Hope everyone is having a great summer! I’ve spent mine editing an old tale I posted long ago called So Material a Change. Heads up to all who might have read it back then–its changed a bit. The original posted version was over 260,000 words, AKA it was a bloated whale of a tale. SMAC …
When Friday the thirteenth occurs during a summer month, it never seems quite as spooky to me as when it falls in October. Still, it is Friday the thirteenth, and while Austen was surely too rational to care much for superstitions, I am not a particularly rational person. So, here is a short scene from …
We Have Mary King to Thank – Part 2, by Jack Caldwell Greetings, everyone. Jack Caldwell here. Here is Part 2 of our story. I know Part 1 was a little short. You ought to like this one better, although I still use a lot from Miss Austen’s text. Thanks goes to my lovely Beta …
Or is it to Oxford? Or Eton? Or to Mrs Goddards’? “No governess!” How was that possible?” Five daughters brought up at home without a governess! I never heard of such a thing! Your mother must have been quite a slave to your education.” ~Lady Catherine de Bourgh With the ‘dog days’ of summer …
Good day! The monthly theme for August is ‘Up the Garden Path’. My vignette is loosely based on it, and I drew inspiration from my nifty little Nancy Drew book once again. This time the quote I choose is “The best way to clear one’s mind is to commune with nature” from The Hidden Staircase. …
We Have Mary King to Thank – Part 1, by Jack Caldwell Greetings, everyone. Jack Caldwell here. As you know, I’ve been focused on my latest novel, BROTHER OF THE BRIDE: A Story of Jane Austen’s Fighting Men. However, this darn plot bunny just wouldn’t leave me alone! It demanded to be written, and as …
Happy Friday, everyone! I’m excited to announce a brand new feature here at Austen Variations: a series of interviews with our very own JAV authors! Today, I will be interviewing Shannon Winslow, who, coincidentally, celebrated the 10th anniversary of her first book The Darcy’s of Pemberley just this week! Since then, Shannon has published a …
Mrs. Isabella Knightley looked with concern at her guest. Pretty little Harriet Smith was usually the most cheerful, happy natured young lady, but just now she was leaning on the sofa in a despondent, listless posture, and not seeming to even notice Isabella’s five children, who were romping at their feet, in various states of …
When your firstborn turns 10, it’s only fitting that you should throw a party, right? That’s what’s happening today. My very first novel – The Darcys of Pemberley – was published exactly ten years ago today, and what a difference that decade has made in my life! You should know that when I started writing …
Hi everyone, I hope the summer is treating you well. Here in London we’ve had a heatwave lasting around ten days followed by torrential rain and flooding yesterday. At least the plums in our garden are ripe. We picked the first batch this afternoon. I wonder whether Elizabeth and Darcy liked plums? If they did, …
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