Wednesday 24 April 2019

Winner - Be More Jane by Sophie Andrews

You will have to forgive me if this post looks a little off - my laptop may have died so I am resorting to my tablet to post this!

Book cover: Be More Jane by Sophie Andrews, illustrated by Jane Odiwe
Recently I was joined by blogger turned author Sophie Andrews for the blog tour of her debut work, Be More Jane, which shares advice that Sophie has gleaned from the works of Jane Austen, illustrated by some gorgeous pictures by the talented Jane Odiwe.

Sophie's publishers were giving away a hard copy of the book to a commenter on the blog tour post. A winner was selected using a random number generator and that person was....

Dung Vu!

Congratulations to you! I am pretty sure I have your email address, so I will drop you a mail.

Thank you so much to everybody who visited the post and commented. Special thanks to Sophie and her publishers, CICO Publishing, for coming here as part of the blog tour, and for providing a giveaway for us. I wish Sophie all the best with this beautiful book!

If you weren't lucky enough to win a copy of the book, you can buy it now.



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Saturday 20 April 2019

Unexpected Friends & Relations by Jayne Bamber - Blog Tour - Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

Book Cover: Unexpected Friends & Relations by Jayne Bamber
A few months ago I took part in Jayne Bamber's blog tour for Happier in Her Friends Than Relations, which featured characters from more of Austen's books than just Pride & Prejudice. When that book was released Jayne made it clear that there would be a sequel and I'm happy to tell you that this has now been released - Unexpected Friends & Relations. Jayne has popped in to visit us today with a guest post and giveaway, which is below.

I'll share the blurb with you and then hand over to Jayne. Just to warn you, though, that this book is a sequel; therefore the blurb and the excerpt could contain spoilers for book one and the guest post certainly does, so if you haven't read book one yet but would still like to enter the giveaway, scroll down quickly!

Book Description

Following their marriage and a cozy Christmas at Pemberley, Elizabeth & Fitzwilliam Darcy return to London with their family. As new dilemmas arise, the story shifts its focus to three of Austen’s beloved secondary characters, one of her less exalted heroines, a familiar villainess, and the fan-favorite original character Lady Rebecca.

Georgiana Darcy continues to suffer the consequences of her folly at Ramsgate, as well as the peril of following some well-intended but ill-advised counsel that jeopardizes her chance at true love.

Caroline Bingley, now unhappily married and desperate to salvage her position in society, takes on the arduous task of reforming her wild and willful young ward, though it’s anybody’s guess which of the two of them is in greater need of transformation.

Lady Rebecca Fitzwilliam travels to Surrey on a mission of mercy, but she and her cousin Emma embroil one another, and many familiar faces in in area, in a web of romantic entanglements from which not everyone will escape unscathed.

Mary Bennet struggles with matters of morality and self-discovery, attempting to find good in the world, as well as her own place in it, but must do so on her own terms, always tip-toeing around the dramas and difficulties of those she loves.

Amidst the complex maneuverings of a diverse and demanding family, an unexpected heiress emerges, and with her rise in station come all the glittering delights of the fashionable world, as wells as the challenge of navigating the uncharted territories of high society, extended family, and even her own heart.

After attaining a Happily Ever After, the Darcys retreat into the background as their friends and relations purse destinies of their own. Equal measures of mishap and miracle result in several alternately paired couples, while some stories are left to be resolved in Book Three, and a wide array of Austen characters will make an appearance in this tale of six unlikely heroines.

Monday 15 April 2019

Perilous Siege by CP Odom - Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

Perilous Siege by C P Odom - Blog Tour
Today I'm welcoming author C P Odom back to the blog with his latest Pride & Prejudice-inspired book Perilous Siege. C P Odom's previous books have been set in Jane Austen's time, and so is this one, though it has a modern element too - let's have a look at the blurb and then I'll hand over to the author for him to introduce a lovely, long excerpt.  There's also a chance to win a copy of the book! Read on for more details.

Book Cover: Perilous Siege by C P Odom
Perilous Siege Book Description

What is the Siege Perilous, and how does it affect the lives of everyone in the Regency universe of Pride & Prejudice?

When a man dressed in bizarre attire suddenly appears in a field on his Pemberley estate, Fitzwilliam Darcy has little inkling of the many and startling changes this man’s strange arrival will have on his life, his family’s lives, and indeed, his whole world.

Mysteriously sent to the Regency world of Pride and Prejudice, this refugee from a future Armageddon is befriended by Darcy. How will the presence of Major Edward McDunn influence the events of Jane Austen’s signature work, especially the tangled courtship between Darcy and the complex and endearing Elizabeth Bennet?

Thursday 11 April 2019

Be More Jane by Sophie Andrews - Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I'm pleased to be welcoming a new author to the blog. Although Be More Jane is Sophie Andrews' first book, many of you will be aware of her, as a blogger over at Laughing With Lizzie, and the creator of the Laughing with Lizzie Facebook page. Sophie is a very keen Janeite and she has created a gorgeous book, with illustrations from the very talented Jane Odiwe, who is a wonderful artist in addition to being a talented author. Let's have a look at the blurb to get a flavour of what Sophie's book is about, and then I will hand over to her for a guest post, excerpt, and a chance for you to win a copy of the book!

Book Description

Book cover: Be More Jane by Sophie Andrews
Are you more Marianne than Elinor, Lydia rather than Lizzy? Be More Jane will teach you to address life with more sense and less prejudice, taking useful lessons from the novels and letters of Jane Austen, one of the world’s best-loved writers. Times may change, but many of our problems remain the same. Sophie Andrews, a young Janeite, knows from personal experience that in times of trouble, or just on matters of friendship, family, and love, answers are to be found in the pages of Miss Austen’s novels.

Guest Post from Sophie Andrews and Excerpt from Be More Jane

Thank you so much, Ceri, for welcoming me to your blog. I am excited to be sharing an extract from my new book with your readers today. The extract I have chosen is from the chapter entitled 'Be More Lizzy'. Elizabeth Bennet has always been a huge inspiration for me, not to mention my blog persona as well. I find her such an admirable character.

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Be More Lizzy

“I dearly love a laugh.”
(Pride and Prejudice)

Elizabeth “Lizzy” Bennet is one of the most well known, admired, and popular of Jane Austen’s heroines. Witty, independent, intelligent, loyal, and a loving daughter and sister, she is perhaps the character most closely linked in the reader’s mind to Jane Austen herself. Since my first introduction to Lizzy, when I was just 16, she has been my inspiration. She has been my blog persona for a number of years and, from her, I have picked up invaluable tips on how to be more of a “Lizzy” in my own life.

Life can be tough, so try to make it fun and enjoyable more of the time. Lizzy herself declares, “follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can” and we should do the same. Lizzy always searches for the funny side to any situation, which is a sensible approach to life, for laughing is proven to be good for us. In today’s challenging world, where we are faced with negativity on a daily basis, it is essential to find joy in as much as we can, to keep us smiling.

Lady Catherine confronts Lizzy
“You have widely mistaken my character, if you think I can be worked on by such persuasions as these.”

These are Lizzy’s defiant words during her clash with Lady Catherine de Bourgh, after rumors reach her ladyship of an engagement between Lizzy and her nephew, Mr Darcy. Elizabeth is a wonderful example of someone who knows her own mind and will not be persuaded to do anything she does not believe in. She is even strong enough to stand up to Lady Catherine, a formidable character, of far superior rank in society—no mean feat! Lizzy is someone who will always fight her own corner but is not afraid to support others when needed. She shows real courage and commendable strength of character, particularly for a woman in the Regency era. We can follow in her footsteps, be true to what we know is right, and stand up for our beliefs.

These are the two principal lessons to be learned from our inspirational heroine, and they are two that have particularly helped me.

Lizzy walking to Netherfield
"six inches deep in mud"!
But it also seems to me that occasionally walking through a muddy field, as Lizzy famously does, might not be such a bad idea when seeking to impress! And perhaps she knows a trick or two when, out of curiosity, she unexpectedly goes visiting a rich man’s house and estate and successfully wins his love (and his fortune!).

BE MORE LIZZY
Seek out the fun in life.
Stand up for what you believe in.
Don’t worry about getting a bit of mud on your shoes!

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This is just one of many topics I touch on in the book, and I have  also had a little extra fun along the way, by writing 'vignettes' as some of Austen's most beloved, often comic, characters - who mistakenly believe they have their own sensible advice to share!  I do hope you all enjoy my new book, 'Be More Jane'.  And thank you again for letting me stop by.

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About the Author

Sophie Andrews
(photo by Brian Hubbard)
Sophie Andrews is a founder member of the Jane Austen Pineapple Appreciation Society, and organises events such as picnics, balls and house parties for her fellow Austenites. Sophie started her blog, Laughing with Lizzie, in 2012, aged 16, after studying Pride and Prejudice at school. She has been attending Austen-themed events since then, and was featured in the BBC documentary “My Friend Jane” which focused on the fun and friendship she has found with her fellow Janeites. She lives in Berkshire and has over 100 different editions of Pride and Prejudice on her bookshelves.

Contact Links:


Book cover: Be More Jane by Sophie AndrewsBuy Links:

Be More Jane is available to buy now!


Giveaway Time!

CICO books are very kindly giving away a copy of the book at each of the blog stops (there's a list below). The giveaway is open to readers in the US, Canada and Europe. To enter, just leave a comment on this blog post by the end of the day on Friday 19 April. You can leave contact details here, such as a twitter name or email address to be notified if you are the winner, but if you'd rather not publish this info, then follow comments on the post, and I will pop in a comment once the winner's name is selected.

Thank you so much to CICO books and to Sophie Andrews for visiting Babblings of a Bookworm with this beautiful book!


Be More Jane Blog Tour Schedule

Be More Jane Tour Schedule

April 8          Regency History / Q&A & Giveaway
April 9          Diary of an Eccentric / Book review & Giveaway
April 10        More Agreeably Engaged / Book review & Giveaway
April 11        Babblings of a Bookworm / Excerpt & Giveaway
April 12        My Love for Jane Austen /Guest Post & Giveaway
April 14        My Jane Austen Book Club /Book review & Giveaway
April 15        So Little Time / Guest Post & Giveaway
April 16        Austenesque Reviews / Book review & Giveaway


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