Jane Austen’s First Love–Blog Tour and Giveaway

Welcome to The Little White Attic, my stop on the Jane Austen’s First Love blog tour, with a special guest post by Syrie James, along with my review of Jane Austen’s First Love. There will be more information about the blog tour and your chance to enter the giveaway later in this post.

But first and foremost, here is a Special Guest Post by Syrie James:

A Few Quotes From Jane Austen’s First Love

Which Have Special Meaning For Me

By Syrie James

I’m often asked, when I finish writing a novel, if any particular lines or quotes from the book have a special meaning for me. I gave it some thought, and here are six quotes from Jane Austen’s First Love of which I’m particularly fond, because they either inspired an important aspect of the book, or because they represent something I really wanted to say.

1. This enigmatic and emotional quote by Jane Austen, from one of her letters to her sister, inspired Jane Austen’s First Love. Jane is reflecting here with affectionate longing upon her long-ago relationship with Edward Taylor, the heir to Bifrons Park:

“We went by Bifrons and I contemplated with a melancholy pleasure the abode of him, on whom I once fondly doated.”

2. This quote from Chapter One of Jane Austen’s First Love, in which Jane’s mother expresses her opinion of Jane’s writing, perfectly captures my own mother’s attitude toward my desire to become an author:

My mother raised her eyes heavenward. “I know how much you enjoy your writing, Jane. Lord knows, we all love a good laugh now and then, and if any one understands the pleasures of composition, it is I—I flatter myself that my poetry is not entirely unreadable—but it is only a hobby, Jane: an amusement for the family. We are neither of us Mozart nor Shakespeare.”

3. Edward Taylor and Jane sneak away during a ball and talk for hours and hours, as they get to know each other better en route to falling in love. This sentiment Edward shares is one of his deepest convictions, and mine as well:

“One should not, must not, be swayed by popular opinion or the ideas of others, to think or act against his or her own convictions. It is not always easy…but if possible, we must be true to ourselves, for I believe the only route to happiness is to follow our own hearts.”

4. And here’s what Jane thinks, after that very meaningful interlude:

What a difference an hour or two of conversation can make, with an intelligent, deep-thinking person! I had entered the ball-room that night with one set of ideas, and after my dialogue with Edward Taylor, returned to it with quite another.

5. Every heroine needs to go through a few trials and tribulations, and Jane makes her share of mistakes in the novel, leading to this introspection (after she performs in a home theatrical of A Midsummer Night’s Dream):

“How sage is Shakespeare’s line, What fools these mortals be! How ironic that I was obliged to speak those words on this very day, for he may as well have written it specifically about me.”

6. Finally, here is a line from Jane’s rumination at the end of the novel, which sums up a great deal about her journey:

I learned so much that summer, from him as well as all the others: about the human mind and heart—about what motivates people to marry—about what really matters when two people are falling in love.

-Syrie James

I would like to thank Syrie for sending the quotes from her book along with the insightful background information. I am so grateful for the chance to participate in this blog tour! So now for my review:

As a hard core Janeite I have read many variations and spin-offs in the Austen genre. Some are very well done, some amuse, and some I have tossed without finishing. It’s a tricky business due to the varying images that different people hold of Jane Austen. Some writers want to show Austen’s characters in situations that Jane Austen never would have dreamed of publishing. Personally I have too high a ‘blush factor’ to read through some of these romance novels.

I am a bit more of a Jane Austen purist. Well- as much as you can be when indulging in the Austenesque. I want the characters to stay true to themselves as found in the original writings. I want adaptations to be accurate to the original, and historical fiction to fit well within the context of Jane Austen’s life.

I guess you could say I want the type of writing that Syrie James delivers. I have been a fan of Syrie James’ work for years, and even met her on a few occasions. Her novel The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen was very enjoyable, and I have to say, I like Jane Austen’s First Love even better.

I have read several Jane Austen biographies, collections of her letters, and her juvenilia, and I found that the story line of Jane Austen’s First Love successfully fills in the gaps of a romance only hinted at in her letters, and does it with imagination and wit. The family characterizations ring true with what I already know about her family. James also managed to capture the youthful spirit of a clever young Jane Austen.

My favorite books are those that manage to weave in a little bit of charm and sparkle, just a little bit of magic that makes you smile for a moment before turning to the next chapter. I highly recommend this book. Add it to your Christmas list. It is the perfect after-holiday read when you can cuddle near the fire with some cocoa.

Of course I understand if you can’t wait that long!

And now the details of the Blog Tour and Giveaway.

Grand Giveaway Contest

Win One of Five Fabulous

Jane Austen-inspired Prize Packages

To celebrate the holidays and the release of Jane Austen's First Love, Syrie is giving away five prize packages filled with an amazing selection of Jane Austen-inspired gifts and books!
To enter the giveaway contest, simply leave a comment on any of the blog stops on the Jane Austen's First Love Holiday Blog Tour.
Increase your chances of winning by visiting multiple stops along the tour! Syrie's unique guest posts will be featured on a variety of subjects, along with fun interviews, spotlights, excerpts, and reviews of the novel. Contest closes at 11:59pm PT, December 21, 2014. Five lucky winners will be drawn at random from all of the comments on the tour, and announced on Syrie’s website on December 22, 2014. The giveaway contest is open to everyone, including international residents. Good luck to all!

-Lynnae

Remember, just by leaving a comment here you will be entered to win! Good luck friends!

Mansfield Park First Edition

Look at what I had my hands on today!

It’s a three volume first edition of my favorite novel, Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park. Anne Repass from the Seattle Public Library brought the books, part of her personal collection, to the meeting of our local chapter of the Jane Austen Society and led the discussion. I was super excited for the discussion so seeing, actually HOLDING the books was just icing on the cake. I have seen Jane Austen first editions under glass before, but never got to touch, to hold, the books, and for a book lover that is the best.

These books were from 1814, in lovely condition and beautifully bound. At the time these books were printed, most novels were produced in three volumes. The books would have been purchased unfinished almost like a paperback, and then you would take them to be bound to match your library, taste and budget. These books are quarto size, which, though hard bound, is smaller than a little modern paperback. I wish I would have set something on the table so you could see the size of these darling little books.

-Lynnae

Austenland was so much fun!

Tonight we went out to Seattle to see Austenland. Based on the book by Shannon Hale, directed by Jerusha Hess. I went with a couple of friends, my sister, and two of us had our husbands along. After all the lukewarm reviews I wasn’t sure what to expect.

I will start by saying my husband just sighed and said “Oh, man. I wish we could see that show again.”

Rave reviews from the husband of a Janeite.

I am sure the theater was filled with hardcore Jane Austen fans, and a few husbands sprinkled in, but everyone loved the show. I expected some quirky Jerusha Hess humor but didn’t know quite how it would play out in a show like this. We had so much fun at this show from beginning to end. It was silly and delightful, and better than I thought it would be. The cast really made the show with great comic timing. J J Field was so cute as Mr. Nobley. Keri Russell was very sweet.

And boy were there some funny moments. There were many times we missed a funny line because we were still laughing from a previous line. By twenty minutes into the show I had tears in my eyes from laughing so much. I don’t want to give anything away for my Austenesque friends, but just go see it.

I have loved many Austen adaptations striving for accuracy and period authenticity, but this one was definitely one for the Janeites. And yet something tells me that anyone who has dragged their significant other to a chick flick, or anyone who’s ever been dragged to a chick flick would love this show.

-Lynnae

P.S. We loved the musical number at the end credits!

The Spoiled Janeite

Wait until you see what Santa brought this Janeite!

My Santa of choice is currently deployed with the Army in North Africa, but he has been spoiling me big time. Look what he gave me for Christmas.A production script from Sense and Sensibility 1995 signed by Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Robert Hardy, Alan Rickman, James Fleet and Tom Wilkinson. Can you believe that? It comes with a certificate of authenticity too. I admit I did run my hand across the signatures a few times. Time to watch this show again!

I was blessed with many gifts that I am thankful for, not all of them Austen related, but here is another one that is.

My daughter and her husband gave me this adorable board book Pride and Prejudice by Cozy Classics. I haven’t even seen this one advertised yet. I love dolls, and have been caught out in the neighborhood doing a Barbie photo shoot or two, so I loved seeing the earnest look of emotion on the faces of the soft felt characters. Can Pride and Prejudice be told in 15 words or less? I say, YES!

-Lynnae

Basildon Court

Known as ‘Netherfield’ to fans of the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice, Basildon Court is a lovely building inside and out.
The setting is beautiful. I enjoyed our little drives so much my sister at one point called me a Hampshire girl. I felt a certain thrill going out on the highway and seeing names of places that Jane Austen knew and was familiar with. I couldn’t ride past the Basingstoke exit without thinking of a young Jane and Cassandra preparing for a dance at the local assembly room. One thing I learned about this countryside is that, like in the old days, most of the roads are tucked into a thick growth of trees and hedges, making a glimpse of the gently rolling countryside a rare treat. You can imagine me craning my neck to catch a glimpse of an old church or fine country home briefly visible through the trees.
But back to Basildon- here are my pictures of that lovely mansion.

Beautifully restored ceiling in the entrance.

There were lovely patterns on the wall. These are seen in the background in Pride and Prejudice when Mr. Bennet consoles Mary after the ‘piano incident’.

More lovely ceilings.

The dining room.

This is the room where Miss Bingley and Elizabeth Bennet take their infamous turn about the room, but the directors wanted a lighter color for the room. In order to protect the historic red silk walls, artificial walls were created to go in front. Decorative pillars were also added, their real purpose was to hold the walls so nothing would be affixed to the delicate walls of the home.

This was an original ceiling that hadn’t been replaced or restored. It was absolutely lovely. The guide was trying to direct me to take my photo in another area because of the watermark here. I felt like saying “I’m from America and we like old stuff!”

This bathroom had it’s last update after WWII.

One of Basildon Court’s lovely bedrooms.

1940’s style servant’s bells.

A fun surprise in this house- the state of the art (1950’s) kitchen, complete with volunteers making cookies for the visitors to sample.

Another view of the cute kitchen.

The entrance to a walled garden.

There is a room dedicated to the houses role in the 2005

adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

Wouldn’t you love to receive notice for this casting call?

One of the lovely statues on the grounds at the rear of the house.

A view of the back face of the house.

My daughter sits at the edge of the garden with a new little friend. Small children were attracted to my daughter throughout our trip, which made for some fun moments, including one little girl who wouldn’t let go of Jordan’s hand on the underground, and screamed when her parents had to pry her away at the exit.

A little picture I hobbled together of me and my daughter living in the world of Jane Austen.
Cheers!
-Lynnae

The Jane Austen House.

Today I was in Chawton for the Jane Austen Society Annual General Meeting. (More on that in the next post). The highlight of the visit was touring the Jane Austen House Museum, also known as Chawton Cottage. This is Chawton Cottage from the back. from the road it looks like a large square building but I had always wondered what the back was like. Here you can see it is more ‘L’ shaped. The upstairs window on the far left is Jane’s room.

I can’t tell you how it feels to take a curve in the road and suddenly be looking at a place that I have longed to see for years. Chawton Cottage is where Jane wrote or revised all of her novels.

The quilt on display was made by Jane, Cassandra, and their mother, from clothing pieces. This was Jane’s bedroom up until the last few weeks of her life when they stayed in Winchester to seek better medical help for her.

This is the view from Jane Austen’s bedroom window out the back of the house toward the bakehouse.

That precious little table is where she sat composing some of the greatest writings in the English language.

The stairs she walked up, the doorframes she passed through, the window sill she leaned against, all touched me with her spirit.

The surrounding countryside is beautiful. The land here is more heavily wooded than I supposed, with meadows and farmland. The area around her home is a lovely low walled garden, serene and beautiful. It is not hard to imagine what it would have looked like then.

200 years ago Jane would have been composing the ending chapters of Mansfield Park, my favorite of her six novels. Was she already feeling weary from the illness that would claim her? As tragic as her destiny was, I can see that she must have found peace in the lovely garden and the ever changing verdure of the countryside she loved.

In some respects this was a pilgrimage for me. After reading her novels, juvenalia, letters, and several biographies, the people in them begin to seem like friends and neighbors. I know they say everyone who loves Jane Austen thinks they know Jane Austen. I feel I know her more closely now after visiting this place that was so important to her.

It was a lovely day.

-Lynnae

P.S. I must say something about my dear husband today. As some of you know he is deployed oversees. Today was his birthday and he didn’t have the best day. And here I am having the time of my life traveling etc. I just want him to know I was thinking of him often…….. Jon, I love you with all my heart and I can’t wait until we are together again. So many times I wish you would have been with me to smile, make me laugh, give me a little hug, or just share in the moment.

Love always, Lynnae

My England Trip- London

I am in England. It is my second day and this is really a dream come true for me. I am staying with my sister Julianna and her kind husband, who have a sweet little cottage style home in Reading. There are so many little nooks and Crannies! My daughter and I are sleeping in a little upstairs room that is so sweet it’s like being in a treehouse. I have an angled window right above my bed. Julianna also had some gifts for us when we arrived.

This is a one hundred year old copy of Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, my favorite novel, that she gave me as a birthday present. Isn’t it beautiful!

Today we went out to London, But we started the day with Breakfast at a charming and very yummy restaurant in Reading called Bill’s.. My daughter was excited to see the tower of London, so that was our main destination.

London Bridge.

We also went out to see Big Ben. OK, OK, I’ll post this picture, even though I’m not too happy about what is going on with my hair by this point! Jordan looks fabulous as always!

My sister Julianna and I with the London Eye in the background.

As you can see I’m having a great time and feeling totally spoiled here in the UK. I wish I could write about everything. But right now I’m feeling about as tired as this little girl…..

More to come….

-Lynnae