.



As if that was not enough to send the 24 year-old British actress in a publicity swoon, this week she has been romantically linked to her co-star Shia LaBeouf during their filming of producer-director Oliver Stone's Wall Street sequel, Money Never Sleeps, now shooting in New York. We are quite certain that Isabella would rebuff any gossip by adding “Psha! My dear creature, do not think me such a simpleton as to be always wanting to confine him to my elbow.”

Oh Carey. Life does not get much better.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Tuesday, August 25

Premiere of Lady Vernon and her Daughter book trailer

Lady Vernon and her Daughter is a new novel inspired by Jane Austen’s Lady Susan. Co-written by the mother-daughter team of Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway, the book trailer is available for your viewing pleasure on Austenprose. It is quite clever and captures the tittle-tattle that permeates in the story beautifully. The book is available for pre-order and will be released on October 6th, 2009. Enjoy!

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Regency Fashion Cards


Costumes Parisiens 1821 Fashion Plate Card by AntiqueImages, From a Biedermeier Period Fashion Print for only $3.15 per notecard. Go to Zazzle to check out all the products.

Are Pride and Prejudice Movie Adaptations Clouding the Book?

Here’s a great quote from a book review of Pride and Prejudice by Laura MacDonald of Girlebooks.

My overall impression after this time around is that I need to stop watching movie adaptations and read the actual books. I believe I’ve watched the 1995 adaptation so many times that the performances play in my head as I read. This can be good at times–for example, the confrontation scene between Elizabeth and Lady Catherine De Bourgh couldn’t have been enacted better. But there is often room to criticize. While there have been several beautiful and somewhat faithful adaptations of this work, they can never fully represent the three dimensionality of the plot, the characters, their motivations, and their inner struggles that Austen so beautifully constructs.

What do you think readers? When you read Pride and Prejudice, do you visualize one of the movie actors as Mr. Collins, Lady Catherine, Lizzy or Darcy? Have the movie adaptations clouded our perception of the original novel?

To refresh your memory of Jane Austen’s original text, download Girlebooks wonderful ebook edition of Pride and Prejudice for free! Yes – FREE – thank you very much Austen elves at Girlebooks for all that you do to make classic literature available right on our desk tops and ebook readers.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Sunday, August 23

Jane Austen Movie Throwdown

Mrs. Bennet. What hasn't been said about this overwrough mother already that needs to be said again? Our question to you is this: NOT who your favorite Mrs. Bennet is (for we can guess which actresses would be high on your list), but which film got the character RIGHT through dress and props? Which actress's part was enhanced by the clothes she wore and the rooms she inhabited? There are five choices since, (in my humble opinion,) each of these ladies got an aspect of Mrs. Bennet exactly right. I frankly can't recall being disappointed with any of their performances.

Best Mrs. Bennet (Aided by Dress, Sets, and Props)

Mary Boland, 1940 Mrs. Bennet

For years Mary Boland was the Mrs. Bennet against whom I measured all other Mrs. Bennets. Except for her Civil War era wardrobe, Mary's interpretation of the character was spot on. In fact, she is one of the few reasons why I tolerate seeing that movie more than once. Film buffs will possibly remember Mary as Countess De Lave in 1939's The Women. Anne Rutherford defended the use of Civil War clothes in the film in a JASNA interview: "But I must say, that when the studio, in its infinite wisdom, when they changed the wardrobe from the wet-nightgown look, that empire look, to the ship-in-full-sail [Victorian] – they did such a wise thing. Because the sight of Mary Boland [Mrs. Bennet] bustling down the street with all of her little goslings behind her in their huge voluminous skirts, and all of them chattering at once – it wouldn’t have been nearly as delightful a sight-gag if we had all been in little, skinny wet-night-gown-type things." I beg to differ with A.R., but you might agree. The Bennet's house, Longbourn, is an eleborate M-G-M stage set and reminds me more of a 1930's American Colonial style home than a Georgian country house.


Priscilla Morgan, Mrs. Bennet 1980

This 5-part series is the first BBC Jane Austen adaptation that I recall seeing on television. According to Sue Parrill in her critical studies of Pride and Prejudice, Priscilla's Mrs. Bennet has an unpleasant and shrill voice, which serves her well in her interpretation of the role. Compared to the 1995 P&P version, Priscilla's Mrs. Bennet receives the most chances to verbalize her foolishness, for she seems to have more speaking lines than Alison Steadman (see below). Of all the Mrs. Bennets, Priscilla's performance is comparatively restrained and less farcical. Small, compact, with an admirable little figure, her Mrs. Bennet is dressed rather simply and plainly, no doubt to allow her daughters to shine in her presence. Some fans find Priscilla's interpretation of Mrs. Bennet to be the best thing about this version of Pride and Prejudice. The props are a bit staged, but they represent the house of a gentleman of Mr. Bennet's means, and Longbourn suits his stature. During this time the BBC specials began to move from the staged sets to more natural locations, but realism in setting, acting, and direction was still being perfected and had not yet "arrived".


Alison Steadman, 1995 Mrs. Bennet

Overly dressed in frills, filled with spasms, and as silly as her younger daughters, Alison's turn as Mrs. Bennet is as unforgettable as it is over the top. Steadman was already known for her portrayals of loud and vulgar characters, so her performance was no surprise to fans and critics alike. About her interpretations of her characters, Alison says: "If we were all terribly wholesome, portraying people who are upright and safe, it would be so boring. You can make people laugh and move them and make them think, all at the same time." 1996 was a memorable year for Alison, one in which her mother died, her marriage ended, and in which she played the vulgar Mrs Bennet. In this 6-part film, whose settings were natural and elaborate, Longbourn contains a park with a prettyish wilderness area, and is filled with the latest accoutrements in Georgian era furniture, drapes, and china. Thankfully Mrs. Bennet never saw Colin's dip in the pond, for I believe she would have turned ballistic, yanking Lizzie away from our wet-shirted hero.



Brenda Blethyn, 2005 Mrs. Bennet

Brenda's Mrs. Bennet was dressed in the clothes that were fashionable when Jane Austen wrote the first draft of P&P, and thus her dresses are given waists and fichus. In an interview, Brenda said about Mrs. Bennet: " Well to tell the truth I hadn’t seen [Pride and Prejudice] before, although when I mentioned to people I was going to be playing this they said, oh, a wonderful, cartoony person...I said, what, no she’s not. Stop it! They said, oh, no, it’s usually like a figure of fun. I’ve read the book and I know her daughter’s description of her, but that has to come from some place real - she’s the only one taking the problem seriously. Mr. Bennet’s all right, they’ve got a roof over their heads all the time he’s alive - it’s when he dies that they’ve got the problem when the money goes down the male line. As it turned out, I think she’s the only one speaking up for her daughters and trying to solve these problems so I won’t hear a word said against her..." In this lavishly produced film with its breathtaking outdoor scenes, Longbourn is a rather rustic and stripped down house - rather too earthy for a gentleman's family. Pigs wander about, mud is tramped in and soils hems, and floors are (accurately) bare and carpetless. Although the family lives in the country, I somehow do not think that Jane meant the Bennets to be living alongside their cattle. You, gentle reader, may very well disagree.



Alex Kingston, 2008 Mrs. Bennet in Lost in Austen

Alex plays the youngest Mrs. Bennet, yet I suspect she is the closest to Mrs. Bennet in real age than the other actresses. About her character Alex said: "In playing a young Mrs Bennet it allowed me to explore, at least inwardly, the possibility of her still holding on to her childishness. She is a mother, who understands the desperate situation the family are in due to a lack of a son and heir, and tries accordingly to engineer the futures of her daughters. I also found a chance for her to live vicariously through the experiences of her daughters. Her husband gives her no joy, so why not enjoy the thrill of a dance or ball or invitation to a grand house." In this adaptation Longbourn is larger than I expected, though quite suitable for a gentleman's family, and has a nice prospect and lawn. This house also has a portal to the 21st century in its attic, which makes it different.

pollcode.com free polls
Best Mrs. Bennet Aided by Dress and Props
Mary Boland, 1940 Priscilla Morgan, 1980 Alison Steadman, 1995 Brenda Blethyn, 2005 Alex Kingston, 2008

Saturday, August 22

Mr. Darcy – All Graphic Noveled and Such

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is being adapted into a graphic novel by writer Tony Lee and artist Cliff Richards and published by Del Rey Books and Random House in January 2010. You can read an extensive interview of writer Tony Lee and view sketches of all the main characters in the online article Excuse Me Miss, You Got ZOMBIES in my PRIDE and PREJUDICE at Newsarama.

Considering what unsympathetic art we received in the Marvel Comics version of Pride and Prejudice with the Bennet sisters looking like Gothic runway models, Cliff Richards renderings of the characters are quite elegant and stylish and show great potential. Even in these light and quick sketches you can tell immediately that he has read the book or at least watched a movie adaptation or two. This image of Fitzwilliam is quite striking, and his interpretation of Mr. Collins is exactly what I had in my minds eye. From this image of him on the right with his prigish expression, it is no wonder that Elizabeth Bennet refused his offer of marriage, and makes Charlotte’s acceptance all the more pitiable, even if she was a zombie.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Friday, August 21

The 2009 Jane Austen Festival in Bath - September 18th-27th

The Jane Austen Festival in Bath, England is quickly approaching, opening on September 18th and running for nine days until the 27th. Created by The Jane Austen Centre, this year’s event will be the ninth annual celebration whose aim is “to draw attention to this very popular author whose works were so influenced by the city by holding an annual celebration where Austen fans from all over the world could come and indulge themselves in everything Regency.”

Ranked among the top 12 literary pilgrimages by Mental Floss Magazine, The Jane Austen Festival has certainly earned its reputation as the grand celebration for Janeites and all things Austen.

Jane Austen, despite being dead since 1817, remains one of the most popular writers in the English language. Her works of quiet social satire have inspired countless film adaptations and modernizations, reams of fan fiction (both of the published and of the online variety), and even a weeklong festival in Bath, England, the scene of many an Austen book. This September – just like every September – thousands of Austenophiles will spend a week dressing up as their favorite character from Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice or any of Austen’s other works, engaging in Regency era gossip, partaking in country dances, a wedding, and touring the Pump Room.

The most spectacular of Austen-era finer is exhibited in the Regency Costumed Promenade through the streets of Bath. On Saturday 19th September 2009, The Jane Austen Festival will attempt to gain a place in the Guinness World Records™ for 'The Largest Gathering of People Dressed in Regency Costume'. If you would like to participate, visit the Jane Austen Center website for details on guidelines and to purchases tickets.

The Festival takes place over nine days from September 18th to the 27th at different venues in Bath. In addition to the Promenade opening the Festival, you can attend the 2009 Jane Austen Grand Regency Ball and supper at the Assembly rooms in Bath, September 26th 8pm-12pm.

Additional information about this year’s event can be found at The Jane Center website.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Photos by Owen Benson

Thursday, August 20

An Invitation to 'A Soirée with Lady Susan' at Austenprose



You are most cordially invited to

‘A Soirée with Lady Susan’

September 1st- 14th, 2009 at Austenprose

In honor of Jane Austen’s

divertingly wicked novella

Lady Susan

The pleasure of your reply is

greatly appreciated!

Wednesday, August 19

Taking Tea

This image by Kate Greenaway from Marigold Garden made me think of how the five Bennet sisters might have looked taking tea on a warm summer afternoon. Here is the accompanying poem:


The Tea Party, book illustrated by Kate Greenaway
In the pleasant green Garden
We sat down to tea;
"Do you take sugar?" and
"Do you take milk?"
She'd got a new gown on–
A smart one of silk.
We all were so happy
As happy could be,
On that bright Summer's day
When she asked us to tea.

Tuesday, August 18

Interview with Enid Wilson, Author of The Devil's Bargain

Inquiring reader, As you know we have been holding a contest for Enid Wilson's book, Bargain with the Devil. You have an opportunity until the 20th to win a copy of this steamy romance. (Contest is now closed.) Below sits an interview with Enid, who lives in Sydney, Australia. In it she discusses writing the book, self-publishing it, and Sydney.

1. Enid, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell me a little about yourself as a writer. I see that this is your second book. How long have you been writing, and when did you get interested in Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in particular? You know Pride and Prejudice very well and manage to weave the original plot into your story.

Thanks Vic for having me here. I first knew about Pride and Prejudice when I was 12 years old. I heard the story as a radio drama but the broadcast ended with Elizabeth Bennet revealing the news of Lydia’s elopement to Mr. Darcy in Lambton.

It felt like unfinished to me so I set out to find the book. In the end, I found it in the library and was ecstatic to learn that it had a happy ending. I just fell in love with the story and its characters after that.

I started reading P&P fan fiction and sequels about four years ago. Two years afterwards, after over 1,000 stories, I ran out of stories to read and started to write. From that 200-word modern story of Darcy and Lizzy participating in Dancing with the Stars (a reality dancing show), I have since written over 30 P&P inspired stories.

2. When I looked up your book, I ran across Lulu, your publisher, and was impressed with the site's straightforward manner of telling authors how much book packages cost and what they could expect. How do you find them to work with? Do they help you with sales?

Lulu is in fact one of my printers/distributors. My books were published by my own tiny publishing house Steamy D Publishing. Among the three print-on-demand companies I use, Lulu, Createspace and Lightning Source, I find that Lulu is the easiest to use.

You can in fact publish a book without spending a cent. You just need to make sure your cover design and interior text meet their requirements. Then you can have your own book online for sales within several minutes.

For Createspace (a subsidiary of Amazon.com), you can’t get the book on sales until you buy a proof copy from them. So your cost will be around $10 to $20.

With Lightning Source, the set up is more expensive and you need to buy a proof copy from them as well. You will be looking at spending around $100.

In terms of distribution, Lightning Source’s channel is the most extensive.

But all three companies don’t offer free marketing.

3. How does the Internet help you to advertise your book and are your pleased with the results? What are some of the tactics you've taken to sell your book?

I set up the website www.steamydarcy.com December last year when I decided to publish my first book. I also post my wip (work in progress) stories there. I’m amazed with the number of readers visiting the site. They do urge me on with my books and writing.

With my first book In Quest of Theta Magic, which was originally written as a Pride and Prejudice fantasy, featuring a shape-shifting Mr. Darcy, I marked the book by requesting book reviews from bloggers. But it was quite difficult because I was a debut author and the book was self-published.

Then I heard about Blog Book Tour and joined a yahoo group to learn about how to organise it. It taught me:
  • how to build a better web presence (using twitter, Facebook, blogging)
  • network with blogging friends, plan a book tour
  • using Goodreads, LibraryThing, Shelfari etc
  • research for suitable blogs with high traffic; and
  • suggest relevant topics to book hosts (for example I wrote about famous people named Wilson for a blog hosted by a guy with the same surname as I and I had another guest post about ancient recipe of the food I mentioned in Bargain with the Devil).
I’m really very happy with the marketing of my second book. So far it is selling quite well and it received two excellent reviews.
4. Do you feel you have more freedom in writing as a result of taking the self-publishing route? Or are you looking for a publishing book deal with a traditional publishing house in the long run?
My sister’s sudden illness early last year was the major reason I wanted to publish my stories. Life is short and full of surprises. I submitted proposals to traditional publishers and agents at first but many of them said they would need up to six months to consider if they were interested. I thought the process was too time-consuming.

As I am not expecting to earn a living with my books, I’m happy to go down the self-publishing route. I can set the book price, I have 100% say on the book cover design and I see when the sales come in.

In fact, I’m amazed that people want to buy my books. Besides American, British and Canadian readers, I even got rating of my books from readers in Indonesia, Iran, Japan and other countries. I’ve been happy with how things go and haven’t been looking for traditional publishing house since.

5. Now, tell us a bit about your book, Bargain With the Devil. How did you come up with the idea? Did you brainstorm the plot with others, or do you work in isolation? Who does your proofing and editing, for your book is very "clean." I found no errors.
I normally work in isolation. But when I’m stuck with ideas, I usually ask readers in forums or go onto chat room. With Bargain with the Devil, the what-if scenario was in fact based on Lavender Girl’s A Shade of His Character. She has yet to finish that story. I love the what-if scenario she came up with but I took it to a lighter and funnier direction with Bargain with the Devil.

Thank you for the kind words about the quality of the book. Theresa Jean was my first editor. She’s a Jane Austen lover so she helped me a lot with the Regency and plot issues. The final version was edited by Judy. She’s a professional editor and published author herself. Both of them make the story and the language so much better. English is in fact not my first language.
6. I did not know what to expect when I started reading Bargain With the Devil, but I must admit I enjoyed myself. I will say, however, that I would not have taken Jane Austen's characters in this direction, but that is a personal choice. Readers who love some steam in their romance will find this story quite satisfying. I won't give away the big shocker, but there is one in the book. Weren't you worried that some people might be offended with the liberties you took?
Yes, I’m worried that some people may be offended. But throughout the past two years when I posted my stories online, I know I have many faithful readers who love a steamier Mr. Darcy or a Pride and Prejudice with a twist. For me, writing P&P what-if, sequels or inspired stories is about extending my love of the story and its characters.

For example I have written a modern short story with Lizzy offering to have Darcy’s baby because she’s ill and her chance of conceiving was running out soon. A reader emailed me after reading it, saying she has similar problem. And when she finally got pregnant, she kept me posted about it and the birth of the baby.

I’m thrill that my stories touch some people’s heart. I think by extending Pride and Prejudice to more modern or even science fiction genres, I’m converting non-JA readers to read Jane Austen’s books and help maintain their love for JA.
7. Now, tell me about Sydney, your home city. I have never been there and am dying to see it. What are some MUST-SEE areas one must visit besides the Opera House?
Sydney is a really beautiful city. People are friendly, me included when I’m not driving and in road rage. Most tourists will visit Opera House and Bondi Beach. But if you like history, you can spend some time at the Rocks, where the first settlers arrived. If you love the sea, you can take the cliff-walk from Bronte to Bondi. And you can have a taste of Italy in Leichhardt and a taste of Aboriginal culture at La Perouse. But I love Blue Mountains the most. It has history, legends, sadness, nature and character. If you do come to Sydney, let me know and I am happy to show you around.
Seeing the sights in Sydney: Enid's suggestions:

Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World


Monday, August 17

Costume Calvacade


Like dolls? These fashion dolls are truly unique and quite accurately follow changes in fashion. The lady wears drawers for the first time to compensate for the reduction in petticoats and the little boy wears a skeleton suit. Costume Calvacade, Historical Costume Dolls, by Teresa Thompson.


Watch Presumption – A Documentary of the Life of Jane Austen Online

Persumption: Billed as the first comprehensive television biography of Jane Austen’s life, this 1995 BBC television production aired following the premiere of the acclaimed miniseries Pride and Prejudice in the UK. It includes many prominent Austen scholars, biographers, authors, and enthusiasts including David Nokes, Elizabeth Jenkins, Deirdre Le Faye, Nigel Nicholson, Emma Tennant, Maggy Lane, and P D James. Film clips from several of the adaptations, family residences and travel locations are also featured. I found it very interesting to put faces to the authors of many of the books in my library, and Elizabeth Jenkins author of Jane Austen: A Biography (1949) was most enjoyable. When the interviewer asks her why she never married, she sidesteps their effrontery as deftly as Jane Austen might herself.

This is part one of five. You can view the remaining four directly at Youtube complements of inmypooropinion.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Sunday, August 16

Happy Birthday, Georgette Heyer!

Georgette Heyer was born in Wimbledon 107 years ago today! In her long life she graced us with over 50 novels. To celebrate, we'd like to direct you to several sites:

Austenprose has reviewed Richard Armitage reading one of my favorite Georgette Heyer books for Naxos Audio Books, Sylvester, or the Wicked Uncle. Click here to read Laurel Ann's review.

Our recent reviews of The Grand Sophy sit in these links.

Georgette Heyer is tweeting her 1922 short story, A Proposal to Cicely at this twitter account. To read the story so far, click here.

Georgette's first book, The Black Moth, is offered as a free ebook by Girlebooks. Click here.


Sourcebooks has reissued a spate of Georgette Heyer books in the past two years. Click here to order them.

Two of my favorite Georgette Heyer sites are:


Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World

Jane Austen Movie Throwdown

Yesterday's post dealt with Regency style weddings. Which Jane Austen inspired movie wedding did you enjoy the most? The one in Pride and Prejudice 1995 which shot the double wedding of the Bingleys and the Darcys in the snow? Or Colonel Brandon's bell chimed wedding to Marianne in 1995's Sense and Sensibility? Both, you must agree, are incredibly romantic!

Favorite Jane Austen Inspired Wedding

Pride and Prejudice, 1995, with Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth) and Elizabeth Bennet (Jennifer Ehle), and Mr. Bingley (Crispin Bonham Carter) and his Jane ( Susannah Harker) in a double wedding. Artificial snow had to be carted in for this scene.














Sense and Sensibility, 1995, with Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman) and Marianne Dashwood (Kate Winslet) getting married by Hugh Grant (Edward Ferrars), who had shortly before married Elinor Dashwood (Emma Thompson). Villagers carry the wedding cake in a procession while waving ribbons. Willoughby (Greg Wise) looks on from a distance, and turns away when Colonel Brandon throws six pence in the air for good luck.













This YouTube clip is not visually pretty, but it showcases the music that was played during the wedding scene.

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Favorite Jane Austen Inspired Wedding
Pride and Prejudice 1995 Sense and Sensibility 1995

Friday, August 14

Jane Austen Wedding Styles

Throwing a Jane Austen style wedding today is all about the details, from the invitations, to the gloves, to the shape of the dress and the sleeves, to the lace parasol or hat and old fashioned fragrant flowers, to hairstyles and jewelry. All these echoes of an elegant yet simple style from the past will make a regency era wedding seem true to form. These images and links will help a young bride (and her mother) to think about the elements that make a Jane Austen style wedding work.




Also read my post on Regency Wedding Dresses and Later Development in Bridal Fashions
Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World