New Year’s Day was not always celebrated on January 1. In the time of the Anglo-Saxons, December 25 was the first day of the new year. The Gregorian calendar set December 31 as the last day of the year, but that did not keep people throughout history from celebrating March 1, March 25, and… more goodness …
One of the best descriptions we have of English Christmas traditions during Jane Austen’s life comes—ironically—from an American. You probably know about Washington Irving, the American author who wrote The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. But in 1815, at the age of 32, Washington Irving arrived in England to conduct some business… more goodness …
Every December we like to remember the birthday of Jane Austen the author, the genius writer who penned witty, and sometimes scathing, observations of society. But during this holiday season, when Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, it seems appropriate to remember Jane Austen in another way: a woman of deep… more goodness …
Last month, this blog covered the confusing conversation between Catherine Morland and Eleanor Tilney in Northanger Abbey, when Catherine is talking about the horrors of a new Gothic novel but Eleanor thinks she’s describing rioters about to descend upon Bath. Henry Tilney sees what’s happening but eggs on the confusion. Finally, he tells Eleanor that… more goodness …
Austen Authors is delighted to announce the winners of P. O. Dixon‘s “November to Remember” Giveaway. Ruth Falvo will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card. Congratulations, Ruth. Please contact Regina Jeffers, Giveaway Coordinator, at reginalm@rjeffers.com to claim your prize. [According to stated giveaway rules on Austen Authors, all prizes must be claimed within 72 hours… more goodness …
Austen Authors is pleased to announce the winners of Elaine Owen‘s “Fun with Follies” Giveaway. Buturot, carylkane, and virginiakohl each received an audiobook of Ms. Owen‘s An Unexpected Turn of Events. Congratulations, Ladies. Ms. Owen has contacted each of the winners and prizes have been distributed previously. more goodness …
I’m writing a Christmas story for my blog, and thought it would be a great idea to have Darcy and Elizabeth marry on Christmas Eve. I was reminded by some friends about Holy Days in the church, and that marriages are restricted on certain days. That led me down quite the rabbit hole of research.… more goodness …
Later this month in the U.S., we will be all about the turkey and fixings and football and preparing for Black Friday sales, but in the U.K., turkeys are a more traditional dish for Christmas. Why might you ask? We can blame that particular fact on one William Strickland, a 16th Century navigator and explorer,… more goodness …
Austen Authors is pleased to announce the winner of Leenie Brown‘s “Assessing Mr. Darcy” Giveaway. Heather Schlecht Hill will receive an eBook copy of Ms. Brown‘s Assessing Mr. Darcy. Congratulations, Heather. Please contact Regina Jeffers, Giveaway Coordinator, at reginalm@rjeffers.com to claim your prize. [According to stated giveaway rules on Austen Authors, all prizes must be claimed within… more goodness …
Tomorrow is Halloween, as I suspect everyone in the United States is aware. I know the “holiday” isn’t as popular in other parts of the world, at least not in the same way, but here it is a huge event. Personally, I’ve never been a big fan of Halloween. I’m much fonder of Christmas and… more goodness …
PLEASE NOTE: Even though I had fun with this post, I really do appreciate men who act like gentlemen. And I do thank them when they hold a door for me or show any other acts of kindness. I will even hold a door for them if it means shutting the door in their face… more goodness …
Austen Authors is happy to announce the winners of Regina Jeffers‘s “Releases, and Chaos, and Giveaways, Oh My!” Giveaway. Ms. Jeffers became more generous than she first intended. These ladies all won an eBook copy of Where There’s a FitzWILLiam Darcy, There’s a Way: Luthien84, Chelsea, Carole in Canada, Glynis Whitehead, and Linda Hoppe. This… more goodness …
Marie Antoinette is a fascinating historical figure of the late eighteenth century. Born as Maria Antonia, the youngest child of the of the Holy Roman Emperor, Marie Antoinette was married to the Dauphin of France, Louis-Auguste—who became Louis XVI of France—at the age of fifteen, and presided with him as the last King and Queen… more goodness …
