JASNA Alaska Meeting Tonight

We're meeting as a group for the first time tonight at 6 p.m. at Title Wave Books. Future meetings will be planned, as well as agendas and chapter business.

See you there!

Paranormal Austen

In the romance market, particularly, paranormals are on fire. It makes sense, then, that these werewolves and monsters that go bump in the night would find their way into the pages of our beloved Jane Austen.

First, it was Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith, a zombie novel that’s done amazingly well.

The next movement rides on the coattails of the Twilight empire’s success and takes a nip (pun intended!) at the vampire genre with Michael Thomas Ford’s Jane Bites Back.

The novel presents an undead Jane Austen, frustrated by nearly 200 years of writer's block and 116 rejections of an unpublished novel she finished just before turning into a vampire; she's becoming increasingly irritated that the rest of the world seems to be getting rich and famous off of her works and her life. The two follow-up books will be derived from the first. Waters said Ford, the author of many books for young readers and adults, is likely to publish this under a pseudonym; pub date still undecided.
Stay tuned!

Jane Austen Readers Challenge

Stephanie at The Written Word has issued a challenge! Make a list of six Austen-inspired acts you 'd like to complete between July 1 and January 1, 2010. The challenge includes prizes, too! Enter at the Everything Austen Challenge.

Since I've yet to make my own, I'll borrow the six that Bloggin' Bout Books came up with these, to name two: (These are HERS, not mine. Go brainstorm and make your own!)

Read Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen
Watch BBC Version of Pride & Prejudice
Read Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattilo.

I think it would be a great idea to come up with six for our JASNA chapter as a group, as well.

Good luck!

Jane in the News

Last week, The Telegraph ran the following story: “The real-life Mr Darcy who broke Jane Austen’s heart during a summer romance was a clergyman”.

In the past, the mystery man has been Tom Lefroy, a relative of a family friend. A scholar in Britain, Dr Andrew Norman, has written a book entitled “Jane Austen: An Unrequited Love” out this month. In it, he provides evidence he believes points to one Dr Samuel Blackall. And how this romance led to a rift between Jane and her beloved sister Cassandra.

If you get to read the article, take a look at the comments on the bottom. A reader suggested that Blackall wasn’t Mr Darcy…that the evidence, elements, and timing of the romance would actually parallel Cpt. Wentworth in “Persuasion.” I’ve always thought “Persuasion” was Jane Austen writing a happy ending for herself.

Quote for Today

"Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery. "

Good Conversation on the Horizon

An organizational meeting is being planned for Tuesday June 30, 2009 from 6 to 8 p.m. Details will be forthcoming...so stay tuned!