Jane Austen Made Me Do It: Original Stories Inspired by Literature's Most Astute Observer of the Human Heart

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Jane Austen Made Me Do It: Original Stories Inspired by Literature's Most Astute Observer of the Human Heart (Jane Austen Mysteries #11.5)

by Laurel Ann Nattress (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Lauren Willig (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Adriana Trigiani (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Jo Beverley (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Alexandra Potter (Contributor), Laurie Viera Rigler (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Frank Delaney (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Diane Meier (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) , more…

3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 · rating details · 508 ratings · 174 reviews

Stories by: Lauren Willig • Adriana Trigiani • Jo Beverley • Alexandra Potter • Laurie Viera Rigler • Frank Delaney & Diane Meier • Syrie James •Stephanie Barron • Amanda Grange • Pamela Aidan • Elizabeth Aston • Carrie Bebris • Diana Birchall • Monica Fairview • Janet Mullany • Jane Odiwe • Beth Pattillo • Myretta Robens • Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway • Maya...more Stories by: Lauren Willig • Adriana Trigiani • Jo Beverley • Alexandra Potter • Laurie Viera Rigler • Frank Delaney & Diane Meier • Syrie James • Stephanie Barron • Amanda Grange • Pamela Aidan • Elizabeth Aston • Carrie Bebris • Diana Birchall • Monica Fairview • Janet Mullany • Jane Odiwe • Beth Pattillo • Myretta Robens • Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway • Maya Slater • Margaret C. Sullivan • and Brenna Aubrey, the winner of a story contest hosted by the Republic of Pemberley

“My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” If you just heaved a contented sigh at Mr. Darcy’s heartfelt words, then you, dear reader, are in good company. Here is a delightful collection of never-before-published stories inspired by Jane Austen—her novels, her life, her wit, her world.

In Lauren Willig’s “A Night at Northanger,” a young woman who doesn’t believe in ghosts meets a familiar specter at the infamous abbey; Jane Odiwe’s “Waiting” captures the exquisite uncertainty of Persuasion’s Wentworth and Anne as they await her family’s approval of their betrothal; Adriana Trigiani’s “Love and Best Wishes, Aunt Jane” imagines a modern-day Austen giving her niece advice upon her engagement; in Diana Birchall’s “Jane Austen’s Cat,” our beloved Jane tells her nieces “cat tales” based on her novels; Laurie Viera Rigler’s “Intolerable Stupidity” finds Mr. Darcy bringing charges against all the writers of Pride and Prejudice sequels, spin-offs, and retellings; in Janet Mullany’s “Jane Austen, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!” a teacher at an all-girls school invokes the Beatles to help her students understand Sense and Sensibility; and in Jo Beverley’s “Jane and the Mistletoe Kiss,” a widow doesn’t believe she’ll have a second chance at love . . . until a Miss Austen suggests otherwise.

Regency or contemporary, romantic or fantastical, each of these marvelous stories reaffirms the incomparable influence of one of history’s most cherished authors.

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Paperback, 464 pages

Published October 11th 2011 by Ballantine Books

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Nov 17, 2011 Ana T. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, regency-hist, contemporary, anthology

When I was asked to review this book I was very excited. I love Jane Austen's books and I just can't resist reading sequels and spinoffs because I love revisiting the characters.

Jane Austen Made Me Do It is an anthology including many different stories. There are contemporary stories and historical ones. There are sequels and there are spinoffs. And there are stories about Jane Austen and her family. The fact that the stories are so varied makes it easy to appeal to readers, there's something fo...more

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Jan 25, 2013 Cleo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-books

Jane Austen Made Me Do It is just that; a book of short stories inspired by Jane Austen. Some are stories of Austen's own life, others are a kind "after the book ends" (for Persuasion and Emma) and some are just Austen related. In the first story, Jane Austen ventures out into Bath, and encounters many of her literary characters, all of whom have serious complaints about their characters and how their stories turned out (except for the characters of Pride and Prejudice). And these are the heroin...more Jane Austen Made Me Do It is just that; a book of short stories inspired by Jane Austen. Some are stories of Austen's own life, others are a kind "after the book ends" (for Persuasion and Emma) and some are just Austen related. In the first story, Jane Austen ventures out into Bath, and encounters many of her literary characters, all of whom have serious complaints about their characters and how their stories turned out (except for the characters of Pride and Prejudice). And these are the heroines. Then, all of the weak and nasty characters show up. Anyway, I really liked that one, and many others too.

Overall, I LOVED this collection; there were some really great stories, some good ones, and some not-so-good ones. But it's well worth it for the good stories. "Nothing Less Than Fairy-Land" and "Love and Best Wishes, Aunt Jane" were both really good stories; entertaining and interesting to read. The only two authors that I knew in this collection were Amanda Grange and Adriana Trigiani. I haven't actually read Adriana Trigiani, though I do want to read The Shoemaker's Wife. But "Love and Best Wishes, Aunt Jane" was by her, and as I said, I really liked it, as well as "Jane Austen's Nightmare" and several others. Some of the ones set in the present day, like the one at a haunted Northanger Abbey and the one about the actress named Anne Elliot were just okay for me. I felt like they lacked the distinctive verve of the Austen style, that special sparkle. Though the one in Northanger Abbey wasn't terrible.

This anthology contains many good stories, not just a few. I also really liked "Mr. Bennet Meets His Match", which tells of how Mr. Bennet married Mrs. Bennet. And "Intolerable Stupidity" was hilarious! The various people who have dared to meddle with Austen's works are put on trial. This includes the film adaptions- the wet shirt scene, for example. And of course, people who have dared to add zombies, vampires, and sea monsters to Austen's books. This story features Lady Catherine de Bourgh presiding, and Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, of course. Though very silly, it was really funny, and I loved reading it, though the actual plot between the defense lawyer and the prosecutor wasn't that interesting. Though some stories were just okay, I others I really liked, and still others I loved. I would highly recommend this collection.

This is an Austen inspired book worth buying, so I'm certainly glad that I did. It offers many a story for every Austen fan, and I loved it.

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Sep 18, 2012 Gayle Surrette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jane Austen Made Me Do It is an anthology of original stories Inspired by, who else, Jane Austen. Some of the stories are follow-on to one of the original Austen novels, a few are variations on a scenes, and some are modern interpretations of her works. There are 18 stories in this collection and each story has a quote from one of Austen’s novels or letters to pair with the story. Some of the quotes are difficult to connect with the stories while others are obvious inspiration for the story that...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

This collection contains more than 20 original short stories by many well-known authors. Some are set in modern day; others pick up the threads where they left off in one of Austen’s beloved classics. The book was edited by Austen fan Laurel Ann Nattress, creator of Austenprose.com.

The subject matter covers almost everything Austen wrote. We see what happens to Emma and Mr. Knightly after they marry and have to take care of her father. We learn about Mr. Bennet’s youth, before he married Lizzy’...more This collection contains more than 20 original short stories by many well-known authors. Some are set in modern day; others pick up the threads where they left off in one of Austen’s beloved classics. The book was edited by Austen fan Laurel Ann Nattress, creator of Austenprose.com.

The subject matter covers almost everything Austen wrote. We see what happens to Emma and Mr. Knightly after they marry and have to take care of her father. We learn about Mr. Bennet’s youth, before he married Lizzy’s exasperating mother. Persuasion’s Anne and Captain Wentworth retell the story of their romance to friends in “Waiting.”

Even though I did enjoy some of the pieces, I never found myself reaching for the book. Instead it sat, untouched, until I reminded myself that I really needed to finish it. I’d pick it up, read a few stories and by the next day I had all but forgotten them.

My problem with the collection is the same one I have with most Austen fan fiction. The stories either return to one of Austen’s original characters or the main character is obsessed with Austen’s work. They try to add a new element to the story or make some reader fantasy come to life. Either way, the stories tend to make me want to re-read the original books instead of the new one. They always feel a little weak or empty compared to Austen’s work and when you write fan fiction you can’t help but set yourself up for that comparison.

I did enjoy Syrie James’ story, which provides a nightmare scenario where all of Austen’s characters confront her with their complaints about how their stories unfolded. “Jane Austen and the Mistletoe Kiss," by Jo Beverley, was another one that worked well for me.

Interestingly, the book closes with Laurie Viera Rigler’s story "Intolerable Stupidity." The premise is that Darcy is suing authors of Pride and Prejudice spin-offs and films because their stories are affecting his everyday life. In other words, he’ll grow vampire fangs in the middle of dinner with his wife or walk down the street and realize his shirt is soaking wet. The reason this story was ironic, in my opinion, is because it’s criticizing the very category of fiction that it falls into. Obviously, by the end it justifies these stories and shows their importance, but I can’t say I was convinced.

I agree that fan fiction has made Austen more popular, but is that really a good thing if the people who are introduced to it never read the original books? I know many people who have read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies but don’t intend to ever read the original. In fact, they now think they already know the story, so they don’t need to and that’s truly a shame. I know many others read the fan fiction because they already love the originals, which is great, but it has never worked that way for me.

If you adore Austen fan fiction, you’ll probably love this. If you love Austen and have read all of her major novels, you might enjoy this one. If you have dabbled with a few books, but aren’t sold on her, this probably isn’t for you.(less)

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Jun 05, 2012 Liriel27 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: anthologies-and-collections, connected-to-classics, fantasy, historical-romances, jane-austen-retellings

This anthology was fine, I suppose, but aside from a few stand-out entries, not wonderful or somethng I'll return to often.

By story:
"Jane Austen's Nightmare" - an interesting look at the idea that creations may not agree with their creator, but a continuity error toward the end threw me out of the story.

"Waiting" - what happens after Wentworth and Anne come to their understanding. Not poorly written, but not terribly compelling, either. It didn't feel like a part of the story that needed to be t...more

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May 01, 2012 Katherine rated it 2 of 5 stars

"My idea of good company is the company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation"

A few years ago I exchanged an email with Laurel Ann Nattress of the esteemed blog: Austenprose. I don't remember the particulars but we moved onto the subject of both living in the Seattle area and found our workplaces were within blocks of each other!

It's such a pleasure to converse with a fellow Janeite and fan of British television. Laurel Ann is gracious and friendly; I'm so happy t...more

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Apr 02, 2012 Jennifer Petkus rated it 5 of 5 stars

At long last, I have finished reading Jane Austen Made Me Do It, a collection of short stories inspired by Jane Austen. But please don’t think my reporting to you that it took a long time to read is any indication that I didn’t like this collection, for I enjoyed it immensely.

But it is a perfect pick it up and read it when you’ve got a doctor’s appointment or getting an oil change sort of book. I could read one or two stories at a time in-between my more serious Austen reading: How Jane Austen C...more At long last, I have finished reading Jane Austen Made Me Do It, a collection of short stories inspired by Jane Austen. But please don’t think my reporting to you that it took a long time to read is any indication that I didn’t like this collection, for I enjoyed it immensely.

But it is a perfect pick it up and read it when you’ve got a doctor’s appointment or getting an oil change sort of book. I could read one or two stories at a time in-between my more serious Austen reading: How Jane Austen Conquered the World, my third time through Emma, and my chest crushing annotated Pride and Prejudice. I often viewed the stories as my reward for finishing a long stretch of Miss Bates. So between life and my own writing, it took me a surprising four months to finish.
Although I read the stories over the winter, I think it would make a perfect beach read. I would not recommend it for a plane trip, however, because it’s such a breezy read you’d have it finished before you land, even though there are 22 stories and almost 450 pages (including study guide and acknowledgements).

I won’t say what my favorite stories are because I did enjoy them all, but I will list from the book’s cover some of the authors who contributed: Lauren Willig, Adriana Trigiani, Jo Beverley, Amanda Grange, Frank Delaney & Diane Meier, Stephanie Barron, Syrie James, Alexandra Potter and Laurie Viera Rigler. The collection is edited by Laurel Ann Nattress, who also writes the austenprose.com blog.

My sense, based on no effort on my part to confirm this with a simple tally, is that the book is roughly divided among stories that take place during Austen’s life, involving either Austen herself or her relatives or her characters; stories that take place in modern day that are influenced by her novels; and supernatural stories, where Jane or one of her characters is a ghost, apparition or delusion. And there are stories that combine and cross these categories. I will also mention that although zombies and vampires are referenced, there are no stories that directly involve either.

It was surprising to me the number of ghost stories, considering that Jane herself avoided anything of the supernatural in her six novels. But I suppose it is understandable because it is so tempting to bring Jane into the modern day, which generally requires turning her into a ghost.

I will admit I was suspicious that the collection might be a trifle and then I was happy to learn that it was.

PS OK, I will name my favorite story: Carrie Bebris’ The Chase, wherein Frank Austen goes all Master and Commander on us. It’s the story that goes farthest afield from what we would think of as a Jane Austen story and thus I found it the most daring.(less)

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Feb 20, 2012 Peggy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: jane-austen-knockoff, fiction

(I actually want to give it 3.5 stars.) A charming collection of short stories, all based on Jane Austen and her works. Although I enjoyed some more than others, they are all inventive. Some stories are more detailled or background descriptions of events in Austen novels, e.g. the courtship of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett [Pride and Prejudice], how Admiral Croft met his wife [Persuasion], or the letters exchanged between Maria Lucas and Lydia Bennett [Pride and Prejudice]; others feature Jane Austen her...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Marlene rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jane Austen made me do it. Made me do what? Mostly made me have a lot of fun reading this collection of short stories inspired by her works!

Jane Austen Made Me Do It, the book, is a collection of short stories inspired by the life and works of Jane Austen. Of course. The collection was edited by Laurel Ann Nattress, and features stories by a host of writers from Stephanie Barron to Lauren Willig.

I read most of the Jane Austen oeuvre during my interminably long commuting days, which means I liste...more Jane Austen made me do it. Made me do what? Mostly made me have a lot of fun reading this collection of short stories inspired by her works!

Jane Austen Made Me Do It, the book, is a collection of short stories inspired by the life and works of Jane Austen. Of course. The collection was edited by Laurel Ann Nattress, and features stories by a host of writers from Stephanie Barron to Lauren Willig.

I read most of the Jane Austen oeuvre during my interminably long commuting days, which means I listened to it on audio. I enjoyed them immensely, but I'm not obsessive. I say this because the stories in JAMMDI fall into two categories, the ones that require detailed knowledge of particular Austen works, and the ones that use Austen's life and works as jumping-off points.

The stories that used Austen as inspiration were ones I particularly enjoyed. You might even say I found a couple of them, well, inspiring.

In "The Ghostwriter," by Elizabeth Aston, Jane's ghost comes to the aid of a 21st century author who has spent much too much time admiring Mr. Darcy and not nearly enough energy on her own love life or on her sagging book sales. Jane's apparition leads Sara to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, an unpublished manuscript by one of Jane's contemporaries that will be a shot in the arm for her dying career. While Sara copy-edits the found manuscript, Jane fixes up her love-life for her.

"The Chase," by Carrie Bebris, is about how Jane's brother Francis received his commission as Post-Captain, based on Francis own logbooks. This story was as vivid a recreation of a naval battle as any of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey and Maturin series.

My favorite was the story by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway titled "What Would Austen Do?" A high school student whose mother is a Jane Austen aficionado has saddled him with the name James Austen. Mom may even have married Dad just so she could snag the Austen last name! The story starts with poor James getting hauled into the school principal's office and being accused of becoming a drug user. Why? Because he's been exhibiting unusual behavior. What unusual behavior? He's become polite and mannerly to his teachers. He wears khakis and button-down shirts to school. And he has strange paperwork in his locker. With numbers on it, and weird words like "arming" and "inside hand" and "ECD".

If you want to find out what "ECD" stands for, you have to read the story. It's worth it.

Escape Rating B: Because this is an anthology, it's a mixed bag. There were a couple of stories I absolutely adored. "What Would Austen Do?" being at the top of the list. The ones that required really deep knowledge of Jane Austen's works were not as much fun for me. Collections like this are classic instances of the principle "your mileage may vary".

The stories that used Jane Austen as a springboard were the best ones. The attempts to out-do or re-do her work fell a little flat. The stories that took flight from her, most of those were terrific.(less)

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Jan 05, 2012 Vic rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Jane Austen lovers, Short story afficionados

Great Read: Loved This Anthology

One regret I have in my busy life is the lack of leisure time I have for reading. Right now there are four stacks of books on the floor of my office, all waiting to be read. So many books! So little time. Given my schedule, I am glad I set aside the required hours to read 'Jane Austen Made Me Do It', an anthology of Jane Austen-inspired stories by published Jane Austen sequel authors and edited by Laurel Ann Nattress.

I rarely read anthologies front to back, but fl...more Great Read: Loved This Anthology

One regret I have in my busy life is the lack of leisure time I have for reading. Right now there are four stacks of books on the floor of my office, all waiting to be read. So many books! So little time. Given my schedule, I am glad I set aside the required hours to read 'Jane Austen Made Me Do It', an anthology of Jane Austen-inspired stories by published Jane Austen sequel authors and edited by Laurel Ann Nattress.

I rarely read anthologies front to back, but flit here and there, landing instead on a story with an intriguing title or by a favorite author. In this instance I began with Stephanie Barron's tale of 'Jane And the Gentleman Rogue: Being a fragment of a Jane Austen mystery'. I am so glad I did, for it prompted me to linger longer over dinner and read another short story. Beth Pattillo's 'When Only a Darcy Will Do' was a delight, as was Margaret C. Sullivan's 'Heard of You', which I read just before going to bed. The list of authors in this anthology is impressive: Pamela Aidan * Elizabeth Aston * Brenna Aubrey * Stephanie Barron * Carrie Bebris * Jo Beverley * Diana Birchall * Frank Delaney & Diane Meier * Monica Fairview * Amanda Grange * Syrie James * Janet Mullany * Jane Odiwe * Beth Pattillo * Alexandra Potter * Myretta Robens * Jane Rubino & Caitlen Rubino Bradway * Maya Slater * Margaret Sullivan * Adriana Trigiani * Laurie Viera Rigler * Lauren Willig.

I've always enjoyed reading anthologies. They allow one to pick and choose on a whim, and finish a story in a short space of time. Anthology stories serve as literary versions of amuse bouches, those tasty bites served at the start of dinner. Even the most the discerning reader is bound to find selections and authors they will love. (Or discover a new author!)

I favored some stories over others, but won't share them with you for the simple reason that some of the stories I disliked received rave reviews on other blogs. Anthologies appeal to a variety of tastes, and I found it remarkable how many in 'Jane Austen Made Me Do It' captivated me. If you decide to purchase this book, I can guarantee that you will discover new authors and stories that you will want to reread.

This is due, no doubt, to the hard work that editor Laurel Ann Nattress put into the project. As a blogger, I can't imagine how much of her time was spent in contacting the authors and working with them, overseeing a contest for an unpublished author (the honor went to Brenna Aubrey), working with her publishing house in editing the stories, and now publicizing the book. I tip my hat to Laurel Ann for overseeing this ambitious and very worthwhile project, for this is her first book. This is why I gave 'Jane Austen Made Me Do It' five out of five stars!

Vic, Jane Austen's World and Jane Austen Today
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Dec 26, 2011 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm not usually a fan of short stories, but Laurel Ann Nattress did a superb job in selecting these Austen-inspired pieces. Some continue tales of characters we already know and love; others use Austen's life and novels as a springboard for the action.

I was delighted by many of the stories, and the few that did not capture my fancy were nonetheless well-written and carefully thought out. Syrie James' "Jane Austen's Nightmare" was a perfect first tale and set the stage for the stories to come. Re...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Jennifer Peterson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-books

I love, love, love Jane Austen. I have read every one of her novels, as well as a lot of the sequels, prequels, inspired-bys, etc. When the opportunity arose for me to read this anthology of Austen-inspired stories, I jumped. Some of them were better than others, but they were all different and interesting in their own ways.

I liked how these various authors played with Austen names, and when they used actual characters, they stayed true to the original. One of the ones that I thought was creativ...more I love, love, love Jane Austen. I have read every one of her novels, as well as a lot of the sequels, prequels, inspired-bys, etc. When the opportunity arose for me to read this anthology of Austen-inspired stories, I jumped. Some of them were better than others, but they were all different and interesting in their own ways.

I liked how these various authors played with Austen names, and when they used actual characters, they stayed true to the original. One of the ones that I thought was creative was "Intolerable Stupidity" by Laurie Viera Rigler. In this story, Lady Catherine de Bourgh is a judge in a hidden court, but what's interesting is that the Austen characters (specifically Mr. Darcy) change appearance based on the perceptions of the audience. So while he always shows up in a dripping wet shirt, sometimes he has fangs (as a vampire hunter), sometimes he doesn't. However, that story was kind of hard to keep everything straight; but part of that may be because I read it over two days.

I also liked "Mr. Bennet Meets His Match" by Amanda Grange. It tells the purported story of how Mr. Bennet came to meet and marry Mrs. Bennet. A relationship that almost all think is a horrible one comes about in an interesting way. "Letters to Lydia" by Maya Slater also tells a hidden side of a tumultuous story. It's the story of Maria's letters to Lydia when they are apart, especially when Lydia is eloping. Interestingly enough, Maria knew where Lydia was before Lydia's family knew. I like to think about how that would have changed the story if Jane had added it.

Several stories are told in the present day - with characters who are Austen fans looking for their "Darcy", and the supernatural (or coincidence) plays a part in their relationship. One of those stories is "The Mysterious Closet: A Tale" by Myretta Robens that tells the story of Cathy and Henry and how they meet in a mysterious room in a castle. Another is "A Night at Northanger" by Lauren Willig, one of my favorite authors. It tells the story of Cate's experiences hunting ghosts at Northanger Abbey and how her experiences lead her to look at her life and what she wants out of her future.

I would say there are more hits than misses in this anthology. I don't usually read anthologies because just when I get into a story, it ends. I didn't really have any issues with this one; my schedule is busy enough that I would read one or two stories at each sitting.

I received this book from the publisher through the NetGalley system. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This review originally appeared on my blog: http://jenpeterson.wordpress.com (less)

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Nov 27, 2011 Paula Phillips rated it 4 of 5 stars

Growing up , I have always been a Jane Austen fan and have loved to read any form of Literature associated with her books , so when I saw this anthology come up on Netgalley for review , I just had to read it :) and I'm glad I did as I loved it.
Jane Austen Made Me Do It is the perfect short story collection for any fan of Jane Austen whether you prefer to stick to the originals or like me have a fancy for the renditions like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Prada and Prejudice etc. This collect...more Growing up , I have always been a Jane Austen fan and have loved to read any form of Literature associated with her books , so when I saw this anthology come up on Netgalley for review , I just had to read it :) and I'm glad I did as I loved it.
Jane Austen Made Me Do It is the perfect short story collection for any fan of Jane Austen whether you prefer to stick to the originals or like me have a fancy for the renditions like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Prada and Prejudice etc. This collection of stories features favourite historical fiction authors and authors that have featured tales of Jane Austen in their very own novels."My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." Ifyou just heaved a contented sigh at Mr. Darcy's heartfelt words, then you, dear reader, are in good company. Here is a delightful collection of never-before-published stories inspired by Jane Austen-her novels, her life, her wit, her world.
Ever wondered whether Jane Austen's characters loved the predictaments that Jane wrote them in ? Syrie James -author of the book "The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen" brings the tale of Jane Austen's Nightmare to A Night at Northanger which brings in a bit of 80's Ghostbusters theme with The Pink Carnation series author Lauren Willig , I loved this as a fan of Vampire Novels and Gothic Novels - Northanger Abbey is like one of the originals , though not in a Vampire Diaries way. From Valentine Series author Adriana Trigiani , she decides to play on the fact that as we all know there is alot of old-fashioned letter writing in Jane's novels , so she has written her tale in the form of a Letter of Congratulations from Aunt Jane to her niece Anna. From the fun-loving author Beth Pattillo whose titles include Jane Austen Ruined my Life and Mr Darcy Broke my Heart has had a slight change of mind with her story titled "When Only a Darcy will Do".
Other Authors include : Lauren Willig •Adriana Trigiani • Jo Beverley • Alexandra Potter • Laurie Viera Rigler • Frank Delaney & Diane Meier • Syrie James • Stephanie Barron • Amanda Grange• Pamela Aidan • Elizabeth Aston • Carrie Bebris • Diana Birchall • Monica Fairview • Janet Mullany • Jane Odiwe • Beth Pattillo • Myretta Robens • Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway • Maya Slater • Margaret C. Sullivan • and the winner of astory contest hosted by the Republic of Pemberley website and many more in this wonderful Jane Austen Collection of Tales.(less)

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Nov 14, 2011 Deborah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: english-setting, mash-up-fun

Published by: Ballantine Books

Pages: 464

Genre: Fiction, General & Historical Romance
The Dame's View:
Will it be enough to say that I wish this book had gone on and on just like a Jane Austen novel?

Laurel Ann Nattress has achieved a coup in this first of her books. Who could have imagined that so many "mash-up" short stories would have been released about Jane Austen's novels and her characters? I'll bet the great Jane wouldn't have. And, I'll bet she's having a delighted laugh over this one...more

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Oct 30, 2011 Romancing the Book rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: anthology, historical, romance

Reviewed by Robin
Ebook provided by NetGalley

Who would have thought that a book containing short stories centered on the works of Jane Austen could be so utterly entertaining? Each one is an inspiration to Jane Austen and how strong she made her characters. Each one is able to definitely stand the test of time. Characters that even when taken today and developed into new stories still stand strong on their own.

From the first we are drawn into the lives of Ms. Austen and her characters. In Jane’s...more Reviewed by Robin
Ebook provided by NetGalley

Who would have thought that a book containing short stories centered on the works of Jane Austen could be so utterly entertaining? Each one is an inspiration to Jane Austen and how strong she made her characters. Each one is able to definitely stand the test of time. Characters that even when taken today and developed into new stories still stand strong on their own.

From the first we are drawn into the lives of Ms. Austen and her characters. In Jane’s Nightmare by Syrie James, we find the characters attacking Jane so to speak and letting her know what she did wrong in developing their personalities. As she dreams they each let her know whether they are to perfect, need a little more backbone or whatever they say that their flaws are. She realizes that she should have made them more real. It is rather funny how characters become so real that you find yourself talking to them all the time. Past and present ones even.

Each story as it relates to Ms. Austen’s stories in some way let us see how much she writes a part of herself in some way into each character. In, A Night at Northanger by Lauren Willig, for instance; Jane is not compared to Ms. Bennett but to that of the proud Mr. Darcy.

Love and Best Wishes, Aunt Jane by Adriana Trigiani, let’s us imagine what it would be like to get life advice from Ms. Austen if she were to write us a letter today. It was refreshing to read letters in a day and age where letter writing has become a lost art form and has given way to an email or a text. Something to think about and maybe give writing letters another chance.

The Ghostwriter by Elizabeth Ashton, we get the chance to visit with a sharp-witted and sharp-tongued spirit of Austen, who pulls no punches. Ms. Austen’s spirit let’s a young woman whose lover has left her because he can’t compete with fictional Mr. Darcy, hear things only a best friend can say to you. It was wonderful that the ghost of Ms. Austen just came right out and told her that she needed to “pull herself together”, “her tears made her face blotchy”, and “her nose was running”. Things you need to hear and only hear from a really good friend. This very witty and charming story found me laughing out loud.

One of my favorites is, Jane Austen, Yeah Yeah Yeah! By Janet Mullany, where we find ourselves in the 1960’s and detention; as a young teacher helps her students learn how to appreciate Sense and Sensibility by aptly applying it to their lives. While helping the students she how something that was written a long time ago and still apply to today, she finds herself discovering things about herself and her own life.

Another favorite on mine was: What Would Austen Do, by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway. In this we find that even boys can find charm and help in reading stories by Ms. Austen. This story had a very clever way of letting the reader know that it is okay to be different.

The collection ended with, Intolerable Stupidity by Laura Viera Rigler; in which she takes us into the courtroom with Mr. and Mrs. Darcy. Poking fun at the way Mr. Darcy is perceived differently by each person that reads his story in Pride and Prejudice. He complains about being wet all the time, vampire teeth and everything else that people have interpreted into his character over the years. Recently Colin Firth coming out of the lake wet, which Mr. Darcy himself would never have done. It just wasn’t heard of in his time. The vampire teeth were just a scare tactic and not real. He wouldn’t draw blood from his neighbor’s, would you? Aunt Catherine as the judge is perfect as she is appalled by the unsavory ways that he has been portrayed.

I could write something about each story but that would just ruin it for you.

Overall I loved this collection allot. Each and every contributor understands and loves the work of Ms. Austen. Jane Austen Made Me Do It; is a very clever collection of short stories written a wide array of genres and subjects that take us from gothic romance to fantasy. We find Jane herself along with many of her more recognizable characters in each story. Each story is unique but when added makes every person wanting to be a Jane Austen follower.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves Jane Austen. Even if you never read anything written by her this collection makes you want to go out and read her classic stories, and fall in love all over again. (less)

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Oct 03, 2011 ExLibris_Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This collection of short stories ranges in time from Regency to contemporary and each takes a different approach to showing the influence that Ms. Austen has left on all readers and romantics the world over.

There are few things I love more than a Jane Austen novel and I was very excited to read this collection. The stories range in subject and setting. There is a story of a ghost hunting reality show that meets a real ghost at Northanger Abby, and another where Jane Austen meets some of the char...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Jaylia3 rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a fun collection of stories, all inspired in one way or another by Jane Austen! Some feature Jane Austen herself, like one that has her confronted by angry versions of some of her own characters who are extremely unhappy with the personalities she gave them, and another that has her haunting present day Northanger Abbey. One of the more intriguing interpretations of Jane has her compare herself not to the lively Elizabeth Bennet, but to the overly proud Mr. Darcy.

Other stories reveal detai...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Judy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jane Austen Made Me Do It: Original Stories Inspired by Literature's Most Austute Observer of the Human Heart.

Introduction by Laurel Ann Nattress

*Jane Austen's Nightmare by Syrie James
As Jane finds herself in Bath, her characters show up and complain what Jane did wrong with them in her books. Only the Darcy's and Bingley's are content.
*Waiting: A story inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion by Jane Odiwe
Anne Elliot & Captain Wentworth are thinking about what happened nine years ago as he once...more

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Aug 24, 2011 willaful rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: story-novella-or-anthology, made-me-laugh, netgalley

The introduction to this collection of short stories made me uneasy. Movies, t.v., Darcy getting dripping wet -- there seemed to be very little about Jane Austen’s actual words. I wanted to read stories inspired by her books, not by wet t-shirt night Colin Firth.

Happily, “Jane Austen’s Nightmare” by Syrie James cheered me up immensely and was a great start to the collection. Rather than a sequel or retelling, it’s a first person narrative by Austen herself about unexpectedly meeting some of her...more The introduction to this collection of short stories made me uneasy. Movies, t.v., Darcy getting dripping wet -- there seemed to be very little about Jane Austen’s actual words. I wanted to read stories inspired by her books, not by wet t-shirt night Colin Firth.

Happily, “Jane Austen’s Nightmare” by Syrie James cheered me up immensely and was a great start to the collection. Rather than a sequel or retelling, it’s a first person narrative by Austen herself about unexpectedly meeting some of her characters... who have a few choice words for her about how she portrayed them. It’s very funny, with some affectionate bite to it.

Adriana Trigiani pens a charming fictional letter of life advice from Austen as she might write it if she were alive today in “Love and Best Wishes, Aunt Jane.” “I lament the loss of letter writing in our time. I cannot imagine that a tweet or a post, an email or a text, will provide the great thrill of receiving a letter, written by hand. There is so much to learn about a person from their handwriting, and even more in the depths of the words one chooses to express himself.”

“The Ghostwriter” by Elizabeth Ashton visits the sharp-witted and sharp-tongued spirit of Austen upon a young woman whose lover has left her because he can’t compete with fictional Mr. Darcy. How satisfying to see a sentimental image of Austen dashed by a ghost saying things like “‘Pull yourself together. Your tears have made your complexion blotchy, and your nose is running. Do you often cry? If Charles sees you like that, I’m not surprised he’s left you.”

Ghost-Austen also gives a fascinating insight into some of her characterizations, claiming to have based Lizzy on her beau Tom Lefroy and Mr. Darcy on herself: “Had I been born male instead of female, and in affluent circumstances, I would have been just such a man: reserved, proud, and clever. And no doubt have made some woman’s life a misery. Put him out of your head, or at least leave him on the page where he belongs and, as you say today, get a life.” I don’t know if this is an original idea from Ashton (though Googling leaves me thinking that Tom Lefroy was far more like Mr. Wickham than Mr. Darcy.) but either way, I love it. I think the story pulls a few punches, but it was sharp, and the ending made me laugh out loud.

What’s an Austen-inspired collection without an epistolary story? “Letters to Lydia” by Maya Slate cleverly retells the last half of Pride and Prejudice though the eyes of a minor and quite clueless character, who unwittingly affects the outcome.

The most innovative story in the collection is “Jane Austen, Yeah Yeah Yeah!” by Janet Mullany. I expected a historical from Mullany and it is -- but set in the 1960’s rather than the Regency, where a young teacher helps her students learn to appreciate Sense and Sensibility by showing how it relates to their lives. In the process she makes discoveries about her own life and what she really wants.

The rest of the collection is a mixed bag of sequels, prequels and ghost stories. Some work and others don’t quite capture what they’re aiming for. My most frequent complaint was abrupt, unsatisfying endings. The romantic stories, oddly enough, were the most disappointing -- perhaps because there just isn’t enough room in the short story format to do justice to romance as Austen would do it, with great care and attention to character and detail. But I was genuinely moved by "The Love Letter," winner of a contest to be included in this book by currently unpublished author Brenna Aubrey, in which Persuasion influences a young doctor to try again with his own lost love.

Overall I enjoyed this very much. The writers clearly know their Austen -- many have written other books in a similar vein, or nonfiction about her -- and there are only a few moments that twanged as wrong. Best of all, unlike some Austen-inspired fiction there’s no attempts to portray her classic characters getting it on... and only one dripping wet faux Darcy.

(Reviewed from an e-arc courtesy of netGalley.)(less)

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Oct 28, 2011 Serena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Laurel Ann Nattress, the woman behind Austenprose.com, is now the editor of Jane Austen Made Me Do It, a collection of Jane Austen-inspired short stories. Authors not considered Austenites per se, like Frank Delaney writes with Diane Meier and Adriana Trigiani join those known for their Austen spinoffs, like Amanda Grange, Alexandra Potter, and more. The collection even includes the winner of the Jane Austen Made Me Do It short story contest — Brenna Aubrey’s “The Love Letter.” But some Austen r...more

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Oct 23, 2011 Kate Dana added it

Laurel Ann Nattress (of Austenprose.com) should be proud of her achievement as represented in the Jane Austen Made Me Do It (JAMMDI) anthology. The short stories complied here are a reminder to us of the enduring heart of Austen which acts as old friends to us. We all come to Austen for various reasons, but just like a cold winter’s night curled up on the couch under a blanket, with a cup of hot cider, we find a familiar comfort that only Austen can give.

I am going to do this book review a litt...more

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Aug 28, 2011 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jane Austen Made Me Do It is a wonderful collection of short stories written by true Jane Austen fans. There is quite a mix of genres and subjects in this book and this made it more exciting to read. It has everything from a gothic romance to a contemporary fantasy. The subjects range from Jane Austen herself to the many different characters in her books. Each story has its own unique quality but contibutes to the collection as a whole.

As with any book of short stories contributed by different a...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Kimba (Caffeinated Book Reviewer) rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have long been a fan of Jane Austen and was excited to read this collection. Jane Austen Made Me Do It, is a collection of short stories written by modern authors who love Jane Austen. As with any collection of short stories I have read, not all of them were my cup of tea. Overall, I truly enjoyed this wonderful collection. The book boasts a wide range of authors and a few of my personal favorites. I was also delighted with the mixed genres including paranormal, suspense, gothic romance and co...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Tatiana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: short-stories

Each one of these short stories was inspired by Jane Austen or her works, in some way paying homage to the “soother of every sorrow”—with original stories about the characters in her books, modern day influences, or even Jane herself. Some of my friends here on GR will recall that certain ode to Jane Austen *cough* that I wrote awhile back. Needless to say, I understand where all these writers are coming from concerning their infatuation with the queen of regency romance.

I did take notes while...more

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Oct 17, 2011 Colette rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: anthologies

Jane Austen Made Me Do It was another Anthology that I loved. I found that my favorite stories where the ones that were set in the present day and had to do with Jane Austen rather then the ones that were spin offs of the books or had Jane Austen as the main character in them. That's the great thing about this book-there is a little bit of everything for everyone. :)

My favorites:

A Night at Northanger by Lauren Willig~This author is best known for her Pink Carnation series and I can't believe I h...more

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May 28, 2012 Laurie Rigler rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

I had so much fun writing my story, reading contest entries for the short story contest (winner got published in the book), and reading descriptions of my fellow authors' contributions that I cannot wait to read the book! It promises to be a diverse and fascinating collection of stories from a diverse group of authors connected by their love of Austen.

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Mar 14, 2013 Amylynn Bright rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a delightful collection of short stories with some big romance writers such as Jo Beverly and Lauren Willig making contributions, along with the winner of a story contest held by the Republic of Pemberley website.

Ms. Nattress has assembled a wide variety of stories – everything from ghost stories featuring a haunting from Miss Austen to Jane as a spy during the war. There are contemporary visions including Jane or just her books. Some stories envision continuations of secondary character...more

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Dec 20, 2011 Yvann S rated it 3 of 5 stars

“‘You made us too perfect’ said Elinor”

This is a collection of short stories inspired by Jane Austen, all never-before-published. Unfortunately, for many of them, that is for a good reason. The start to the blurb rather gives away why:

“My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” If you just heaved a contented sigh at Mr. Darcy’s heartfelt words, then you, dear reader, are in good company.

I thought I could keep an open mind about fan ficti...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Andrea rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

This book was ok, but a lot of the stories were alike and it got too repetative after a while. If I read this over a few months instead of a week it would have been better.
Even though I liked most of the stories well enough, I decided to downgrade this book from 3 stars to 2, overall I didn't really like them as a collection and this book can't compete with the next book I want to give 3 stars.

2 Stars
"Jane Austen's Nightmare" by Syrie James - Terrible. It didn't do anything to make me mad, so I...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, jane-austen-austenesque, contemporary-romance

This book is an anthology of writings that range from stories involving Jane Austen herself both in fantasy and realism, but also involve her novels in modern, in historic, and in fantastic ways. There are also a few stories that are modern/historic characters who are loosely connected to Austen or her novels. How does one offer up a review of such a cluster of authors and stories?

I cannot imagine posting something on each short story as there are more than twenty. I will just have to offer up g...more

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view all 4 comments

Michelle Actually, Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion are my three all-time faves. I dislike P&P. I enjoyed S&S and Northanger Abbey but not as much a...more
Dec 05, 2011 08:42pm

Sophia Oh 'goodie, goodie gumdrops' as my niece would say- you're an Austen purist.

I think you are right to think hard and long before tackling her work- no...more
Dec 05, 2011 09:06pm

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About Laurel Ann Nattress

A life-long acolyte of Jane Austen, Laurel Ann Nattress is the author/editor of Austenprose.com a blog devoted to the oeuvre of her favorite author and the many books and movies that she has inspired. She is a life member of the Jane Austen Society of North America and a regular contributor to the Jane Austen Centre online magazine. An expatriate of southern California, Laurel Ann lives in a count...more

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