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Tuesday, August 20, 2019

"How Did I Get Here?" — Guest Post & GIVEAWAY from Heather Moll!

We're kicking off today — a day of double giveaways — with a look at how Heather Moll came to be the Janeite she is today. She's also giving you a chance to get your hands on a copy of her book, His Choice of a Wife, so make sure to click through and enter!


Heather Moll Guest Post, or: How Did I Get Here?

Thanks for welcoming me to Austen in August, Misty! I’m excited to be on this side of your blog and have the chance to talk Jane Austen and offer a giveaway of His Choice of a Wife to your lovely readers who love Jane just as much as I do.

For years, I thought Jane Austen wasn’t for me. I’m an avid reader, I was a librarian, and if there was a classic that you had to read, I probably read it because I wanted to. But when I tried to read Emma in high school, I hated it. Or, more to the point, I hated her. Emma Woodhouse may have been handsome, clever, and rich but she was also spoiled, meddlesome, and I never finished the book. Not even Clueless could make me go back to Austen.

“That’s all right,” I thought. “I’ll stick with the Bronte sisters.”

I was not predisposed to become an Austen fanfic lover, let alone write books of my own.

I lived in ignorance of Austen until my husband thought to earn some points by taking me to a ‘date’ movie to see the 2005 Pride and Prejudice adaptation. I was not about to see a movie based on a book without reading the book! So, being a librarian, I checked it out from the library. And I fell in love. I adored the dialogue between Darcy and Elizabeth. I loved Austen’s clever wit and the romantic ending for two flawed characters who became better people and then found true happiness together.

(Dare I even get into all the ways that movie differed from the book? Oh, if I but had the time!)

I had to read Austen’s other works. Pride and Prejudice will always be my favorite, but I admire Elinor Dashwood’s resilience and Anne Elliot’s sensitivity. I can smile at Catherine Moreland’s naïveté and respect Fanny Price’s quiet strength. I’ll never like Emma Woodhouse, but I appreciated her more at 30 than at 14. But what else was there? I read literary criticisms, Austen’s letters, joined JASNA, I read everything about Georgian England, and I bought multiple copies of Austen’s works just for their unique introductions and annotations. (This is normal… right?)

What else was there for the fan of an author who has been dead for 200 years?

While working at the library, a patron asked me if other authors continued the story of Jane Eyre. “Uh, there’s Wide Sargasso Sea that tells the backstory of Bertha Mason … umm,” I floundered. I had no idea if the concept was a popular one. I had to know: did anyone write a continuation about Darcy and Elizabeth’s life at Pemberley?

I typed ‘Darcy, Fitzwilliam fictitious character’ into the catalog’s subject field. Way back then in the dark ages, around 2010, there were not as many titles as there are now, but I was surprised by how many were available. I chose a trilogy of books that retold Pride and Prejudice from Darcy’s perspective and devoured them!

Every JAFF regency I could get my hands on followed. When my husband noticed what I was reading, he teased me, “They’ll revoke your JASNA membership for that.” I gave a shaky laugh, but pretty soon I read all of the Austen fanfics in our library system. I was a junkie.

Foolish me, for thinking those few library books were the end of Austen retellings and sequels! In that serendipitous way of the internet, someone had a link that directed me to Austen in August and other blogs and website that discussed and shared Jane Austen fanfic.

Oh. My. Goodness. I discovered a rich community of people who cherish Jane Austen, her novels, and the world that she lived in. It made me realize that I was hardly alone in my appreciation of both Austen and the fanfic she inspired. There were others who also loved retellings through Darcy’s eyes, mysteries solved by Jane Austen, what-if variations, and on and on. Eventually, I started to imagine my own changes to these beloved characters and sat down to write His Choice of a Wife.

I love participating in a community that finds as much enjoyment in Austen and the world she created as I do. Do you want to talk about why Darcy was named what he was? Talk about modern versus regency variations? Fandoms and Jane Austen? Group read of Mansfield Park? Regency jewelry? Visit Jane Austen sites in England? I am here for this!

The world she created isn’t limited to her six novels. Austen tells us that the person who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid. Does that good novel have be one of her six, or are those variations and retellings and inspired-bys equally as worthy of being read? I think everyone enjoying the 10th year of Austen in August would say that we’ll happily take as much Jane as we can get!

Tell me in the comments your story of how you found Jane Austen or how you came to love Austen variations.


****GIVEAWAY****
Meryton Press is giving away 1 eBook of Heather Moll’s His Choice of a Wife to one lucky Austen in August reader!
This giveaway is international, and ends August 31st, 2019
To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below.
Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


ABOUT THE BOOK
When a man’s honor is at stake, what is he willing to risk for the woman he loves?

After a disastrous marriage proposal and the delivery of an illuminating letter, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet hope never to lay eyes on one another again. When a chance meeting in Hunsford immediately throws them in each other’s way, Darcy realizes his behavior needs correcting, and Elizabeth starts to appreciate his redeeming qualities. But is it enough to forgive the past and overcome their prejudices?

Jane and Bingley’s possible reconciliation and Lydia’s ill-conceived trip to Brighton pose their own challenges for two people struggling to find their way to love. When scandalous news threatens their chance at happiness, will Darcy and Elizabeth’s new bond be shattered, or will their growing affection hold steadfast?

Buy:
Amazon US
Amazon UK


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Heather Moll is an avid reader with a B.A. in European history and a M.A. in library science, so it is astonishing that she did not discover Jane Austen until her late-twenties. Making up for lost time, she devoured all of Austen’s novels, her letters, and unpublished works, joined JASNA, and spent far too much time researching the Regency era. She is thrilled to have found fellow Janeites and the JAFF community, if only to prove that her interests aren’t so strange after all. Heather is a former librarian turned stay-at-home mother who struggles to find time for all of the important things, like reading and writing.
Facebook Author Page
Twitter Author Page
Amazon Author Page
Goodreads Page


Jane Austen, Austen in August, blog event, Jane Austen fan fiction, JAFF, The Book Rat, BookRatMisty
Click here to return to the master list of Austen in August posts!

32 comments:

  1. I almost hate to share how I discovered Jane Austen as it was with the maligned P&P adaptation starring Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson. When I was in elementary school, I discovered and fell in love with older b&w movies. Turner Classic Movies was my favorite channel and I made it my mission to watch as many classic movies as possible. I loved Olivier in Wuthering Heights and was excited when I found another movie starring him based on a classic novel. I loved it although I hadn't read the book yet so I had no idea all the differences between the two. From then on I was hooked, reading all the books and watching as many adaptations as I could find. I didn't discover jaff and published variations though until 2015.

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    1. I think there are worse ways to find Jane Austen than through Laurence Olivier- even with the hoop skirts. I haven’t seen his Wuthering Heights version. I’ll have to add it to the list. You’re practically a JAFF newbie if you started in 2015; there’s so much to read! Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. Elizabeth and Darcy are probably my favorite Austen characters from all the novels ... I love a good adaption to get my teeth into as after all there can never be too many books about these awesome characters . I love the sound of this book .... daydream worthy :0)

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    1. Hi Edel! There can never be enough Darcy and Elizabeth. Ever. I’m so glad the book piqued your interest. Best of luck in the giveaway :)

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    2. Edel! You’re the winner! :) Congratulations!

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  3. It is embarrassing how long it took me to came to appreciate Jane Austen, but once I think once anyone becomes a fan of hers, are fans for life. :)

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    1. I know what you mean! I can’t imagine anyone who comes to appreciate Jane Austen not being a devoted, life-long fan. Thanks Kelly!

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  4. I always love learning how someone came to Austen and then JAFF. Fun story, Heather!

    I was given the complete novels for my birthday and then my mom and I read P&P and S&S together.

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    1. Thanks for reading Sophia Rose! It’s an interesting process how one finds something they like, and then find the fandom and other like-minded people. I love that you read the books with your mom; what a nice memory :)

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  5. I remember watching 1995 P&P on A&E and loving it. Later I purchased the series. I reread it and found fan fiction in the library and then online through Facebook.

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    1. That seems like a natural progression to me. Thanks for reading the post and sharing your finding Jane story Patty!

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  6. I came across a JAFF book at the library and fell in love!

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    1. As a former librarian, I’m loving all of these journeys to Jane and that involved library books! Thanks Kneyda!

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  7. I was also late in falling in love with JA's P & p.Only with watching P & p & zombies... Before, know nothing about the story or JA. (I wasn't fond of reading as I think I have some form of dyslexia and have trouble with English). After that I got hooked.I really feel bad as I seem to have missed a lot of the older P & P variations. Now I try if I can buy the variations available.

    That was sweet of your spouse to have you watch it.Thank you for sharing your story. Thank you for the chance to win you book.

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    1. The zombies drew you in! I love it. Thanks for sharing your story. Best of luck in the giveaway!

      My husband may regret taking me to the movie when I have to write, or go to a JASNA meeting, or I’m reading a variation :) j/k He’s sweet

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  8. I went on a classic reading roll and came across P&P. It was the beginning of something wonderful! I then read through all her others and started searching for more. That’s when i discovered JAFF, movie adaptions and many new friends.

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    1. What I love best about your story is that it ended with you finding like-minded friends. Best of luck in the giveaway Becky!

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  9. I was a teenager before the internet was widely available and during one rainy day when I had nothing to do I had a search of my mum's bookshelves and found a book called 'Sense and Sensibility'. I had heard of it so I gave it a go and I liked it, although I found Marianne tiresome. I tried Pride & Prejudice next. Within a page I was hooked and within a chapter I had found a kindred spirit in Elizabeth Bennet, who felt like ME, albeit with a nearly 200 year time difference. It's such a compliment to Austen's writing, that she still feels real and relevant after so long.

    My discovery of JAFF came via me getting a kindle. I had thought that I wouldn't use one, but my husband persuaded me to get one, as as I was downloading the must have Austen novels I stumbled across Captain Wentworth's Diary by Amanda Grange. This led me to other books. I had no idea that these type of books existed. A review on Amazon led me to Austenprose and the horizons were widened further. It absolutely reinvigorated my reading :)

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    1. I love how timeless Jane’s stories and characters are. (I find Marianne tiresome, too) it’s a slippery slope from reading that first fanfic to shaving your head and drinking the Koolaid, but I most of us are happy we did it. Thanks for sharing your story Ceri!

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  11. I was initially introduced to JAFF by a friend in college. I tried that one story, but it didn't really click. Fast forward ten years, and I found Abigail Reynolds' books at my library! Once I read everything my library had, I took to the internet and found Austenesque Reviews. What a gold mine!

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    1. I hear Abigail Reynolds is a gateway drug for a lot of readers, and then Meredith’s blog is what sends them over the addict’s edge. Thanks for reading Brigid!

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  12. I found a JAFF book at the local library.

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    1. I wish there were more JAFF in my library system. The purchasing requests department knows me by name lol

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  13. Thank you for a lovely post Heather and for giving us another chance to win a copy of your book! It's really great to hear your story of how you became a Janeite. I guess I've been one most of my life, but more serious now. I first read 'Pride and Prejudice' aged about 13 - had tried to read it aged 10 but didn't get on with it. It is my favourite book of all time but I do love reading modern day variations. There's so much scope for it with Austen's work and with her life too. Good luck with the new release. :)

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    1. Thanks for your well wishes Elaine! You’ve had so much for time with Austen than I have. I wonder if I had started with P&P rather than Emma as a teenager if I would appreciated Austen a then or if I still wouldn’t have seen the value in her writing until my twenties? Best of luck in the giveaway!

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  14. I was first introduced to Austen through a TV mini-series of P&P -- a 1980 version that practically nobody has watched, lol (just the die-hard fans!). I think I was about 12 or so, and my parents had rented it, so I joined them in watching and instantly fell in love with pretty much everything about it. I read the book soon after and my Austen obsession took off XD

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    1. I liked that version, Danya! Sure the sound is bad and it’s filmed like a stage production and everyone’s hair screams 80s, but when David Rintoul is all smiles at the end with Elizabeth after the second proposal ... ❤️ adorable. Best of luck in the giveaway :)

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  15. One time, in elementary school, I was home with the flu sick and dozing on and off. My grandma always had the tv on and 1995 P and P was on. I woke up a little for soup and saw the first proposal scene. Tried to stay awake for rest of episodes since it ended at a cliffhanger and fell asleep. It was not until 8th grade when I came across a dvd version of it and recognized the cast members on it. Prior to that, I began reading classics hoping I would eventually find the book the series was based off of. It is one of the big things that got me into reading and I am always grateful for it.

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    1. I love that you started reading classics hoping to find that one you watched while you were home sick with Grandma :) What a great story, Patricia!

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