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

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:

Laughing with Lizzie Facebook page / Laughing with Lizzie Instagram page / Laughing with Lizzie Twitter page

Buy Links:

Be More Jane is available to buy now!

Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk / Goodreads

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 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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Persuasion - Behind the Scenes by Various Authors - Blog Tour

Today I am bringing you a post that I'm really excited about for a few reasons. One, the Austen Variations authors have brought out a joint work (woohoo!). Two, it's based on Persuasion! Much as I love P&P, I also love Austen's other works, so I am so pleased to see a new book based on another of her novels. Thirdly, I am welcoming Kara Louise back to the blog, which is always lovely.

Let's have a look at the blurb of Persuasion - Behind the Scenes, and then hand over to Kara Louise for a guest post, including an excerpt. If you read right until the end, you will find that there's a giveaway too!

Book Description

You pierce my soul.

Before Jane Austen wrote that romantic letter from Captain Frederick Wentworth to Anne Elliot, she crafted a masterful story of heartbreak and longing that still resonates with readers today.

But what of those scenes that Jane Austen never wrote?  What Persuasion fan doesn't want to listen in on Anne and Wentworth's first courtship, laugh at the follies and foibles of the Elliot family, sail along on Captain Wentworth's harrowing adventures at sea or attend Wentworth and Anne's wedding.

Twelve authors of Austen-inspired fiction:  Diana Birchall, Marilyn Brant, Jack Caldwell, L.L. Diamond, Maria Grace, Cassandra Grafton, Kara Louise, Susan Mason-Milks, Jane Odiwe, C. Allyn Pierson, Mary Lydon Simonsen, and Shannon Winslow collaborated to put this unique collection that fills in "missing" scenes from Austen's classic work, sure to delight any true Persuasion fan.

Guest Post from Kara Louise

I want to thank Ceri for allowing me to visit her blog today to talk share with you about a newly released book, Persuasion ~ Behind the Scenes. This is an anthology of missing scenes from Jane Austen’s novel written by 12 different authors. 

As I pondered what to write about for this post, I began looking closely at Persuasion and realized how conducive it is for writing missing scenes. Why is that? Well, there is a lot of backstory. In fact, the whole initial romance between Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth takes place before the novel begins. How did they meet? What was their love like? What were they like? What was his proposal like? What about when he applied to Sir Walter Elliot for her hand? How was it that Lady Russell was able to persuade Anne to give him up?

There are other backstories, as well. Their cousin, William Elliot, has a backstory that affected his relationship with Anne’s family. What happened? Wentworth’s time at sea has a backstory. There was Charles Musgrove’s proposal to Anne, and Mrs. Smith has a backstory.

In addition to backstories, there are many scenes that are only briefly alluded to, or barely mentioned at all. How did Wentworth hear about his sister and the admiral letting Kellynch? What were his feelings when he went to visit his sister and her husband at Anne’s home? Can we have more details on Anne and Wentworth’s first encounter? How did the engagement come about between Benwick and Louisa? And finally, what about the wedding - and after - for Wentworth and Anne?

As you can see, Persuasion is the perfect novel to be expanded upon.

Now, here is a little teaser of a post I wrote on Wentworth’s reflections as he rode to visit his sister and the admiral at Kellynch. 

~*~

“Whoa!” Captain Frederick Wentworth gave a slight tug on the reins, bringing his horse to a stop. He took in a deep breath and his heart began to pound as looked at the crossroads before him.

Taking the road to the left would lead to Taunton, where his brother had served as cleric. How often he took this road when he was visiting Edward. His mouth grew dry as he slowly turned to the right. The road to the right led to Kellynch Hall.

He gave the horse a slight kick and pulled the reins to the right. He did not wish to gallop to Kellynch; he would take it slowly, for the feelings that had resurfaced since discovering his sister and her husband were letting Anne’s home, or at least her former home, had assaulted him with great force.

Has it really been eight years? Wentworth felt as though it was just yesterday that he travelled this road. He knew it well, almost by heart.

As the horse moved slowly along, Wentworth took in the landmarks that were familiar, yet not. There was the gnarly old tree with the large hole in it. He and Anne often commented about the birds or animals that might seek refuge in it. He believed the wise owl would have claimed it as its domain, while Anne thought it would be a perfect respite for a peaceful pair of nesting doves.

The road crossed a dried stream bed, and he recollected how it had flowed with water when he had been here last, after several days of rain. Up ahead and around the curve would be the large tree under which he and Anne sat, shaded by the canopy of leaves.

At the turn in the road he came to abrupt halt. The tree had broken off along the trunk and fallen. Its tangled, lifeless branches were strewn across the meadow, void of any greenery. A few small twigs were sprouting from the trunk where it had split, attempting, so it seemed, to bring life back into it. He surmised it was a useless case.

Will I see her? He shook his head, wondering which he feared more: encountering her again or not seeing her. The family was apparently going to reside in Bath, so most likely he would be spared having to face her. A very familiar sense of regret flooded him, causing an ache that was as fresh as when she first broke off their engagement. In recent years those feelings had gradually diminished as he resolutely pushed them down when they chanced to surface. Until, that is, he received the letter from his sister, informing him about their letting of Kellynch.

Another bend in the road and a slight incline were all that was left before he would have his first view of the manor since leaving these parts in great anguish of soul.  He nudged the horse along, knowing exactly what he would see. The place was etched in his mind, and it held such tender memories as well as heartrending ones.

He shook his head and kicked the horse soundly. Enough of this sentimentality! Miss Anne Elliot has no hold over my heart any longer!

The horse took off in a fierce gallop, as if sensing its rider’s mood, leaving a trail of kicked up dust behind them.

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Author Bio

Kara Louise began writing Austen inspired stories in 2001 and began publishing them in 2006. She has written sequels, variations, different POV retellings, and modern versions of “Pride and Prejudice.”

She grew up in the San Fernando Valley, just north of Los Angeles. She and her family moved to Kansas from Los Angeles in 1991, and in September, 2013, she and her husband moved to 5 wooded acres in the St. Louis area to be near their son and his wife. They now have two granddaughters they enjoy spending time with. They also love animals, and have an ever changing number of cats and dogs.

Buy Links

You may have made the decision that you must buy this book immediately. If you have made this decision I will try and help you as best I can. Here are some buy links:

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Amazon CA / Goodreads

Giveaway Time!

There is a wonderful giveaway accompanying the blog tour. Take a nosey at these prizes!

To enter, please use the rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Schedule

Check out the other stops on the blog tour!

My Favourite Reads of 2016

Well hello there! I hope you've had a lovely Christmas (if you celebrate it). Jane-on-my-tree hopes you had a good one :)

2016 has been a tricky year for me, reading-wise as I've been constrained by time, however, I read some wonderful books this year. Less five star reads than in previous years, but still some very enjoyable books. I've also read some more audio books than previously. Unfortunately, I haven't reviewed everything I've read, something that I hope to remedy next year, but this is my pick of the bunch, with links to my reviews for a fuller view:

Winners - Jane Austen Lives Again by Jane Odiwe

Jane Odiwe recently stopped by with a guest post and excerpt of her latest book, 'Jane Austen Lives Again'. I also had the pleasure of reading the book, which I reviewed here. Jane was  very kindly offering a giveaway prize - a paperback copy of the book for two lucky commenters on the posts. Earlier this evening, I selected two winners at random, and they are:

Gabriella Parisi

and

Monica

Congratulations, ladies! I will be in touch with you. Thank you so much to everybody who commented on the posts, and huge thanks to Jane Odiwe for the guest post and giveaway!

Jane Austen Lives Again by Jane Odiwe - My Review

This week I have been joined by Jane Odiwe, author of 'Jane Austen Lives Again', who gave us a guest post and excerpt from the book. Jane is also offering an international paperback giveaway to two lucky readers here. You can gain one entry to the giveaway by commenting on Jane's post, and another by posting on this review post.

My review:
Many an Austen fan has grieved the fact that Austen died at the age of only 41. We will never know if she had more wonderful stories to enrich our reading time, and if she’d outlived her sister Cassandra there may have also been a far larger selection of letters for us to get to know Austen better, since Cassandra destroyed a large proportion of them. But what if, through pioneering medical treatment (involving immortal jellyfish!), Jane didn’t shuffle off this mortal coil in 1817 but instead wakes alive and well in 1925! In appearance, she is about 21, but she has her previous memories of her life. Jane has had a short time to catch up with the major changes in the world, advances in technology and so-on. She isn’t that worried about feeling like a fish out of water, because as a studier of character she believes that people will still have the same motivations more than a hundred years after her time:

‘Though the people she saw were dressed in the fashions of the day, Jane was sure they were still the same in essentials. Human nature didn’t alter, even if their clothes, their hairstyles and their use of slang changed. People still loved and hated, won and lost, struggled, succeeded or sank.’

Unfortunately, due to the financial costs of her medical treatment being far higher than Cassandra could have anticipated, Jane is forced to get a job and finds a placement with a family. She believes at first that she has been employed as a governess to five small girls, however, upon her arrival at the house she becomes acquainted with the truth, which is that all her ‘charges’ are in fact, grown women, and some of them are (in appearance at least) older than Jane! Jane’s task is to help direct them. There are 6 offspring in all; the elder three, Will, Alice and Mae, are from Lord Milton’s first marriage, and the younger three, Beth, Emily and Cora are from his second marriage, to the very attractive Lady Milton. Jane is only employed to assist Lady Milton in managing the girls. Lady Milton is very keen to marry them off if possible, but she is somewhat despairing of the elder two girls at least; Alice is stuck in the fashions of years ago and Mae is hostile towards her stepmother. Lady Milton’s own daughters are bringing her no comfort in their unmanageability either. Knowing that there were five sisters immediately sent my mind towards similarities with the sisters Bennet, but this is not the case; instead, when we get to know the girls it’s easy to see that they all resemble Austen characters, but not all from the same novel. You can see characters from at least four of Austen’s novels in these girls, and a nod to a fifth.

It’s extremely entertaining to see events played out that echo events from Austen’s novels, and it’s also fun to see that sometimes characters play different roles, so the same character can be in essentials a character from ‘Persuasion’ but also play a part that happened in ‘Emma’, for example. I would add a word of caution here, because while it’s entertaining for an Austen aficionado to look for nods to Austen’s other works, if you are unfamiliar with them the large cast of characters may prove really confusing, because there are many characters who are introduced close together, and it might be hard to remember the state of relations between them all.

'Jane Austen at Her Desk' by Jane Odiwe

Jane Odiwe is a very skilled artist; her pictures are just wonderful, and she really paints a picture with words here. The descriptive passages are just marvellous, described so visually that it was easy to imagine them, and this was an aspect of the book that I thoroughly enjoyed:

‘They were ascending out of the valley when she saw her first glimpse of the sea, a slice of lavender ribbon under an oppressive sky, and as the wreathed along the cliff top road she saw the greater expanse below, white horses crashing down on the beach, and a strip of sand stretching along an endless coastline.’

Jane Austen finds a place in this interesting family, and while learning about them, comes to terms with some things she finds out about herself. She is going through a huge adjustment in settling in a new area with new people and added to this she has the huge upheaval of settling in to a new time, with the change in societal norms. Through this, Jane still manages to retain her humour:

‘She felt quite shocked that she wasn’t at all horrified by anything he’d learnt that morning and began to feel her morals must be already corrupted.’

I would think that the hardest part in being transplanted to another time would be leaving your loved ones behind. We all know how hard it is when a loved one dies; how it hits you that you’ll never be able to tell them about something that’s happened, how you miss just the everyday interactions and knowing that they are there for you and care about you. By essentially travelling in time, Jane has outlived all of her loved ones and acquaintances. It must be akin to everybody you know suddenly dying. I can’t imagine how displaced that would make you feel. Jane doesn’t really dwell on this, but sometimes thoughts of the loss of the life she has left behind understandably overwhelm her:

‘It was silly to be so stirred up and emotional at thought of the past, but she was overwhelmed by a sudden desire for all that she had ever known, and for all those she had loved. She longed to share a conversation with someone who spoke the same language in the cadences and timbre of her youth.’

The only downside of this book for me is that, with such a large cast of characters, so many of whom are destined to end up together, none of the romances have a lot of page time individually. I was particularly interested in Alice’s story, even more than Jane’s. These stories were more fleshed out than the others, some of which were only briefly touched on. I also felt that the pace of the story increased towards the end. However, conversely, I enjoyed how many nods there were to other Austen books, and took great pleasure in spotting each of the story threads. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was excellently entertaining, and I’d rate it as a 4½ star read. I’d recommend it to any Austen fan, but particularly those who also enjoy stories set in the early part of the twentieth century.

*I received an ebook of this story from the author for my honest review.

Giveaway time!

As I said at the beginning of the post, Jane Odiwe is offering to give away a paperback copy of 'Jane Austen Lives Again' to two readers here. To enter, just leave a comment on the giveaway post by the end of the day on Monday 20 June, and for a bonus entry, comment on this post too. This giveaway is open internationally. Please leave a way for me to contact you in case you're the winner, so you don't miss out on your prize.

Jane Austen Lives Again by Jane Odiwe - Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I have the honour of welcoming Jane Odiwe to the blog with a guest post, excerpt and giveaway. Jane has written numerous Austen-inspired books featuring Austen's characters and people from Austen's life. Ms Odiwe's latest book, 'Jane Austen Lives Again' has a highly unusual premise, seeing Jane Austen waking alive and well in 1925. Here's the blurb:

When Jane Austen’s doctor discovers the secret to immortal life in 1817, she thinks her wishes have come true. But when she wakes up from the dead, a penniless Miss Austen finds herself in 1925, having to become a governess to five girls of an eccentric and bohemian family at the crumbling Manberley Castle by the sea. Jane soon finds she’s caught up in the dramas of every family member, but she loves nothing more than a challenge, and resolves on putting them in order. If only she can stop herself from falling in love, she can change the lives of them all!

Inspired by Jane Austen’s wonderful novels and written in the tradition of classic books like Cold Comfort Farm, I Capture the Castle, and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Jane Austen Lives Again is an amusing fairy story for grown-ups.

Now let me hand over to Jane Odiwe for a post about why she enjoys writing about Jane Austen as a character. Jane is very kindly offering a paperback giveaway to two commenters here - read on for more details!

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Mr Darcy's Christmas Calendar by Jane Odiwe

I read a lot of books inspired by Jane Austen’s works but this is something quite different; rather than a variation on her works, this involves time-travel, a visit into a Jane Austen novel and features Austen as a character too. Lizzy Benson has gone to visit Chawton (Jane Austen’s home towards the end of her life, which is now open to the public as a museum). Here, Lizzy meets a pretty rude Museum employee, Mr Williams, but before she leaves in a huff, the situation is saved by another employee, a lady in period costume, who is doing a very good rendition of Mrs Bennet.

‘She reminded Lizzy of Mrs Bennet especially when she laughed like a young girl, her curls trembling as she disappeared through a door at the end. Lizzy suppressed a desire to giggle, and wondered how the lady managed to keep up her way of talking, as if she’d just stepped out of a Jane Austen novel.’

This lady convinces Lizzy to take an advent calendar, which she can pay for at the end of her tour, and she sends Lizzy off to change into period costume and meet with her daughters (more employees in character, Lizzy presumes). Trapped in Chawton by the snow, somehow, Lizzy finds herself as part of this world. The characters she is trapped with seem very real. She gets to know the Bennet family, and Mr Williams and even takes a trip to Derbyshire. The advent calendar appears to be very unusual, with the doors glowing before they are opened, and each picture has a resonance to what is happening that day.

Lizzy assumes that she is in Pride and Prejudice but some things are quite different. Elizabeth Bennet is very taken with a rich, charming gentleman from Derbyshire, a Mr Wickham(!), and when Lizzy mentions Mr Darcy nobody has ever heard of him!

“Is Mr Darcy here?” Lizzy asked tentatively 

Elizabeth shook her head. “I do not recall that name. Darcy, did you say? Is he a friend of yours?”

When Lizzy finally gets to meet Miss Austen she discovers that she has found herself in a draft of ‘First Impressions’ (this is the original title of ‘Pride & Prejudice’, a book that was worked and re-worked to give us the story that so many of us love). However, Miss Austen feels that something isn’t quite right with the story, and she requests that Lizzy help inspire her to improve the story. Lizzy can’t just tell Jane how to fix the storyline, all she can do is hint, as Jane needs to think up the details herself, and she tweaks at the characters, so they don’t always behave the same way from one day to the next. Mr Williams is included in this, so Lizzy isn’t even sure if he is real.

This was a very readable story, and I enjoyed seeing Austen’s characters interacting with their visitor Lizzy in this ‘book world’. I particularly enjoyed seeing Mr Darcy, when the character was introduced, as rather than the proud and somewhat haughty man we would be expecting, instead he is instantly besotted with Elizabeth, and so rather than be offended by him expressing an adverse opinion on her, she instead is put off by how much he likes her! However, Austen’s characters are very much secondary in this story, the main protagonist is Lizzy Benson, who is very likeable, although sometimes I was a bit surprised at her reactions to events. She accepts the time travel/book world issue almost without a blink and doesn’t seem at all worried that the fate of one of the most famous books in the English language may lie in her hands, though I accept that ‘First Impressions’ was an earlier version of it, so she may have felt that it was safe as long as the main issue of the hero of the story was resolved. She also integrates seamlessly into the earlier time when I thought there may have been some stumbling blocks, though since this is a book world rather than the real world there is some crossover of knowledge to the earlier time, such as knowledge of telephones etc, though none of them work of course.

The only thing I would have changed in this story is the main romance storyline. I didn’t feel the relationship was developed enough for me to buy into it and I didn’t find the ending really believable in modern times, though it was an enjoyable ending and full of Christmas feelgood. However, I very much enjoyed the part set in the world of ‘First Impressions’ and the way that Jane Austen was tweaking and developing the characters. This is an enjoyable read and I’d recommend it. It would be suitable for most people as there are no sex scenes or bad language in this book but you’d need to be willing to buy in to the fact that the action takes place in an alternate reality! This was no issue for me, so I’d rate it as a 4 star read.

*I was provided with an e-book of this by the author for my honest review