Tuesday 29 October 2019

Winners of Miss Price's Decision by Eliza Shearer and Jane Austen's Ghost by Jennifer Kloester

I have a double winner's post for you today :)

Book cover: Miss Price's Decision by Eliza Shearer
Recently we were joined by Eliza Shearer, who visited to tell us about her new book, Miss Price's Decision. This book takes characters from more than one Austen novel, but the main character in the story is Susan Price, sister of Fanny Price from Mansfield Park. You can read Eliza's guest post and excerpt here. Eliza was giving away an ebook of Miss Price's Decision to a commenter on the post. The winner was chosen at random, and that person was....

Bookluver88

Congratulations, I will drop you an email.

Book cover: Jane Austen's Ghost by Jennifer Kloester
We were also joined by author Jennifer Kloester. She has written a book with Jane Austen as a character - or if not as a character, as a spirit. Jane Austen's Ghost is a modern day story perfect for this time of year. Jennifer brought us a really informative guest post about the Prince Regent's librarian, James Stanier Clarke, and an ebook giveaway of Jane Austen's Ghost. Again the winner was chosen at random and that person was...

Vesper

Congratulations to you! I will email you too.

Thanks to everybody who visited the blog posts and commented, and of course thank you to our authors and publishers for the giveaways.

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Monday 28 October 2019

When Charlotte Became Romantic by Victoria Kincaid - Guest Post and Giveaway

Book cover: When Charlotte Became Romantic by Victoria Kincaid
Victoria Kincaid is visiting us today to tell us about her latest story, When Charlotte Became Romantic. This is focusing on Charlotte Lucas, who, as we all know was prudent rather than romantic... but what if things had been different? Let's take a look at the blurb and then hand over to Victoria, who has brought an excerpt of the book for us to enjoy and a giveaway.

Book Description

In the original Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet’s friend, Charlotte Lucas marries the silly and obsequious clergyman, Mr. Collins.  But what if fate—and love—intervened?

Desperate to escape her parents’ constant criticism, Charlotte has accepted a proposal from Mr. Collins despite recognizing his stupid and selfish nature.  But when a mysterious man from her past visits Meryton for the Christmas season, he arouses long-buried feelings and causes her to doubt her decision. 

James Sinclair’s mistakes cost him a chance with Charlotte three years ago, and he is devastated to find her engaged to another man.  Honor demands that he step aside, but his heart will not allow him to leave Meryton.  Their mutual attraction deepens; however, breaking an engagement is not a simple matter and scandal looms.  If they are to be happy, Charlotte and James must contend with her parents’ opposition, Lady Catherine’s nastiness, and dangerous figures from James’s past. 

Charlotte had forsworn romance years ago; is it possible for her to become romantic again?

Monday 21 October 2019

Winner of Fine Eyes & Pert Opinions by Maria Grace

Book cover: Fine Eyes and Pert Opinions by Maria Grace
Recently we were joined by Maria Grace with her latest book, Fine Eyes and Pert Opinions. You can read Maria's post here, including an excerpt.

Maria was kindly giving away an ebook of Fine Eyes and Pert Opinions to one of the commenters on her post. A winner was chosen at random, and that person was....

Lily Bernard!

Congratulations to you! I will be in touch.

If you weren't lucky enough to win this time, Fine Eyes and Pert Opinions is available to buy now! - Universal Buy Link / Add to Goodreads Shelf

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Jane Austen's Ghost by Jennifer Kloester - Guest Post and Giveaway

Book cover: Jane Austen's Ghost by Jennifer Kloester
Today I'm welcoming a new visitor to Babblings of a Bookworm, Jennifer Kloester.  I've read Jennifer's work previously - she  has written books relating to my second favourite writer, Georgette Heyer, one of which I read in my pre-blogging days. Obviously, a person who admires Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer is a person of good taste, so I was very pleased to take part in the blog tour for her new book, Jane Austen's Ghost. Jennifer joins us today with a guest post and giveaway. So let's start with the blurb and then I'll hand over to Jennifer.

Book Description

A masterpiece of wit, ingenuity and impeccable style, Regency maven Jennifer Kloester brings the great Jane Austen into the modern world in this enchanting, exhilarating adventure of love, literature and life everlasting...

With her life a mess, Cassandra Austin seeks refuge in Winchester with her eccentric great-aunt – but Aunty B has problems of her own. Ghost problems.

Cassie doesn’t believe in ghosts but she’ll do anything to help the only person who’s ever loved her. Besides, a simple spell in the cathedral crypt couldn’t do any harm, could it? Well, except for the two-hundred-year-old curse on Jane Austen, that is.

Overnight, life is suddenly a whole lot weirder and it’s up to Cassie to save the day with the help of a dour Bishop, two literary geniuses, a couple of wise-cracking geriatrics and the enigmatic Oliver Carling.

Magic and mystery abound in this genre-bending contemporary-historical paranormal romance with a Regency twist.

ADVANCE REVIEWS,

“Jane Austen's Ghost is a fabulous, fun read full of fantastical twists - mind-candy for anyone who has heard of Jane Austen. Meticulously researched, this work is nevertheless a tour de force of the imagination. Although steeped in all things Austen, due to its imaginative presentation, this work will appeal to readers everywhere – from Austen scholars to the man in the street. This is a work that transcends genres, incorporating a contemporary-historical paranormal adventure, a sweet romance, and a female protagonist in a coming-of-age arc. A truly not-to-be-missed read destined to become a classic.”
-- STEPHANIE LAURENS

“Jennifer Kloester’s meticulous research frameworks an intriguing, complex fantasy, as well as a gorgeously intimate insight into a concept of the Jane Austen we’d love to have at our dinner table. The characters are marvelous, the friendships warm and deep, and the plot holds us spellbound until the end. A truly fabulous read.”
-- MARION LENNOX

“Jane Austen meets Bridget Jones meets Harry Potter in this fast-paced romp from Georgette Heyer expert Jennifer Kloester. There are laugh out loud moments but genuinely scary moments, too, in this diverting tale. Supernatural elements mix with Regency manners as Jane Austen finds herself grappling with the twenty-first century in Jane Austen’s Ghost.”
-- AMANDA GRANGE

Friday 18 October 2019

Miss Price's Decision by Eliza Shearer - Blog Tour, Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

Book cover: Miss Price's Decision by Eliza ShearerI'm very happy to be welcoming Eliza Shearer back to the blog today. Eliza visited us previously with her book, Miss Darcy's Beaux, which focused on the sister of Pride & Prejudice's Mr Darcy, but also included characters from other Austen novels such as Persuasion and Mansfield Park. This latest book, Miss Price's Decision relates to Miss Susan Price, sister of Fanny Price from Mansfield Park. Both books are stand-alone, so you don't need to have read the first to dive into the second.

I am so happy that a book has been written featuring Mansfield Park characters. Firstly, because I like to see books other than P&P get some love, and secondly, I am particularly happy that Susan Price gets to be the main character, because I struggled to like Fanny Price when I read Mansfield Park until she went to Portsmouth, widened her views and became a more compassionate character, thanks to her appreciation of Susan's efforts to improve herself.

Like Miss Darcy's Beaux, Miss Price's Decision also features characters from other Austen novels, and Eliza Shearer has brought us an excerpt that gives us a peep at some of these characters. Let's look at the blurb and then I'll hand over to Eliza for a guest post and excerpt. She's also brought an ebook giveaway!

Book Description

Pretty, talented and hungry for adventure, young Susan Price is secretly thrilled when the poor health of Lady Bertram, her aunt and protector, forces a departure from sedate Mansfield Park. London and Bath offer a world of possibilities and new friendships, such as the Allens and Miss Moreland, or Mr Bingley and his mysterious friend, Mr Darcy. However, with momentous decisions on the horizon, new enemies that threaten her place in the Bertram household and an unexpected encounter from her Portsmouth past, will Susan's self-belief and unlikely allies be enough to secure her happiness?

Friday 11 October 2019

Fine Eyes and Pert Opinions by Maria Grace - Excerpt and Giveaway

We are joined by Maria Grace today, with her latest book, Fine Eyes and Pert Opinions. Maria has brought us a lovely long excerpt and an ebook giveaway too! Let's look at the blurb and then hand over to Maria.
Fine Eyes and Pert Opinions by Maria Grace

Book cover: Fine Eyes & Pert Opinions by Maria GraceBook Description

Darcy is at his wits end.

As guardian to his younger sister, he wants her to become a properly accomplished woman--she is coming out soon, after all. But Georgiana steadfastly refuses despite the encouragement of Elizabeth Bennet, long time Darcy family friend.  Darcy invites a few guests to Pemberley in the hopes of encouraging Georgiana's improvement with a taste of society.

Unexpected additions to the party prove dangerously distracting, leaving the Darcy family on the brink of disaster. Elizabeth holds the key to their restoration, but she has fled Pemberley, unable to tolerate another day in the Darcys' company.

Will Darcy relinquish his pride and prejudice to seek out a woman below his notice before his family is irreparably ruined?


Monday 7 October 2019

A Case of Some Delicacy by KC Kahler - Blog Tour, Guest Post and Giveaway

Today I'm welcoming KC Kahler back to the blog. She visited here a long time ago with Boots and Backpacks, a modernisation of Pride & Prejudice. She's just released a new book, A Case of Some Delicacy, which is a Pride & Prejudice variation. KC joins us for a guest post as part of her blog tour, and there's a giveaway too! Read on for more details.

Book Cover: A Case of Some Delicacy by KC Kahler
Book Description

A secret alliance grows when an unwanted suitor arrives at Longbourn...

When rumours of Jane Bennet’s impending betrothal to her father’s heir begin spreading at the Meryton Assembly, Elizabeth vows to save her dearest sister’s happiness from being sacrificed in marriage.

She finds an unlikely accomplice in Mr Darcy, the taciturn man whose heroics on the cricket field have managed to turn Lydia Bennet’s infatuation away from redcoats. Upon overhearing a heated exchange between Elizabeth and Mr Bennet, Darcy is stunned not only by her devotion to her sister, but also by her defiant words to her father. An inexplicable desire to help Elizabeth draws Darcy into the match-breaking scheme, despite knowing that he should want nothing to do with a family like the Bennets.

As the new allies work together, their friendship deepens into mutual admiration. But they must navigate a complicated web of sisters, parents, friends, cousins, and aunts, some of whom may be attempting their own manipulations and romantic schemes. Eavesdropping and jealousy abound, cricket balls go astray, and love blooms in spite of Mrs. Bennet’s misguided matchmaking.

Guest Post from KC Kahler

Hey there! Thanks to Ceri for hosting a blog stop for my new book A Case of Some Delicacy, and thanks to you all for checking it out!

Today I’d like to discuss our favorite fictional family, the Bennets. I’m going to use some visual aids I created. You may have seen some of these memes combining headlines from the satirical “newspaper” The Onion with stills from various Austen adaptations. They went viral a few years ago, which was very strange and fun for me.

But back to those Bennets… In A Case of Some Delicacy, I tried to fill in some of the gaps, so that by the end they seem like a real family.

I’ll start not with any character, but with the dreaded entail of Longbourn, which has a huge effect on the family dynamics. Only Mr. Bennet stands between the Bennet girls and disaster. One hopes he has a very long life.

Meme - Mr Bennet's Age

As all Austen fans know, this precarious situation has made Mrs. Bennet rather nervous and obsessed with getting her daughters married off.

Meme: Mrs Bennet's Nerves

Mrs. Bennet’s nervous condition is even more pronounced in A Case of Some Delicacy because Mr. Collins comes to visit sooner. She has to entertain the heir of her home in her home. Luckily he expresses interest in marrying Jane, which would save them all from displacement and genteel poverty.

But Mr. Collins isn’t anybody’s dream husband. For this reason, Elizabeth knows she can’t let Jane sacrifice her happiness for the family’s security. She tries to interfere in his courtship of Jane, and thus endures his many irksome speeches praising Lady Catherine.

Meme: Mr Collins is a bore

Mr. Bennet also finds his cousin annoying, so why doesn’t he intervene instead of Lizzy? Well, Mr. Bennet would rather find sanctuary in his library than deal with his cousin, wife, and daughters. He’d rather avoid conflict. But he reforms his indolent ways over the course of ACoSD.

Meme: Mr Bennet's Indolence

So we’ve covered Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Collins, Elizabeth and Jane. But what about the remaining Bennet girls who aren’t fully fleshed out in P&P?

Meme: Lydia is Boy-Crazy

Lydia has her own subplot in A Case of Some Delicacy. Yes, I know: nobody likes Lydia! Of course, she starts out as a silly, selfish, stubborn, boy-crazy teenager. But in ACoSD she does some serious character growth, and you may even like her at the end!

Mary and Kitty also play smaller but crucial roles in the plot of ACoSD. Mary starts out as studious and pious, but by the end you may think there is more to her than meets the eye. Kitty is silly and boy-crazy like Lydia, but her heart’s in the right pace.

Meme: The Other Bennet Sisters

Some of my favorite scenes to write in ACoSD were scenes where all five sisters interacted with each other. They argue and bicker as all siblings do, but they also help each other.

Thank you for reading! I hope you too will feel like you know the Bennet family better after reading A Case of Some Delicacy.

Author KC Kahler
About the Author

KC Kahler lives in northeastern Pennsylvania and works in online education, after having dabbled in sandwich making, bug collecting, and web development. She discovered Jane Austen fan fiction in 2008 and soon began dabbling in writing her own.

KC blogs about Austen and other pop culture topics. In 2015 and 2017, her popular Austen + The Onion Headlines meme was featured in The Atlantic, Flavorwire, and AV Club. In 2017, she made the requisite pilgrimage to Jane Austen country, where she took the waters in Bath, walked the lanes of Steventon, didn’t fall off the cobb in Lyme Regis, and stood awestruck in Chawton. 

KC’s first novel, Boots & Backpacks, was published in 2014. Her second, A Case of Some Delicacy, released in 2019.

KC’s social links


Book Cover: A Case of Some Delicacy by KC Kahler
Buy Links

A Case of Some Delicacy is available to buy now in paperback, kindle and kindle unlimited - Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

You can also add it to your Goodreads shelf.


Giveaway Time!

You can win a $50 Amazon gift card from Quills & Quartos Publishing! The contest ends on 18 October. To be eligible, just comment on any of the blog tour stops. You need not visit all the stops (one point per stop and comment), however, it does increase your chances of winning by earning more entries.

Note Regarding Comments: I love to read your comments, but a few blog visitors have reported difficulties in commenting while using the Safari browser. If you are unable to comment, please try using another web browser, such as Google Chrome, or please contact me and I will add your comment for you :)

Make sure you check out the other blog stops! Here are the details.

Blog Tour Schedule for A Case of Some Delicacy by KC Kahler

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Sunday 6 October 2019

Winner of By Time Divided by Elaine Jeremiah

Recently we were joined by Elaine Jeremiah, who had come to tell us about her time travel book, By Time Divided, which is a follow up to Love Without Time.

Book covers for Elaine Jeremiah's Love Without Time and By Time Divided


Elaine was kindly giving away ebooks of both books to one lucky commenter on the post. I chose a winner using a random number generator, and that person was....

Teaguide!

Congratulations to you! I think we are Facebook friends so I will message you now.

Thanks so much to Elaine for the generous giveaway, and Teaguide, I hope you enjoy your books.

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