Celebrate Girl Power on July 4th with Jane Austen.

You always knew Jane Austen was a feminist, right? What better way to soothe the disappointment of cancelled 4th of July events than to enjoy some intellectual fireworks?

Register for this live online lecture, JANE AUSTEN’S MESSAGE FOR YOUNG WOMEN TODAY, where “Dr Georgina Newton examines how the hopes and concerns of today’s young women compare with those of Jane Austen’s era and how the author of Pride and Prejudice has much to say to modern readers.“

July 4th at 7.30pm British time (2.30pm ET, 11.30am PST) Click for details and to register.

It’s hosted by the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institute (BRLSI), a non profit organization “set up 200 years ago as a centre for Enlightenment ideas and intellectual discussion in Bath, England (where Jane Austen lived!).

“Jane Austen’s novels typically conjure images of love, romance and femininity. But her acute observations on how society treated women in relation to equality, financial independence and opportunity reveal a mind strikingly in step with feminist thinking in the 21st Century.

Writing Workshops for Storytellers (& Aspiring Storytellers)

Join me at Vroman’s, Southern California’s oldest and largest bookstore.

I’m thrilled to be returning to Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, CA to teach two writing workshops. There’s still space available.

One-Day Writing Workshop: Novel vs. Screenplay: Exploring Your Options. Saturday, May 25th, 1:30-4:30 PM.

Six-Week Writing Workshop: Storytelling Techniques. Six Thursdays, starting May 30th and skipping 4th of July, 6:30-8:30 PM. For authors of fiction and narrative nonfiction.

Both classes are open to participants at all levels. There will be lectures and writing exercises.

This is a safe space where your writing will be supported with constructive suggestions and where you can receive instructor feedback in class or via email.

For complete descriptions of each workshop, plus registration information, got to the Vroman’s Ed page. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.

How deep is your Austen love? Jane Austen fans discuss.

Ever wondered what the difference is between having read Jane Austen and being a full-on Janeite? Or where you are in the Jane Austen fan continuum? You might find your answer in this fun conversation. It’s all part of Austen in August, and if you’ve missed any of it; don’t worry, you can catch up at The Book Rat and join the party. There are lots of posts and still some giveaways going on.
Want to hear more about what Jane Austen fans have to say about their obsession with their favorite author? Check out our own signs of addiction, see what other readers have said about theirs, and you can even contribute your own!

Austen in August: Join the fun.

It’s not too late to join the party. The yearly Austen in August event, hosted by The Book Rat, is in full swing, and you are invited. If you’re a Janeite, this is the place to be.

There are giveaways,read-alongs, Austenesque book discoveries, and more–including roundtable discussions on the best cringeworthy moments in Austen and imagining what the best Austen TV mashups might be. In other words, it’s not only a chance to celebrate the works of the timeless author, it’s also a chance to fall over laughing. Which we take every opportunity to do.

So what are you waiting for? Here’s your dance card.

Dancing, Dueling, Men in Royal Naval uniforms–It’s the Jane Austen Festival in Louisville, Kentucky

There’s a big Janeite party brewing in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s super affordable and sounds like a blast! So don your Regency regalia (or your yoga pants; Austen fans come in all shapes, sizes, and outfits) and make haste to the Jane Austen Festival.

Here are the particulars, lifted straight off the Festival website:

9^th Annual Jane Austen Festival

THE LARGEST JANE AUSTEN EVENT IN NORTH AMERICA!

July 14, 15 & 16, 2017

(more…)

Make this summer an Austen summer

After all, this summer will mark the 200th anniversary of the great author’s death, and thus the perfect time to celebrate her life. Here’s an idea that sounds to us like Jane Austen heaven: 200 Years of Persuasion: The Jane Austen Summer Program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, from June 15-18, 2017. You don’t have to be a scholar or even a student in order to attend; all are welcome. According to the program’s site, it is open to “anyone with a passion for all things Austen.”

Every year, The Jane Austen Summer Program at UNC Chapel Hill focuses on one of the author’s works. This year, it explores Austen’s last finished novel, Persuasion (which happens to be my personal favorite, though I can discuss the various merits of each of the author’s precious novels with fellow enthusiasts for hours, months, and years and never get bored).

Here is one of my favorite testimonials from past participants of The Jane Austen Summer Program: “All the professors I met were so friendly and welcoming, so I never felt intimidated talking with such impressive scholars. It was a totally comfortable environment for all!” Read some more of the glowing testimonials yourself, and you’ll be filling out that registration form before you can say “You pierce my soul.”

Sense and Sensibility: Throwing Shade Edition…& a Giveaway!

In honor of Austen in (mostly) August, one lucky winner will win Emma Thompson’s Sense and Sensibility Screenplay and Diaries plus signed copies of Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict and Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict. Giveaway ends Sept. 10 at 11:59PM EST. Head over to The Book Rat to enter this giveaway.

Every year, Austen in August has an irresistible array of fun activities and an opportunity to connect with fellow book lovers, some of whom are longtime readers of Austen, some of whom have never read Austen and are curious to try. You can join read-along discussions of this year’s featured work, Sense and Sensibility, decide if Jane Austen’s world was really as attractive as you may have imagined, discuss your favorite film and TV adaptations, rank your most beloved and most hated Austen characters, participate in Twitter parties, enter giveaways, and much more.

And if you’ve ever wished your favorite Austen characters could say something like this:

via GIPHY

then check out my guest post, Sense and Sensibility: Throwing Shade Edition.

The Austen in August party has started

Enjoy group reads, movie watching, Twitter parties, discussions, giveaways, and more at this yearly event.

Summer fun with Jane Austen

If you can’t get enough of Jane Austen on your own, at home, re-reading her novels and watching all those film and TV adaptations, help is just around the corner. It’s the Jane Austen Summer Program! Here are the deets, straight from the official press release:

“Mansfield Park & Its Afterlives”
June 16 to 19, 2016
Hosted by the University of North Carolina, CH and JASNA-NC

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — This summer, more than 100 people, including Austen fans, established scholars, graduate students, K-12 teachers, and aspiring authors, will have the opportunity to hear expert speakers and participate in discussion groups on Austen’s most controversial novel, Mansfield Park. Attendees will also partake in an English tea, dance at a Regency-style ball, join in a Regency-themed pub crawl, and visit special exhibits tailored to the conference. (more…)