I entreat you to visit my Bygone Books blog for information on TWO first editions of Jane Austen’s Emma coming soon to the auction block …
[Posted by Deb]
Category: Jane Austen
Juliet Archer’s “Emma”, Part 2 ~ Book Giveaway!
Life certainly gets in the way of blogging! – here is the promised Part 2 of my interview with Juliet Archer, author of The Importance of Being Emma, and a confessed “19th-century mind in a 21st-century body.” [see Part 1 of this interview here]. Please see below for the book giveaway info… we welcome your queries and comments!
Deb: Welcome back Juliet! You mention in your last answer that the next novel in your series “Jane Austen in the 21st Century Series” is “Persuade Me”, after Austen’s “Persuasion”– why did you start with “Emma”?
JA: Although Emma’s the first Austen modernisation I’ve had published, it’s actually my third attempt. I’ve done very early drafts of both Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion. When I realised how wide a gulf there was between writing something and getting it published, I focused on Emma because it was my most recent work and I thought it would need less doing to it. I was wrong!
I think Emma is Austen’s most comic novel, so I was thrilled when The Importance of Being Emma was shortlisted for the 2009 Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance.
Deb: [Congratulations on that! ] ~ What do you think Austen would say to your “meddling” with her story? What would she say about all the sexual content?
JA: There’s been so much ‘meddling’ with Austen already that she’d probably be bored rigid by the time she got to The Importance of Being Emma! I hope she’d be proud to see her story adapt so well to a different time period and social setting, and that she’d be sympathetic to the changes I’ve made. Most of all, I hope she’d have a good laugh!
As for the sexual content, for my hero and heroine it sits firmly within a framework of love, commitment and ultimately marriage – a scenario which comes across very strongly in the original novels. Given the world we live in, I felt I couldn’t modernise Austen without including some sexual content and, fortunately, readers seem to think I’ve struck the right balance.
Deb: I do agree with your readers here! I think your characterization and plot devices are spot-on and the sexual scenes are so very well done, and of course we know how it ends – marriage IS the goal after all! Which leads me to my next question: We all do know this story and how it ends, so there are no surprises here – how did you go about creating enough interest and tension to make your reader want to keep turning those pages? [I know that I did!]
JA: [Thank you!] First, with most mainstream romantic fiction, Austen-based or not, we can guess instantly who’s destined for whom – the interest is in how they get together. So in that respect my story’s no different from many others. Second, as you’ve already indicated, the alternating 1st person point of view helps to create interest and tension. And finally, in my opinion Austen does two things – effortlessly – that make the reader want to keep turning the pages: characterisation and dialogue, often laced with humour. By imitating her work, I hope I’ve written what many readers see as a ‘page turner’.
Deb: Yes, indeed you have! And now for a few personal questions if you don’t mind… What else have you written?
JA: What started me writing novels was the BBC’s dramatisation of Gaskell’s North and South, starring Richard Armitage. So I’ve got a few modern ‘fanfics’ lying around and still hope to have a 21st-century version of North and South published – although not until I’ve got Austen modernisations out of my system.
Before that, I wrote very bad, unpublishable poetry – rather like my version of Giles Benwick in Persuade Me.
Deb: The Armitage “North & South” adaptation seems to have set off a number of fan-fic writers – there are whole blogs devoted to it! I would eagerly await your updated version – [and hopefully Mr. Armitage could be persuaded to play the part yet again…?] – but I digress! – What is your writing habit?
JA: I work full-time in London Monday through Friday, so I fit my writing into my spare time and also get up early most mornings. In the evenings, a glass of wine is known to get me in the mood! My family keep me grounded and occasionally remember to feed me.
Most of my first draft goes straight onto the computer – PC in the study, laptop in the garden or bed! But I’m always printing pages off so that I can read and edit on the train going to and from work. For me, there’s no substitute for the printed word – yet.
Deb: Oh, I like hearing about your love of the PRINTED word! Anything else you would like to share?
JA: I’m married with two teenage children and live in Hertfordshire, Pride and Prejudice country. Unlike Anne Elliot in Persuasion, I resisted well-meant advice and married young, before graduating from university with a First in French and Russian. Initially I worked in IT and company acquisitions, then ran my own consultancy business, and now I work for a national healthcare organisation.
Finally, I love hearing from Jane Austen fans, so please visit my website – and I welcome readers to contact me directly.
Deb: Thanks so much Juliet for visiting us and sharing your thoughts on the writing of YOUR “Emma”! I wish you much success – and am looking forward to “Persuade Me ” and making the acquaintance of your Captain Wentworth! ~ Now Gentle Readers, please send in your queries and comments to participate in the book giveaway…
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Book Giveaway: Juliet has most graciously offered to answer any questions you might have for her – all queries and comments posted between today and midnight September 25, 2009 will be entered into a drawing for the free book giveaway, courtesy of Choc-Lit. All are eligible to enter.
The Importance of Being Emma
by Juliet Archer
Harpenden, UK: Choc-Lit, 2008 £7.99 / $13.07 [paperback]; also available in an ebook version direct from the publisher for £3.99 / $5.99
ISBN: 978-1-906931-20-9
- www.choc-lit.co.uk
- http://www.julietarcher.co.uk : you can read here other reviews of TIOBE, one by Joanne Trollope and another by Joceline Bury that appears in the latest issue of Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine.
[Posted by Deb]
Interview with Juliet Archer ~ Author of ‘The Importance of Being Emma’
Today we welcome author Juliet Archer, author of The Importance of Being Emma, [Choc-Lit, 2008]. Ms. Archer, who says she is a 19th-century mind in a 21st-century body [though she adds that some days it is the other way around!] joins us today from London to talk about her very humorous modernization of Jane Austen’s Emma. [Click here for my review of the book]. We are also offering a free book giveaway direct from the publisher, the winner drawn from all comments posted by September 25th [see below for full details]
Hello Juliet ~ thank you for joining us here at Jane Austen in Vermont! I enjoyed your spin on Austen’s ‘Emma’ very much, and look forward to others in this series of “Jane Austen in the 21st Century.”
JA [note the initials!]: Hi Deb, thank you for the opportunity to ‘talk’ to you and your blog readers.
Deb: To start, just tell us briefly what YOUR Emma is about.
JA: I’ve lifted the plot and characters of Austen’s original and plonked (a technical term!) them very much into the 21st century. Cue mobile phones, emails, jobs and liberated attitudes to social and sexual interaction!
Deb: So many Austen “fans” are drawn to the historical period of the Regency, and like their sequels, etc. to be so set as well. What inspired you to do a re-telling of ‘Emma’ in our modern-day world? And why do you think lovers of Austen will enjoy reading your book?
JA: Modernising Jane Austen is not an original idea – for example, Melissa Nathan wrote versions of Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion almost ten years ago. Then we have Helen Fielding imagining Bridget Jones as a modern-day Lizzy Bennet; and even Stephenie Meyer has admitted that Bella and Edward’s early relationship in Twilight was influenced by Pride and Prejudice. In effect, Austen’s novels seem to provide an elegant template for most romantic fiction and chick lit, whether consciously or unconsciously. So, if you like, there are lots of ‘unofficial’ as well as ‘official’ modern versions out there already. I’ve just kept more closely to the originals!
I have several reasons for retelling these novels through 21st-century eyes. First, I’m learning from the master of my chosen genre. As Claire Harman notes in Jane’s Fame, a wonderful account of the Austen phenomenon, ‘It seems almost redundant to itemize aspects of Austen’s appeal; there are the brilliantly constructed plots, the romance, the comedy.’ Second, what started as a bit of an experiment has become compulsive fun: who will I tamper with next – delectable Darcy or calculating Crawford? Third, a 21st-century context gives me an opportunity to explore some aspects of the originals that Austen couldn’t, or wouldn’t, develop – particularly the male point of view. And finally I hope to appeal to those – like my own daughter – who adore the dramatisations of Austen’s work yet can’t get into the books themselves.
If you’re an Austen lover, then my versions have an extra dimension – looking for the parallels with the originals and, I hope, appreciating the differences. For example, the Box Hill incident in Emma: I couldn’t see this working as a picnic these days, so I’ve changed the setting – but, I hope, kept to the spirit of the original. And I wanted to give Emma’s outburst to Miss Bates the context of a rare moment of self-awareness, so I added something to the original.
Interestingly, I’ve met with far more support than resistance from Austen lovers. When one of my publisher’s reps gave a copy of The Importance of Being Emma to the manager of a local Waterstone’s store (a leading UK book chain), she threw up her hands in horror and exclaimed, ‘Who would want to tamper with Jane Austen?’ After reading the book, however, she became a staunch fan, gave it a glowing staff recommendation and arranged for me to do a talk at the local literary festival.
Deb: Comparisons will be made with the movie “Clueless” – how is your story different?
JA: I love that movie! But the high school setting and teenage culture are a step too far for a middle-aged author like me, and I wanted to stick as closely to Austen’s settings as possible.
So my story takes place mainly in the village of Highbury, Surrey, England, and my characters are nearer in age to the originals. Donwell Abbey with its farming interests has evolved into Donwell Organics, while the Woodhouses also have a family business, Highbury Foods. As Knightley observes, however, in spite of various precautions Henry ‘never ate anything labelled “Highbury Foods”; he said his digestion was far too delicate.’
Deb: You make Knightley quite “hot” and obviously very interested in sex!– what in Austen’s ‘Emma’ made you want to expand on this aspect of Knightley’s character?
JA: If we turn this question round, it becomes ‘How do I make Austen’s Knightley fit into a modern world?’ Don’t get me wrong, I love the original Knightley just the way he is. But ‘a 37-year-old farmer leading a solitary existence, until he realises he loves the nubile 21-year-old next door’ just didn’t translate convincingly to the 21st century! And what appeal would there be in the modern equivalent of Knightley’s immortal line ‘God knows, I have been a very indifferent lover’?!
So my Knightley had to have a makeover. I cut the age difference, to make sure he wasn’t old enough (technically) to be Emma’s father. Gave him a stunning girlfriend who’s looking to settle down. And kept him well away from Highbury while Emma was growing up. But the most enjoyable part was filling in the gaps that Austen left in our understanding of Knightley. Austen provided a starting point, an end point and a few little clues along the way – the rest was up to me!
And, remember, in my version we meet Knightley when he’s thousands of miles away from his girlfriend and confronted by this gorgeous young girl he used to call ‘Mouse’! Is it surprising that his mind, er, wanders?
Deb: I mention this in my review, but just again explain why you changed the names of some of the main characters?
JA: As I modernise Austen’s novels, I change characters’ names only with good reason. The most obvious change in The Importance of Being Emma is Knightley. I don’t know any men in their mid-30s called George – they are either much older or much younger. I certainly like the name, especially when it is attached to a certain Mr Clooney!
So I reserved ‘George’ for Mr Knightley Senior; in my version I felt he had to be alive, since enough parents in the original Emmahave expired as it is – and I include Henry Woodhouse in this! Then I looked round for a similar, solid-sounding name of one syllable for his son and – for personal reasons – chose ‘Mark’. Same with Frank – in the UK, at least, it no longer has a contemporary feel, so I went for ‘Flynn’ Churchill, with its shades of Irish blarney!
In Persuade Me (my version of Persuasion), I’ve changed Anne and Frederick to Anna and Rick, again for a more contemporary feel. Similarly, Anne’s sister Mary (an unusual name these days in the UK) has become Mona – for obvious reasons.
Deb: You tell the story in alternating chapters from Emma’s and then Mark Knightley’s point of view – it certainly helps us to know exactly what is going on in Knightley’s mind as well as the she says / he says that can be quite funny with all the gender miss-readings of any given encounter! – why this format? Advantages and disadvantages?
JA: Not all of Austen’s novels lend themselves to this format, but in my version of Emma I wanted to heighten the sense of misunderstanding and conflict between the two main characters. The alternating 1st person points of view are intended to assist this and, as you say, to provide a comic touch. It also means that we see the secondary characters through the eyes of Emma and Mark and, of course, their views are usually diametrically opposed.
Advantages? I can explore the main characters’ innermost thoughts in a much more intense and, at times, humorous way. Disadvantages? It’s limited to what two characters are experiencing. Interestingly, Stephenie Meyer chose the 1st person for her Twilight series; it’s told from Bella’s point of view, although I understand she’s now written a version of the first book from Edward’s point of view. At least I’m giving the reader two for the price of one!
I’ve also written my second novel, Persuade Me, through the eyes of the main characters Anna and Rick, but here I’ve chosen the 3rd person throughout. This has enabled me to introduce other perspectives occasionally – to create humour, such as the musings of Sir Walter Elliot, 8th baronet, or a different slant on one of the main characters, such as Sophie Croft puzzling over her brother’s behaviour.
Deb: Thank you Juliet for joining us today and sharing your insights ~ stay-tuned for Part 2!
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Join us for Part 2 of this interview with Juliet Archer tomorrow ~ she will talk more on the backstory of writing her Emma and her thoughts on what Austen might say about her book.
Book Giveaway: Juliet has most graciously offered to answer any questions you might have for her – all queries and comments posted between today and midnight September 25, 2009 will be entered into a drawing for the free book giveaway, courtesy of Choc-Lit. All are eligible to enter.
[Posted by Deb]
Stay Tuned! ~ An Interview with Author Juliet Archer
Last week I posted a review of Juliet Archer’s The Importance of Being Emma [you can read my review here] ~ tomorrow I will post the first part of a two-part interview with Ms. Archer where she will share with us her thoughts on writing this modernization of Jane Austen for the 21st Century, the first in a series.
Book Giveaway Contest: We will be offering a copy of the book direct from the publisher Choc-Lit, the winner chosen from the comments submitted ~ please post either a query for Ms. Archer or a comment about your thoughts on updating Austen by midnight Thursday September 24th; winner will be announced on Friday September 25th [worldwide eligibility]
[Posted by Deb]
An Austen Saturday
I write this Sunday morning, gentle reader, because “dinner” never broken up until Midnight! A good time was had by all, don’t you think??
***
Saturday in Hyde Park (Vermont) dawned fairly grey. The rain that had plagued Washington and New York City ceremonies yesterday has wended its way northward – but only enough to dampen, never enough to wet events for our Austen participants.
Suzanne’s Breakfast begins with a tasty honeydew slice, followed — if you would like — by oatmeal (a warm crunchy nut concoction today!), and finishes with stuffed French toast – served with real maple syrup, of course!
The dining room windows open out to a lovely view of green lawn, with hazy mountains closing in on the trees which are still green — but in a month’s time will display an explosion of color. On this grey day, a bit more cloud-cover hides the scenery from sight.
Let me introduce you to some of the Austenites here: There is Marilyn and Lenice, fast friends since high school, who hail from Texas (Marilyn had come to last January’s Persuasion weekend). Stacy, from Upstate New York (Ithaca way), has come with her sister Cheryl and their mother Cathy and family friend Marie. Maria, an avid hiker heading to Killington for a few days after this weekend, traveled up from Florida. There are a couple people much more local: our avid Austen-fan Mkay is here (yeah!) and later in the day will see the arrival of Diane and her husband, all coming down from my old home-area of Essex.
As breakfast ends, it is decided that Kelly will join Marie and Ann, a UMASS grad student, on a horse-and-buggie ride down in Stowe. The large party has been divided into groups of 3-4-3 and given half-hour segments. Our appointment with the horses is for 11:30 a.m.
Maria has gone on ahead, so Ann and I zoom through the narrow backroads of Hyde Park and Morristown (passing a nice used bookstore, which I haven’t visited in a few years but would recommend: The Red Brick Bookshop) and come off onto Route 100 just as the town of Stowe, with its shops and tourists, opens out into ‘downtown’. Our goal is Gentle Giants, up on the Mountain Road. The rain that sprinkled a tiny bit while I had popped down into Johnson to mail a bill (booooo!!!!) and then back up Route 15 to grab a little cash and some candies at the local BigLots!, now comes a bit more steadily. The distant sound of tinkling sleigh bells heralds the arrival of the foursome occupying the carriage in the ride ahead of ours.
Red-haired Rochelle, the owner-operator, greets us, saying “I thank God every day for working with these animals, and in this beautiful place.” Given the uncertain weather, we all were taken out in the buggy with a retractable roof. Brave Maria decids to sit on the box with the driver — although, she confesses sotto voce, that she is afraid of heights! She later confirms that she did indeed have a quite good view. That leaves Ann and I in the back, under the hood. Our carriage seems to be the one IDed as the ‘vis-a-vis’, for four. Our horses were the greys, Jack and Mack
We travel at quite the leisurely pace (undoubtedly necessitated by the country lane, as well as the length of the horse-trail — which, if taken at break-neck speed, would shorten the half-hour drive), but what surprises is the time the horses take for doing horsey-kinds-of-things. When they have to ‘go’, they have to go – and they halt in mid-stride. According to Rochelle, when one relieves, the other one will follow suit. So you sit and wait. That’s something you never see in the movies!
When I first joined the Austen weekends, back at the end of January, the threesome staying the entire weekend went on a SLEIGH ride; how wonderful that must be! This time of year, with the seasons just about to change from summer to fall here in New England, it is a quiet ride through lush greenery, sometimes crossing the Stowe Recreational Path and sometimes plotted beside a clear, babbling stream. The turn-around is an expansive field, which offers beautiful views of a cloud-enshrouded Mount Mansfield.
As we exchange our carriage for our cars (and a drive down into Stowe for a brief look-around), I close this diary briefly.
Our Austen Weekend Begins…
It is well past midnight and I should be asleep, for breakfast comes bright and early at 8 am. But – with WiFi in the room I occupy – I just had to log on and chat about this — my third — Jane Austen Weekend at Hyde Park. There are several posts about these Governor’s House Austen weekends, so I will ask you to search for them rather than try to link them for you.
This is our largest group yet (prior weekends were held in January and August), with the book I am covering: Pride and Prejudice. Of course all these active minds engendered MUCH discussion this evening, which makes for a fast ice-breaker. A couple people are lucky — they met last year over Persuasion (at which inn owner Suzanne Boden served as ‘guest lecturer’ for Friday night talks on the British navy; you can join Suzanne for this novel in 2011 [next year the focus is on Sense and Sensibility]) and have come again for a whole new novel and some new experiences. That’s the interesting thing here: this is not the first time I’ve heard people say ‘I made a friend here’.
The weekend opens with my talk (over beverages and dessert), which centers on Georgiana Darcy. We get to discuss Georgiana and her life as we know it (through Austen’s writing), and then extrapolate how a young lady of means might have spent her life by looking at the art work of three ladies.
Our August group seemed to pull a lot of information from one or two pictures of each artist – for we divide into groups to look at samples, then come together again to talk about everyone’s thoughts and ideas. It was interesting, then, in that one group was quite taken with the depiction of children our youngest artist included in her series of pictures; another group noticed the expert use of composition in one or two paintings of our teen artist; and the third group was astonished at the minute detail in depictions of interiors by our third artist.
The group tonight found life as lived at the time more interesting, and critiqued the pictures as artwork much more. They appreciated the ‘story-telling’ of our youngest artist; spotted all the social situations our teen artist had to offer; and thought the interiors were a bit ‘sad’ due to their ‘depopulatedness.’ (One person observed, in the dining room, that the table was set, but there was no one to dine! In August these lived-in but peopleless interiors made me think of the Dennis Sever House; today, tonight, this morning, it makes me think of a Royal Museum I visited in Vienna, where the rooms awaited the arrival of Empress Elisabeth [“Sisi”]). All opinions are valid, and makes clear, from a speaker’s point of view, just how the same pieces of art work strike different people.
I fear I express these thoughts badly – if I do, put it down to tiredness! And much stimulating conversation, before, during and after the talk.
So, content yourselves with ideas of lively discussion; and then talk that turned, as it always does, to books and TV, Austen’s life, England. Suffice it to say, that a pleasant evening was passed.
I write to you sitting atop a high bed (others may use the steps, but, being tall, I don’t bother with them) in the so-called “English Room“, staring between the posts of this four-poster bed at what has to be a portrait of a young Queen Mother. There is a pair of comfortable wing chairs, set to either side of the fireplace. I can imagine cosy evenings with the snow coming down (though do I use my fireplace at home when the snow tumbles down?? nope…). The tall and wide windows look out on the side lawn as well as the back porch, which beckons with its white wicker furniture. Fall is my favorite time of year – and last week’s harvest moon was just a treat to see. What shall we wake up to? In August, it was a hazy and misty dawn – very similar to that photographed at the end of the 2005 P&P, though – alas – no Mr Darcy appears out of the mist… Maybe next time.
Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine ~ Time to Subscribe!
The latest issue of Jane Austen’s Regency World [vol. 41] will be in the post this week ~ now is your chance to subscribe and begin adding this great journal to your Austen collection! Some highlights from the latest issue:
- The first OFFICIAL pictures of the BBC’s new Emma
- Right Royal satire: Lord Baker’s collection of Georgian caricatures
- Pride and pilgrimage: visiting Austen sites
- Would Jane blog? How Jane’s journals differ from today’s blogs
- The stigma of illegitimacy in Regency times
- Genius, wit and taste in Austen’s writing
You can subscribe to Jane Austen’s Regency World, “the full-colour, must-read, glossy magazine for fans of the world’s favourite author – delivered to your doorstep every two months direct from Bath, England,” by visiting the website at Jane Austen Magazine.co.uk and clicking on “Subscriptions”. Cost is £29.70 + shipping – you can pay securely online using a credit card or PayPal. Back issues are also available for purchase. Treat yourself ~ it is well-worth it!
[Posted by Deb]
Persuasions No. 1 ~ Now Online!
JASNA.org has added online** the full text of the Number 1 Persuasions journal that has long been out-of-print:
Persuasion* No. 1. December 16, 1979
Board of Directors
President’s Report
Brief highlights of the meeting
St. Nicholas Appeal -George H. Tucker
Our First Dinner – Lorraine Hanaway
Pemberley Revisited -Donald Greene
The Picturesque in Pride and Prejudice – A. Walton Litz
A Member’s First Pilgrimage to Winchester – Hilma D. Barrett
Some notes on the “parish business” in Emma -Cathy Fried
Telegram from the Jane Austen Society
Letter from James T. Farrell
Quiz Angela Addison
Meeting aboard the Elizabeth Bennet
- See this issue at Jasna.org
- See the list all 30 Persuasions, many available in full-text online
- See the list of Persuasions-Online, published twice a year since 1999
* The first issue was titled “Persuasion” – it was decided to change the name to Persuasions for subsequent issues
**[Many thanks go to Montreal member Renée Charron (Treasurer, Canada), who scanned and corrected the full text of Persuasion No. 1, as she also did for the other eleven out-of-print issues of Persuasions.]
Drawing from the cover of Persuasion No. 1
by Pamela Susan Koppel, age 15, of Tucson, Arizona
[Posted by Deb]
Interview with Lane Ashfeldt ~ Author of ‘Snowmelt’ from the Dancing with Mr. Darcy Short Story Anthology
- Lane Ashfeldt
Please join me in welcoming author Lane Ashfeldt to our JASNA-Vermont blog today! Ms. Ashfeldt is the author of one of the selected stories in the 2009 Chawton House Library Jane Austen Short Story competition, set to appear in the forthcoming collection Dancing with Mr. Darcy, to be published in October by Honno Press. [See below for link to my previous post on this]. Her story is titled “Snowmelt” and she tells us about it here:
Lane, what was the inspiration for your own story?
My story, ‘Snowmelt’, has an obvious parallel with Austen’s life in that it’s about woman who moves to Chawton to write. My main inspiration came from a visit to Chawton House Library one bright snowy day in February 2009, after an unusually heavy snowfall across England. We don’t often see much snow in south east England, and the snow worked its way into my story — even providing a title.
Sounds interesting. Can you tell me a little more?
The central character in ‘Snowmelt’, Miss Campbell, works in a suburban library which is undergoing radical modernisation. Potentially, this is the end of the library as she knows it. Miss Campbell’s own life is reaching its autumn years, and she also suffers a more general “end of the world” malaise triggered by reports of extreme weather and by fears of a viral plague. (Coincidentally, I wrote the story in early 2009, a month or two before the international swine flu epidemic.)
Oh! I can imagine that must have felt a bit strange!
Well, I might have felt awkward if the swine flu epidemic had happened while I was still writing, but in fact my story had been completed before then. My interest as a writer was in how we manage — or don’t manage — fears like the fear of dying in a pandemic, or fear of terrorism, fear of change. This is what I wanted to explore in ‘Snowmelt’.
In the story, Miss Campbell visits Chawton House Library and reads a novel written nearly two centuries earlier in which a plague causes the end of the world. This sets her own fears in context and makes them seem faintly ridiculous. People often fear the end of the world; this does not mean it is imminently about to happen. And even if it is, panicking is unlikely to help. At any event, Miss Campbell makes an uncharacteristically upbeat and impulsive decision to quit her job and move to Chawton, where she will work as a library volunteer at Chawton House Library and write in her free time. We leave her as she’s on the train, on the way to her new life.
How much, if any, of your story was autobiographical?
I have to admit, my own visit to Chawton while writing ‘Snowmelt’ was so enjoyable that for a while I toyed with the notion of moving there, but without actually taking a moment to peer in estate agent windows — I didn’t have time. On a later visit, the day of the award presentation, I learned from author Lindsay Ashford that one of the reasons Jane Austen chose to live at Chawton was that her house there was a short walk from the shops. This struck a chord with me, as I’d been thinking the exact same thing myself! But sadly there’s no danger of a family member bequeathing me a stately home in the area, as happened to Jane Austen’s brother, thus affording her a place to live in Chawton.
It’s an interesting question, though. Curiously, when I attended the award ceremony at Chawton, two of the judges who had read my story thoughtfully advised me that there was an imminent vacancy for a librarian at Chawton House Library. We had a chuckle as I confessed that, unlike the character in my story, I am not a trained librarian. I was flattered though, since it suggested they found ‘Snowmelt’ believable — it’s always nice to be told when you’ve written a convincing piece of fiction.
This short story award is a new prize for stories inspired by Jane Austen and themes in her writing, or by the Chawton House Library. Do you have any advice for other writers thinking of entering in future years?
There’s talk that the competition may run again in 2011. If anyone is thinking of entering a story for the next Jane Austen Short Story award, and if you are not too far away, then a visit to Chawton is very much recommended. Chawton House Library’s ongoing programme of public events are listed on its website (as are events at the nearby Jane Austen House Museum which is managed as a separate concern).
Partly because judge Sarah Waters is known for her historical fiction, my guess was, the winning stories would have historical settings. But it doesn’t sound as though ‘Snowmelt’ does…
I do like historical fiction — in fact I previously won the Fish Short Histories Prize — but this particular story has a contemporary setting. That said, a consciousness of history runs through it, perhaps because Chawton is one of those areas that seems to catapult the visitor back in time. In ‘Snowmelt’, as Miss Campbell develops a stronger sense of history and of how she is connected to it, this becomes a crucial trigger of change for her.
What about the other winning stories, I wonder?
I don’t yet know what proportion of the stories submitted were historical as I’ve not read them, but Sarah Waters said as she presented the prizes that over half the stories she selected for the anthology are contemporary.
Well, I very much look forward to getting a copy of the book to read “Snowmelt” and all the other stories! Lane, thank you so much for joining us today and sharing a bit about your story and your visit to Chawton.
Thank you, Deb; it was very nice of you to invite me!
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Lane has graciously offered to answer any of your questions – so please leave a comment on this post and I will see that she responds to them here.
For further information:
- Dancing with Mr. Darcy, the anthology of winning stories in the Jane Austen Short Story Award will be published by Honno Press on October 15, 2009; it is available for pre-order at their website.
- Author Lane Ashfeldt’s website [go to www.ashfeldt.com – the link is currently only bouncing me to her blog Lane7]
- Chawton House Library
- The Chawton House Library Jane Austen Short Story Award
- The Jane Austen House Museum in Chawton
- JASNA-Vermont post on Dancing with Mr. Darcy
- Read Lane Ashfeldt’s winning story “Dancing on Canvey” for the Fish Short Histories Prize [from the Fish Anthology 2007]
Posted by Deb
Holy Austen, Batman! Pride & Prejudice #5
Get thee hence to your local comic book store tomorrow [August 12, 2009], as the fifth and final issue of the Marvel Comics Pride & Prejudice is released:
COVER BY: Sonny Liew
WRITER: Nancy Butler
PENCILS: Hugo Petrus
INKS: Hugo Petrus
COLORED BY: Aubrey Sitterson
LETTERED BY: Dave Sharpe
THE STORY: All good things come to an end. Join us for our final issue, as we find who weds whom, who is left alone, and if Mrs. Bennet can manage to stop screaming for more than three minutes… Rated T …$3.99
IN STORES: August 12, 2009
IMPRINT: MARVEL UNIVERSE FORMAT: Comic
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Also note that there will be a hardcover edition containing all five issues – to be published in October and available now for pre-order. You can view information at the Marvel Comics website, but check your local comic book store for ordering details. [I have to add here that my local comic book store, Earth Prime Comics, has been the most helpful and accommodating retail store of any I have patronized in a long time! – I might even return to my early years as an avid Superman / Batman comics reader just to continue to visit them – or maybe even find a graphic novel or two!]
[Posted by Deb]
Jane Austen in Vermont 