Rachel Dodge's Blog, page 18

New habits for a new year (plus new prayer & discussion guides)

Praying with Jane downloadable reading plans and discussion guides are here!

A Happy New Year to you and yours, my dear reading friends! With a new year in mind, I’ve put together some supplemental materials to help enhance your prayer life and devotional experience as you read through Praying with Jane. You can use these items for yourself or a group. If you are leading a reading group, book club, prayer group, or church group, you can use these items to help facilitate discussion and encourage your members to participate more fully.

Daily Reading Plan:

This reading plan takes you through the book each day for 31 days. The benefit: You can start the plan on any Monday and keep track of where you are in the book. (This guide helps if you aren’t starting on the 1st of a month.)

6-week Reading Plan:

This reading plan takes you through Praying with Jane for 6 weeks, giving you a more relaxed reading schedule. Additionally, you get 2 “rest” days each week for the days when you need to catch up or are busy.

Supplemental Discussion Questions:

This worksheet includes 31 supplemental questions, one for each day of the devotional; plus, there’s one more for the bonus entry at the back of the book called “A Lasting Legacy” (one of my favorite parts of the book). You can use it to lead discussions with friends, book club members, or prayer partners. Depending on how often you meet, you can use any/all of the questions that correspond with the days you’ve read each time you gather.

The Ripple Effect: My Invitation to You

If you enjoyed (or are enjoying) reading Praying with Jane and have grown in your own prayer or devotional life, then you now have the opportunity to share it with others! This book is a wonderful bridge for anyone interested in prayer, intercession, daily devotions, the Bible, classic literature, female authors, and/or Jane Austen.

My aunt told me that one of my high school friends from back home is reading my book out loud to her women’s philanthropic group. She reads one entry each time they meet. What a great idea! She is making an impact in those women’s lives!

Find a Friend

I encourage you to invite a friend (or several) to join you for discussion and/or prayer because it helps to have support and accountability on a new prayer journey! It’s a great excuse to get together and share what you’re reading and learning. You might even start a small prayer group or suggest it to your book club or reading group for discussion.

Pass it On:

Can you take a moment to forward this email or share a copy of Praying with Jane with your local librarian, book club, reading group, discussion group, Jane Austen group, prayer group, Bible study, or women’s ministry? I’d be honored to speak with you or the leader of your group about putting together an event.

 

Special thanks to Jen Smith at Storybookstyle for the beautiful photo!

Let’s Stay in Touch:

Subscribe: To receive articles like this, along with book reviews and other literary ramblings, click here to subscribe to my blog.
Jane Austen: For more articles like this, click here.
Faith: For encouragement in your walk with God, click here.
Jane Austen’s World: To read my articles for Jane Austen’s World, click here.

 

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Signed Books and Gifts

Click below to purchase a signed copy of Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen:

Signed Praying with Jane Book and Prayer Journal
S
Prayer Journal 3-pack (3 journals for $14.99)
Jane Austen Desk Set (Journal, Mug, and Stickers)
Jane Austen Silhouette Stickers (3-pack)

All products include free U.S. shipping. Please contact me for a shipping quote to your country or for special pricing on multiple orders. *Orders placed after December 16 will arrive after Christmas.*

Free Downloadable Prayer Cards

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When you order a copy of Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen, you can download this lovely set of six Praying with Jane prayer cards. Each prayer card has a quote from Jane Austen’s prayers. I’ve included space for you to write down your own prayers and praises. To enter your order number, click here.

The post New habits for a new year (plus new prayer & discussion guides) appeared first on Rachel Dodge.

A Happy Christmas to You!

In each of Austen’s novels, Christmas is mentioned. It was, as it is today, a time for festive dances, parties, and dinners.

As Mr. Elton says in Emma, “This is quite the season indeed for friendly meetings. At Christmas every body invites their friends about them…” (E 115). In Pride and Prejudice, Caroline Bingley writes to Jane, saying, “I sincerely hope your Christmas in Hertfordshire may abound in the gaieties which that season generally brings” (PP 117).

Just as we do today, the people of Austen’s time enjoyed seasonal foods, drinks, and decorations. In Persuasion, Austen paints my favorite Christmas scene:

“On one side was a table occupied by some chattering girls, cutting up silk and gold paper; and on the other were tressels and trays, bending under the weight of brawn and cold pies, where riotous boys were holding high revel; the whole completed by a roaring Christmas fire, which seemed determined to be heard, in spite of all the noise of the others. […] Charles and Mary also came in, of course, during their visit, and Mr Musgrove made a point of paying his respects to Lady Russell, and sat down close to her for ten minutes, talking with a very raised voice, but from the clamour of the children on his knees, generally in vain. It was a fine family-piece.” (P 134)

Wouldn’t you love to join them? Most of us have witnessed a similar scene at a large Christmas party or family gathering, where children are playing and laughing, great quantities of food are set out, and people are talking so loudly it’s hard to keep up a conversation.

Christmas was also a time for families to gather together. Children away at school came home for the holidays. Extended family traveled to visit one another. Emma personally looks forward to Christmas because it means her sister Isabella’s family will visit for a week: “many a long October and November evening must be struggled through at Hartfield, before Christmas brought the next visit from Isabella and her husband, and their little children, to fill the house, and give her pleasant society again” (E 7).

In Pride and Prejudice, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner come to Longbourn with their children to visit: “On the following Monday, Mrs. Bennet had the pleasure of receiving her brother and his wife, who came as usual to spend the Christmas at Longbourn” (PP 139). At the end of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth writes to her aunt Gardiner and says, “You are all to come to Pemberley at Christmas” (383). Thus, a new family tradition begins.

And for a young girl like Catherine Morland, Christmas increased the likelihood of getting cornered by an older relative. In Northanger Abbey, Catherine worries about what “gown and what head-dress she should wear” because “her great aunt had read her a lecture on the subject only the Christmas before” (NA 73). The main message of that lecture: “Dress is at all times a frivolous distinction, and excessive solicitude about it often destroys its own aim” (73).

Here’s to a happy Christmas to you and yours! May all be merry and bright in your heart as you focus on the reality of a Savior who came down for you one starry night so long ago. He goes by many wonderful names, including Emmanuel, meaning “God with us.” May God be with you today and in the new year.

Let’s Stay in Touch:

Subscribe: To receive articles like this, along with book reviews and other literary ramblings, click here to subscribe to my blog.
Jane Austen: For more articles like this, click here.
Faith: For encouragement in your walk with God, click here.
Jane Austen’s World: To read my blog articles for Jane Austen’s World, click here.

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Click below to purchase a signed copy of Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen or a gift set:

Signed Praying with Jane Book and Prayer Journal
S
Prayer Journal 3-pack (3 journals for $14.99)
Jane Austen Desk Set (Journal, Mug, and Stickers)
Jane Austen Silhouette Stickers (3-pack)

All products include free U.S. shipping. Please contact me for a shipping quote to your country or for special pricing on multiple orders. *Orders placed after December 16 will arrive after Christmas.*

Free Downloadable Prayer Cards

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When you order a copy of Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen, you can download this lovely set of six Praying with Jane prayer cards. Each prayer card has a quote from Jane Austen’s prayers and space for you to write down your own prayers and praises. To enter your order number, click here.

The post A Happy Christmas to You! appeared first on Rachel Dodge.

A Jane Austen Birthday Giveaway

In honor of Jane Austen’s birthday this Sunday, I’m hosting a giveaway! It includes a signed copy of Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen, a prayer journal, and an enamel mug.

To enter the Instagram giveaway content, please click over to the giveaway post on Instagram @kindredspiritbooks, click “Follow,” and then tag a friend in the comments section. You can enter/tag as many times as you like. If you want two additional entries, share this in your story and tag me. You can share it each day as we count down to Sunday.

For my blog readers, I’m holding an additional giveaway. To enter, answer this question in the comments below: “What is your favorite way to spend your birthday?”

ENDS: Both giveaways end on Jane Austen’s birthday, Sunday, December 16th, at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Open to U.S. mailing addresses only. Not affiliated with Instagram in any way. (You can enter both contests.)

Join me: I’m counting down to Jane’s birthday each day with posts about Austen with the hashtag #happybirthdayjaneausten. I hope you’ll join me in honoring Jane by posting your own Austen-related photos!

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Would you like to purchase a signed copy of Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen for you or a friend? For a limited time, you can receive free shipping* when you purchase the following items:

Signed Praying with Jane Book & Journal Set
S
Jane Austen Desk Set (Journal, Mug, and Stickers)
Signed Book & Desk Set (Book, Journal, Mug, and Stickers)
Jane Austen Silhouette Stickers (3-pack)

All products include free U.S. shipping.* Please contact me for a shipping quote to your country or for special pricing on multiple orders.

*Last date for free shipping is Sunday, December 16. (Contact me for expedited holiday shipping.)

Free Downloadable Prayer Cards

[image error]

When you order a copy of Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen, you can receive a free downloadable set of six Praying with Jane prayer cards. Each prayer card has a quote from Jane Austen’s prayers and space for you to write down your own prayers and praises.

To enter your order number and receive your free gift, please click here.

Let’s Stay in Touch:

Subscribe: To receive articles like this, along with book reviews and other literary ramblings, click here to subscribe to my blog. When you subscribe, you’ll receive a free English Garden printable reading activity guide.
Jane Austen: For more articles like this, click here.
Faith: For encouragement in your walk with God, click here.
Jane Austen’s World: To read my blog articles for Jane Austen’s World, click here.

The post A Jane Austen Birthday Giveaway appeared first on Rachel Dodge.

My Love for Jane Austen.

Many people ask me if I’m a Jane Austen super fan. They say, “Do you dress up in those old-timey costumes, wear bonnets, and drink tea?”

There are truly only three possible reactions to this question:

One: Look down at the floor and try to disappear into the wallpaper like Fanny Price.

Two: Flash your fine eyes and declare, “Why, yes. I do! I dearly love a laugh!”

Three: Collect your bonnet, reticule, and pelisse and calmly walk away, head held high, as if you didn’t hear them, Lady Catherine-style.

You see, I don’t think I’m a Jane Austen super fan just because I love her novels and have spent the last two decades studying and writing about her work. But perhaps I am. Supposedly, denial is one of the classic signs of super-fandom.

So what exactly makes one a Jane Austen super fan? Let’s check together . . .

In 2013, the Huff Post published this article: “10 Signs of Jane Austen Addiction” by Deborah Yaffe. In it, Yaffe outlines some of the major signs that you could suffer from JAA (Jane Austen Addiction). Let’s check her list together, shall we?

#1 Your DVD of “Pride and Prejudice” [1995] skips automatically to the wet-shirt scene.

Okay, maybe. However, I don’t watch that scene over and over to ogle Colin Firth. I actually play that scene for legitimate scholarly reasons. I show it to people to prove that even though Jane Austen didn’t actually write that scene in Pride and Prejudice, she might have considered it if she’d ever met Colin Firth in person. (Food for thought.)

#2 You own all the books, but you’re still buying copies.

I asked my husband to answer for me. He chose to use his favorite Mr. Bennet quote from the 1995 Pride and Prejudice about lace in reference to my buying more Jane Austen books: “No more books. No more books, Mrs. Dodge, I beg you!”

#3 You cry when you visit Chawton.

Well, who wouldn’t? I’ve been there three times now, and every time I go I get misty-eyed. I love seeing where she lived, walked, prayed, and wrote. I went there with JASNA in 2007. Then, I took some of my family to visit in 2017. Last summer, I had the pleasure of taking my children. I was emotional all over again! And, this fall, when I found out that my first book – a book devoted to Jane’s three prayers – was going to be in the gift shop at the Jane Austen House Museum, I stood in my kitchen and cried. I can’t believe that a book I wrote about the prayers she wrote is going to be shelved at the very place where she probably wrote them. Ahh!!

#4 You have mixed feelings about Cassandra Austen.

No, I actually don’t have mixed feelings about Cassandra. I adore her. In fact, I’d like to write a book about her and Jane one day. Do I wish she hadn’t destroyed Jane’s papers? Of course. But I assume she had her reasons.

#5 The Republic of Pemberley is your home page.

I don’t have it set as my home page, but I do have it saved as a favorite. However, I do have exactly six tabs saved at the top of my web browser that I use constantly while writing and researching: Austen’s six complete novels on Project Gutenberg.

#6 Someone gave you a Jane Austen Action Figure.

Well, sure. When someone is in denial, it’s usually a friend or family member who is able to diagnose JAA most easily. I would have never bought it for myself, but my husband and children got one for me for Mother’s Day two years ago. Jane moves around, from my bookshelf to my desk and to tea parties. (Mine is missing the quill pen. A small child may or may not have been playing with Jane when it went missing.)

#7 You bought an Empire-waist ball gown, even though it’s not your look.

I did buy my second gown this fall, but my first gown was designed by me and made by my mother (see photo). I was pregnant when she sewed it for me, and it hid my belly beautifully. Regency dresses can expand and contract as needed. What could be better? This doesn’t prove anything. It’s just good fashion sense to have one in the closet.

#8 You compare people you know to Jane Austen characters.

Never. Only a Frank Churchill would do something like that.

#9 You skipped lunch to watch Episode 98 of “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.”

I’ve actually never seen this show. But just knowing that there’s an Episode 98 that’s worth skipping lunch for makes me want to start on it right away!

#10 You give Jane Austen board books as baby presents.

Again, this is just good sense. Every baby needs practice with counting, colors, and shapes. Why not practice with carriages, bonnets, and drawing rooms?

So there you have it. Perhaps I am a Jane Austen super fan after all.

Jane Austen: Author and Role Model

Here’s why I think it’s a great thing to be a Jane Austen fan: Jane Austen was an incredible woman during her lifetime, before she ever became famous, because of the way she lived. She was a loving (and beloved) daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. She wrote stories to entertain and engage her own family – from the time she was young and writing for her parents and siblings to when she was an aunty making up fairy stories for her nieces and nephews to when she authored her novels for all the world to read.

Austen was also a woman of deep, abiding faith in Christ. She modeled how to live and serve as a Christian woman in her everyday life. Jane prayed morning and evening, attended church, cared for her family and friends, and participated in family devotions. She wrote beautiful books filled with moral truths, spiritual themes, and character growth.

Her novels are so incredibly witty, intelligent, and relevant that people around the world still read them today. Her work has inspired film adaptions, spin-offs, television shows, fan fiction, and an entire genre of Regency fiction.

Why am I unashamed to say I’m a Jane Austen super fan? Because she’s someone I admire and look up to as a writer and as a woman. She is a wonderful role model. Jane made an impact at home, long before she made an impact as an author. She used her talent to bless her own family first, and then, without her ever even knowing the extent of it, she blessed the entire world.

[Read the “10 Signs of Jane Austen Addiction” article here.]

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Would you like to purchase a signed copy of Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen? For a limited time, Rachel’s online shop is running a holiday sale on the following items:

Signed Praying with Jane Book & Journal Set
S 
Jane Austen Desk Set (Journal, Mug, and Stickers)
Signed Book & Desk Set (Book, Journal, Mug, and Stickers)

All products include free U.S. shipping.* Please contact me for a shipping quote to your country or for special pricing on multiple orders.

*Last date for free shipping is Wednesday, December 19. (Contact me for expedited holiday shipping.)

Free Downloadable Prayer Cards

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When you order a copy of Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen, you can receive a free downloadable set of six Praying with Jane prayer cards. Each prayer card has a quote from Jane Austen’s prayers and space for you to write down your own prayers and praises.

To enter your order number and receive your free gift, please click here.

Let’s Stay in Touch:

Subscribe: To receive articles like this, along with book reviews and other literary ramblings, click here to subscribe to my blog. When you subscribe, you’ll receive a free English Garden printable reading activity guide.
Jane Austen: For more articles like this, click here.
Faith: For encouragement in your walk with God, click here.
Jane Austen’s World: To read my blog articles for Jane Austen’s World, click here.

The post My Love for Jane Austen. appeared first on Rachel Dodge.

Free Journal with Book Purchase

Right now, when you purchase a signed copy of Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen, you will also receive a free companion prayer journal as well. Just in time for Christmas!

Price for Set: $14.99

Set includes: 1 signed copy of Praying with Jane and 1 companion journal. (Journal contains 160 lined pages.) FREE SHIPPING for a limited time.*

CLICK HERE TO ORDER

My shop is also currently running sales on the following items:

Signed Book & Journal Set
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Jane Austen Desk Set (Journal, Mug, and Stickers)
Signed Book & Desk Set (Book, Journal, Mug, and Stickers)

*Last date for free shipping is Wednesday, December 19. Please contact me for a shipping quote to your country or for special pricing on multiple orders.

“And sometimes I have kept my feelings to myself, because I could find no language to describe them in.” -Jane Austen

 (Contact me for expedited holiday shipping.)

Your Gift: Downloadable Prayer Cards

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When you order a copy of Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen, you will receive a downloadable set of six Praying with Jane prayer cards. Each prayer card features a quote from Jane Austen’s prayers and space for you to write down your own prayers and praises.

Claim your prayer cards here.

About the book: Jane Austen’s novels have charmed readers for over 200 years with their beauty, humor, and wisdom. Much less is known, however, about the exquisite prayers she wrote. Now readers can take a month-long journey through Austen’s prayers as they explore her life of faith.

Praying with Jane is designed to guide readers through Jane Austen’s prayers line-by-line. It provides insights into her faith, her family’s religious life, and the spiritual truths found in her novels. Each day’s reflection ends with an invitation to “pray with Jane,” a sample prayer, and a key Scripture verse for the day. Readers will enjoy a fresh take on prayer and on Austen’s life and faith.

Let’s Stay in Touch:

Subscribe: To receive articles like this, along with book reviews and other literary ramblings, click here to subscribe to my blog.
Your Gift: When you subscribe, you’ll receive a free English Garden printable reading map and activity guide.

The post Free Journal with Book Purchase appeared first on Rachel Dodge.

Special Holiday Sale: Praying With Jane Books & Gifts

Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers! I am excited to announce that I’ve opened my own little bookish gift shop for the holidays. You can purchase a signed copy of Praying with Jane and select the perfect gift set by adding an enamel mug, a prayer journal, and/or a Jane Austen silhouette sticker sheet.

SPECIAL HOLIDAY SALE!!

My shop is currently running sales on the following items:

Signed Book & Journal Set
Signed Book & Mug Set 
Jane Austen Desk Set (Journal, Mug, and Stickers)
Book & Jane Austen Desk Set (Book, Journal, Mug, and Stickers)

All products include free U.S. shipping.* Please contact me for a shipping quote to your country or for special pricing on multiple orders.

Click to view slideshow.

“And we mean to treat you all,” added Lydia, “but you must lend us the money, for we have just spent ours at the shop out there.”

—Pride and Prejudice

*Last date for free shipping is Wednesday, December 19. (Contact me for expedited holiday shipping.)

Free Downloadable Prayer Cards

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When you order a copy of Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen, you can receive a free downloadable set of six Praying with Jane prayer cards. Each prayer card has a quote from Jane Austen’s prayers and space for you to write down your own prayers and praises.

To enter your order number and receive your free gift, please click here.

Let’s Stay in Touch:

Subscribe: To receive articles like this, along with book reviews and other literary ramblings, click here to subscribe to my blog.
Free Download: When you subscribe, you’ll receive a free English Garden printable reading map and activity guide.

Photo credit for “Thankful” photo: Jennifer K. Smith at Storybookstyle.

The post Special Holiday Sale: Praying With Jane Books & Gifts appeared first on Rachel Dodge.

Praying with Jane: Blog Tour Highlights (Part 2)

Hello, dear friends! I want to share the second leg of the blog tour and highlight these wonderful blogs so you can follow along with them if you don’t already. Thank you to each blogger for helping spread the word about Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen and for writing these varied and intriguing reviews. Here are some highlights from the second half of the tour:

A Bookish Way of Life: “As a huge fan of Austen, I was super excited to get my hands on a copy of Rachel Dodge’s excellent new book, Praying with Jane. A book that explores Austen’s spiritual side and shares with us three prayers that she wrote – how could I not want to read that, right?! Especially, since I’ve been trying to connect with my faith more, too. I just knew that this book would be the right fit for me. Not only would I get to read about one of my favorite writers, but I would get to learn more about her. Talk about the perfect combination!”
Diary of an Eccentric: “Praying with Jane is as beautiful as Jane’s prayers, with tidbits about her life and religious upbringing, quotes from Scripture, an invitation to prayer with questions to ponder, and a prayer to close out each day’s devotion. Dodge even draws connections between the devotions and Austen’s novels. It’s the perfect book for Austen fans to gain a deeper appreciation of Jane and grow stronger in their own faith.”
Becoming: “Verses . . . and sample prayers . . . strengthen the reader’s quiet time . . . You know so often Austen’s writing brings two people together. This book is no exception and seeks to draw one’s heart closer to God.”
My Jane Austen Book Club: “Jane Austen’s prayers, daily habits, and family memoirs all point to a personal faith in Christ and a commitment to following the teachings of the Bible. Family documents reveal she was a devoted daughter, sister, aunt, and friend who lived out her faith in practical ways, in the way she spent her time, how she related to others, and how she wrote.”
My Love for Jane Austen: “The devotional aspect of the book has a lot to offer to those who enjoy learning about faith and prayer. The biographical aspect of the book will appeal to readers who enjoy learning about Jane Austen’s life and want to know more about her personal life. Every reader can enjoy Jane’s beautiful prayers and spiritual habits. This is an opportunity to study an aspect of Jane’s life and writing that has not been explored in quite this way before.”
Faith, Science, Joy, … and Jane Austen!: “This devotional is a gem. It encourages us to pray, not just with our lips, but with our hearts. I find it a perfect balance of Austen and faith, with the depth I look for in a devotional guide. ‘Let us Pray’ provides a prayer to read aloud, with places for us to add our own requests, thoughts, and needs. I really like this combination of a set prayer with a specific call for expansion. It keeps us from reading the prayer on a surface level, without thinking about it. We have to personalize it to our own lives.”

Thank you, my dear readers, for following along. Need a book for you or a gift for a friend, family member, or colleague?

Order Praying with Jane HERE
Free Downloadable Prayer Cards

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If you order a copy of Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen, you will receive a free downloadable set of six Praying with Jane prayer cards. Each prayer card has a quote from Jane Austen’s prayers and space for you to write down your own prayers and praises.

To enter your order number and receive your free gift, please click here.

Let’s Stay in Touch:

Subscribe: To receive articles like this, along with book reviews and other literary ramblings, click here to subscribe to my blog.
Free Download: When you subscribe, you’ll receive a free English Garden printable reading map and activity guide.
Kindred Spirit Book Club Facebook group: If you love to chat about favorite books with other book-lovers, then please join us on Facebook for weekly discussions!
Book Reviews: For book ideas, click here.

Blog Tour Dates:

October 31 – Praying with Jane, My changed Relationship with Jane, Jane Austen’s World, Vic Sanborn

November 1 – So Little Time, So Much to Read!, Candy Morton

November 2 – Laura’s Reviews, Laura Gerold

November 3 – Burton Reviews, Marie Burton

November 4 – Sofia Rose’s Place, Sophia Rose

November 5 – Jane Austen in Vermont, Deborah Barnum

November 6 – Calico Critic, Laura Hartness

November 7 – A Bookish Way of Life, Nadia Anguiano

November 8 – Diary of an Eccentric, Anna Horner

November 9 – Becoming, Nichole Parks

November 10 – My Jane Austen Book Club, Maria Grazia

November 11 – My Love for Jane Austen, Sylvia Chan

November 13 – Faith, Science, Joy … and Jane Austen, Brenda Cox

Need a copy of the book? You can order Praying with Jane here.

The post Praying with Jane: Blog Tour Highlights (Part 2) appeared first on Rachel Dodge.

Praying with Jane: Blog Tour Highlights (Part 1)

Hello, dear friends! I want to share some excerpts from the blog tour because several of the bloggers are hosting book giveaways and I know you’ll want to follow along. Thank you to each of these amazing bloggers for helping spread the word about Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen and for writing these varied and intriguing reviews. Here are some highlights from the first half of the tour:

Jane Austen’s World: Praying with Jane Book Giveaway: “Jane Austen’s World is jumping on board the giveaway bandwagon. Using a random drawing generator, I will choose two visitors from the U.S. who answer this question: What’s one question you wish you could ask Jane in person if you could go back in time?” (Vic will draw the two winners on Saturday, November 17th and make the announcement on the 18th!)
So Little Time . . . so much to read!: Review and Q&A: “Hello, my friends! While I was at the Jane Austen Society of North America’s AGM, I bought a copy of Praying With Jane by Rachel Dodge. Imagine my surprise when I received an email asking me to join the blog tour. Needless to say, I was super excited!”
Laura’s Reviews: Book Review & Giveaway: “It’s no secret that Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors. What many casual fans may not know is that Jane Austen was the daughter of an Anglican clergyman, Reverend George Austen, and two her brothers followed him in his vocation. Faith was an important part of Austen’s life that was filled with prayer and reflection. Three works of Austen’s that I have never read, are three prayers that she wrote.”
Burton Book Review: “This 5″x7″ devotional comes packed with biblical insights all while using favorite regency author Jane Austen’s own prayers. Jane Austen fans will love the tie-in from Austen’s novels as she examines Jane’s inspirations for writings as they relate to God’s word. The author of this devotional book, Rachel Dodge, expertly arranges each day by a topic with several references to both scripture and also Jane’s prayers. It will examine the thought process that Jane had and presents a small biographical context to each topic and then tie in Jane’s prayer with how you can pray for yourself with room to add in your own petitions.”
Sophia Rose’s Place: Book Review & Giveaway: “Get yourselves cozy by the fire with a mug of cider and help yourselves to a warm pumpkin-chocolate chip cookie just out of the oven. I’m excited to share with you my thoughts on Rachel Dodge’s engaging new release with an insightful look into one of my favorite author’s life followed by a Question and Answer segment provided by the publisher. Stick around to the end for a lovely opportunity to get your hands on your own copy courtesy of Bethany House Publishers.”
Jane Austen in Vermont: Guest Post & Giveaway: “Gentle Readers: I welcome today Rachel Dodge, who has just published (October 2nd!) her book Praying with Jane: 31 Days through the Prayers of Jane Austen (Bethany House, 2018). I had the pleasure of meeting Rachel at the JASNA AGM last week in Kansas City, MO, where we connected at her Emporium table, and where I purchased her book. In it, Dodge takes us through the three prayers that Jane Austen wrote, offers ten devotions per prayer, and weaves into each chapter pieces from Austen’s life and works. It is lovely and inspirational and edifying all at once, taking us into a very private Jane Austen.”
The Calico Critic: Book Spotlight & Giveaway: This is a wonderful item for the Janeite who enjoys a short devotional time each day. I love how it’s only a 31-day commitment, so that you can enjoy the volume without feeling pressure to take in a large tome like a reference title, for example. I haven’t read the entire book, but did scan over the themes of all of the entries, and one in particular jumped out at me.

Thank you, my dear readers, for following along and for sharing this book and its message with your friends and families. I encourage you to continue to share it because the vision the Lord gave me for this book is that it would be a bridge-building book. I pray it build bridges into the hearts and lives of many people so that they might know God more and know the joy of communing with Him in prayer.

Free Downloadable Prayer Cards When You Order Now

If you order a copy of Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen, you will receive a free downloadable set of six Praying with Jane prayer cards. Each prayer card has a quote from Jane Austen’s prayers and space for you to write down your own prayers and praises. May you draw near to God as “you pray with Jane.”

To enter your order number and receive your free gift, please click here.

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Let’s Stay in Touch:

Subscribe: To receive articles like this, along with book reviews and other literary ramblings, click here to subscribe to my blog.
Free Download: When you subscribe, you’ll receive a free English Garden printable reading map and activity guide.
Kindred Spirit Book Club Facebook group: If you love to chat about favorite books with other book-lovers, then please join us on Facebook for weekly discussions!
Book Reviews: For book ideas, click here.

The post Praying with Jane: Blog Tour Highlights (Part 1) appeared first on Rachel Dodge.

Praying with Jane Blog Tour: My Changed Relationship with Jane

The Praying with Jane Blog Tour kicks off TODAY!! We have a wonderful line up of bloggers who love Jane Austen and Regency fiction! We start off on Jane Austen’s World blog today with my interview with Vic Sanborn in the article, “My Changed Relationship with Jane”:

Inquiring readers,

It is my privilege to kick off the blog tour of Rachel Dodge’s book, Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen on Jane Austen’s World blog. (See calendar of the tour below.) Jane wrote masterfully insightful, funny, witty, as well as unflattering and acerbic observations of family members, acquaintances, and village characters in her private letters and novels, but, as Ms. Dodge describes in her book, she was also a religious, wise, talented, and complex woman who was hard to pigeon hole. Rachel’s book discusses Jane’s faith and rich inner life. Below, find my discussion with Ms. Dodge, who gave much thought to answering my questions.

Q: How did writing and researching Praying with Jane change your insights about Jane as a person and a writer?

I definitely feel like I understand Jane better as a result of writing and researching Praying with Jane. I spent days, weeks, and months pouring over her letters and novels; examining and researching her prayers; and reading through the Austen family papers and memoirs. Each day when I put my research materials away, I was tired but happy because I felt as if I had spent the day with Jane! Her words were in my mind constantly. I listened to the cadence of her prayers, reflecting on her words and the meaning behind them. I studied her life and her faith, learning from her family’s home life and spiritual traditions. I even incorporated some of her habits into my own life, such as writing down my own prayers each morning in my journal.

I put Praying with Jane together in a subtle, chronological order, which gave me the sense that I was watching her life unfold as I wrote. I saw her through her father’s eyes in his letter when she was born. I pictured walking up the lane to church, kneeling for prayers, reciting prayers from the Book of Common Prayer, and gathering with the family to read in the evening. I saw the changes that occurred in her life, from the Steventon years of a full house brimming with children to the Chawton years when it was just the ladies at home. I viewed her from the perspective of her nieces and nephews in their letters and memoirs, , with whom she was “the general favourite . . . her ways with them being so playful, and her long circumstantial stories so delightful” (Austen-Leigh). I read Cassandra’s letters about Jane’s final days here on Earth as though I was sitting beside her bed. I included an epilogue in the book called “A Lasting Legacy” because I wanted to honor the profound impact her life and writing has had on me and countless others.

Q: How did your research change your personal feelings towards Jane?

In my academic work, I’ve always referred to Jane Austen by her last name, but after working on the manuscript for this book for several months, she soon became Jane to me. She was no longer a famous author; she was a person. [Continue reading the interview here…]

Blog Tour Dates:

October 31 – Praying with Jane, My changed Relationship with Jane, Jane Austen’s World, Vic Sanborn

November 1 – So Little Time, So Much to Read!, Candy Morton

November 2 – Laura’s Reviews, Laura Gerold

November 3 – Burton Reviews, Marie Burton

November 4 – Sofia Rose’s Place, Sophia Rose

November 5 – Jane Austen in Vermont, Deborah Barnum

November 6 – Calico Critic, Laura Hartness

November 7 – A Bookish Way of Life, Nadia Anguiano

November 8 – Diary of an Eccentric, Anna Horner

November 9 – Becoming, Nichole Parks

November 10 – My Jane Austen Book Club, Maria Grazia

November 11 – My Love for Jane Austen, Sylvia Chan

November 13 – Faith, Science, Joy … and Jane Austen, Brenda Cox

We hope you’ll follow along each day with these creative bloggers and share your favorites with your friends! Some will be hosting book giveaways, so you can even enter for a chance to win a book for yourself or someone special.

Need a copy of the book? You can order Praying with Jane here.

Let’s Stay in Touch:

Subscribe: To receive articles like this, along with book reviews and other literary ramblings, click here to subscribe to my blog.
Free Download: When you subscribe, you’ll receive a free English Garden printable reading map and activity guide.
Kindred Spirit Book Club Facebook group: If you love to chat about favorite books with other book-lovers, then please join us on Facebook for weekly discussions!
Book Reviews: For book ideas, click here.

The post Praying with Jane Blog Tour: My Changed Relationship with Jane appeared first on Rachel Dodge.

Blog Tour Kick-Off: My Changed Relationship with Jane

The Praying with Jane Blog Tour kicks off TODAY!! We have a wonderful line up of bloggers who love Jane Austen and Regency fiction! We start off on Jane Austen’s World blog today with my interview with Vic Sanborn in the article, “My Changed Relationship with Jane”:

Inquiring readers,

It is my privilege to kick off the blog tour of Rachel Dodge’s book, Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen on Jane Austen’s World blog. (See calendar of the tour below.) Jane wrote masterfully insightful, funny, witty, as well as unflattering and acerbic observations of family members, acquaintances, and village characters in her private letters and novels, but, as Ms. Dodge describes in her book, she was also a religious, wise, talented, and complex woman who was hard to pigeon hole. Rachel’s book discusses Jane’s faith and rich inner life. Below, find my discussion with Ms. Dodge, who gave much thought to answering my questions.

Q: How did writing and researching Praying with Jane change your insights about Jane as a person and a writer?

I definitely feel like I understand Jane better as a result of writing and researching Praying with Jane. I spent days, weeks, and months pouring over her letters and novels; examining and researching her prayers; and reading through the Austen family papers and memoirs. Each day when I put my research materials away, I was tired but happy because I felt as if I had spent the day with Jane! Her words were in my mind constantly. I listened to the cadence of her prayers, reflecting on her words and the meaning behind them. I studied her life and her faith, learning from her family’s home life and spiritual traditions. I even incorporated some of her habits into my own life, such as writing down my own prayers each morning in my journal.

I put Praying with Jane together in a subtle, chronological order, which gave me the sense that I was watching her life unfold as I wrote. I saw her through her father’s eyes in his letter when she was born. I pictured walking up the lane to church, kneeling for prayers, reciting prayers from the Book of Common Prayer, and gathering with the family to read in the evening. I saw the changes that occurred in her life, from the Steventon years of a full house brimming with children to the Chawton years when it was just the ladies at home. I viewed her from the perspective of her nieces and nephews in their letters and memoirs, , with whom she was “the general favourite . . . her ways with them being so playful, and her long circumstantial stories so delightful” (Austen-Leigh). I read Cassandra’s letters about Jane’s final days here on Earth as though I was sitting beside her bed. I included an epilogue in the book called “A Lasting Legacy” because I wanted to honor the profound impact her life and writing has had on me and countless others.

Q: How did your research change your personal feelings towards Jane?

In my academic work, I’ve always referred to Jane Austen by her last name, but after working on the manuscript for this book for several months, she soon became Jane to me. She was no longer a famous author; she was a person. [Continue reading the interview here…]

Blog Tour Dates:

October 31 – Praying with Jane, My changed Relationship with Jane, Jane Austen’s World, Vic Sanborn

November 1 – So Little Time, So Much to Read!, Candy Morton

November 2 – Laura’s Reviews, Laura Gerold

November 3 – Burton Reviews, Marie Burton

November 4 – BLOGLOVIN’, Sophia Rose

November 5 – Jane Austen in Vermont, Deborah Barnum

November 6 – Calico Critic, Laura Hartness

November 7 – A Bookish Way of Life, Nadia Anguiano

November 8 – Diary of an Eccentric, Anna Horner

November 9 – Becoming, Nichole Parks

November 10 – My Jane Austen Book Club, Maria Grazia

November 11 – My Love for Jane Austen, Sylvia Chan

November 13 – Faith, Science, Joy … and Jane Austen, Brenda Cox

We hope you’ll follow along each day with these creative bloggers and share your favorites with your friends! Some will be hosting book giveaways, so you can even enter for a chance to win a book for yourself or someone special.

Need a copy of the book? You can order Praying with Jane here.

Let’s Stay in Touch:

Subscribe: To receive articles like this, along with book reviews and other literary ramblings, click here to subscribe to my blog.
Free Download: When you subscribe, you’ll receive a free English Garden printable reading map and activity guide.
Kindred Spirit Book Club Facebook group: If you love to chat about favorite books with other book-lovers, then please join us on Facebook for weekly discussions!
Book Reviews: For book ideas, click here.

The post Blog Tour Kick-Off: My Changed Relationship with Jane appeared first on Rachel Dodge.