Every Woman Dreams…

The Man Who Loved Jane Austen by Sally Smith O’Rourke, Kensington Books (copyright 2006), ISBN 0-7582-1037-X

Front and Back Flaps: What if you found a 200-year-old love letter written from a fictional character to the writer who created him? And what if, next to that letter, was another addressed to this character…from the author herself? Truth may be stranger than fiction, but one woman is about to find out what happens when fiction becomes truth…

New York artist Eliza Knight certainly did not realize it at the time, but her life changed when she bought the old, beat-up vanity table one lazy Sunday afternoon. Tucked away behind the mirror she found two letters, one sealed, but one already opened:

“May 12th, 1810. Dearest Jane, the Captain has found me out. I am being forced to go into hiding immediately. But if I am able, I shall still be waiting at the same spot tonight. Then you will know everything you wish to know. F. Darcy.”

F. Darcy? Fitzwilliam Darcy, the fictional hero of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice? Even more mysterious was the other letter, sealed and never read – from Jane to Darcy. Could this man, possibly the most romantic character even written and the hero of Eliza’s favorite novel, have been a real person? Eliza’s initial guarded curiosity turns to astonishment as scientific testing confirms the sealed letter was indeed addressed by Jane Austen. But she is completely baffled by the revelation that the other letter, though proven to be from the same time period, was written by an American.

Caught between the routine of her present life and the intrigue of these incredible discoveries from the past, Eliza decides to look deeper. Her research leads to a majestic, 200-year-old estate where she meets the one man who may hold the answer. But he also has a secret, one he has kept hidden for years. Now, as the real story of Fitzwilliam Darcy unfolds, Eliza finds her life has become a modern-day romance, one that perhaps only Jane Austen herself could have so eloquently written.

O’Rourke’s novel alternates between the past and the present. Eliza meets a man named Fitzwilliam Darcy in Virginia. What she does not know is the current F. Darcy has had an unusual experience on a horse buying trip to England. He jumps his hunter over the barrier and travels back to Jane Austen’s time. The sealed letter can bring Eliza a fortune, but it might be difficult for Darcy to explain how he met Jane Austen and fell in love. He wants the letter as a symbol of requited love.

I found it clever to include Jane Austen as one of the book’s characters, and I enjoyed O’Rourke’s look at Austen’s life. (When the movie “Becoming Jane” came out, I thought of many of the scenes from this novel. There is a similar attitude.) One can find expert plotting, and this is an easy read that pays tribute to Jane Austen’s ideals of romantic love. (As in many modern adaptations, there is some sexual content.)

Ms. O’Rourke will be one of our guest bloggers on AustenAuthors.net in March. I hope everyone will join us then.

Again, this is one of my favorite Austen-inspried books. Although it is 5 years old, one might still find it on used books sites. It does have a new cover and can be found on Amazon and B&N.

Pride and Prejudice and Jasmin Field by Melissa Nathan, Avon Books (copyright 2000), ISBN 0-06-018495-7

Back Cover: It starts out as a lark for Jasmin Field, the charming, acerbically witty columnist for a national women’s magazine. She joins a host of celebrities gathering in London to audition for the season’s most dazzling charity event: a one-night-only stage production of Jane Austen’s immortal Pride and Prejudice, directed by and starring the Academy-Award winning Hollywood heartthrob Harry Noble. And nobody is more surprised than Jasmin herself when she lands the lead role of handsome Harry’s love interest, Elizabeth Bennet. But things start to go very wrong very quickly. Ms. Field’s delicious contempt for the arrogant, overbearing Harry Noble goes from being wicked fun to infuriating. Her brief moment of theatrical glory looks as if it’s going to be overshadowed by the betrayal of her best friend, the disintegration of her family and the implosion of her career. And suddenly she can’t remember a single one of her lines. But, worst of all, Harry Noble – who, incidentally looks amazing in tight breeches – has started to stare hard at Jazz with that sort of a glimmer in his eyes…

One of the reasons I was initially attracted to this book was that Jasmin Field is a journalist, of sorts. She writes a social column for Hoorah, a woman’s “trashy” magazine. Having trained in journalism, I liked the idea. Jazz’s slant on life is a modern version of Elizabeth Bennet’s observations. This is a story that speaks to the questions of judgments and beliefs. All the elements of Jane Austen’s original are available, sometimes to the detriment of the story line – for example, the Charlotte Lucas/Mr. Collins story is a bit ridiculous. However, Nathan handles her homage to Austen with a quiet humor reminiscent of the original. There are problems with changes in point of view (sometimes within a paragraph), as well as use of profanity and sexual encounters. Yet, Nathan’s acerbic wit is contagious. (I should mention at this point that Ms. Nathan succumbed to cancer several years past. Personally, I would have liked to see what other Austen story lines that Nathan might have added to the contemporary adaptations. I also own Nathan’s Persuading Annie, which is a modern version of Austen’s Persuasion. I will discuss that one later on.)

One of my favorite scenes in this book occurs when Harry and Jazz are rehearsing a scene for the play. Jazz explains to Harry about Mr. Darcy’s motivations in Pride and Prejudice. I have always thought it was a magnificent analysis of Fitzwilliam Darcy.

Acting with Harry was an amazing experience. Jazz entirely forgot herself. Because he was so utterly convincing as Darcy, her reactions, which had been so tame with Brian, were now highly charged. The rest of the cast stopped talking and started silently watching what was going on. Whenever Harry gave Jazz an idea or suggested trying her delivery a different way, she knew instinctively what he was getting at and what he was trying to get out of her. And they were always both delighted with the result. She was buzzing with excitement. This was thrilling! Jazz loved the way Harry was making Lizzy stronger by the minute. And after a while, he even started accepting her ideas. She managed to convince him to make his Darcy more pained.

“The man’s in love, for goodness sake,” she said at one point.

“Why should that pain him?” asked Harry. “He still thinks he’s superior to her. And is still arrogant enough to assume she would accept his hand.”

Jazz answered as if he was an idiot. “Because he still thinks he can’t marry her – it would go against every one of his principles. And his principles are his whole identity. He’s going through constant inner turmoil every time he sees her. He’s fighting himself whenever she’s there. This is the only woman he has ever felt so powerfully attracted to. Physically as well as emotionally. He’s never even fancied a woman before. Darcy has never been out of control before – it’s terrifying, confusing and amazing all at the same time. Lizzy makes all the other women he can get – and let’s face it, he can get all of them – pale into insignificance. She’s the only woman who has ever answered him back, who has ever made him think twice about what he says, who has ever made him reconsider his lifelong principles. And yet she’s from a repulsive lower-class stock. It’s like a terrible awakening for him. And every time he sees her he is more aware of the increasingly agonizing dilemma he is in. He’s getting more hopelessly devoted and yet more aware of the impossibility of marriage to her at the same time. It’s – it’s living hell.”

Like Debra White Smith’s “First Impressions,” this book is no longer available, but if one can find it on a used book site, it is well worth the read. I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

When I am not writing my own novels, I read voraciously. Therefore, one of my New Year Resolutions is to share with my friends some of what I have read. For this first review, I have chosen Debra White Smith’s First Impressions. This book is part of Smith’s backlist, but it is worth doing a search for it. Ms. Smith is a minister, and her Austen Series are modern adaptations of Jane Austen’s novels, each with a religious message.  Besides First Impressions, which is a contemporary version of Pride and Prejudice, one may find Possibilities (Persuasion), Amanda (Emma), Northpointe Chalet (Northanger Abbey), and Reason and Romance (Sense and Sensibility). I absolutely loved Possibilities and will address it in the future. Smith will be a guest  blogger on AustenAuthors.net in March. Please stop by to interact with her.

When Eddi Boswick is cast as Elizabeth, the female lead in a local production of “Pride and Prejudice,” she hesitates. Dave, the handsome young rancher cast as Darcy, seems arrogant and unpredictable. Accepting the challenge of playing opposite him, Eddi soon realizes that he is difficult to work with on and off the set. When a tornado springs out of nowhere, Dave protects Eddi…much to her chagrin. And he is shocked to discover an attraction for the feisty lawyer he can’t deny. Sparks fly when Eddi misinterprets his interest and discovers the truth he’s trying to hide.

First Impressions, by Debra White Smith – from Harvest House Publishers (copyright 2004) ISBN 0-7369-0872-2

The first in her Austen Series, Smith dedicates this novel to Dr. Michael Murphy, the professor who first introduced her to Jane Austen. In this novel, Smith begins by providing her readers with a “Cast” of characters. Please note that for each she says her characters are “based on” Austen’s, which means that an Austen lover will see the similarities, but Smith has not insisted that the characters “do everything” as the Austen originals. Nor do they react in the same manner as Austen’s beloved characters, a purposeful choice which I appreciated. Even in an “inspirational” series, translating Austen’s characters into contemporary situations is not possible. Obviously, the restraints on marriage and relationships which colored the Regency Period are not an issue in the modern world. Las Vegas is the modern answer to Gretna Green.

Smith masterly tells the story through her dialogue. Although her description is first rate, her dialogue is spotless. Coming from a theatre background, I appreciate advancing the story with dialogue rather than long passages of narration. However, it is apparent from the beginning that Smith makes no attempt to replicate Austen’s style. The characters are relatable, and it eloquently speaks to the role of religion in a person’s life. The challenges and rewards of love are the main theme.

If you are an Austen fan and are familiar with the scene where Mr. Darcy tells Charles Bingley that Elizabeth Bennet is “tolerable, but not handsome enough” to tempt him. Then this is Smith’s version of that event. (Dave’s aunt Madelynne DeBloom is conducting  a reading of Pride and Prejudice to determine parts in the upcoming production.)

A cautious precognition suggested Eddi should stop eavesdropping. She rubbed her fingertips along the buttons on her linen jacket. A daredevil streak challenged her to ignore caution just this once.

What has caution gotten me so far? she asked. An empty townhouse with a dog pound refugee and two resentful felines to keep me warm at night. She crossed her legs and gazed past the honeysuckle-laden trellis to a woodpecker that was determined to pound his beak into the oak at the porch’s corner. All the while she pined for any signal of interest from the renegade rancher.

“Oh, so we’re not commenting on the lawyer?” Calvin teased. “Why not?”

Dave remained silent. Eddi looked down and pulled at the top of a piece of broccoli.

“Whatsa matter?” Calvin blurted. “Are you afraid of her?”

A caustic laugh bounced around the porch. “Yeah, right,” Dave retorted.

“Or maybe you’re worried she’s too smart for you! Ha!” Calvin laughed. “That’s a good one.”

Eddi snapped her attention from the broccoli to the porch’s corner. Calvin slid his chair back and his legs disappeared.

“Oh, shut up, ” Dave groused. “If you must know, Eddi Boswick would have to be way more classy to keep my attention for long.”

If you are a Jane Austen lover, you will enjoy this novel. It is worth the read to see how Smith handles the “second proposal” scene. My only objection when I first read this novel was it was a bit “preachy” in the middle regarding Linda Boswick and Rick Wallace’s relationship. Linda and Rick are the Lydia Bennet and George Wickham characters in Smith’s novel. Of course, after I realized that Ms. Smith was the founder of Real Life Ministries, the emphasis on abortion issues made more sense.

I would give this book 4.5 stars out of 5. Although it is currently out of print, I would encourage you to pick up a used copy on Amazon or another media outlet.

The Year Without a Summer (also known as the Poverty Year, Year There Was No Summer, and Eighteen Hundred and Froze to Death) was 1816, in which severe summer climate abnormalities resulted in major food shortages. Much of the cause of this anomaly is blamed on the volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora (located on the island of Sumbawa, Indonesia) in April 1815.

Rated a 7 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index, the Tambora eruption had ash falls as far away as Borneo, Sulawesi, Java, and the Maluku islands. Most who died from the eruption came from starvation and disease. 71,000+ people died. Some 12,000 killed from the explosion.

In Europe, people were still recovering from the devastation of the Napoleonic Wars. Food shortages were already prevalent. In the UK and France, food riots were common. Switzerland declared a national emergency because of famine. Abnormal rainfall swelled European rivers. 100,000 Irishmen perished from a combination of a famine and a major typhus epidemic.

In New England, the corn crop failed. Because of supply and demand, the cost of wheat and grains skyrocketed. In Hungary, the population experienced brown snow. Italy had red snow. Volcanic ash is believed to be the cause. The rice crop in China failed due to the summer’s low temperatures. Summer snowfalls occurred in several of China’s provinces. In tropical Taiwan, snow was also reported.

J. M. W. Turner celebrated the spectacular sunsets during this period, likely caused by high levels of ash. People have noted the yellow tinge that is predominant in his paintings, such as Chichester Canal circa 1828.

The crop failures of the “Year without a Summer” may have helped shape the settling of the “American Heartland,” as many thousands of people (particularly farm families who were wiped out by the event) departed New England for what is now western and central New York and the upper Midwest in search of a more profitable land.

Chichester Canal, circa 1828 by J.M.W. Turner

Among those who left Vermont were the family of Joseph Smith. This move precipitated a series of events which culminated in the publication of the Book of Mormon and the founding of the Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mary Shelley

In July 1816 “incessant rainfall” during that “wet, ungenial summer” forced Mary Shelley, John William Polidori, Lord Byron and their friends to stay indoors for much of their Swiss holiday.

John William Polidori

They decided to have a contest to see who could write the scariest story, leading Shelley to write Frankenstein, the Modern Prometheus and Polidori to write The Vampyre In addition, their host, Lord Byron was inspired to write a poem, “Darkness,” at the same time.

The events of April 1815 play a part in my next novel The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy (scheduled for release in March 2012), which begins in July 1815, after Wellington vanquishes Napoleon at Waterloo.

George IV

Those of us who regularly “study” the period know as the Regency are well aware of the hedonistic nature of George IV, but many are unaware of the extent of the Prince Regent’s decadent ways.

In truth, George IV, the Prince of Wales, possessed his charms. He was a man of enormous charm, gentlemanly manners, high intelligence, and elegance of address. He was often referred to as “The First Gentleman of Europe.” Yet, he was also a drunkard and a lecher.

Carlton House

The Prince lived at Carlton House, a massive structure off Pall Mall. His circle of friends were notorious for their actions. The group included politicians, scholars, courtesans, and society hostesses. Among the most powerful of the group was Charles James Fox (renown for his opposition to George III), Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, the playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and King of the Dandies, Beau Brummell.

Beau Brummell

However, there were more eccentric member of the Prince’s entourage.  Colonel George Hanger married a gypsy girl, who was dubbed “the lovely Aegypta of Norwood.” In the end, the girl deserted Hanger for a bandy-legged tinker. The colonel gambled away his fortune and was imprisoned for his debts.  Lady Lade, the wife of Sir John Lade, and the reputed mistress of the Duke of York, had early on been employed as a servant in a brothel. She was reportedly the mistress of “sixteen-string Jack,” a well known highwayman. Sir John had his own eccentricities. He liked to dress and speak like a groom. Considering he managed the Prince’s stables, I suppose this most appropriate.

On a whim, the Prince ignored rules of etiquette. For example, at one of the Duke of Clarence’s famous parties, George IV gave precedence to his brother’s mistress Mrs. Jordan over a Duchess at dinner. The Prince Regent refused to invited his wife Princess Caroline to a fest celebrating the beginning of his Regency. George’s sisters freely welcomed many of his mistresses, most notably the Ladies Hereford and Jersey, but they refused to acknowledge his last mistress, Lady Conyngham.

George once wrote to Mrs. Fitzherbert, the woman most identify as the Prince Regent’s “great love,” a forty-two page letter in which he begged her to be his mistress. He even staged an attempted suicide to convince the lady.

George IV’s brothers were equally as decadent (except possibly the Duke of Kent). The Duke of Clarence had ten illegitimate children by the before-mentioned Mrs. Jordan. The Duke of Cumberland was rumored to have been guilty of incest. The Duke of York had an infamous affair with Mary Anne Clarke, which involved the sale of army commissions.

Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, shared her home with her husband’s mistress, Lady Elizabeth Foster. The Duke fathered three children by his wife and two by his mistress. Meanwhile, Georgiana gave Lord Grey two children.

Lord Melbourne (the future Prime Minister) was reportedly fathered by Lord Egrement. Lady Melborne’s six children were rumored to have a variety of fathers. “Harleian Miscellany” was the term used to describe the Countess of Oxford, Lady Harley’s many children.

Lord Melbourne