Welcome to 2014!

Though it is only the seventh day of the month, the festive season already seems such a long time ago!

December was a busy month in the online world of Jane Austen, and I was lucky enough to be part of some of the celebrations!

On the 13^th, I posted over at Austen Authors about my visit to Chatsworth House in Derbyshire where they held some Christmas Twilight Evenings, this year with the theme of The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe. The house looked so beautiful decked out as Narnia – a magical evening in every respect!

Chatsworth also had a starring role over Christmas on television, where it represented (not for the first time!) the family seat of the Darcy family in the adaptation of PD James’ Death Comes to Pemberley. The Jury still seems to be out on how good an adaptation it was (as is often the case), but one thing seems to be universally acknowledged: the Chatsworth Estate looked absolutely stunning!

On 16th December, I was one of many contributors to a celebration of Jane Austen’s birthday over at My Jane Austen Book Club. Several authors, including myself, had been invited to share what our lives would have been like without Jane Austen and there were some fascinating (and moving) responses!

Then, on 19th December, Jakki at Leatherbound Reviews posted a scene I had written for her Frolic and Play season, which you can find here. It is set the day after the Netherfield Ball, also the day of Mr Collins’ proposal to Elizabeth Bennet, and I hope you enjoy it!

But that’s all old news! That all happened way back in 2013! What about 2014?

Well, there is plenty coming up (aside from the big relocation to Switzerland at the end of February which is trying very hard to take over my life just now!)

In writing news, my aim this year is to complete my work in progress. Although once more inspired by Pride & Prejudice, it is a very different story to A Fair Prospect. The first excerpt was posted here back in November and can be found here, and I hope to post several more excerpts throughout the coming months.

Sadly, however, there is little time just now for letting my mind free-fall into writing mode, so over the next few months, on a weekly basis, I am going to post by chapter the story I wrote in 2005/6 that I mentioned previously over on the Works in Progress page: Lizzy Bennet’s Diary.  More of this when it launches in a couple of weeks’ time. The lovely and talented Janet Taylor has created some very special (and fun) ‘covers’ for this story that I can’t wait to share with you!

Much more imminently, I am pleased to announce a new weekly spot for guests posting on the Blog, and I couldn’t be more delighted than to welcome fellow author, Maria Grace, as my first visitor!

Maria will join me on Thursday, so do come along and read her fascinating account of her love of research into the day-to-day things that bring such rich detail to her stories. There’s a recipe to enjoy as well as an excerpt from her latest release, Twelfth Night at Longbourn!

I look forward to posting guest posts and ongoing chapters at least once a week going forward and hope very much that you will be able to join me in the year ahead!

Happy New Year!