Monica Fairview's Blog, page 15

Meet the Austen Variations Team! (Part 2)

Welcome to part two of our “Meet the Team” Q&A series!

In this installment, we’re excited to introduce you to five more of the authors behind some of your favorite stories. So sit back, grab a cup of tea (or your beverage of choice) and enjoy!

(And if you missed last week’s post, you can find it HERE).

Diana Birchall

Where do you live? I grew up in New York City, and was a little teenage beatnik chick hanging out in Greenwich Village in the 1960s!  Later, when I married I was “transplanted” (l...

P&P Prelude to Pemberley: Georgiana Darcy has a request

Welcome to the first scene in our Pride & Prejudice prequel! P&P: Prelude to Pemberley tells the story of the time leading up to the events of Pride & Prejudice, including what Darcy and Elizabeth were doing and thinking, Georgiana Darcy’s story, the events of Ramsgate, how Mr. Bingley came to lease Netherfield, and much more! Join us on our journey as the Austen Variations authors post the events of 1811 in real time on the date they happened – 214 years in the future.

Georgiana Darcy Makes a ...

Meet the Austen Variations Team!

Hello, friends! I hope everyone’s 2025 is off to a good start!

As we kick off a new year, we’ve decided to bring you a little something special — a fun Q&A with the JAV team! Whether you’re curious about where they live, their ideal writing location, or the one thing they couldn’t live without, we’re here to shed some light on the people who dream up some of your favorite stories.

So pour yourself a cup of tea, settle into your favorite armchair, and get ready to learn a bit more about our auth...

Announcing Pride & Prejudice: Prelude to Pemberley

Yes, it’s an exciting new Austen Variations group writing project! Our Untold Stories retelling of Pride & Prejudice in real time has been so popular that we decided to do another group retelling – but with a twist. P&P: Prelude to Pemberley starts next week and will retell the story of the 8 months before Pride & Prejudice begins. What were Darcy and Elizabeth were doing and thinking? Why was Georgiana Darcy taken from school, and what really happened at Ramsgate? How did Mr. Bingley came to le...

New Year’s & Twelfth Night in Regency England

Happy New Year!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by the blog last week to read my first post on the festive season in Regency England. Today, I’m back with part two, focusing on New Year’s and Twelfth Night. I hope you enjoy!

(And if you were too busy celebrating last week, you can find the post on Christmas and Boxing day HERE).

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in Regency England were less elaborate than Christmas but still held significance as times of reflection, goodwill, and modest cele...

On Air: An Elizabeth and Darcy Story (Part 3)

Happy (almost) New Year, Friends!

Here’s  Part 3 of “On Air” — an Elizabeth and Darcy story set in New York, 1939. If you’re interested in reading from the beginning, here are links to Part 1 and Part 2.

I’ll post Part 4 next Monday, January 6. See you on the other side!

On-Air (Part 3)

(An Elizabeth and Darcy Short Story)

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0

It was like an infection, these feelings for her: he was in the middle before he knew it had begun.1 As a doctor, he should have ...

Happy Hanukkah!

Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate! In the spirit of the day, I’m dusting off a post from the archives. I hope you enjoy!

The eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights is currently under way, running this year from sundown on December 25th through December January 2nd.  The Hebrew word Hanukkah (or Chanukah) means “dedication,” and the holiday commemorates the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt in 164 BCE. Like most holidays, Hanukkah is celebrated with a vari...

The Festive Season in Regency England

Hi friends, and Happy Christmas to all who celebrate!

In my current WIP, the story includes a few scenes that take place at Pemberley over Christmas, which required me to do a bit of research on the festive season during the Regency period. So, I thought it might be fun to share the results of some of that research here today. And while I had initially planned to cover all of the season’s celebrations in one go, the post was getting a bit unwieldy, so I’m going to stick with Christmas Eve – Boxi...

On Air: An Elizabeth and Darcy Story, Part 2 (Revised)

Hi, Friends. For those of you who visited this story a few months ago, thank you for your understanding and patience during a difficult time!

If you’re just joining me, this is my latest on-going short story: a late-1930s retelling of Elizabeth and Darcy called “On-Air.” You can find Part 1 here.

When I posted Part 2 on Nov. 1, I left it unfinished and unedited due to some difficult news I had recently received. However, I have since been able to make a few edits and add more to the part.

So, he...

Early Release Announcement!

Good morning, everyone! I have exciting news! Yesterday, To Marry for Love released EARLY! I had everything ready, so why not?

This book is a Darcy and Lizzy variation. Jane and Charlotte have a part to play, too! Here’s the blurb:

Determined to marry for affection, Elizabeth Bennet rejects her cousin’s proposal, unaware that doing so will throw those she loves most into turmoil. When her decision forces her sister Jane to marry without affection and leaves her dear friend Charlotte Lucas bereft...