Two Months in a Row!

I have had a story voted one of the five best completed at Jaff Recs! The Madness of Mr. Darcy was voted one of the best completed stories in November (it seems an edit at some point skewed the month it was completed), and Becoming Mrs. Norris was honored in October! Here is the really cool thing: the short continuing vignette I just wrote, Mr. Darcy's Christmas Present: The Madness of Mr. Darcy Continues, is up for nomination in the month of December. Voting runs through the end of the month, and there is more competition than in the previous two, but your vote might out me over the type! Cast your vote here: http://www.jaffrecs.com/?page_id=379. Some of my fellow Austen Authors are represented as well.

I just started posting a revised version of Being Mrs. Bennet last week. Sorry I never completed the tale here, but I got disgruntled when I lost half my Pemberley visit. If I can complete draft two in January, I might have a chance of winning four months in a row! Fingers crossed.

Speaking of Austen Authors, a preliminary, teaser post went up yesterday in which several of us share some of our favorite recent posts. Please check it out, and don't forget to enter the grand reopening, mystery prize giveaway! http://austenauthors.net/favorite-blogs/

Fitzwilliam Darcy: An Honourable Man by Brenda J. Webb

My then Facebook friend and now also fellow Austen Author Brenda J. Webb asked if I would like to read one of her books last year, and I eagerly accepted a copy. According to the guidelines I imposed on myself in 2014, I let her know I would only post a review if I could write a glowing one, and I am very pleased to be able to do so today.

It was really rather ironic reading this book while still gathering reactions to The Madness of Mr. Darcy. I imagine if I got on Amazon and looked through Ms. Webb's reviews that I would find a lot of comments akin to those I have received. Like my book, Fitzwilliam Darcy: An Honourable Man has a very difficult beginning. We come upon an Elizabeth horrifically traumatized: mute and unresponsive. So hard to read! Our beloved heroine, reduced to such state by the machinations of a vile mother (Mrs. Bennet is a true villain in this story) and an unscrupulous husband (an Italian count, no less, right out of Radcliffe), is a nauseating spectacle. It's painful, which it should be, for it allows you to fully enter into Darcy's feelings when he returns to Netherfield, two years after being rejected at Hunsford, to learn the woman he thought he had expunged from his heart was dead (a lie spread by the Binlgeys to protect Elizabeth from her mother), yet to then come upon her in her disordered state! It is a heart wrenching moment as we learn the full sordid details of what happened to Elizabeth through Jane and Charles, but it also the beginning of the healing process, for though apart Darcy and Elizabeth prove so vulnerable, together they will overcome all that stands in their path to happiness.

One of my favorite aspects of this variation was that it positioned our meek and mild Jane to become a protective lioness in regards to her sister, even when that means cutting ties with her mother. I was very proud of this Mr. and Mrs. Bingley as I read the book. I really wanted to quote the passage in which it happened, or the one when Jane and Bingley first tell Darcy about Elizabeth, but all the passages considered seem to give too much away. The story holds so many surprises, and I would hate to reveal them. Rest assured Ms. Webbs prose are clear and artistically crafted.

The story ends very happily, but the road there is filled with machinations and impediments. There is a lot going on in this book with multiple layers of villains, all pursuing their own vicious ends, making things difficult for our beloved couple. Further, there are vivid portraits of the Darcy and Fitzwilliam families, complete with complex family skeletons, emotional trauma, and romance. I was impressed by Ms. Webb's ability to weave such a complicated tale while maintaining the personal, emotional connection between the main characters and the readers. Fitzwilliam Darcy is a rich and captivating story. A hard read for the feint hearted, but worth the effort. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Webb's work.

Happy New Year!

Where did the last several weeks go? 2014 was a wild ride for my family and I, and it went out par for the course when we buried my beloved grandfather. I started the year with a full contingent of grandparents and now I have one. Sad as that is, it was also an amazing year in many ways, and first and foremost in my mind stands the writing, publishing, and warm reception of The Madness of Mr. Darcy. It was book so unlike anything else I have ever even attempted to write. It demanded so much of me emotionally. It was a remarkable experience, but I am looking forward to concentrating on more lighthearted subjects in 2015 with my first children's book, The Prodigal Husband, Being Mrs. Bennet, and The Importance of Being Darcy. More on all these projects to come.

Some of the great treats of my holiday season came in the form of recognition for my writing. It is with pride and excitement I am announcing my inclusion in the new, re-born AustenAuthors.net. My next post will be on that subject. I was delighted to find myself the recipient of a wonderful review of Holidays at Pemberley by Jody at A Spoonful of Happy Endings (read it here). I was even more than delighted to then find myself included in her "Top 10 New To Me Authors" list for 2014. What an honor! Next, Becoming Mrs. Norris was voted one of the top five completed stories on A Happy Assembly in the month of November at jaffrecs.com! So cool, especially as it is Mrs. Norris we are talking about and reader nominated. Last but not least, I received a long coveted place on Meredith at Austenesque Reviews best of 2014 list, when The Madness of Mr. Darcy tied with KaraLynne Mackrory's Haunting Mr. Darcy for favorite Pride and Prejudice variation. Thank you, Meredith! It's absolutely thrilling.

As I look forward to a fresh new year, I have a ton of writing I plan on doing, but I also want to start doing more reviews again. One of the best things about 2014 is a started reading at my regular pace again for the first time since becoming a mother. I hope to now figure out how to balance reading, writing about, and writing books all at the same time. If I can master that by 2016, it will be time for another kid.

I hope everyone had wonderful holidays and happy New Years celebrations. Here's to 2015!

Mr. Darcy's Christmas Calendar by Jane Odiwe

After that day, time at Chawton cottage, and the calendar, which had seemed to work so magically together, began to alter. When Lizzy woke the next morning and attempted to open the door she found it was stuck and resisted being opened at first. There was no glow of light behind the perforations of door number eight, as there had been previously, and it simply wouldn't open. She didn't want to force it; the calendar was such a beautiful and precious object that she hadn't the heart to tear it. If she thought about what had happened to her over the last week or so, dwelling too much on trying to reason out exactly what was going on, she concluded that therein lay the road to madness. The only way she could keep her sanity and make sense of the whole experience was to tell herself that she'd fallen into a parallel universe, one that she'd often dreamt of visiting. She was fairly certain that it wasn't just that she was dreaming - never before had she been able to sustain so much action when sleeping, but trying to analyse it all was getting her nowhere. That magic of some kind, the sort she'd believed in as a child, held some enchantment over the whole episode was an unshaken conviction, and she was glad, that even though she was twenty-one and well past childhood days, that such a powerful spell had charmed her. She resolved to think no more on it, and accept it for what it seemed - an extraordinary Christmas gift. It came as almost no surprise that as soon as she'd accepted this, the little door of number eight flew open of its own accord, and Lizzy saw a magician's hat. At least, she thought it might have been, but on reflection she decided it could just as well belong to a gentleman like Mr Bingley, as there wasn't a rabbit in sight.

Tis the eight day of December, and what better way to begin a review of a book entitled Mr. Darcy's Christmas Calendar than with the scene in which the heroine, Lizzy Benson, opens the door of her very special advent calendar, purchased at the gift shop at Chawton. Before I proceed any further, I must confess that until I met my husband, I had no notion what an Advent calendar was. Yes, I grew up watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, but I really had no idea those little doors might contain chocolate or other treats inside. Then my mother-in-law presented me with the calendar she made my husband when he was born. This framed piece of embroidery features a large Christmas tree with twenty-five ornaments, each with a corresponding hook, to which scraps of paper are attached. Part of the Christmas magic in my husband's house was waking up each morning in December to see what instructions or treats the elves had left overnight, usually a Christmas story, craft, or game. For ten years now I have been in charge of making sure this bit of Christmas magic keeps happening. From having no notion what one was, an Advent calendar has become one of the most important parts of our holiday.

That being said, when I learned one of my favorite Austenesque authors, Jane Odiwe, was writing a Christmas story about an Advent calendar, I made immediate plans to read the book December first, before a fire, and with a cup of hot cider in hand. Unfortunately, these plans were waylaid when my grandfather died on November 30th. When I finally did get to the book, it proved the perfect balm to my heartache. The opportunity to escape the modern world for a fantastic Regency one, in which Jane Austen lives side by side with her characters from Pride and Prejudice, slowly tweaking the story until it takes the form we all know and love, is, as the heroine notes in the quote above, an extraordinary Christmas gift. I've enjoyed all three of Ms. Odiwe's time-travel tales (be sure to read my reviews of Searching for Captain Wentworth and Project Darcy), but I think this latest is my favorite. I say that taking into to account the brilliantly portrayed romance between Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy in Project Darcy, but I did not find the modern day romance nearly as satisfying. In contrast, the hero of Mr. Darcy's Christmas Calendar, a Mr. Williams, is the perfect Darcy stand-in: even more Darcy than Darcy in this book. Another strength of the novel is how the modern events parallel those of the past, which I greatly enjoyed. Further, Christmas magic totally penetrates the story, and as odd as traveling through time via an advent calendar might seem, I found it a lot more believable than the machinations used int he previous stories, probably due to the holiday atmosphere. Yet I think my favorite thing about this particular book had less to do with a swoon-worthy hero and the joys of the season than the commentary on the writing process the book provides.

Bear with me for a moment, but this is a book written by an author about another author who is writing a book. And not just any book. When the story begins, Austen is still calling her tale First Impressions, and it bears little resemblance to the final novel, most particularly in that there is no Darcy and Wickham seems set to play the hero. There are not many scenes in which Lizzy gets to speak directly with Jane Austen, but when she does, great truths about the writing process are revealed. I don't know if this aspect of the book would be as fascinating to a reader who does not write fiction, but I found myself laughing again and again over the writing truths Austen shares, making her feel relatable as a fellow writer, not just a distant, mythologized idol. A few examples:

"I've lost my way a little with the plot, and I'm not sure how to get it back."

"My characters are always springing out of nowhere; believe me, I have little control over them, but sometimes they are reticent to show themselves."

In the past, I have often lauded Ms. Odiwe's ability to encapsulate her painter's eye into her writing. While that eye is still definitely on display in Mr. Darcy's Christmas Calendar, I feel like she is showing us her writer-self, as channeled through Austen, in a manner not accessible in her previous work. I throughly enjoyed this book. I will return to it at future Christmases. It was a lovely way to get into the holiday spirit.

And do go check out the online Advent Calendar Ms. Odiwe has available on her blog. Better than chocolate: http://janeaustensequels.blogspot.com/2014/12/a-happy-mr-darcy-advent-calendar.html.

What this Janeite wants for the holidays ...

This post is actually for the benefit of my relations. If you ask me what I want this year, I'm going to ask for money. If you want to buy me a gift, make it one of these:

1) JT Originals Christmas Kiss Tree Ornament: http://www.jt-originals.com/christmas-kiss-ornament.html

Please!!! I really want this. It would please me endlessly to add this to my tree. And while you are buying, artist Janet Taylor's 2015 Pride & Prejudice calendar would be an excellent accompaniment. Just saying.

2) In Her Own Hand Jane Austen Juvenilia Box Set: http://www.amazon.com/Her-Own-Hand-boxed-set/dp/0789212102/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&qid=1417629099&sr=8-27&keywords=jane+austen

The kind of books that I ache to hold. Besides, I am lacking a good copy of the juvenilia.

3) Jane Austen Wall Peel Decal: http://www.amazon.com/Austen-22x14-20x12-Decal-CafePress/dp/B00CKHHZIQ/ref=sr_1_59?ie=UTF8&qid=1417629367&sr=8-59&keywords=jane+austen

I know just where I would put it, too!

4) Northanger Abbey Alphabet Print from PemberleyPond: https://www.etsy.com/listing/124796753/jane-austen-print-northanger-abbey?ref=shop_home_active_2&ga_search_query=northanger%2Babbey

Not quite as sure where to put this, but I will find a place. The entire shop is great, but this piece is my favorite. 

5) Effusions of Fancy by Jane Odiwe: http://www.amazon.com/Effusions-Fancy-Consisting-Annotated-Sketches/dp/0954572203/ref=asap_B001JS9AQM_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417629851&sr=1-9

I have been longing for this book for a while. I love Jane Odiwe's Austen inspired watercolors. They perfectly accompany her writing. By the way, I'm reading her Mr. Darcy's Christmas Calendar now. Review coming soon!

6) Jane Austen Jigsaw Puzzle: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/toys-games-jane-austen-puzzle-500-piece-puzzle/26852322?ean=9780307453839

I love puzzles. 500 pieces s the perfect size for to bang out on an insomnia laden night. 

7) And for those who might feel up to splurging, the Kate Spade Emma clutch:  

http://www.amazon.com/Kate-Spade-Austen-Month-Clutch/dp/B00NI2BYQ6/ref=sr_1_1?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1417631616&sr=1-1&keywords=emma

I think this is pretty self explanatory.

There you have it! I've been exceptionally well-behaved all year. I feel like I've earned some JA swag.

I'm still here! It's just NaNoWriMo. Twisted Austen winners.

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, though it sometimes feels like it. Twisted Austen seems a million years ago already, and I am only getting around to announcing winners now. Rafflecopter seems really glitchy for some reason, and I am sorry if it inconvenienced anyone. With no further ado the winners are:

Day 1: Chiara L.

Day 2: Angela W.

Day 3: Susan M.

Day 4: Ceri T.

Day 5: carmen

Day 6: Jan S.

Day 7: Luthien84

Congratulations to all the winners and thank you so much for celebrating Halloween with me this year! I have no idea what next year will bring. Maybe I'll tackle Northanger.

Two more exciting announcements to make:

There is an amazing review of The Madness of Mr. Darcy posted at Austenesque Reviews! My favorite line: "I highly recommend this exquisitely crafted variation!" Perfect! DO check it out: http://austenesquereviews.com/2014/11/madness-mr-darcy-alexa-adams.html.

There is also an excerpt from The Madness of Mr. Darcy as well as an international giveaway going on at The Calico Critic. Giveaway ends on 12/7: http://calicocritic.blogspot.com/2014/11/excerpt-and-giveaway-madness-of-mr.html.

Regarding Being Mrs. Bennet: the last chapter posted somehow got chopped in half, right when they were at Pemberley, and I lost the rest of it. Disheartened and insanely busy, I have not tried to rewrite what was lost, but I will. Just not sure when. We're almost at the end of the story. I plan to post a second draft at AHA late winter/early spring.

Looking ahead: I am way behind on reviews. Hoping to catch up on some of those before the end of the year. I am also going to be putting together a Christmas vignette, following up on The Madness of Mr. Darcy a few years after the end of the book. This will probably be in lieu of my usual Christmas offering, though I have some aspiration to hurry up and illustrate last year's Twelve Days of Christmas. We'll see how December transpires.

NaNoWriMo is going great! Currently in just over 45,000 words, but as I have a personla goal of 60,000 words, there is still a bit to go. I have not been sharing excerpts like I did last year. Not sure why, just haven't felt particularly compelled. The Prodigal Husband is my first straight regency romance, though there is still a lot of JA influence, of course. It is also a great deal more sexy than what I'm used to writing. Maybe that is why I'm keeping it closer this year. I'm sure there will be excerpts to come.

Happy Thanksgiving to the american Janeites out there! I'll catch back up with you all in December.

I've been Interviewed at My Kids Led Me Back to Pride and Prejudice!

Interrupting this Twisted Austen once more to point your attention towards another blog, My Kids Led Me Back To Austen, where Tamara H has posted an interview she did with me. It had been a while since I had done an interview, and she asked really great questions. Lots of fun. Please check it out and enter to win copies of The Madness of Mr. Darcy!

http://tamaraausten77.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-madness-of-mrdarcy-alexa-adams.html