There’s a children’s book and kiddie camp song that my son used to love when he was a preschooler called We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. (Anyone familiar with it?) I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately because I’m doing an Austenesque version of it this month…except, in my case, it would be called: …
by Maria Grace A few years ago, my husband and I were able to attend a performance of Japanese Kabuki theater company. The performance was in Japanese, so the entire audience had headsets that allowed an interpreter in translate the performance for us. The interpreter was spectacular. He translated not only the language, but the …
by Maria Grace Every job has its hazards, we all know that. As far as dangerous occupations, writing seems like it should be way down on the list right? Granted carpal tunnel problems from pen or keyboard can be an issue, but beyond that, paper cuts seem like they’d be the next biggest danger. Well, …
Pride and Prejudice in Music Recently, I watched someone’s YouTube creation – a scene from Pride and Prejudice set to contemporary music – and it got me thinking. When I read scenes from the story, do I hear contemporary music in my head? The answer is “yes.” I do! So, just for fun, I …
Writing fiction is a continual learning experience. This month my muse has deluged me with ideas too good to ignore, so instead of my usual two works in progress, I have no less than four. I was going to give you an excerpt from the WIP that I’m trying to focus on, but then my …
Middlethorpe Hall at dusk I’m travelling through England as I write this, finding inspiration and learning lots of useful information for future books. I now know how to recognize coaching inns, market towns, moors, and much more; I understand better about parsons and parsonages and why Mr. Collins’ first duty was to collect tithes. I …
I can’t remember now who it was that first asked the question, just that I remember being surprised by it. I was at an author event — a book club, where According to Jane was the novel being discussed — when someone there asked me why I liked Pride and Prejudice so much. At first …
The Piano Lesson by Edmund Blair Leighton Jane Austen’s continued popularity almost 200 years after her death is a testament to the universal themes found in her books, which are as relevant today as they were in Regency England. One of the devices she uses to round out and illustrate her characters is music. In …
This post is a follow-up on the Jane Austen Happy Hour workshop at last weekend’s RT convention where fellow Austen Authors Karen Doornebos, Marilyn Brant, Sharon Lathan, C. Allyn Pierson and I discussed regency-era alcoholic beverages, complete with taste-testing. I provided ratafia, and since I’d forgotten to bring the recipe cards, I volunteered to post …
For 15 years, I’ve dreamed of getting to return to Europe. I even wrote a whole book (known these days as A Summer in Europe) about a woman spending several weeks there, visiting cities from Rome to London and drinking in the amazing atmosphere of every fabulous site. I wistfully daydreamed my way through the …
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