My Love for Jane Austen

The Austenesque scout has some fabulous news to share with her readers about four unique giveaways only for this week. Author Jessica Grey who also co-blogs at Indie Jane community is joining the Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway & Blog Hop organised by Sarah Bellisto . Jessica will be giving away three prizes on her blog which are a paperback copy of Nancy Kelley's His Good Opinion: A Mr. Darcy Novel , a paperback copy of Pride and Prejudice and a US$10 Starbucks gift card . To enter, leave a comment here mentioning your favorite thing about Christmas or any other winter holiday that you celebrate. There are also additional ways to increase your chances of winning so be sure to check out her post . The bad news is this contest is limited to US and Canadian readers and it closes on Monday, 12 December 2011 . Next up, Maria Grazia has another guest author for her Talking with Jane Austen... weekly interview post for My Jane Austen Book Club . This time the gues...

Average rating: ★★★★½/★★★★★ Original Stories Inspired by Literature's Most Astute Observer of the Human Heart is the subtitle of Laurel Ann Nattress' first enterprise into writing Austen-themed books whereby she acts as the editor and creator of this anthology of short stories. When it was first announced in May 2010 on her Austenprose blog post , I definitely cannot wait to own and read it. As I have been following her blog for many years now, I knew the resulting book will be filled with interesting, amusing and whimsical anecdotes that are inspired by Jane Austen's life, her family and her novels. Besides I have read some of the contributing authors such as Amanda Grange, Stephanie Barron, Pamela Aidan, Jane Odiwe, Elizabeth Aston, Janet Mullany, Beth Pattillo, Alexandra Potter, Laurie Viera Rigler, Margaret Sullivan and Maya Slater and recognised their Austenesque stories to be of the highest quality. It is with great pleasure that I quickly purchased this book ...

The Austenesque scout is delighted to announce great news regarding eight book contests for this week. Maria Grazia who maintains her Fly High! blog has interviewed British author Ali McNamara whose latest novel Breakfast at Darcy's has just been released. Read what Ms McNamara has to say and leave your comment and email address here for an opportunity to win one of two books sponsored by her UK publisher, Little Brown. The books are a copy each of From Notting Hill with Love... Actually and Breakfast at Darcy's for two different winners. The good news is this giveaway is open worldwide and ends on Sunday, 27 November 2011 . Jane Odiwe is hosting a giveaway on her blog to win a copy of P. D. James' latest release novel called Death Comes to Pemberley courtesy of Ms James' UK publisher, Faber and Faber. If you want to enter this giveaway, leave a comment on this post before next Tuesday, 29 November 2011 stating the reason you like to read the book. ...

Velvet who blogs at vvb32 reads is hosting an on-going interactive role-playing blog party named Pemberley Ball 2011 . In its third edition now, anyone can participate in this lovely Pride and Prejudice -centric event which begins on 14-22 November 2011. However the main focus for this year's annual ball is Georgiana Darcy, sister of Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy. If you are interested to join, please proceed to the Cloak Room and sign-up as a guest. A number of lovely Austenesque novels and other books are offered to participants who sign-up and then comment on the various post throughout the week. The giveaways are open to everyone and generally ends on Thursday, 15 December 2011 and rules are the same unless stated otherwise. So be sure to celebrate this wonderful event by stopping by at the schedule of events. The list of books that are up for grabs is below: 1) Miss Darcy Falls in Love donated by the author Sharon Lathan 2) Across Eternity e-book provided by the a...

The Austenesque scout has fabulous news regarding some Austen-inspired books to be given away especially for this week. Lindsay Ashford, whose latest novel The Mysterious Death of Miss Austen is inspired by the tragedy of Jane Austen's untimely demise at the age of forty-one, is the guest author at My Jane Austen Book Club managed by Maria Grazia. Lindsay elaborates on her inspiration for writing this fictional crime novel from the perspective of Jane Austen's dearest friend Anne Sharp who at one time was the governess of Jane's niece, Fanny Knight. Do read this interesting post because Lindsay's publisher, Honno, has donated a copy of The Mysterious Death of Miss Austen to one lucky worldwide reader who leave a comment and email address at that post. This contest closes next Tuesday, 22 November 2011 . Jane Austen Today has a terrific giveaway for a copy of the first issue of Marvel Comics' Northanger Abbey that is on sale since last week. All y...

Kara Louise, the published author of numerous Pride and Prejudice fiction including Darcy's Voyage and Only Mr. Darcy Will Do has just released a compilation of short holiday stories on the Darcys' first year of marriage. Self-published as Pemberley Celebrations: The First Year , it contains four Christmas stories, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, Easter, May Day, Midsummer's Day, Michaelmas, All Hallows' Eve, a Birthday and finally their first wedding anniversary. Kara will be visiting notable Austenesque book blogs to celebrate and promote this publication. There will be a few copies of Pemberley Celebrations: The First Year to be won when you participate on her guest post by leaving your comments at the sites. However do read the terms and conditions first because some of giveaways are restricted to readers from US and Canada . Kara's blog tour sits below: 10th: Launch of Pemberley Celebrations @ delightful diversions from the heart... 11t...

Last week on 8 November to be precise, sees the official launch of Regina Jeffer's Pride and Prejudice Christmassy sequel titled Christmas at Pemberley . Published by Ulysses Press, this is Regina's seventh Austen-inspired piece after Darcy's Passion , Darcy's Temptation , Vampire Darcy's Desire , Captain Wentworth's Persuasion and The Phantom of Pemberley plus Pemberley Ball , a short story in The Road to Pemberley anthology edited by fellow Austen Authors blogger, Marsha Altman. This novel centres on Mr and Mrs Darcy's invitation to their families and close friends to celebrate Christmas at the estate in Pemberley. Among the guests are Lady Catherine de Bourgh, the Bennets and the Bingleys including Caroline. If this short premise entice you to add this book to your wishlist for Christmas, do join Regina as she embarks on a virtual book tour to celebrate the publication with Janeites and readers alike. If you are lucky, you might even win a copy o...

Rating: ★★★★★/★★★★★ After enduring a not very likeable Austenesque fiction in Karen V. Wasylowski's Darcy and Fitzwilliam which was reviewed several months ago, I was a little wary of reading any Austen-themed novels which caught my fancy because of its beautifully designed covers. After my colleague recommend me to try Maria Hamilton's debut novel, I made up my mind to read it next. It proved to be a wise choice for I spend many hours perusing this delightful Pride and Prejudice what-if story. Mr. Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman begins after Fitzwilliam Darcy's disastrous marriage proposal to Elizabeth Bennet in Hunsford Parsonage, Kent. After thinking over her reasons for refusing him, Darcy decides to take her reproves to heart and tries to correct the mistakes that he committed in his past although unintentional done. Foremost on his mind is to try and salvage his friend, Charles Bingley's relationship with Jane Bennet and act in a manner wort...

The Austenesque scout has some wonderful news for her readers who wish to enter contests to win great prizes for this week. We begin with the wonderful Maria Grazia who has two separate blogs devoted entirely to Jane Austen and the other for her love of literature and visual adaptation of books which she watch. Over at My Jane Austen Book Club , Regina Jeffers is her guest for the week to promote her newly released Christmas-themed sequel to Pride and Prejudice called Christmas at Pemberley . Regina came bearing a signed copy of this new book to a reader who leave a comment and email address on her guest post . This contest is open worldwide and closes next Tuesday, 15 November 2011 . Meanwhile Maria's Fly High! blog is featuring Debra Brown as her guest author. Read Debra's delightful post on her love for historical fiction, website and her own written book, The Companion of Lady Holmeshire . Comment on the post for an opportunity to receive an autographed copy...

The Austenesque scout would like to inform her readers a tons of Austen-themed swags for this week. Firstly, Austen Author 's Mary Lydon Simonsen has recently self-published a novella re-imagining Jane Austen's naval hero from Persuasion titled Captain Wentworth: Home from the Sea . As a token of appreciation for Janeites who have helped her all these years of writing Austenesque genre, she is giving away two copies of this novella to readers who leave a comment on her post . In your comment, please tell her what you love about Persuasion and include your email address . This fabulous giveaway is open worldwide and closes next Tuesday, 8 November 2011 . Over at My Jane Austen Book Club , there is a video interview with P. D. James who has written Death Comes to Pemberley , a Pride & Prejudice sequel with a mystery twist. Watch the video and answer the question posted by Maria in your comment for a chance to win a copy of Death Comes to Pemberley . Remember to...