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Books We Treasure – A Recommendation
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In Snape and Col. Brandon There Was Committed Love
Learning the news of Alan Rickman’s passing today made me stop and pause. Rickman, 69, star of stage and screen, who is probably best known for his role as Snape in the “Harry Potter” films, lost his life to that dreaded demon, cancer. Rickman’s ability to play a variety of roles left us eager to see who he would play next. From his brilliant portrayal of Snape in the “Harry Potter” series of films to the hurtful, unfaithful husband in “Love Actually,” Rickman consistently brought tenderness, realism, and the right balance of wickedness to the parts he played. Rickman’s voice and delivery made him instantly recognizable. There was a resonating…
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Classically Beautiful
On Sunday, my daughter completed her History Day Project. She had chosen Jane Austen as her subject, as she wanted to study someone from history who was a woman and had a literary connection. As the parameters of the assignment were pretty broad, she decided Jane was a good fit for the project. Of course, I wholeheartedly agreed, and I had a great time helping her research and understand Austen and her role in generating readers. When we think of the classics, we tend to think that perhaps they are difficult to read and understand. I do my best to urge my students in my writing classes to give some…
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“Austenland”—Creative, Funny, and Just What the Doctor Ordered
As I’ve mentioned in past posts, I’ve hunkered down in an attempt to finish my second novel, so I’ve been a bit out of touch. I’m getting really close to completion, but in order to get there, I’ve had to put other things on hold. Unfortunately, blogging has been one such thing… But we all need a break sometimes, and so last night was movie night with my friend Jenny. We picked a winner. Creative, silly, ridiculous, but with great writing and acting, “Austenland” came to life. Produced by “Twilight” novelist Stephenie Meyer and directed by Jerusha Hess based on the book by Shannon Hale, the film stars Keri Russell,…
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Hanging Out With Jane Austen
I just reread part of Persuasion by Jane Austen, and it got me thinking what Jane would think and write about in today’s world. Would she still speak of and poke fun at the social classes? Would she draw characters who epitomized the thinking and scope of today’s morals and ethics in present-day society? She is my writing hero. Pride and Prejudice is absolutely my favorite book ever written. It is rich with great characters, memorable dialogue, romance, and humor. Which makes me wonder about Jane… Would Jane like the story I’m writing? Would she find it entertaining? Would she want to read about the struggles of a woman who…
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Pride and Prejudice: Which One and Why?
This is my favorite book of all time. It’s my mother’s copy, which she lent to me and will never get back. I love that it cost 45 cents. I love that it has my mother’s original highlights in it. She studied English and Literature, and I do pay attention to the notations when I read it. Nothing today costs 45 cents, not even a postage stamp (that will cost you 46 cents)…but perhaps you could get a piece of candy or solitary nail. So the question then becomes, which of the two films of note would you select as your favorite depiction of “Pride & Prejudice”? I’ve heard arguments…
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Naming Your Home
The idea of naming your home, manor, mansion, or castle came into play in Britain and is a custom for those who were incredibly well-off. Often, the home was linked to a place in which it was located. But it wasn’t just the rich folks who named their houses; you would also find tradesmen and merchants naming their homes as well. Soon, it became common practice that anyone could name his home. Here in the States, it is not a common practice to name our homes, although it’s more prevalent to see homes named in resort towns. In Duck, North Carolina, where my family and I vacation, we love to…
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The Pleasure of Hating The Bad Guy
I take great pleasure in despising villainous characters, in particular, those two bad guys Jane Austen created over 200 years ago: Mr. Wickham and Willoughby. Honestly, it’s like therapy for me to detest them as fully as I do. The simplicity of their selfish, immature, conniving behavior is depicted so beautifully that you are reminded of one particular thing: some people are just rotten. The other night at the discussion of my first novel, Beneath the Mimosa Tree, I used another of Anne Lamott’s great quotes about “hanging out with your characters and getting them just right.” You have to hang out with your characters so you can show the…
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Guest Blogger: Charlotte English—Those Magic Words: “Jane Austen”
Happy Monday morning, readers! Today’s Guest Blogger comes to us from the Netherlands. A British transplant, thoroughly English, Charlotte recently moved and is enjoying a new environment away from home. She and I have become friends first through Twitter and then e-mail. We are, shall we say, modern-day pen pals. (Writing folks just seem to find each other and yes, there are great benefits to using this social media platform!) I am so pleased that she’s agreed to write about Jane Austen today, as Ms. Austen is probably my all-time favorite. Charlotte’s blog, Words About Words, features a multitude of articles about writing, with particular emphasis on fantasy/science fiction, her…
