Emily C.A. Snyder's Blog, page 16

Letters of Love & Deception: Book Give-away DAY THREE

Quiz the Thirdof the e-book give-away of Letters of Love & Deception  
To celebrate the upcoming release of Letters of Love & Deception and other Austenesque short stories, we're giving away six free e-books, in the format of your choice, in honour of Jane Austen's six novels.    
Comment below, and you'll be eligible to win either one of five copies of Letters of Love & Deception or a copy Nachtsturm Castle: A Gothic Austen Novel from Girlebooks.com !
The giveaway runs from Wednesday through to Monday, Sept. 19th, the official release date!  And don't forget that you can still comment in Wednesday and Thursday 's quizzes!
If you want a preview of the short stories in LOL&D, click here !
The rules in brief:
Post a comment with answers to the quiz below (making sure to leave contact info) and your name will be entered to win a free e-book.  Each time you comment, on any of the quizzes, your name will be entered again.  So answer early and often!
And never fear if you don't know the answers off the top of your head!  You can look up the answers, or crib from the person above you (maybe even add some more information!), or just make it up and make us laugh!  It's all in good fun.
On Monday at midnight, the giveaway will close and six winners will be chosen!  Comment away!Quiz the Third
Novels: They say that the first line of a novel is the most important.  Can you name any of Jane's first sentences?  (Bonus point for non-P&P!)

History: What is the difference between a spencer and a pelisse?
Literature: So often movie adaptations of novels must leave out something.  What part of any of Austen's novels do you always hope to see on the screen...and you haven't yet?  (A line, a scene, a character - anything goes!)
Austen: What did Jane ask her sister to do with her personal correspondence upon her death?  (And what secret do you think was hidden in them?)
Austenesque: Mary Crawford has just dared you to win a glass of lemonade from her brother, Henry.  What tactics do you use?

Letters of Love & Deception: Book Give-away DAY TWO!

Quiz the Secondof the e-book give-away of Letters of Love & Deception  
To celebrate the upcoming release of Letters of Love & Deception and other Austenesque short stories, we're giving away six free e-books, in the format of your choice, in honour of Jane Austen's six novels.    
Comment below, and you'll be eligible to win either one of five copies of Letters of Love & Deception or a copy Nachtsturm Castle: A Gothic Austen Novel from Girlebooks.com !
The giveaway runs from Wednesday through to Monday, Sept. 19th, the official release date!  If you missed Wednesday's quiz, click here .
If you want a preview of the short stories in LOL&D, click here !
The rules in brief:
Post a comment with answers to the quiz below (making sure to leave contact info) and your name will be entered to win a free e-book.  Each time you comment, on any of the quizzes, your name will be entered again.  So answer early and often!
And never fear if you don't know the answers off the top of your head!  You can look up the answers, or crib from the person above you (maybe even add some more information!), or just make it up and make us laugh!  It's all in good fun.
On Monday at midnight, the giveaway will close and six winners will be chosen!  Comment away!Quiz the Second
Novels:  Jane Austen was the daughter of a preacher man, and included many members of the clergy in her books.  How many can you name?
History: Who was Lady Jersey, and what do you know about her?
Literature: What sort of novels were popular before Jane Austen helped usher in the realist movement?  What elements of that literature did she lampoon?  (Bonus points for quotes!)
Austen: Jane Austen was famously engaged for a matter of hours to one man, and infamously romantically attached to another man in her youth.  Who were these disappointed lovers?
Austenesque: If all of Jane Austen's villains, male and female, were gathered in one mansion on a dark and stormy night, who would kill whom, with what weapon, in what room...and why?!

Dueling Fitzwilliams: Presumption Preview!

In conjunction with IndieJane's Dueling Fitzwilliams , I'd love to preview the first chapter of my in-progress novel starring Col. Fitzwilliam and Maria Lucas from Pride and Prejudice.

Read it here.

Or you can read it below by pressing the fly out arrow at the top right of the embedded PDF file! Enjoy!

You can read Col. Fitzwilliam's answers over on IndieJane !

And make sure you enter for the book give-away in the post below!

Letters of Love & Deception: Book Giveaway

Announcing a book give away to celebrate the release of Letters of Love & Deception on Monday, September 19th!  

We'll be giving away six books in all: five copies of Letters of Love and Deception and one copy of Nachtsturm Castle in whatever e-book format you prefer.

SCROLL DOWN FOR TODAY'S QUIZ!
But first, the rules!  

To enter to win, simply answer the Jane Austen quiz of the day (from Wednesday-Monday) in the comments below.  Much like the BBC program QI , you'll gain points both for accurate answers...as well as for amusing answers!  (For my favourite clip from QI, click below!)



Each day, the names of those who have garnered the most points will be put into a raffle and a winner chosen.  You can enter more than once, but you can't win more than once.  Spread the love!

DO MAKE SURE that when you leave your comment, you remember to include your e-mail so that if you win, you can be contacted!

And now, without further ado, for the grand prize of an e-book copy of Letters of Love and Deception, may I present...

QUIZ THE FIRST!
Novels: Jane Austen's heroes from all six novels have all, naturally, fallen desperately in love with you!  But do you know their first names?  (Completed novels only...bonus points for names from her juvenalia or unfinished works!)

History: While taking a tour in London, you happen upon your acquaintances, Jane Bennet and the Dashwood sisters.  Since you have only been introduced to them once, what is the polite term to call each lady?

Literature: What is an epistolary novel...and did Jane Austen ever write one?

Austen: To whom did Jane Austen dedicate Emma?  (Bonus points for why it is ironic!)

Austenesque: Give me a title or a first sentence (or both!) for the world's worst Jane Austen monster mash-up you can think of!  (Not real titles, please!)

Teatime Ten: Meredith Esparza

In August 2011, the world of Janeites were treated to an entire month of the Austenesque Extravaganza.  Each day of the week was given over to some new delight: blog tours, twitter parties, new short stories, quizzes, book give-aways, interviews - it was a feast for the senses and a perfect end to summer.  
But who was the woman behind the Extravaganza?  None other than Meredith Esparza of Austenesque Reviews who, having caught her breath from AE was good enough to tell us a little bit about herself, the Extravaganza, and her favourite Austenesque books!
Hello Meredith!  And before everything else, I have to thank you for the wonderful Austenesque Extravaganza! What first drew you to this project?
Thank you, Emily!   I hope it was an enjoyable experience for everyone! Austenesque Extravaganza was an idea I got while participating in some fantastic Austen-related blog events hosted by Austenprose, Book Rat, and My Jane Austen Book Club.  I thought I should try hosting my own blog event and dedicate it to all the Austenesque novels and authors that I love so much.  It is really a fitting blog event for my blog because on Austenesque Reviews I mainly review Austenesque novels and interview Austenesque authors!  When I was still on the fence about doing my own blog event, I brought it up to my wonderful and supportive husband and he gave me the push I needed to do it. 
I wanted it be a celebration of my favorite genre of novels, and since I read all types of Austenesque novels – old, new, hard-to-find, indie, and publisher-issued – I wanted it to include as many authors and bloggers as I could.  Back in May, I emailed around 100 authors and bloggers – all the Austenesque authors I could find an email address or facebook/twitter profile for – and I was astounded to discover that over 60 of them wanted to take part in Austenesque Extravaganza!
In addition, it was important for me to have my event be diverse – both within itself and from other Austen-related blog events!  I didn't want to have 31 days of the same type of post – I don't think people would have found that interesting – so I came up with the themed days idea.  That way it would be organized (somewhat) but still filled with variety!

The Austen community is really a community. Did you find anything that surprised, delighted, or might even continue on out of the Extravagana?
I loved meeting new people who love to read the same novels I do.  I've met a bunch through my blog and Goodreads, but I was able to meet many more through AE!  I also loved getting to know many of the Austenesque authors better.  Through our many, many email exchanges I felt we become better acquainted with each other! 
What will continue on out of the Extravaganza?  Well, hopefully another Austenesque Extravaganza in August 2012!  And, because of popular demand, the Twitter parties (just look for #austenesque! - ed.).  Surprisingly, the Sociable Sunday event ended up being the favorite of many.  I never hosted a Twitter Party and was very nervous about these events!  I think I will try and host some more throughout the year.

You know, I was terrified when I first joined the Twitter party!  But - although it flew by fast - it was so enjoyable to talk in real time with other Janeites!  Speaking of...what first drew you to all things Austen?
I first discovered Jane Austen when I borrowed the black and white 1940's version of Pride and Prejudice from my library when I was 16. The name attracted me because I remembered seeing on a recommend reading list for my AP English class.  And the fact that it was a black and white movie also attracted me.  I'm a fan of old movies and have been since I was young – I love anything with Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Katherine Hepburn, etc.  I fell in love with the movie –  I know it isn't very accurate – but as far as black and white movies go, it's lovely!  After that, I searched for the novel and thus my love for all things Austen began in full force!

What was the first Austenesque book you ever read? What did you love about it? What could you have done without?
A family friend, after learning that I loved Emma, recommended I read Jane Fairfax by Joan Aiken.  I searched for it in many bookstores but never could find it.  Finally, I found it on Amazon.com with a slew of other Austenesque novels!  Jane Fairfax is a fantastic novel and one of my all-time favorites!  Joan Aiken did a fantastic of retelling the story from the eyes of Jane Fairfax.  It made me understand Jane better, but at the same time it made me dislike Emma a little – but I think Emma has that tendency anyway!
Your blog, Austenesque Reviews, is a great resource for those looking for good Austen paraliterature. If you were suddenly dispossessed of your house by your elder half-brother, and could only bring six Austenesque books with you - what are some titles you could not do without?
LOL!  This is like the Desert Island Game I made for AE last Wednesday – but you are a lot nicer, you are allowing me to bring six books instead of three! Do sets count as one?  My list of Austenesque titles I could not do without are:  Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: LastMan of the World by Abigail Reynolds Darcy's Voyage by Kara Louise The Trials of the HonorableF. Darcy by Sara Angelini The Importance of BeingEmma by Juliet Archer George Knightley, EsquireSeries by Barbara Cornthwaite  The Mercy's Embrace Series by Laura HileI know, I cheated.  I'm sure if you were to ask me this question a couple days from now, I'd have very different answers!  There are so many that I consider my favorites and I guess that's a good thing!

What Austenesque paraliterature novel has yet to be written? What story are you longing to read?
I love novels about minor characters!  So there is endless possibilities out there! I would love to read a novel about Henry Crawford *hint hint, Emily* (ahem...working on it - ed.) or Frank Churchill.  But overall, I think more attention needs to be focused on non-Pride and Prejudice novels.  While there are some great novels for Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park, and Emma, I'm always longing for more!
[image error] (Henry Crawford waits impatiently to fulfill Meredith's desire.) 
What do you think of the recent rash of monster mash-ups? What's next on the horizon for poor Jane Austen?
At first I didn't think I would be a fan of monster mash-ups.  But I have read several good ones (Jane and the Damned, Moonlighting, Bespelling JaneAusten, Jane Bites Back) and I'm open to reading more, providing they are not too graphic!  I think Jane Austen will continue to be coupled with whatever is the current popular trend – whether its cowboys, pirates, princesses, or extra-terrestrials.   
What's your guilty pleasure reading - that's not Austenesque?

When I am not reading Austenesque novels I sometimes like to read Historical Christian novels – some of my favorite authors include Debra White Smith, Nancy Moser, and Julie Klassen.  I also love to read novels by Louisa May Alcott and Georgette Heyer.  And I seem to love anything Syrie James writes – Austenesque or not – I loved her two paranormal novels Dracula, My Love and Nocturne !
Much has been made, with the closing of Borders and the rise of e-books, about there being fewer readers in the world. What would make you pick up a book?
When a new Austenesque book appears on my radar, I like to do a little bit a research before I add it to my wishlist.  Usually this involves reading the blurb, seeing if the author has a website/blog, and reading any reviews I can find.  If it is by one of my favorite authors, I'll read it no matter what!
What's next for Meredith Esparza?
LOL!  I'm still recuperating from Austenesque Extravaganza!  But my plans for the future are to resume with my usual reviews and author interviews on my blog and work towards putting together a regularly scheduled twitter party!  In my personal life, school just started and as a music teacher and private piano teacher, I'm pretty busy getting back into the swing of things! 

Thank you so much!
Thank you, Emily!  I'm honored that you wanted to interview me!
Meredith Esparza is a owner and editrix of Austenesque Reviews, and recent foundress and hostess of the Austenesque Extravaganza.  She hails from Wilmington, North Carolina.


You can follow Meredith on Facebook, Twitter, or at Goodreads!

Full Disclosure: Meredith was good enough to ask me - after reviewing "Nachtsturm Castle" much to my surprise and delight - whether I would participate in the Austenesque Extravaganza.  The moral of the story is: if Meredith asks something of you, do it!

Save the Date!

Teatime Ten with Meredith Esparza, 
Duelling Fitzwilliams at IndieJane,
Letters of Love & Deception, 
Book Giveaways,
and Gothic Madness!
Save the date for some upcoming, exciting (literary) events!
TOMORROW!  Tuesday, September 13:  Meredith Esparza from Jane Austen Reviews , who gave us the Austenesque Extravaganza, joins us for the Teatime Ten !  Find out what books Meredith would take with her to a desert island, how the Austenesque Extravaganza happened, and much more!  While you're waiting for tomorrow to come, you can read Margaret C. Sullivan's wonderful interview for the inaugural Teatime Ten!Wednesday, September 14:    Join me for Duelling Fitzwilliams...that's Colonel Fitzwilliam to you!...with the lovely ladies at IndieJane .  My Colonel Fitzwilliam answers their questions this Wednesday, followed for the next few Wednesdays with duelling visions of Miss Bennet's would-be rival.  In conjunction with that, I'll be debuting the first chapter of the draft of my in-progress Col. Fitzwilliam novel, Presumption .  As a bonus...look for a guest blog on Gothic and Austen novels in October at IndieJane!Wednesday, September 14:   ALSO!  In preparation for the release of Letters of Love & Deception , we'll be hosting a great Book Giveaway!  Each day from Wednesday until LOL&D's release next Monday, look for a Jane Austen quiz here on this blog.  Put your answers in the comments, and if you answer correctly (or really amusingly!), your name will be put into a raffle to win a copy of Letters of Love & Deception in your choice of e-book format!  We'll be giving away six books altogether - one for each of Austen's novels: five copies of Letters of Love & Deception and one copy of Nachtsturm Castle.  So brush up your Austen, and break out the witticisms and join in the fun!  Because Letters of Love & Deception is available from Girlebooks.com on:Monday, September 19!
And for those of you in the Boston area...!

Monday, September 19:   The first cold reading of my latest ten-minute iambic pentameter play, Turn to Flesh, about Medusa's final moments before she dies at Perseus' hands, premieres in Cambridge, as part of the Small Theatre Alliance of Boston's Open Mic .  If you're in the area, join us!
 

Birthday Tea!

On Saturday, I turned 33 for the second time.  That is, I spent this whole year thinking I was 34, so I have decided to celebrate by spending a year being 33.  Then next year, I get to be 35 - which is a very satisfactory number. 

Among other celebrations, I went out with my family to a tea house and got my British nerd on with a cup of Harvest Blend and an asaparagus, bacon and brie panini.  Which leads me to post not only the picture to the right, but also these two delightful videos.  Enjoy!

Release Date Set for LOL&D!

Good news!  Letters of Love & Deception has a release date!

On Monday, September 19, 2011 get out your bottom dollar...and keep the penny!...because Letters of Love & Deception, a collection of Austenesque short stories from yours truly will be available from Girlebooks.com!

Can't wait?  Why not get thee a copy of Nachtsturm Castle in the meantime?  Or read some of my other short stories (in a C. S. Lewis vein): Charming the Moon ?

Best of all, though, we'll be having an e-book giveaway for the release of Letters of Love & Deception!  Keep an eye out for details coming soon!

Kill Your Darlings: Editing 101

In the spirit of a previous post, and in honour of Friday, I present you with the perfect way to approach editing:

KILL YOUR DARLINGS.

 
Happy Friday!  See you next Tuesday, for the Teatime Ten, this week with Meredith, who gave us all the gift of the Austenesque Extravaganza!

Letters of Love & Deception

[image error] We Are Pleased to Announce

Letters of Love & Deception   and other Austenesque Short Stories
will be released very shortly from Girlebooks.com !  Each short story looks into the corners of Jane Austen's novels...or brings all of her novels together!  And each story is bite-sized: perfect for your lunchbreak or just-before-bedtime dose of Austen.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I: Heroes & Histories
Miss Bates' Something Blue (Emma) - Miss Bates was not always destined for spinsterhood.  On the eve of Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill's wedding, she rediscovers the letters from her own doomed romance.Letters of Love and Deception (Northanger Abbey) - Isabella Thorpe is furious: her fiance, James Moreland, had the indecency to be offended when she flirted with Captain Tilney.  And Captain Tilney has spurned her entirely.  What's a villainess to do but enlist the help of her ex-fiance's sister through a somewhat suspect letter....None But You (Persuasion) - On board the Laconia, the young Captain Wentworth attempts his first version of the famous Letter.
A Most Persuasive Correspondance (Persuasion) - What was really happening between the treacherous Mr Elliot and the conniving Mrs Clay in Jane Austen's Persuasion?  An epistolary novelette reveals all that Austen missed!PART II: Types & Trifles
It Was a Dark and Stormy Night (Villains) - All the villains engage in an unwitting game of Clue as one of them winds up dead.Sigh No More, Ladies (Heroines) -  What's a heroine to do when thwarted in love?  Play the piano loudly, visit or write friends, drink a cup of tea and comfort, and then sigh no more!At the Club (Or Dr Boodle's Lovelorn Cure-All) (Heroes) - While the women are commiserating over their unfortunate estates, the gentlemen take to the club for a glass of something stiffer.  Unfortunately, it all leads to fisticuffs between Mr Darcy and Mr Tilney....All the King's Men (Baronets) - "To the club!"  That's the rallying cry of Austen's baronets, who seek out a world safe from the silliness of women and all these d--mn romances!A Matter of Resolution (Disappointed Foils) - It's New Year's Eve at Sally Jersey's party, and somehow all the wrong sort have gotten in, including the Crawfords.  What begins as a simple quest on the part of Miss Bingley, Miss Elliot and the now-married Isabella Thorpe to ensure a glass of lemonade from the elusive Mr Crawford will end in a night the ton will never forget!My Ladies Cat (Dowagers) - What happens when you put all of Austen's matriarchs together?  We're still picking up the pieces, too!Pride and Paraliterature (Monster Mash-Up!) - Darcy broods.  Swamp monsters loom.  Miss Bingley is ravished by a vampire.  And it all leads back to Mr Wickham, purveyor of human sacrifices.  It's going to be a long and broody night. [image error]