Wherever You Are (Military Wives with Gareth Malone) Official Video

Sense and Sensibility - Location, Location, Location

“In 1795, as Jane Austen was writing Elinor and Marianne, to be revised in 1797 and 1798 as Sense and Sensibility, Britons were experiencing the first financial crisis of Austen’s lifetime, the economic results of a harvest failure of biblical proportions.” Dr. Sheryl Craig in "The Economics of Sense and Sensibility"

This is the opening paragraph of one of the most interesting articles I have ever read about the economics of Jane Austen’s novels. The crop failure mentioned above affected everyone in England, but most especially the poor who were already struggling to get by. A population existing on the edge of starvation looked to benefactors and the government for assistance: “John Dashwood and the Members of Parliament initially promised to provide for those entrusted to their care, and surely it is no coincidence that Austen’s characters and her contemporaries were destined to be disappointed.”

What I did not realize when reading Sense and Sensibility was the importance of “place.” Norland, the Dashwood ancestral home, is located in Sussex. At the time S&S was written, “one in four people living in Sussex were classified as paupers. Another problem was that the taxes collected to aid the poor were being diverted…” and did not reach the poor.

The book's bad boy, John Willoughby, lives in Somerset, “a difficult county for the poor… The wages were low…, and the poor taxes were also low… Perversely, Willoughby is not only a wastrel, he is fully aware of the fact and yet unwilling to curb his excess.”

But there is an entirely different attitude toward the poor in Devon. The recently widowed Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters are rescued by Sir John Middleton. “The reader’s first clue that Mrs. Dashwood’s relative is a very different kind of man [from her stepson John Dashwood] is the placement of Sir John in Devon. The poor rates of Devon were progressive and above the national average." An example given of the benefits of this progressive attitude toward the poor is that milk, considered a luxury in most of England, was a part of the daily diet of the people of Devonshire.

The people of Jane Austen’s time would have understood that by leaving the stingy John Dashwood and Sussex behind, the fortunes of the Dashwood women would improve in the more generous Devon. The placement of John Willoughby in Somerset was a hint that this man was going to be trouble for Marianne Dashwood.

S&S is all about "place" and possibly "name" as all three men whose lives interact with the Dashwood women are named "John."

I would recommend that you read Dr. Craig's entire essay which is available here.

Writers and Readers: A Partnership

I think authors who write Austen re-imaginings would agree when I say that we have the best fans/friends in the book business. Because of the internet and social media, we are able to share our love of the writings of Jane Austen with people from every part of the globe as if they were our next-door neighbors. Because of this, a symbiotic relationship has developed between writer and reader. Readers rely on the author to provide a compelling, well-written story, while authors are dependent on readers, not just for the purchase of our books, but for telling your friends about a story you have enjoyed.

Because self-published authors are so dependent upon Amazon for their sales, we have to pay attention to what drives book sales on their site, and it has an array of metrics to measure a book’s popularity. For example, below the title on the book’s main Amazon page is a “like” button. Apparently, if you get fifty “likes,” your book is more prominently featured on other Amazon pages. The tags near the very bottom of the page will place your book on other Amazon lists. For instance, Mr. Darcy’s Bite has “tags” for paranormal and Gothic, among others. If the book does well, it will appear on these lists, greatly increasing the chance of a reader finding my book.

This is where the reader plays a huge role in helping an Austen author or any author whose books they buy. If everyone who visited a book’s page clicked on the “like” buttons and the “tags,” it would be a bighelp in bringing that book to the attention of other readers. The insert shows exactly what you can do to help your favorite authors.

Becoming Elizabeth Darcy - Free on Kindle

On November 27, 28, and 29, my time-travel novel, Becoming Elizabeth Darcy, will be available for free download on Amazon. Here is description from the back jacket:

In 2011, American Elizabeth Hannigan, suffering from the flu, falls into a coma and wakes up in the bed and body of Elizabeth Bennet Darcy. Beth soon realizes that the only way back to her life in the 21st Century is through the Master of Pemberley, Jane Austen's Fitzwilliam Darcy. But first she must uncover the dark secret that brought her to Pemberley in 1826 in the first place.

Becoming Elizabeth Darcy is a story of love, loyalty, and loss, where a modern woman is called upon to resolve the problems of Jane Austen's most beloved couple. If you are a fan of Lost in Austen, you will enjoy the time-travel novel, Becoming Elizabeth Darcy.

However, you do not have to be a Jane Austen devotee to enjoy Becoming Elizabeth Darcy. Please tell your friends.

A reminder: The sale of the Mr. Darcy's Bite for $1.99 on Nook and Kindle ends on November 30.

A Killing in Kensington, a Patrick Shea mystery, is now available in paperback on Amazon.

Lot's Going On with Mary Simonsen

November and December will be busy months for me personally and as a member of White Soup Press which launches on Monday on Austen Authors:

"... as for the ball, it is quite a settled thing; and as soon as Nicholls has made white soup enough I shall send round my cards."  - Pride & Prejudice

This month has been full of surprises and gifts from Austen Authors to our readers - giveaways, sales and Pride and Prejudice 200  posts for your enjoyment.  Today's surprise is different; it's a present for us, one that's been in the works for many months.  Today is the 201st anniversary of the Netherfield Ball, the perfect day to unveil White Soup Press, a new publishing imprint for the authors who are part of this blog. - Abigail Reynolds

For much, much more on this venture, please visit Austen Authors.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have so much to be grateful for, including my wonderful family. Because of social media, I have met so many terrific people from around the U.S. and the world. This has been such a blessing. Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, know that you are appreciated. I would like to thank Jane Austen for bringing us all together.

Launch of Mr. Darcy Bites Back

Today, I am launching Mr.Darcy Bites Back, the sequel to Mr. Darcy’s Bite on Austen Authors. I will be giving away two e-books for either Nook or Kindle. I hope you will pop on over and enter the giveaway. Winner announced on November 26.

P.S. Mr. Darcy’s Bite is currently on sale on Nook and Kindle for $1.99 for the month of November only. It is also available on Amazon in paperback for only $6.00. These prices WILL go up, so grab a copy or download an e-book today.

You Are Cordially Invited...

Let the Revels Begin

This post was originally posted on Austen Authors by Abigail Reynolds.

November is a very special month at Austen Authors!

You are cordially invited to attend 

the 200th anniversary of the wedding of

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy to Miss Elizabeth Bennet

& Mr. Charles Bingley to Miss Jane Bennet  

Naturally, this means LOTS and LOTS of P&P200 vignettes – so many that during the entire month of November we’re cancelling our regular daily post to make room for daily P&P200 and wedding-related posts. THIS is the event we have been working toward since our inaugural P&P200 post on September 18, 2011.

As of today, there have been 117 P&P200 behind-the-scenes vignettes. All of them can be read, in order, either by clicking anyP&P200 icon (start on the last page), or on The Writer’s Block P&P200 Board. This month alone we have over 40 additional P&P200 blogs planned surrounding the November 16 nuptials. WOW! You won’t want to miss a single day!

Here is a mere sampling of what is in store for your reading pleasure–

Colonel Fitzwilliam learns of Darcy’s engagement
Lydia complains that she can’t come to the wedding
Mrs. Bennet’s advice for the wedding night
Mr. and Mrs. Collins marriage
The Longbourn ladies go shopping in London
Lady Catherine & Anne de Bourgh talk about the wedding
Caroline Bingley explains it all
Darcy & Elizabeth’s last walk before the wedding
The wedding!
The wedding nights of the Bingleys & the Darcys
Numerous reflections of the wedding
~~and so much more~~ 

New Cover for For All the Wrong Reasons

I am happy to unveil my new cover for my Pride and Prejudice re-imagining, For All the Wrong Reasons. A few months ago, I purchased a book cover program, and I'm finally learning how to use it! I hope you like it, and if you do, that you will let me know. Here is the blurb from the back jacket:

For All the Wrong Reasons - A Novella - Pemberley, the Darcy estate, is entailed away from the female line. When Fitzwilliam Darcy learns that Peter Grayson, the prospective heir, is to marry Caroline Bingley, he realizes that he must quickly find a wife so that he might have a son. But will Elizabeth Bennet agree to a loveless marriage, and if so, will she marry for all the wrong reasons? This novella explores Darcy and Elizabeth's path to a happily-ever-after ending.

Also don't forget that Mr. Darcy's Bite is on sale on Amazon and Nook for the month of November for $1.99. This title is owned by Sourcebooks, so when the sale is over, it's over for good.

Mr. Darcy's Bite E-Book on Sale - $1.99

Exclusively for the month of October, Mr. Darcy's Bite will be available on Nook and Kindle for only $1.99. If you would like to listen to an excerpt, please visit Jakki's Leatherbound Reviews.

Available on Amazon

Available on Nook

Newark Star Ledger - Review of Mr. Darcy's Bite

This review of Mr. Darcy's Bite from the Newark Star Ledger (New Jersey's largest newspaper) is a year old, but because Halloween comes around once a year, I thought I would rerun it. This review is particularly gratifying because the Newark Star Ledger was the paper my family read every Sunday when I was growing up in North Jersey. It had a TV guide before there was a TV Guide, and my sisters and I would fight over the insert to see what movies would be showing that week.

Now, where was  I? Oh, yes, the review. Here it is in its entirety.

This book is written with enough originality, whimsy and respect for Jane Austen’s style to make it stand out in the crowded field of Austen genre mash-ups. Simonsen revisits Darcy and Elizabeth’s tempestuous courtship and provides an explanation for Darcy’s erratic behavior: He’s a werewolf. Bitten on a childhood sojourn in Europe, Darcy has guarded his secret: He transforms at the full moon.

Because Simonsen carefully imagines how a werewolf nobleman would adapt to society and how that would play out with Austen’s characters, the story works as earnest rather than camp. After Darcy reveals his nature to Elizabeth, she must decide whether she still loves him. Simonsen’s characterizations are faithful to Austen, but engagingly playful with the possibilities of a werewolf double-life. His werewolf nature connects Darcy to the passions of the natural world, letting Simonsen ratchet up the couple’s romance. The classic love story between Elizabeth and Darcy holds firm, even if things do get a little hairy once a month.

Newark Star Ledger: Five Books You Will Be Able to Sink Your Teeth Into by Elizabeth Willse

Mr. Darcy's Bite is available from: Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Mr. Darcy's Bite - $6.00 on Amazon

Mr. Darcy's Bite is now available in paperback for $6.00 and qualifies for Amazon's super saving shipping discount. This is cheaper than the e-book price! These promotions come and go without warning, so now is the time to buy Mr. Darcy's Bite--just in time for Halloween.

Available from Amazon

Launch and Giveaway of A Killing in Kensington

Today, I am launching A Killing in Kensington, the second mystery in the Patrick Shea series. Here is the blurb from Amazon:

Detective Sergeant Patrick Shea of London's Metropolitan Police and his new partner, Detective Chief Inspector Tommy Boyle, have been handed a high-profile murder case. In the penthouse of Kensington Tower, playboy Clifton Trentmore lay dead with his head bashed in, and the investigation reveals a man who was loathed by both sexes. With too few clues and too many suspects, Shea and Boyle must determine who hated Trentmore enough to kill him. But as Patrick digs deeper, he finds his suspects have secrets of their own.If you enjoy Law and Order UK, you will enjoy A Killing in Kensington.

To celebrate the launch, I am giving away two e-books, either Kindle or Nook. All you have to do is leave a comment and an e-mail address where I can contact you by Sunday, October 14. Winners will be announced on October 15.

To whet your appetite, her is an excerpt from Chapter 2:

Patrick studied the profile of the prostrate Trentmore. The dead man was in his early to mid fifties, tall, lean, with a full head of dyed blond hair and sagging jowls. When struck, he had been holding a whiskey glass that went flying through space, emptying its content onto the wood floor. A formal dinner jacket, hung over the back of the couch, indicated that the victim had been out at some time during the evening. After removing his shoes and opening his tie, he had poured himself a drink in preparation for settling in for the evening, but that was when the killer had come calling.

“Who found the body?” Patrick asked a detective constable standing behind him.

“Diane Namur, the chief financial officer of Trentmore World Imports,” Detective Constable Jane Millard said, handing Patrick Miss Namur’s business card.

“Where is Miss Namur?” Patrick asked, looking around the flat.

Wearing an uncomfortable look, DC Millard explained that because Miss Namur had been sick in the loo, she had been allowed to leave after agreeing to an interview the next day.

“Miss Namur couldn’t stop crying, sobbing actually, very near hysterical,” the constable explained. “She kept saying ‘no,’ ‘no,’ ‘no,’ over and over, and then she got sick. It seems she had stepped in the victim’s blood. We believe those are her shoeprints in the blood trail.”

“Did you get the shoes?”

“Yes, and they’ve been bagged and tagged by SOCO. Before leaving, she told us how she found the body, but anything else…,” she said, shaking her head. “It just wasn’t possible. But we were able to get hold of Trentmore’s driver, Charles Wyatt. I spoke with him thirty minutes ago, and he’s on his way here.”

“Thank you, DC Millard,” Patrick said, smiling. He wanted to reassure her that her decision to allow Miss Namur to leave had been the right one. Vomiting witnesses were rarely helpful. “We’ll contact Miss Namur in the morning.”

Last Chance for Free E-book

On October 8 and October 9, Three's A Crowd, my British mystery, will be available on Kindle for free download. Otherwise, it is a whopping .99. This novella is an introduction to my character, Patrick Shea, a police detective who wants to be on a murder investigation team at Scotland Yard. Here's the blurb from Amazon:

In Three’s A Crowd, we are introduced to Patrick Shea, a young detective sergeant with the Hampden Criminal Investigation Department, whose career is being fast-tracked by the Metropolitan Police in London. With an eye to an appointment with a murder investigation team at New Scotland Yard, Shea is doing everything by the book. Unfortunately, his love life is a bit of a mess and gets messier when he learns his former lover, Annie Jameson, has been assaulted on someone else’s patch. Will Shea’s involvement in the under-the-radar investigation of his ex-girlfriend put his career in jeopardy and possibly her life as well?

If you are a fan of the television series Law & Order UK, you will enjoy Three’s A Crowd. This novella is the first in the Patrick Shea Mystery Series.

Included is Chapter 1 of the second Patrick Shea mystery, A Killing in Kensington.

On Wednesday, I will launch the second Patrick Shea mystery series on this blog.

Amazon Review for Darcy Goes to War

One of the advantages of being a writer of Austen re-imaginings is that you get to meet so many wonderful people from all around the world. The review below was written by a young lady who lives in the UK. I have greatly enjoyed getting to know her. It is especially gratifying because my friend is British, and this novel is a tribute to her countrymen.

I loved this book. It was well written as you would expect from the genius that is Mary Lydon Simonsen.

I loved the detail in the book and the locations used. I would have loved to see Elizabeth see Pemberley for the first time and meet Georgiana. The other sisters were well developed and it was good to see another side of them. Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship was beautifully developed and the real danger that the bomber pilots faced really came across as well as the hardships faced by the women left behind. The little trips they made really made me want to find the love that they share. I would love to see a sequel to it.

Mary Lydon Simonsen is one of my favourite authors and will remain so for many years to come. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a twist on that classic story. (5 Stars)

Meet the Greatest Generation - My Family

During World War II, everyone pitched in. If you were a farmer, you worked longer and harder to grow more food for civilians and the military. If you were a miner, you dug more coal. If you were a little kid, you collected rubber and metal and saved aluminum gum wrappers. Women moved in droves to Washington to work as clerk typists, including my Mom, for the princely sum of $1,440 per year.  But if you were a male between the ages of 18 and 35, there's a good chance you were in uniform. From left to right: Uncle Joe, Aunt Mim, Uncle Tom, Aunt Ann, and friend.

Uncle Joe was on Omaha Beach on D-Day and Uncle Tom was on the USS Pompoon that was sunk off of Cuba. He survived, but most of his shipmates didn't. Aunt Mim and Aunt Ann worked as clerks in Washington. After the war, Mim went to work for the State Department in Berlin where she met her husband who had fought in a tank in the Battle of the Bulge. My father's cousin, Patrick Faherty, died when his ship was sunk off the Carolinas. Unfortunately, there is no picture of him. These are just a few of the dozens of pictures I have of my family's contribution to the war effort.

Uncle John (fifth from left) on Omaha Beach
D-Day +1

Uncle Joe (top left) with his crew on a B-17 bomber

Mom getting ready to leave Minooka, PA for
a job in Baltimore with defense contractor, Bendix
When she married my dad, she moved to D.C.

Aunt Mim in Berlin

Uncle Bobby - Army Air Corps

Paperback of Darcy Goes to War Now Available

The paperback for Darcy Goes to War is now available at Amazon for $8.95. It takes awhile for a paperback title to connect to the e-book page, so if you are interested in buying the paperback, you may want to use this link.

Lancaster Bomber - Darcy Goes to War

In Darcy Goes to War, Fitzwilliam Darcy is the pilot of a Lancaster, the premier bomber of the Royal Air Force. There is an interesting article with pictures on World War II Today which commemorates events that happened 70 years ago today during the Second World War. Darcy is a fictional character. This is the story of the real heroes who flew these missions.

Below is a photograph of a Lancaster bomber.

So little time...: Review and GIVEAWAY: Darcy Goes to War

So little time...: Review and GIVEAWAY: Darcy Goes to War By Mary Lyd...: World War II is a time in history that has always interest me.  It was a time when so many people band together to fight for a cause... For more of the review, please visit Candy's blog.