So What’s So Special about Jane Austen?

Welcome and Thanks for Coming Back!

I hope you’re enjoying the blogs and reading a bit about my writing adventure and very first book.  As you’re probably aware from the website, my book is about Regency Era holidays.  You may be thinking – why the Regency Era?  The answer to that would be, because that was when Jane Austen lived, wrote and made literary history.

Yes – I am an avid fan of Jane Austen and not just of her novels but of the essence she created around the time in which she lived and wrote.  She wrote of a time of elegance and manners and stylish clothes for men and women, and she wrote about beautiful country estates and luxurious London townhomes in which to dance at balls.  Her novels are strong and vivid yet gentle and tender.  Her characters are true to life and speak to us in ways far deeper than words can convey.

Why do so many people feel passionately about Jane Austen?   I think there are two possible reasons.  One reason is that her characters are real, they resonate with the reader.  We relate to them and see ourselves or someone we know in them.  The second reason is that anyone, no matter their interest, background, hobby or history, can read a passage in one of her novels and come away with something that speaks uniquely to them.  The next person who reads the exact same passage will feel just as strongly that it’s addressing something of unique interest to them.  Jane Austen was a genius and with little formal schooling, she wrote six literary masterpieces that scholars continually read, study, dissect and discuss only to find something new, pert and always totally fascinating.  Jane Austen is pretty amazing and to get to study only a small part of what she gifted us, is a gift to me.

I’ll continue to read and re-read her novels and other novels written faithful to her characters because I don’t want to say good-bye to Darcy and Elizabeth or Wentworth and Anne or Edward and Elinor and . . . .  These well written subsequent novels, keep the characters going – maybe not in the same vein as from the pen of Jane Austen but written with love and appreciation for the author who originally brought these characters to life.

If I can contribute to the appreciation and understanding of Jane Austen and her times with my Regency Era holidays book, it will be an honor to participate in such a lovely endeavor that joyfully always delivers a happy ending

Until next time. . .

Happy Holidays!