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Monthly Archives: December 2010

This Thursday will be Jane Austen’s birthday, the 235th anniversary of her birth. All week we are going to be honoring Jane and celebrating the fact that she lived and left for us wonderful works of fiction, novels that have been elevated the status of great literature.

In honor of Jane’s birthday, I’ll give away a blank greeting card, postcards and a Hatchard’s bookmark, all from one of my England trips. Just comment today and I’ll randomly make my pick and announce it tomorrow.

But when Jane was writing, she was not too different from us. She had stories in her head, like we do. She had to make that leap of courage to write them down, then to send them to publishers. She, too, suffered the pain of rejection and the exhilaration of actually selling a book. And, then, Jane had to fit writing in between other duties, just like we do. Sometimes, like when she lived in Bath, she had to put the needs of family members over her own.

Jane wrote romances. Oh, I know some folks would scoff at my saying that, as if I were insulting her, but her stories almost always have a central romance that finds its happy ending, just like our romances.

I like that Jane Austen wrote about marrying for love, a relatively new concept in her time. I also like that she understood that love transforms a person. Yes, Jane’s books were about so much more than a love story, but so are today’s best romances.

So…what have I learned from Jane Austen?

It is hard to say! When I read Austen or watch some of the movies made of her works, I just enjoy the stories. I get caught up in the characters, the setting, Austen’s fabulous wit, and I don’t analyze.

I know I love her characters and how deftly they they are drawn. Austen’s “brush strokes” on “little pieces of ivory” created characters who are so vivid and real that we can’t forget them, even 200 years later.

My three favorites among Austen’s books are the ones that are the most focused on the love story. In order they are:
1. Persuasion
2. Pride and Prejudice
3. Sense and Sensibility

Which of Jane Austen books are your favorites? Why? Do you get as “Lost in Austen” as I do? Make a comment for a chance to win my prizes!

Harlequin Holiday ContestThis week I’m blogging at Harlequin Historicals on Wednesday and Diane’s Blog on Thursday. And don’t forget to enter the Harlequin Historical Holiday contest. Enter every day for daily prizes and to increase your chances to win the grand prize–a Kindle! “Like” me on my new Facebook Fan Page and you’ll automatically be entered for the grand prize.

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First off, thanks to all who suggested titles–facetious and not–for my Secret Scot Baby story last week. I compiled a list of them and sent them off to my agent for her review.

Second, I have done no writing this week. None. Nada. Zilch. I have barely even thought about writing either. This is because,

Third, I have taken on a part-time job that has me trekking into an office three days a week. It is working with something I love (books and romance), but it is a big change. I expect I will adjust in the next couple of weeks, but for right now, it’s been all I can handle to dress like an adult and show up somewhere on time.

Fourth, those pesky holidays. Yes, I love them and all, but they take a lot of work, especially since The Particular Spouse is . . . particular. I have failed at finding the perfect black sweater vest, a wooden iPhone case and a particular NY Knicks jacket (no, he never visits over here, so no spoilage). I have succeeded in getting some cooking gadgets and books, and I plan on buying a particular type of super-peaty Scotch, but I am not sure that will suffice.

And Fifth–wait, is there a fifth? Oh, yes, a fifth: My agent is out with two manuscripts, both of which are in various stages of consideration, and I am hopeful of some positive outcome with one or both of them. I’m not holding my breath, and I know that my writing won’t sell at all unless I actually write, so I am planning on doing some writing this weekend with my friend Liz Maverick, while the Frampton Boys are out of town.

Sixth, who’s the hardest person to shop for on your list? What are you getting them?

Megan

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Some things on my mind today, mainly that I should be writing, but I’ve spent most of the day so far running around and buying xmas gift wrap (no presents as yet but it’s a start) and in a little while I’ll be going out to rake leaves, my last chance before the town picks them up tomorrow.

First, some news–Mr Bishop and the Actress is coming out early, in February 2011, and is available for preorder at bookdepository.com (free shipping worldwide). And if you’re on my mailing list you’ll see the cover early and get word of the next contest (a twinkle in my eye at the moment–sign up on my website).

A week today is a very special day, the birthday of Jane Austen, born December 16, 1775, which we’re celebrating all week. On the day itself a whole bunch of blogs, including the Riskies, will have a party, offering, naturally, valuable prizes. In fact our party begins on Monday and runs all week, but on The Day itself, next Thursday, we’re participating in a group blog party.

Masterminded by Maria Grazi (who designed the wonderful graphic) at My Jane Austen Book Club, the following gracious hostesses will be blogging about Austen on December 16:

Austenprose
Austenesque
Jane Austen World
November’s Autumn
Karen Wasylowski
Jane Austen Addict Blog
Lynn Shepherd
Reading, Writing, Working, Playing
Jane Austen Sequels
First Impressions
Regina Jeffers
Cindy Jones

The following prizes will be offered:

Signed Books:
Willoughby’s Return by Jane Odiwe
Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
Murder at Mansfield Park by Lynn Shepherd
Intimations of Austen by Jane Greensmith
Darcy’s Passions: Fitzwilliam Darcy’s Story by Regina Jeffers
First Impressions: A Tale of Less Pride and Prejudice by Alexa Adams
Jane and the Damned by Janet Mullany
Bespelling Jane Austen by Janet Mullany & co.

Other prizes:
Austen bag offered by Karen Wasylowski
DVD Pride & Prejudice 2005 offered by Regina Jeffers
Package of Bingley’s Tea (flavor “Marianne’s Wild Abandon” ) offered by Cindy Jones
DVD Jane Austen in Manhattan offered by Maria Grazia
3 issues of Jane Austen Regency World offered by Maria Grazia

I’ll link back to this post on The Day so you know who to visit. You don’t have to buy Miss Austen a present, you don’t have to dress up–just plan to have some blogging fun!

In the meantime, let’s talk about our holiday preparations–how are they going or are you pretending it’s just not going to happen?

The Arts Journal website (thanks, JA for this resource) led me to an article on Big Questions Online: A Not-So-Distant Mirror by Alan Jacobs, a professor of English at Wheaton College, who writes the Text Patterns blog.

The article is about how the 18th Century is similar to the 21st. His article is based on a social history of Georgian England, English Society in the Eighteenth Century by Roy Porter.

Because people often lump the Regency into issues relevant to the late Eighteenth Century, I thought this article was relevant to “our” time period. But, I warn you, my “social worker” self will be peeking out here.

Here are some of Jacobs’ (and Porters’) points:

1. The English in the 18th century were developing a social conscience, showing more concern for the poor and for children than their ancestors. Certainly through our modern times, we’ve developed more services for the poor–welfare, food stamps, unemployment, disability, etc. We’ve shown concern for children–education, head start, WIC, Child Protective Services, Foster Care, etc.
Of course, Jacobs quotes Porter as saying, “Tears for the exploited, the unfortunate and the afflicted flowed freely, but sympathy cost little, and was only occasionally translated into action.” I suppose we could make a case for this in our present society, too.

2. Child rearing practices were changing. Porter says, “Many ladies abandoned the wet nurse and experimented with breast-feeding; swaddling disappeared, partly in response to mothers’ new-found desire to fondle, dandle and dress their infants.” Our Regency mothers are more apt to breast feed than their mothers. From, say, the 1950s, when formula and scheduled bottle feeding was the norm, in more recent times mothers have turned back to breast feeding. Jacobs also notes that 18th century parents were more apt to turn away from physical punishment and to rely on “reasoning, coaxing and kindness” in disciplining their children. We in modern times have also turned away from physical punishment, relying on “consequences” and “time out.” Jacobs also notes that 18th century parents could tend to be over-protective and we can certainly relate that to parenting today where parents are involved in every aspects of their children’s lives.

3. Jacobs notes that ethical norms were loosening in the 18th century, much like today, and were more apt to be based on an individual’s own psychological make-up and what feels right and good to the individual. An 18th century version of the Me Generation!

I thought of other parallels, more attuned to the Regency, like, maybe:

1. An economic downturn and high unemployment? Certainly that was the experience in the Great Britain after the Napoleonic Wars. The populace complained about what the Parliament enacted to try to solve the problems (which did protect the wealthy landowners who tended to be themselves)

2. More relaxed fashions? Enter in the era of grecian fashions, empire waists for women, and elimination of brocades, lace, and a rainbow of colors for men. No more powdered hair or wigs. Of course, we have turned even more casual than the Regency. Remember when we used to dress up to ride in airplanes?

3. A long war? The Napoleonic Wars lasted from 1803 to 1815.

Can you think of any other social or political parallels between today and the Regency?

Don’t forget to enter the Harlequin Historical Holiday Contest. Prizes are awarded every day and the Grand Prize is a Kindle. Go here for more information. This Thurday is my day! Come to Diane’s Blog on Thursday for a chance to win your choice of a signed copy of one of my backlist books and a $10 Amazon gift certificate.

Help me!

I finished the novella I titled “Secret Scot Baby” a few weeks ago, and sent it to my agent for her review. I now have to think of a title that doesn’t suck, or make me laugh, both of which this title does. When I first began it, all I knew was that I wanted the heroine to be an English widow living in Scotland and the hero is a Scot who served in the war, and has unexpectedly inherited a viscountcy (The people I based the characters’ looks on are here, just for some nice visual interest). A good friend–Myretta Robens–came up with a compelling reason for them to meet, and that reason is the baby the widow’s late husband fathered while away from home.

Here’s the brief blurb (it’s a Regency-set historical, which isn’t clear from this. D’oh!):

A weary soldier returns to Scotland from the battlefront bringing a fallen comrade’s baby—to the house of the comrade’s widow.

Katherine doesn’t know what to make of the man who arrives on her doorstep, and knows even less what to make of the baby Mac says was fathered by her late husband—and now has no home but hers to go to.

I have to write the synopsis, too, but I won’t ask for help with that (although I do not promise not to whine about it!). Any suggestions for a title are welcome!

Megan

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