Someone Else Pick It For Me April

[Kirk]

Christina wrote: "Kirk wrote: "Thanks again Christina! Another reader described the story as "bittersweet". Yes, indeed. For me, too bitter and not nearly sweet enough for me. Still others have loved it. 3.0

Kirk, ..."
Thx! Right mix... 💯% sweet!!! This one about 10-15% sweet. Ugh!

[Tlotem]

Anji wrote: "Tlotem wrote: "Hello, here my list for next month:
1/ Drawing Mr Darcy, sketching his character by Melanie Rachel
2/ Through a different lens by Riana Everly
3/ The assistant by Riana Everly
4/ The..."
Thank you Anji, I did enjoy it. It's a prequel of P&P focused on the Gardiner's with some liberties taken on these characters from canon. Life is not easy for our future Mrs Gardiner and we follow her adventures fleeing an abusive and murderer uncle.
Edward Gardiner is honest, compassionate and courageous. By his side we have a courageous, creative and mischievous Miss Grant.
Like you I would have loved to be adopted by them.

[Anji]

Tlotem wrote: "Anji wrote: "Tlotem wrote: "Hello, here my list for next month:
1/ Drawing Mr Darcy, sketching his character by Melanie Rachel
2/ Through a different lens by Riana Everly
3/ The assistant by Riana ..."


Glad you enjoyed it. Will have to put that one on my wish list.

[Christina]

Just started my April read, The Making of Jane Austen by Devoney Looser. Really enjoying it so far! In the intro, Looser suggests that Austen is, in the realm of English lit, second only to Shakespeare in popularity.

Then she gives those of us in the JAFF community a shout out, arguing that Austen “also has the most creative, active, visible followers, unless you count all the world’s Renaissance Faires as Shakespearean fan sites. (Let’s agree to leave J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels out of the running for the designation of ‘classic’ for a generation or two).” —Devoney Looser, The Making of Jane Austen, page 4.

Go JAFF go! (Given how supportive this community is, I’m not surprised that JAFF sustains such “creative, active, and visible followers.”)

[Sophia]

Yay, glad you're enjoying it so far, Christina.

And, that is a relief that she respects the Austenesque and JAFF writings, too. I think Jane would be knocked over with a feather to be considered as the second most popular. :)

[Kirk]

Sophia wrote: "Yay, glad you're enjoying it so far, Christina.

And, that is a relief that she respects the Austenesque and JAFF writings, too. I think Jane would be knocked over with a feather to be considered a..."
So well put both of you!!! And as I love to remind our "dear" friends the Austen purists who so look down on JAFF.. although not for publication, Jane and young Anna Austen turned the 1,000,000 pg Sir Charles Grandison(Jane's favorite book according to Henry Austen) into a short play.

[Sophia]

Kirk wrote: "Sophia wrote: "Yay, glad you're enjoying it so far, Christina.

And, that is a relief that she respects the Austenesque and JAFF writings, too. I think Jane would be knocked over with a feather to ..."

Good point, Kirk. We like to think fan fiction is a new thing, but its been around. I read an article about people writing Shakesperean style plays that some confused as his own. :)

[Christina]

Kirk wrote: "And as I love to remind our "dear" friends the Austen purists who so look down on JAFF.. although not for publication, Jane and young Anna Austen turned the 1,000,000 pg Sir Charles Grandison(Jane's favorite book according to Henry Austen) into a short play."

Sophia wrote: "We like to think fan fiction is a new thing, but its been around. I read an article about people writing Shakespearean style plays that some confused as his own."

Fascinating points, both of you. Adaptation is a key part of the creative process.

Kirk, why do you think Austen purists look down on JAFF? Is it because we're messing with stories, characters, and language they adore, or do you think something else is at work?

[Kirk]

Christina wrote: "Kirk wrote: "And as I love to remind our "dear" friends the Austen purists who so look down on JAFF.. although not for publication, Jane and young Anna Austen turned the 1,000,000 pg Sir Charles Gr..."

Certainly all the factors you mention Christina must play a role. And since Jane Austen is perfect in nearly every way(oh to have Jane Austen's reaction to what Henry, James-Edward, purists et al have written about her), Virginia Wolff's comment about the 25 elderly gentleman in a London neighborhood comes to mind, those who dare "mess" with Jane must be looked down on. Please!

I do hear the language comment on regular basis... JAFF writers don't write exactly like Jane Austen(merely one of the greatest writers of all time ..no matter how you measure it)..ummm excuse me no JAFF writers ever claimed that they do! A recent comment, well meaning but impossible..."I'd read JAFF if it was well written"????(Pink Floyd comes to mind..."how can have any pudding....") I'm convinced if, through the magic of time and space travel, that Jane herself were writing JAFF under a pen name(Anne Sharpe for example)...the vast majority of purists would still say .. it's not Jane Austen. A certain mean spirited Austen scholar wrote in 2010.."the time for Austen adaptations is over." Ummm...wrong wrong wrong wrong!!! :)

Laugh at myself...I've certainly been very annoyed when certain favorites of mine were not treated well (e.g. looking at you evil Longbore...Jane Bingley would NEVER ask a former servent how they were doing and not wait for the answer!!!!).

[Christina]

Kirk wrote: "I'm convinced if, through the magic of time and space travel, that Jane herself were writing JAFF under a pen name(Anne Sharpe for example)...the vast majority of purists would still say .. it's not Jane Austen."

Kirk, you've made me laugh! I have to admit that I don't quite understand the evil Longbore comment, but I love the idea of Austen traveling through time and space to write fan fiction.

You know, if she did travel in time, the purists would be right: she wouldn't be their Jane Austen. She'd write with a changed perspective. How could the experience of time travel not impact her?

But then, that is what's so funny about being a purist: the Jane Austen who wrote Sense and Sensibility is not the same Jane Austen who wrote Persuasion, is she?

We all travel in time, if only in one direction, and so I've never really understood what it means to be a purist--to love something static, in a vacuum. Seems rather unnatural to me. :)

[Kirk]

Christina wrote: "Kirk wrote: "I'm convinced if, through the magic of time and space travel, that Jane herself were writing JAFF under a pen name(Anne Sharpe for example)...the vast majority of purists would still s..."
Lol! *Longbourn*... which I hate for how crude it was etc. Great point about JA from S&S to Persuasion. In my example of Fan Fiction and time travel...Jane doesn't change! :) And purists still complain!!! :) :)

[Christina]

Kirk wrote: " *Longbourn*... which I hate for how crude it was etc.

Do you mean the book by Jo Baker? I had mixed feelings about it. Felt so awful seeing my favorite characters act like complete prats, but also respected the author for taking that perspective.

And yes, I suspect you're right about an exact Jane writing--and still getting complaints from purists. :-)

[MichelleH]

Abigail wrote: "I guess that means it will be jolly in June, amazing in August--but we hope not odious in October or dismal in December."

Because of Halloween, it should be Ornery in October. I know, I know....so late to the game.

[Christina]

MichelleH wrote: "Because of Halloween, it should be Ornery in October. I know, I know....so late to the game. ..."

One can never be too late to a game of wordplay and alliteration! Does October make you ornery because of all the candy, the costumes, or the children knocking at your door? :)

[MichelleH]

Christina wrote: "MichelleH wrote: "Because of Halloween, it should be Ornery in October. I know, I know....so late to the game. ..."

One can never be too late to a game of wordplay and alliteration! Does October m..."
I don't know, I guess I was thinking 'tricks' which are not exactly under the same catagory as 'Odious' proposed by Abigail above. Unless your car/house has been egged. ewwww.... Anyway, someone else started the alliteration game and I wanted to play.

I like New November and Delightful December, btw.

[MichelleH]

Christina wrote: "MichelleH wrote: "Because of Halloween, it should be Ornery in October. I know, I know....so late to the game. ..."

One can never be too late to a game of wordplay and alliteration! Does October m..."

I just posted an update to my list of books read, and it included 'Seasons of Waiting.' Oh my goodness, hand to heart, I loved it so much.

[Christina]

MichelleH wrote: "I just posted an update to my list of books read, and it included 'Seasons of Waiting.' Oh my goodness, hand to heart, I loved it so much."

Oh, thanks so much for the kind words, MichelleH! I am so glad you enjoyed it. The book is impishly imperfect--sorry, just had to put some alliteration in there, as that's what our thread is about!--but it was a labor of love. :-)

[Sophia]

Finished According to Jane. Janalyn, it was perfect for my mood lately. I enjoyed the introspection, the romantic blunders and personal growth. :)

[Christina]

Coming in just under the wire with my review of the book Sophia picked for me: The Making of Jane Austen by Devoney Looser.

Absolutely loved it! Brought me back to best feelings of being a graduate student (the pure joy of learning and research) without any of the downsides. This was a deeply-researched and thought-provoking book--but not laden with jargon, as so many academic works are. Devoney Looser is not only a gifted researcher, but she's a brilliant writer, as well. I highly recommend the book to anyone who is interested in learning more about how Jane Austen became such a cultural phenomenon.

Thanks, Sophia, for making this pick! I'm slow to read non-fiction, so I probably wouldn't have chosen this to read until...well, who knows when. I would have missed out!

[Sophia]

Yay! Glad it was the push you needed and it turned out to be the right balance of scholarly with every day language.

I try to read a few non-fic each year to keep my brain muscle stretched, but yes, uphill battle to reach for one. :)

[Patricia]

I have,to put it back on tbr pile. I don't have,the time atm to do a lot of reading.

[Sophia]

No worries, Patricia!

Real life can take some quick turns. It will be there when you're ready.