Jane Odiwe Jane Austen Sequels

Bath Street, Bath My latest book, Searching for Captain Wentworth is published on September 7th - though it is possible to order it now through Amazon and the usual channels. I wanted to write something a little different from my usual Jane Austen sequel and have always wanted to try my hand at a contemporary romance. I decided to combine the two in a time travel book, another favourite genre, and I enjoyed writing it enormously !  At the beginning of the book, my heroine Sophie has a broken heart and is feeling very fed up with the world. At the invitation of an aunt, she takes herself off to Bath for a holiday and finds herself living next door to the house Jane Austen lived in 200 years ago. It's not long before strange things start happening and when Sophie finds an ancient glove dropped by her mysterious neighbour, Josh, she is whisked back into the past where she meets Jane Austen and her brother Charles, a handsome lieutenant on the frigate, Endymion. Sophie is soon ...

I'm giving a copy of Searching for Captain Wentworth away on Misty's fabulous Book Rat Blog.  Click on the link to read all about my new book and leave a comment on her blog to be in with a chance to win. Misty's hosting a whole series of events for Austen in August - don't miss the fun!

Searching for Captain Wentworth by Jane Odiwe I'm very excited to show you the cover of my new book, Searching for Captain Wentworth . As you all know, I absolutely love this portrait of Jane Austen, so when Anne Rice very kindly granted permission for the painting to grace the front of my latest novel, I couldn't have been more thrilled or delighted! Searching for Captain Wentworth Who was Jane Austen's real Captain Wentworth? When aspiring writer, Sophie Elliot, receives the keys to the family townhouse in Bath, it’s an invitation she can’t turn down, especially when she learns that she will be living next door to the house that Jane Austen lived in. But, Sophie’s neglected ancestral home is harbouring more than the antiquated furniture and nesting mice, though initially Sophie tries to dismiss the haunting visions of a young girl. On discovering that an ancient glove belonging to her mysterious neighbour, Josh Strafford, will transport her back in time to Regen...

I'm thrilled to tell you about Austenesque Extravaganza with Meredith Esparza, Angie Kroll and Jakki Leatherberry over at Austenesque Reviews . There's plenty of fun and games planned during September.  Lots of authors are participating -  Juliet Archer (author of Persuade Me ) is joining me in a character mash-up short story. I don't want to tell you too much, but it involves two of our favourite characters meeting across two time zones! We hope you're going to enjoy it! Below, there's lots of info about the month and what you can look forward to - hope to see you soon on our blogs! It's time to share with you all the   fun and festivities   we have planned for  Austenesque Extravagnza!   Just like last year, each day of the week has a   special themed event .  Some you will recognize from last year, but some are   brand new ! As are all the   beautiful banners   made by Team Austenesque member, ...

When I visited Devon recently, the gorgeous landscape reminded me particularly of one of Jane Austen's books. Whilst Jane doesn't tend to write a lot of description in her novels, I was surprised at how much there is to be found in Sense and Sensibility. We know that Jane holidayed in Devon, visiting places like Sidmouth, Dawlish and Lyme Regis, which is on the border between Dorset and Devon.  In this first passage from Sense and Sensibility, Jane writes about the situation of Barton, the village where Elinor, Marianne and Margaret Dashwood come to live with their mother after their half-brother, John Dashwood inherits Norland House. It's a far cry from the slendours of the house they are used to, but the position is a good one. It's clearly all too difficult for Mrs Dashwood who is used to a grander style of living, and she is soon thinking of ways to 'improve' the cottage.   The situation of the house was good. High hills rose immediately behind...

The Old Harbour Weymouth - hosting the Olympic Sailing  I recently visited Weymouth just as the Olympic sailing was starting. The town was in festive mood on the day I visited and there was a fantastic carnival atmosphere with decorated floats and activities laid on in celebration of the Olympics. The area round by the old harbour is the prettiest, and there are still some lovely examples of Georgian architecture in the town. I've always been curious to see it because apart from the mentions in Jane Austen's books and letters, I knew that the town became fashionable when George 3rd visited with his family. Fanny Burney recorded a funny tale - the 'neighbouring machine' she refers to is a bathing machine: "...Think but of the surprise of His Majesty when, the first time of his bathing, he had no sooner popped his royal head under water than a band of music, concealed in a neighbouring machine, struck up "God save great George our King". Cassa...