The members of JASNA St. Louis and other Jane Austen aficionados were recently treated to a Jane Austen Festival, the weekend of December 6-8. It was put on by the Repertory Theatre (Browning Theater) of St. Louis, Webster University, and JASNA – St. Louis. Throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday, there were many activities …
Tag: Kara Louise
Becoming a Pirate
Welcome to our Austen Variations Monthly Theme – Fantastical Austen! You will find just about anything goes this month! My one mash-up novel was ‘Pirates and Prejudice’ and I thought I would share an excerpt from it. How does one prepare to become a pirate, especially if you are the fastidious Fitzwilliam Darcy? When he …
Stormy September Excerpt
As I considered the Stormy September theme this month, I had several books to select passages from. Storms seem to be a popular (at least to me) plot element in writing. I would have liked to include something new, but my life the past few days has been turned upside down – not by a …
A Picnic Excerpt from Only Mr. Darcy Will Do
For those of you who aren’t aware, each month we choose a theme that some of our authors may choose to write about. Our theme for this month is Summer is the time for Picnics, and I knew right away what I wanted to post. This is a scene from “Only Mr. Darcy Will Do,” …
Emma’s Dinner Party
As I pondered what to write about for our theme this month, I came across this from Jane Austen’s book Emma. It is Mr. Knightly speaking to Emma and her father about being introduced to Mr. Elton: “With a great deal of pleasure, sir, at any time,” said Mr. Knightley, laughing, “and I agree with you …
Easter in Kent
Since this past week was Easter, and our theme this month is Spring Has Sprung, I thought I would post an excerpt from “Mr. Darcy’s Rival” when Elizabeth is in Kent. In the first part of this excerpt, it is Easter Sunday morning, and everyone is gathered at the church for the Easter service. Mr. …
Throw Back Thursday
A new feature at Austen Variations is our Throwback Thursday, which began a few weeks ago. As I thought about which of my older books to write about for my first Throwback Thursday, I had considered my first book, “Assumed Engagement,” which I actually wrote in 2001, but since I wrote a little about …
Deplorable Date Part 2
Here is Chapter 3 from my new book, Frosted Window Panes. To read Chapters 1 and 2, click here. That post will also give a little more information about how this book came to be. Chapter 3 When they returned to the table and sat down, Jane turned to Charles. “Elizabeth said she would be …
Deplorable Date Part 1
A few years ago, I posted 2 chapters I had written for our Deplorable Dates theme. Last year I decided to write and publish the book based on those chapters and the ending, which I had written and also posted. Those 2 chapters turned into 3 chapters. I have updated this post to reflect Chapters …
Persuasion, Behind the Scenes – A Release Day Celebration
It’s finally here! I know many of you have been waiting for a long time for us to publish this anthology and we’re so thrilled to have it available for you to buy. Persuasion is one of Jane Austen’s most beloved works. I’m sure all of us have scenes we wish she’d written and those …

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