January, Jane, Deadlines, and Tea!
What does a person do when they’ve forgotten their regular blog date? Why, they panic! And then they explain themselves properly to the oh-so-patient gentle reader! So, where has my mind gone, you might wonder?
Here’s my excuse…
As many of you know, I am a fantasy and science fiction author in addition to being an Austen Author. And in October of 2012 I’ve held a Kickstarter to help me raise funds to finish a brand new fantasy novel, my first major work in a decade, and the first book of a trilogy.
The book is Cobweb Bride (Book One of Death’s Cobwebs, to be followed by Book Two, Cobweb Empire, and Book Three, Cobweb Forest), an epic fantasy, history-flavored and with a large cast of characters–an intricate story with romantic elements of the Persephone myth, about Death’s ultimatum to the world.
In an alternate Renaissance world, somewhere in an imaginary “pocket” of Europe called the Kingdom of Lethe, Death comes, in the form of a grim Spaniard, to claim his Bride. Until she is found, in a single time-stopping moment all dying stops. There is no relief for the mortally wounded and the terminally ill….
While kings and emperors send expeditions to search for a suitable Bride for Death, armies of the undead wage an endless war… A black knight roams the forest at the command of his undead father… Spies and political treacheries abound at the imperial Silver Court…. Murdered lovers find themselves locked in the realm of the living… Continue reading
And the Reader’s Choice story will be…
The poll has closed, and the readers have chosen. With 179 votes counted, the P&P Reader’s Choice story scenario will be…
The Bennet Brother
Elizabeth has an older, very protective brother. Returning to Hertfordshire after a time away, he is not pleased to learn of his favorite sister being insulted by Mr. Darcy! Will he confront the emotionally-conflicted Darcy? Does Lizzy’s brother know Mr. Darcy, or has he heard rumors of him? Or perhaps vice versa? And what about this mysterious brother, anyway?
The first post will be on January 30, and it’ll be by me, so I’d better get cracking!
For complete information on Pride & Prejudice: Reader’s Choice, visit the page noted in the menu above, or click HERE.
Miss Bingley’s Pas de Deux
Watercolour illustration by WC Brock
Ahhh, another year! Another opportunity to begin again; to rise phoenix-like, from the ashes! Those of you who know me well know that the past year has been a rather challenging one with my work in the “real world.” Because of drastic changes resulting from the departure of a colleague, who thought that he could force me to retire and leave him all the patients, I have been busier than the proverbial bee. The year 2012 I spent hiring and training new staff and attempting to provide excellent care for the numerous patients that I had to care for on my own.
But now, it is 2013. A new year brings new challenges and resolutions and my foremost resolution and challenge is to bring one of the several works that I have in progress into print. I am particularly eager to finish another Pride and Prejudice sequel in the year that brings the 200th Anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice, an event near and dear to my heart.
The story I am editing for 2013 was originally written as a short story and never published, but I always felt that the short story format was too limiting to fill out the characters in this tale. The story tells of the first year of marriage of Miss Bingley, who, in my book Mr. Darcy’s Little Sister, married a French count whose family lost everything except one small English manor in the French Revolution. The Comte de Tournay is a cynical man who has been married twice before to very well-bred young women with but modest fortunes, his family pride inducing him to look for breeding and faultless bloodlines over strength and pecuniary advantages. He offers for Miss Bingley a few months after meeting her in a turn-around in his attitude. He has come to the realization that a robust dowry in addition to a woman of robust health will optimize his chances of improving his fortune and, hopefully, provide him with an heir. Continue reading
Something’s in the heir
So, we’re all aware of the parallels between Downton Abbey and Jane Austen’s novels, right?
Family home: in peril. That subject rocks the very foundation of Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility and Persuasion. Sisters, and no brothers to become the heir apparent. An air of familiarity? A domineering Dowager Countess. Unsuitable suitors.
No surprise, then, that Austen lovers are watching Downton, even though it’s not set in the Regency. Personally, I enjoy picking up on the subtle and not-so-subtle nods to Austen that are intentional from the well-educated screenwriter Julian Fellowes. But even more than that, I have to admit I’m more than a little dazzled with Fellowes’ screenwriting even if the content does at times seem…familiar. But then again, maybe that adds to the show’s universal appeal? Continue reading
“His” ~ Two Novellas From Regina Jeffers in Time for Valentine’s Day
“His Irish Eve” ~ I began this story in response to readers’ requests to know more of Adam Lawrence, Viscount Stafford and heir to the Earl of Greenwall. Lawrence has made an appearance in many of my story lines. He is the one who ties several of my stories together. For example, he meets Brantley Fowler and Velvet Aldridge at the infamous Vauxhall Gardens in A Touch of Velvet. In A Touch of Grace, Gabriel Crowden despises Lawrence’s rakish ways, and although Crowden has known Lady Anthony as one of his conquests, the marquis objects to the lady keeping coming with Lawrence. In the first of the two novellas in this new anthology, Lawrence plays a pivotal role in bringing Lawrence Lowery, Baron Blakehell’s heir, and Arabella Tilney together in the piece entitled “His American Heartsong.”
In each of these “walk through” roles, my readers have searched for more of Adam Lawrence’s past and his future. Therefore, Lawrence became a major character in my Austenesque novel, The Phantom of Pemberley. A cozy mystery set as a sequel to Jane Austen’s Ptide and Prejudice, Phantom brings Adam Lawrence and his mistress to the steps of Pemberley. When a blizzard like snowstorm blankets Derbyshire, Fitzwilliam Darcy reluctantly gives the couple shelter. Lawrence’s presence proves an asset to the Darcys’ solving a most unusual mystery. At the novel’s end, Lawrence generously releases Cathleen from his protection. She travels alone to Cheshire to support her family following the passing of her uncle. Phantom takes place in 1813. “His Irish Eve” is et against the radicalism of 1819. For six years since the life-changing events at Pemberley, Adam has searched for the one thing in his life, which will ease his loneliness. I hope you enjoy the story.
The events at Peterloo play a pivotal point in my February release of His. Peterloo brings my heroine and hero together in the second of the two novellas, “His Irish Eve,” which make up this new anthology. Below, you will find the history of the event, as well as an excerpt from “His Irish Eve.”
Our ad in Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine
We are thrilled to share the wonderful ad the Austen Authors placed in
Jane Austen’s Regency World. As the official magazine issued by the Jane Austen Centre in Bath, UK, Jane Austen’s Regency World is a fabulous magazine chock full of news, reviews, history, Austen-related events worldwide, and so much more. For the true Austen lover, JARW is the magazine to subscribe to! Just look at the current issue’s cover—
The true amazement is what is on the back cover. For the first three issues of 2013 – January/February, March/April, and May/June – the full back cover is an ad placed by Austen Authors! Designed by our own Jane Odiwe’s husband Romanus (He is brilliant and did a fabulous job!) the ad is a perfect showcase for our novels and our blog. See for yourself–
Thank you everyone at JARW for working so well with us on this project. Super-duper thanks to Rominus Odiwe for volunteering to do the tough work… gratis!
It isn’t too late to grab your copy. Information on subscribing can be found on the JARW website: HERE
Marilyn’s Launch Celebration for Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match!
I was lucky enough to be asked to join Austen Authors about a year after my debut novel, According to Jane, was released. That book was a romantic women’s fiction story about a modern woman who had the ghost of Jane Austen in her head giving her dating advice. I loved writing it! 
But, in the past few years, the books I was contracted by my print publisher to write and the few other stories I released digitally were all contemporary novels about other topics. Several of the books had nods to our dear Jane somewhere in the narrative (I couldn’t help myself…LOL), but, aside from my debut novel, none of those books were specifically Austen-inspired fiction.
Until now.
I have been SO looking forward to sharing with everyone here my seventh novel: Pride Prejudice and the Perfect Match!!! It’s a contemporary romance that I wrote, quite literally, for all of YOU, my fellow fans of Austen. Considering that Pride and Prejudice is my favorite novel of all time, I really wanted to do something special to celebrate its 200th birthday, and this story is the result. But I didn’t take the final steps alone! The release of my latest book was made much smoother thanks to a number of wonderful helpers that many of you may already know: Our publishing imprint, White Soup Press; critique partners from my local RWA chapter, Chicago-North; reviewer and freelance manuscript editor, Jakki Leatherberry; and book-cover designer, Rebecca Young. Thank you all so much for your contributions to this story!! Continue reading
Announcing – Pride & Prejudice: Reader’s Choice
Are you ready for a new, fun, and exciting writing project from the Austen Authors?
The amazing success of our Pride & Prejudice 200 project cannot be denied. WE loved writing the pieces! YOU loved reading and commenting on them! It was a win-win!! With that outcome in mind, we put our heads together – figuratively – and have cleverly devised a new project for the months ahead that, dare I say, will knock your socks off. Are you sitting down? Okay!
Here’s the scoop…….
With 2013 the 200th anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice, we will once again turn to the pages of Jane Austen’s most popular novel. Stealing from a basic “round robin” storytelling concept, the Austen Authors will incrementally craft an original P&P Variation by writing scenes building upon what the previous AuAus plot out. Our individual voices and creative talents will infuse each scene, taking the story down twisting pathways unimaginable!
Sound exciting? Ah, it gets better!
The BIG Twist within our twisty round robin is that YOU will tell us where the story must next go.
What’s that, Sharon? What are you talking about? Let me ‘splain…
1. Starting today, we are offering 3 beginning scenarios.
2. YOU will decide which starting scenario is your favorite, and then cast your vote. *One vote/person, please.
3. The deadline for voting is this Friday, January 18 at midnight EST.
4. Once the winning scenario is known, one of the Austen Authors will begin writing. The scene will be based on the winning scenario, but the author can throw in her/his own twists as well! Continue reading
P&P200 The Darcys Visit Lady Catherine at Rosings. Part 2.
Fleets of maids at Pemberley were kept busy round the clock, freshening and furbishing the wardrobes and grand toilettes of the ladies going to London, and only a week sennight after the family had made the decision to go, they set out, on a journey broken by only one night on the road. Darcy’s handsome barouche and four high stepping horses conveyed the party in speed and comfort, so that it was before noon on the second day when they rolled up at the gravel sweep of Rosings. Colonel Fitzwilliam was waiting look-out at the door, and was immediately by the side of the carriage, as ready as Darcy himself to help the ladies down.
He greeted Elizabeth with particular warmth, complimenting her on her marriage, and on her blooming appearance.
“I need not ask how you are. Marriage has made you look, at least, lovelier than ever; and let me see Darcy – upon my word, cousin, the state appears to agree with you as well!”
“Indeed it does, Fitzwilliam,” said Darcy heartily. “I only wish you could arrive at so happy a state yourself. I wish all our welcomes here would be as kindly disposed as yours.”
Fitzwilliam shook his head but his eyes were laughing. “She is in a powerful taking, I must warn you,” he said. “Between her disapproval of the whole visit, and her desire to turn out the most elegant dinner to outdo your Pemberley chef, she is in fine fettle.” Continue reading
Resolutions
With the New Year upon us—and the old one behind us—there’s a sense of invigoration in the air…or perhaps it’s simply a huge sigh of relief because the holidays are over with, and we can finally catch our breath and refocus our energy on something other than holiday engagements and stuffing ourselves silly. For many, the New Year signals a return to normalcy, routines, and, you guessed it: resolutions.
Every January I try to adhere to a lengthy list of resolutions, but always seem to end up curtailing said list over the course of the year—usually when I realize that most of my resolutions aren’t quite reasonable, never mind do-able. For instance, one year I decided I’d paint every room in my house, and another year I swore I wouldn’t buy junk food and that I’d stop eating candy. (The last two ended up being regulated to Lent instead, with much better results, I might add!)
This year, however, there is one resolution in particular that I feel especially strongly about and it is this: I’m going to seize every day and make the year fun for my two favorite girls. My eight-year-old daughter is growing up, and my niece is fast becoming a young woman. They’re both my entire world—the very best things in my life—and, though I try to let them know it on a regular basis, sometimes life throws a wrench into the works and takes some of the fun out of things. I resolve to set aside more time to giggle and laugh; to have fun and be creative and crazy before the magic of childhood wanes. (With any luck, that won’t be for a while, but still…)
I also resolve to set aside some time every day to write, which, owing to unforeseen circumstances last year, proved to be pretty challenging. As you know, I’ve just finished writing my supernatural Pride and Prejudice novelette Darkness Falls Upon Pemberley, and hope to publish it as an ebook soon. As far as other projects go, I’m hoping Darcy and Elizabeth will behave better than they did last year, so several works-in-progress (one in particular) will fall into line and follow suit.
Speaking of works-in-progress, here’s a little excerpt—a very little excerpt—from In Doubt of Mr. Darcy to whet your whistle. May the New Year find you and your families healthy and happy! Continue reading
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April 30
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