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Jane Austen Birthday Week

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Jane Austen was born Dec 16, 1775, in Steventon, Hampshire, England, a day for us all to celebrate; however, we Riskies are celebrating Jane Austen ALL week.

We want you to celebrate with us. There will be prizes. We’ve managed to scrape up Jane Austen-related prizes to send to one lucky commenter chosen at random next Sunday after Amanda’s Saturday blog finishes our week.

What was your first introduction to Jane Austen?

I first read Pride and Prejudice in college, but I cannot say my love of Austen hit me then. At the time, I loved everything about English Literature, enough to focus on English Lit as an English major. The real impact of Jane Austen came later for me and not through her books but through a movie.

Shortly after I’d first started writing, my critique group went to see Persuasion in the movie theatre, the Amanda Root-Ciaran Hinds version. There on the big screen the world of the Regency came alive in front of my very eyes. I’d just started reading traditional Regencies at the time and the beautiful houses, the clothing, the lush countryside, the sea coast, Bath, were all before me to experience as if I were really there. I loved the performances in the movie. I loved how Amanda Root as Anne began the movie looking like a dowdy spinster and ended up beautiful when the love she’d lost came back to her. I loved how Ciaran Hinds as Captain Wentworth was not movie-star handsome, but seemed like a real man from that era. All the characters in the movie seemed perfectly cast and the scenery was unsurpassed. Look here for the movie trailer and you will see what I mean.

I still didn’t return to reading Austen at that time. That came later when I decided to try writing a Regency Historical. To help me develop a “Regency Voice” I listened to Jane Austen’s novels in audio book form over and over. Persuasion was still my favorite. I loved the “second chance” aspect of it.

You can hear a sample of that audio recording here.

Through the audio versions of Jane Austen’s novels, I truly began to appreciate her storytelling mastery. It is no wonder that librarians chose Pride and Prejudice as their number one favorite novel of all time…and Persuasion as number 82.

For more about Persuasion look here

For Cara’s Jane Austen Movie Club discussion of the 1995 movie Persuasion look here.

Tell us, did you love Jane Austen at your first exposure or did it happen later? Did you start with a movie or a book?

Don’t forget, we’re giving away Jane Austen-related prizes in honor of her birthday, so make a comment today and all week.

Come visit my website and enter my contest by Dec 20 for a chance to win Mistletoe Kisses.

 

Oh, by the way, here’s a photo of my son’s graduation. He really did it!!
The little arrow is pointing to him. If you can see a bearded face, my son is right behind him.

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Michelle Willingham and Diane Gaston – New Books!

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Diane here.
Michelle Willingham and I both have Harlequin Historicals arriving in bookstores by Sept 1, if not a few days before (check your favorite store!). We’re each giving away one copy of the September books, so be sure to leave a comment!

Michelle’s September release is Surrender to an Irish Warrior.

Praise for Michelle’s RITA nominated, Taming Her Irish Warrior:
“Kudos to Michelle Willingham….Always true to her characters, Michelle Willingham writes an ending that will steal the heart with its imagery, emotion and romance”–Medieval Book Reviews

My September release is Chivalrous Captain, Rebel Mistress.

Praise for Chivalrous Captain, Rebel Mistress:
“Engaging characters,
action/adventure and sweet love add to the depth of these stories, which
demonstrate how war changes people — and the world.”–RT
Bookreviews

Michelle, it is so good to have you back with the Riskies! Tell us about Surrender to an Irish Warrior.

Michelle: Surrender to an Irish Warrior is the last book in my MacEgan Brothers series. It’s about an Irish warrior, Trahern MacEgan, who wants to avenge the death of his betrothed wife. Along the way, he rescues Morren O’Reilly, a woman who was attacked by the same Viking raiders. In Morren, he finds healing and redemption.

Diane: Oh, I love a rescue story. In Chivalrous Captain, Rebel Mistress, Book 2 of my Three Soldiers Series, Allan Landon and Marian Pallant meet when he rescues her on the battlefield of Waterloo and takes her to Hougoumont for safety, only to have to rescue her again when the French set fire to the Hougoumont chateau. But, after that Allan and Marian take turns rescuing each other.




We always ask this. Was there anything risky about your book?

Michelle: Definitely! This was one of the most frightening books I’ve ever written, because I tried to keep it true to the time period. Vikings were known to attack women, and Morren was one of their victims. It’s the first time I wrote about a rape survivor, and although the opening is dark, it left me the chance to give them both of them an incredibly happy ending. It also gave me the chance to do a “family reunion” of all the MacEgan Brothers at the end.

Diane: Each of my Soldiers Series starts out with an almost-rape at the pillaging of Badajoz; I suppose it was risky that the perpetrator goes unpunished (Allan hates that) in this book. Instead he just causes more trouble for everyone. What I felt risky about, though, was making up a fictitious protest demonstration that Marian organized and Allan must prevent. Did I make it credible? I guess the readers will tell me.

What interesting research did you come across while writing this book (maybe we can contrast the different time periods here)?

Michelle: The Viking system of justice was fascinating. I learned that men convicted of a serious offense, like murder, were made into outlaws and could be killed by any member of their tribe with no consequences.

Diane: I learned a lot about the British system of justice during that post-Napoleonic war period. In its way it was also brutal. Habeas Corpus was suspended and anyone could arrested with no reason given. Any protest against the government was seen as a treasonous act. In a way, government could do what it wanted with protesters and have no consequences for it.

What’s next for you?

Michelle: I am starting a Scottish medieval series, set around the Braveheart era (Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, etc.). The first book, Claimed by the Highlander will be released in the spring of 2011.

Diane: Oh, I so admire you for taking on the challenge of yet another historical era. I’m sticking with the Regency, though. What’s next for me is the last book in the Three Soldiers Series, Gabriel’s story, as yet untitled and unscheduled, but probably due out in the spring of 2011. Maybe both our books will be released the same month then, too!

Now, a question from both of us. If you could be rescued by any sort of hero, what kind of man would it be? Medieval warrior? Handsome English soldier? Ruthless billionaire? (Or ask us whatever you want!) Post a comment for a chance to win a signed copy of Surrender to an Irish Warrior or Chivalrous Captain, Rebel Mistress.

Michelle and I are together again for Male On Monday at the Pink Heart Society, tomorrow, Aug 23, when, I, of course will be back here at Risky Regencies. Thursday, I’m at Diane’s Blog!

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Happy Birthday to Us

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My birthday present to you! My bookcover for Gallant Officer, Forbidden Lady coming Dec 2009 from Harlequin Historical. I LOVE this cover

My real Risky Regencies birthday is April 17, because I joined this lovely group on April 17, 2006, but, the Queen doesn’t celebrate her birthday on the anniversary of her birth, so why should I? I choose to celebrate with my other Riskies.

I was so creative. I called my first blog “My First Time by Diane Gaston Perkins” (I was still writing for Warner Forever as Diane Perkins at the time). I talked about why I think the Regency is so popular as a Romance genre. And I sounded reasonably intelligent! Who knew?

Risky Regencies came about when there were still Signet and Zebra Traditional Regencies, but we all knew they would not last. Janet, Amanda, Elena, and Cara were innovating, trying to give the subgenre new life. It was a risk, but that was the reason to name the blog Risky Regencies.

I decided to see what these Riskies chose to write about for their first times.

Janet’s first blog was, as you might expect, extremely witty with creative surprises, telling what was risky about her first book, Dedication.

Megan talks about her risky Regency, A Singular Lady, in the sassy slightly self-depreciating style we’ve come to love, admitting she made mistakes with titles.

Cara’s first blog was about cards! She talks about the idea that became My Lady Gamester. (I still miss Cara, so I’m including her here!)

Amanda’s first real blog (after a brief one about covers, citing both a movie and fashion, natch) was a cute Jane Austen quiz. We’ve had lots of quizzes since.

Elena does another thing we’ve repeated often–talking about other books and authors we admire. Elena will be blogging on Sept 26. Yay!!!

And finally our newest Risky, Carolyn, who started her time here with a quirky introduction in Regency-speak and her first real blog about The Regency Ottoman Empire. What could be more Risky than that???

Like the Regency genre, we’re still evolving. I love the community we’ve become, and that includes our commenters!

Do you have any Risky Regency blogs you remember? What ones have stuck in your memory?

My prize, awarded at the end of the month, like Janet’s, is a DVD: 1815 The Battle Of Waterloo. It is a documentary released by Kultur.com that I used in writing my Three Soldiers Series (and ordered twice because I forgot I already owned it). If you don’t win you can order your own from Amazon.

My website is updated! And there is a new contest there.
And I’m now on Twitter as well as Facebook.

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Sister Story

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This month at the Wet Noodle Posse we’re blogging about sisters and today I’m discussing my sisters there. Last week our Q and A day asked what “Sister” movies were favorites. “Our” Louisa Cornell mentioned Sense & Sensibility.

I watched Sense & Sensibility a couple of nights ago, the Emma Thompson/Kate Winslet version, and agree it is a wonderful sister movie. When Eleanor sobs over Marianne’s sickbed, begging her not to leave her alone, I cried, too.

Eleanor and Marianne were such true-to-life sisters, sometimes being hurtful to each other, other times fiercely supporting each other. In Marianne’s grief over Willoughby, she still tries her best to foster Edward’s attachment to Eleanor, not knowing that Lucy is the impediment.

Pride & Prejudice is another “sister” movie. Elizabeth and Jane are very close and, unlike Eleanor and Marianne, no sharp words pass between them. Lizzie, who is the opposite of Lydia, tries to convince her father not to allow Lydia to go to Brighton, showing her concern for even the most frivolous sister.

Jane Austen was very close to her sister Cassandra. Her relationship to Cassandra was perhaps the most important in her life. It is no wonder she writes about sisters.

The wonder is, why don’t I? I’m the youngest of three sisters. My mother was one of three sisters. Her sister had three daughters. Because we moved around a lot, my sisters and I were often our only companions. My year and a half older sister was my closest relationship growing up.

But my books don’t explore sisterhood. Most of my heroines don’t have sisters (Morgana in A Reputable Rake; Rose in Innocence and Impropriety; Marlena in The Vanishing Viscountess). Or the sisters are estranged (Maddie from The Mysterious Miss M and her sister Emily in The Wagering Widow; Lydia in Scandalizing the Ton)

A big exception is the anthology, The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor. In Justine and the Noble Viscount, I get to introduce the sisters who are the “diamonds,” and Deb and Amanda show how their relationships evolve. See my Wet Noodle Posse blog on The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor

Do you think Jane Austen accurately represents sisters in her books?
What other books or movies are good “sister” stories?

Check out my website for more blogs about The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor.

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