Writing Austenesque fiction means the ghost of Jane Austen always feels near. (Hopefully not preparing some deliciously cutting remark on the impropriety of this young* man who dares play with her characters.) Ms Austen never reveals herself, … [Read more...] about Meeting Jane (almost)
Random musings
Everything from early-morning thoughts to late-night questions, with a small break for afternoon tea and cake.
“A male writer needs to be…aware of the dangers of writing female characters”
Most fiction in the Jane Austen universe focuses on the gentry, much like the original novels. So I was intrigued to see Don Jacobson's recent Austenesque publication - paired novellas in Lessers and Betters - also includes the servant … [Read more...] about “A male writer needs to be…aware of the dangers of writing female characters”
A Map of Hunsford
Thought you might enjoy the rough map of Hunsford I used when writing The Darcy Ring and The Lovesick Maid. (Not to scale!) You can see the parsonage bottom right, cunningly placed to allow our upstanding rector, Mr Collins, to monitor the Rosings … [Read more...] about A Map of Hunsford
Introducing “The Darcy Ring”
Charlotte's back! The Darcys have arrived at Rosings and all is well. Or not well, as it turns out. Time for Charlotte to leave the parsonage and deal with the trials and tribulations of Hunsford once more. In The Darcy Ring (available now at … [Read more...] about Introducing “The Darcy Ring”
“Austen wrote of strong women who were ahead of their day”
I became aware of Christina Boyd through the Austenesque anthologies penned by The Quill Collective. Christina is the driving force and editor behind the books, which have enjoyed remarkable success, not least due to their strong author lineup, bold … [Read more...] about “Austen wrote of strong women who were ahead of their day”
Charlotte Collins versus the World Cup
Summer is peak writing time for me, sitting outside armed with nothing more than a notebook, a pen, and an imagination. Unfortunately, some fool scheduled the World Cup for June and July, so a battle of wills is likely. Despite the attractions of … [Read more...] about Charlotte Collins versus the World Cup