Jane Odiwe Jane Austen Sequels

I came across a blog post the other day where the author had some feelings of discontent about the genre in which I write myself - that of Jane Austen sequels - she even had particular advice for myself, Diana Birchall and Helen Halstead. I'll post it below so you can read it for yourself. I have a lot of sympathy with the writer of the post who obviously doesn't like any tampering with Jane's novels and thinks it's all gone a little too far. At one time I would never have considered reading a sequel to Jane Austen's novels and I must admit I didn't read any until I wanted to write one of my own. I have read a couple and one or two 'spin-offs' if you'd like to call them that, but my own preference is for the originals like most people. I don't read them mostly because I don't want to be influenced by other's writing - there are a few I know I would really enjoy - likewise there are some I would avoid. But this is the point - no one has t...

In a romantic frame of mind today - here's a description of young love at its most besotted! The photo is from the film Sense and Sensibility with Kate Winslet (a perfect Marianne) and Greg Wise (Emma Thompson, you are such a lucky girl!) as Willoughby. When he was present, she had no eyes for any one else. Everything he did was right. Everything he said was clever. If their evenings at the park were concluded with cards, he cheated himself and all the rest of the party to get her a good hand. If dancing formed the amusement of the night, they were partners for half the time; and when obliged to separate for a couple of dances, were careful to stand together and scarcely spoke a word to anybody else. Such conduct made them of course most exceedingly laughed at; but ridicule could not shame, and seemed hardly to provoke them. Mrs. Dashwood entered into all their feelings with a warmth which left no inclination for checking this excessive display of them. To her it was but the...

(16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) Thinking of Jane Austen especially today on the anniversary of her death. She could not have imagined how much her books would be treasured and loved by so many people over the next two hundred years! Here is the letter Jane's sister Cassandra wrote to her niece Fanny on the event of Jane's death. It is one of the most beautiful and moving letters I've ever read and illustrates just how close the sisters were and what they meant to one another. I am taking a short break from today - be back soon with more posts! Winchester: Sunday. MY DEAREST FANNY, Doubly dear to me now for her dear sake whom we have lost. She did love you most sincerely, and never shall I forget the proofs of love you gave her during her illness in writing those kind, amusing letters at a time when I know your feelings would have dictated so different a style. Take the only reward I can give you in the assurance that your benevolent purpose was answered; you did contrib...