Jane Odiwe Jane Austen Sequels

Last night we were treated to a delicious evening's entertainment from two of our wonderful British actors at the Jane Austen Festival . Adrian Lukis (who is a very well-known and loved actor in the UK -  he played Mr Wickham in the classic 1995 Pride and Prejudice adaptation )  and Caroline Langrishe (who is well-known for her roles in Judge John Deed, Lovejoy and Sharpe) entertained us with a selection of duologues - some of the most memorable scenes from Northanger Abbey, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion and of course,  Pride and Prejudice. My personal favourites were the scenes from Persuasion - beautiful! They were absolutely brilliant and brought all of the characters to life - it's always wonderful to hear Austen performed 'out loud' and the audience lapped it up - the room echoed to the sounds of their laughter!   Caroline Langrishe and Adrian Lukis performing Austen duologues - Jane Austen Festival I was very lucky to meet Adrian and Caroline w...

I love using pictures and prints for inspiration. When I was writing Lydia Bennet's Story, I drew on many that I was able to find in museums and books. These prints of contemporary scenes in Brighton by the seaside helped me to write a scene where Lydia and her friend, Harriet Forster, are interrupted by the attentions of a certain gentleman. The following afternoon found Harriet and Lydia taking a turn along the seafront. They were standing watching some ladies riding on donkeys when Lydia was startled by a voice in her ear which seemed to come from nowhere. “Mr Wickham,” she cried as she turned to face him, “whatever do you mean by pouncing on young women in such a manner?! You quite frightened the life out of me.” “Forgive me, Mrs Forster, Miss Bennet, but you were so engrossed, I could not resist making you jump. I declare, Miss Bennet, that I never saw you in such studied contemplation since I saw you outside the milliner’s in Meryton!” Lydia could not help herself; she struck...

If we are lucky, August is a time for holidays! In Regency times Brighton was a very popular and fashionable destination. Lydia is thrilled when she is invited by her friend Harriet to accompany the regiment to the seaside. Romances 'abroad' were just as likely then as they are now - Lydia falls hook, line and sinker for that most unsuitable of officers, the charming Mr Wickham who leads her completely astray... In this extract from Lydia Bennet's Story, we learn what happens when she decides to take the plunge and run away with the man of her dreams! She ran to her room, retrieved her bundle, and was about to go when she was taken by the idea that she could not disappear without leaving Harriet with a hint of where she had gone. She sat down at the desk in front of the window to compose her letter. As she reached for her pen and dipped the quill in the black ink, she was overwhelmed by a desire for mirth. She tried to steady her nerves, breathing the salt tang coming in o...

Lydia Bennet's Online Diary. At this time of the year I always read Pride and Prejudice and I thought it would be fun to see what Lydia is thinking about all the goings on at Longbourn. Lydia's online diary starts just before Mr Bingley arrives and finishes where my novel, Lydia Bennet's Story, begins. When I came to, everything was upside down and the air strangely quiet except for the whinnying of the horses, the creaking of tree branches which were poking through the window of the coach, and the low moaning of my companions who appeared hurt and shaken. I managed to climb through the window after smashing the glass with my morocco bag, (though who can say if the tortoiseshell panels will ever be the same) partly covering my head and shoulders with what remained of my mantle. The rest of it lay torn and trapped between two solid oak branches and had to be left behind, but I was grateful simply to be uninjured. I could not think what to do next. I called out to Shaw the co...

The winner of the competition is Milka from Finland! Congratulations! I have e-mailed you, so if you can send me details of where to send your books they will be posted soon. I thought you might like to see one of the mood boards I created when I was writing Lydia Bennet's Story. I always start with a map, in this case, one of Hertfordshire where Pride and Prejudice is set. We don't know exactly where Meryton and Longbourn were but I based my research around Hertford. I like to find contemporary paintings for inspiration and look for portraits which might suit the characters I am writing about. As time goes on the maps get scribbled on with information about travel times, notes about towns and villages and plot directions. In this instance I added images which helped me to picture my heroine, so a girl in flimsy muslim, a pink bonnet, and bathing huts in Brighton all aided and inspired. I do a lot of research, but I probably don't use half of it. I find it very useful if yo...

Lydia Bennet's Online Diary. At this time of the year I always read Pride and Prejudice and I thought it would be fun to see what Lydia is thinking about all the goings on at Longbourn. Lydia's online diary starts just before Mr Bingley arrives and finishes where my novel, Lydia Bennet's Story, begins. I set off for Meryton shortly after breakfast and met Mr Wickham in the High Street, intent on a few calls. “Miss Bennet, I declare I have not seen you or any of your family for a month at least. Have you all been in hiding?” he asked with a mischievous grin, as he stepped in alongside me with a bow and a flourish. “No,” I retorted. “Any reasons I might have had for hiding have long since disappeared and are enjoying themselves at Bath, as well you know. My sister Jane is still in London, Catherine has gone to stay with her friend in Hatfield and I believe you did see my sister Elizabeth before she went to Hunsford, not more than five days ago.” I paused outside the milliner’...

Lydia Bennet's Online Diary. At this time of the year I always read Pride and Prejudice and I thought it would be fun to see what Lydia is thinking about all the goings on at Longbourn. Lydia's online diary starts just before Mr Bingley arrives and finishes where my novel, Lydia Bennet's Story, begins. Thursday, 11th March, 1802 Mama received news from Lizzy this morning - despite the fact that she writes with compassion for Charlotte and with derision of our cousin, it has nevertheless set mama off again into a diatribe of what might have been. Lizzy’s account of their comfortable surroundings and description of a tour of the house and garden had mama exclaiming how some people who ought to be satisfied with one house agreeably fitted up, should not be so anxious to snatch another from under the very noses of its rightful owners. However, she took some comfort from the fact that the house is small, and was forced to laugh out loud at Lizzy’s revelation that Mr Collins is a...

Lydia Bennet's Online Diary. At this time of the year I always read Pride and Prejudice and I thought it would be fun to see what Lydia is thinking about all the goings on at Longbourn. Lydia's online diary starts just before Mr Bingley arrives and finishes where my novel, Lydia Bennet's Story, begins. Saturday, January 23rd, 1802 Kitty and I took great pleasure in snubbing George Wickham today, as we walked through the High Street in Meryton. He was walking along with Mary King at his side, swaggering along on the opposite path with an air of self congratulation. On seeing us, he raised his hat and waved. Perfectly affronted, we immediately looked away and took refuge in Brown’s, where we spent a pleasant half hour trying on all the new bonnets. During our sojourn, we made the observation that Mr Wickham and Mary King could be seen through the elegant bow window of Holland’s Coffee House, partaking of hot beverages and cake, whilst enjoying the company of Mr Denny, Mr Cham...

Lydia Bennet's Online Diary. At this time of the year I always read Pride and Prejudice and I thought it would be fun to see what Lydia is thinking about all the goings on at Longbourn. Lydia's online diary starts just before Mr Bingley arrives and finishes where my novel, Lydia Bennet's Story, begins. Monday, January 18th, 1802 Having despaired at Kitty’s apparent lack of interest in my welfare, I am now cheered by the presence of her company at my bedside, all be it in short bursts before she rushes off to some engagement or other. It transpires that she has been spending much time in the company of my Aunt Philips and dear friend Emma Nicholson in Meryton, and I think has been enjoying the fact that I have not been there to eclipse all her efforts at engaging the officers with her charm and beauty. She has much in the way of delicious gossip to impart and it is now clear why Lizzy did not speak particularly warmly of dear George Wickham or have much to say of him at all ...

Lydia Bennet's Online Diary. At this time of the year I always read Pride and Prejudice and I thought it would be fun to see what Lydia is thinking about all the goings on at Longbourn. Lydia's online diary starts just before Mr Bingley arrives and finishes where my novel, Lydia Bennet's Story, begins. Thursday, December 24th, 1801 Lord! I am frozen to the bone with hands that are so swollen and itching with the cold, it is impossible to write. I daresay I have frostbite and the apothecary will have to be summoned and I shall lose some if not all of my fingers. I awoke early this morning, filled with a sense of tingling pleasure at the prospect of the festivities to come and the promise of a day, which might bring any amount of delights. The weather was bitterly cold, there were dark grey clouds looming over the hills, and swirls of frost painted like fairy ferns and flowers on my bedchamber window. Kitty and I went with Jenkins the gardener to help bring in the holly, ivy ...

Lydia Bennet's Online Diary. At this time of the year I always read Pride and Prejudice and I thought it would be fun to see what Lydia is thinking about all the goings on at Longbourn. Lydia's online diary starts just before Mr Bingley arrives and finishes where my novel, Lydia Bennet's Story, begins. Wednesday, November 18th, 1801 Being the youngest of five daughters has nothing to recommend it, especially when one is suffered to endure the intimate proximity of one’s cousin in the close confines of a carriage. Jane, Lizzy and Catherine were handed in, crushing themselves together, so as to make it impossible to admit anybody else, and so I was compelled to sit between my sister Mary and Mr Collins, who talked at me without pause for breath all the way to Meryton. However, this sad start was soon forgotten as on entering my Aunt Philips's abode she immediately announced that Mr Wickham was in the house. As the gentlemen were not yet finished dining, we had to listen t...

Lydia Bennet's Online Diary. At this time of the year I always read Pride and Prejudice and I thought it would be fun to see what Lydia is thinking about all the goings on at Longbourn. Lydia's online diary starts just before Mr Bingley arrives and finishes where my novel, Lydia Bennet's Story, begins. Tuesday, November 17th 1801 A day that started out as a dismal business with papa foisting Mr Collins out of his study and inviting him to accompany my sisters and I on our walk into town, has taken a most pleasurable and unlikely turn. We walked into Meryton, Catherine, Jane, Lizzy and I, with Mr Collins talking incessantly all the way. However, such a treat was in store as we reached the High Street. On the other side of the way, we spied Mr Denny, accompanied by an extremely gentleman-like figure, nodding and bowing in our direction. Chancing to meet them as they turned back, Kitty and I crossed the road as if to admire a striped pink sarcenet in a window just in time as w...

In Lydia's imagination, a visit to Brighton comprised every possibility of earthly happiness. She saw, with the creative eye of fancy, the streets of that gay bathing place covered with officers. She saw herself the object of attention to tens and to scores of them at present unknown. She saw all the glories of the camp - its tents stretched forth in beauteous uniformity of lines, crowded with the young and the gay, and dazzling with scarlet; and, to complete the view, she saw herself seated beneath a tent, tenderly flirting with at least six officers at once. From Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The reality of life for the officers was most certainly quite different to that of Lydia's imagination. Like Wickham, many of the officers lived well beyond their means and were in debt. The entertainments were very tempting, including gentleman's clubs where fortunes could be lost at the gambling tables. Ragget's was typical of this type of establishment and in Lydia ...

This is the new cover for Lydia Bennet's Story which is being published in October by Sourcebooks. I am absolutely thrilled with it; I think the designers have done a wonderful job. The illustration is by Brock and shows Lydia and Kitty being introduced to Mr Wickham. The following extract is from Lydia's journal when Lydia learns that her favourites are about to leave for Brighton. Saturday, May 8th My world as I know it has ended! I have received such dreadful news today that I do not think I shall ever recover! I met with Mr Wickham (who looked as handsome as ever in his scarlet coat) in the High Street in Meryton this morning, and he informed me that the regiment is leaving to be encamped at Brighton for the summer! I could not believe it, nor disguise my disappointment, and asked him what on earth we shall all do without the society of all the officers we have come to know so well. His replies were gentlemanly and thoughtful, yet he seems keen to be gone and spoke of littl...

I hope you have all enjoyed the Pride and Prejudice adaptation that has just finished on TV in the US. I loved this version and I thought Julia Sawalha was a fantastic Lydia, petulant and precocious but still managing to be very funny! Adrian Lukis was perfect for Wickham too, just the right combination of charm and charisma to convince us in the beginning that he is an ideal partner for Lizzy but also imbued with a certain sleaziness, which soon shows us his true character. Poor Lydia cannot see this and believes herself to be in love with him. Whatever her faults, I could not let Lydia be miserable with Mr Wickham for the rest of her life - I had to find a happy ending for her in Lydia Bennet's Story! Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet was a wonderful Lizzy and I'm sure most will agree that Colin Firth is unsurpassed as Mr Darcy. I think the on screen chemistry between these two is what sparked so many web sites, blogs and sequels to Pride and Prejudice in the years since its...