My gift to Jane Austen…
Here in Australia it is already Jane Austen’s birthday… it is meet that she is celebrated through all the time zones of the world and that we give her the respect and affection she so rightly deserves. To Jane…
My dearest Jane,
I hope this letter finds you happy and well on your birthday and that Aunt Austen is recouped. I had occasion to speak with Mrs.Lefroy in the Tearooms in Bath and she informed me that Aunt is once again sitting downstairs and receiving and I confess to being vastly relieved.
I am sending you a gift which I hope you have opened from its wrapping by now. I did give instruction that it was intended you open the package first and the letter second, thus you must forgive me issuing orders on your special day.
As you can see I am giving you a journal and delicious paper for your writing. You are now a success, Cousin, and your writing deserves to be written on the best paper available.
I found this on my recent visit to Florence. It was in the most elegant shop, a place called, logically I thought, Il Papiro. The journal is beautifully marbled is it not? I chose the colours with you in mind, colours of the sky in East Hampshire on a fine summer’s day. So fascinating watching the marbling take place, my dear. It is like alchemy and the binders are magicians manipulating paper and leather. It is my belief that this journal will provide the pages for your greatest novel yet.
I cannot wait to see yourself and Cassandra to tell of a charming young woman I met in Florence. I quite literally bumped into her in the Boboli Gardens and nearly tipped her into a pond. You would have laughed as all the handsome young men dashed up to save her from a dunking. Her name was Emma, a pretty young thing on the arm of her father, and she seemed set on matchmaking everyone she met. There is so much more to tell and I know you both shall enjoy it. Indeed I have this strange feeling that as you read this, an idea may already have seeded itself in your clever mind.
The paper sheets are for you to write to people like me, your loving cousin, or to your publisher. Run your hand over the surface. Do you not agree it feels like the kind of silk we would use for our ballgowns?
I hope our chaise can deliver us safely to Chawton for dinner this evening and look forward to giving you birthday greetings in person.
I remain your loving cousin,
Prudence
Will offer a free Kindle copy of Anna Elliott’s Georgiana Darcy’s Diary http://amzn.to/usYnbc as a gift for this amazing celebration. Leave your email address in the comment section.
Sharon Lathan
Blog: Sharon Lathan
Giveaway : Miss Darcy Falls in Love
Emily Snyder
Blog: O! Beauty Unattempted
Giveaway: Letters of Love & Deception
Laurel Ann Nattress
Blog: Austenprose
Giveaway: signed copy of Jane Austen Made Me Do It
C. Allyn Pierson
Blog: SemiTrue Stories
Giveaway: Mr Darcy Little Sister (open worldwide)
Cindy Jones
Blog: First Draft
Giveaway: a signed copy of “My Jane Austen Summer” and a package of Lily Berry’s Pink Rose Tea by Bingley’s, Ltd.
Farida Mestek
Blog: Regency stories set against the backdrop of Regency England
Giveaway: I was Jane Austen Best Friend by Cora Harrison
Marilyn Brant
Blog: Brant Flakes
Giveaway : A canvas ACCORDING TO JANE tote bag and a pair of A SUMMER IN EUROPE luggage tags.
Prue Batten
Blog: Mesmered’s Blog
Giveaway : Anna Elliot’s “Georgiana Darcy” (Kindle book)
Erin Blakemore
Blog: The Heroine’s Bookshelf
Giveaway : a set of Potter-Style Pride and Prejudice notecards
Blog: vvb32 reads
Giveaway: Jane Austen’s Little Instruction Book (Charming Petites) By
Jane Austen Edited by Sophia Bedford-Pierce, Illustrated by Mullen &
Katz, Introduction by Barbara Paulding
Karen Doornebos
Blog: The Fiction vs. Reality Smackdown
Giveaway: 2 Jane Austen Candles and 2 signed DNMD books plus drink coasters and tea!
Regina Jeffers ReginaJeffers’s Blog
Giveaway: An autographed copy of “Christmas at Pemberley “
Alyssa Goodnight
Blog: Alyssa Goodnight
Giveaway: Jane Austen Action figure
Deb
Blog: Jane Austen in Vermont
Giveaway: JASNA 2012 calendars from the Wisconsin JASNA Region
Laura Hile, Susan Kaye, Pamela Aidan, and Barbara Cornthwaite
Blog: Jane Started It!
Giveaway:
- One copy of Young Master Darcy: A Lesson in Honour by Pamela Aidan
- One set of Frederick Wentworth, Captain (Books 1 and 2) by Susan Kaye
- Two copies of Mercy’s Embrace: So Rough a Course (Book 1) by Laura Hile
- George Kinghtley, Gentleman (Books 1 and 2) by Barbara Cornthwaite.
- Giveaway: a copy of “Persuade Me” and one of “The Importance of Being Emma”
Juliet ArcherBlog:
Jane Greensmith
Blog: Reading, Writing, Working , Playing
Giveaway: a copy of “Intimations of Austen”, and Sense & Sensibility (Marvel Illustrated)
Jenny Allworthy
Blog : The Jane Austen Film Club
Giveaway: a copy of Northanger Abbey DVD starring Felicity Jones and JJ Feild (The winner will choose region 1 or 2 DVD)
Sitio Jane Austen
Blog: El Salón de Té de Jane
Giveaway: – Spanish edition of Sense and Sensibility for the 200th Anniversary + A DVD package with adaptations of Jane Austen
(It’s only zone 2, but it’s in Spanish and English ) + blu-ray of the BBC’s Emma with Romola Garai
Kaitlin Saunders
Blog : Kaitlin Saunders
Giveaway: “A Modern Day Persuasion”
Becky Rhodehouse
Blog: One Literature Nut
Giveaway: selection of Austenesque Reads
Patrice Sarath
Blog: Patrice Sarath
Giveaway: A copy of The Unexpected Miss Bennet
Adriana Zardini
Site: Jane Austen Brasil
Giveaway: DVD – Sense and Sensibility (1995) – English / Portuguese subtitles
Jane Odiwe
Blog: Jane Austen Sequels
Giveaway: a mug with one of Jane Odiwe’s illustrations and a copy of her “Mr Darcy’s Secret”
Courtney Webb
Giveaway: Noble Satyr by Lucinda Brant (Regency Romance)
Jennifer Becton
Blog: Jennifer W. Becton
Giveaway: An ebook of the Personages of Pride and Prejudice Collection, which contains all of my Austenesque works: Charlotte Collins, “Maria Lucas,” and Caroline Bingley. The giveaway will be open internationally.
Vera Nazarian
Blog: Urban Girl Takes Vermont
Giveaway: a copy of Vera Nazarian’s gift hardcover edition of her inspirational calendar and diary, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration
Abigail Reynolds
Blog: Pemberley Variations
Giveaway: a signed copy of “Mr. Darcy’s Undoing”
Blog: AustenAuthors
Giveaway: Georgette Heyer’s Regency World by Jennifer Kloester
Katherine Cox
Giveaway :$10 B&N Gift-card (US only)
Maria Grazia
Giveaway : A selection of Austenesque reads
What a celebration! Such a beautiful gift – I used to keep diaries – so an empty notebook always felt loaded with promises of things to come 🙂 can you tell I’m a romantic at heart ?
Oops – fannythornton – at – gmx – dot – com
One of my favourite things too, Fanny. Thanks for coming to the soiree. Do say hi to everyone else!
What a wonderful gift!
Happy Birthday Jane!
cherringtonmb(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
Hallo Becky… thank you for visiting. Your name will be placed in the random selector!
What a lovely gift and letter! Ha! Going to Italy and meeting a girl named Emma who was matchmaking and does this give her an idea for a story. Does it ever! Good job to point her in the right direction.
Thank you for the giveaway opportunity.
sophiarose1816@gmail.com
pleasure Sophia and thank you so much for coming to the soiree. I hope you’re successful with the giveaway!
Wonderful letter! Perfect gift from Italy! I loved the clarity and the charm of your gift in writing to Miss Austen.
Thank you for this very special giveaway.
Deborah/TheBookishDame
thebookishdame(at)aol(dot)com
Dear Miss Austen,
Happy Birthday! Today your dedicated followers and authors, inspired by your works, have prepared so many gorgeous presents for you! It shows just how much you are loved and respected even in present days, so different from your time. And the most delightful thing is that although it’s your birthday, your followers and authors have prepared such wonderful gifts for us, your fans, as well:) Thank you, Miss Austen for writing your great books each of which has been inspiring the creation of new worlds! Thank you, Prue Batten for your kind giveaway!
oloore@gmail.com
The perfect gift for an author of refined discernment, — just like yourself, Miss Prudence.
I know a small emporium in the distant city of New York that sells just such delightful items, where I have spent many a happy hour. All that beautiful paper, just waiting to be filled.
.
I would love to win a copy of “Georgiana Darcy’s Diary”
I think I would want to give her writing paper and a nice walk in a garden. I think she would get a lot of use out of the paper, and we would get another novel, and she is said to love nature and walks.
drcopeland@hotmail.com
Happy Jane’s Birthday! I love her writing and I love my Kindle! Would adore to be chosen for this drawing!
Happy Birthday Jane!!!
nikostar@gmail.com
Pride and Prejudice was one of the first adult books I ever read (at the age of nine.) I loved it then, and have gone on loving it. In my teens I preferred Persuasion, and now really like Mansfield Park. I expect this says something about my development.
My own Belfast Girls, and Danger Danger, have, I like to think, a touch of Austen about the characters. John Branagh has been described as ‘a modern Mr Darcy with an Irish accent.’
My email is gerry@preciousoil.com
oooh i just LOVE Jane Austen, and todey are my name-day!! <33
Super gift choice! Jane will love it!
Happy Birthday Miss Austen. Thank you for so many hours of enjoyment through your books (and some of those movie adaptations as well!).
danae.kannely@gmail.com
Your gift sounds absolutely lovely! Actually, I should refer my “Santas” to your letter as hints for me, hehe! 🙂
quarterback.girl[at]gmail[dot]com
Happy Birthday, Jane Austen!!
Lia Freitas
labcosta @ hotmail.com
Happy Birthday Jane!!!!!
Debra
ddcknitt@yahoo.cojm
What a great way to celebrate Jane’s birthday, by writing letters. I’ve been a devoted fan ever since I saw Emma Thompson’s Sense and Sensibility. I’ve read all the books a couple of times since then. Thanks.
What a wonderful, lovely letter!
Happy birthday, Jane Austen :).
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
Happy birthday Jane Austen. Thanks for the great post and giveaway!
What a lovely letter and gift for our dear Jane! Thanks for the giveaway!!
kellik115@yahoo.com
It is such a delight to visit the blogs of so many other Austen admirers. Thank you for participating in this soiree.
What a lovely gift and letter you gave to dear Jane!
I would love to win Georgiana Darcy’s Diary!
orishallrunmad@yahoo.com
I didn’t know you had such an illustrious cousin, Prudence! And guess what?
I love her, she’s brilliant, a genius of irony.
I have no kindle reader so … no Georgiana Darcy’s diary for me 🙁
However, I must thank you heartily. I’m very happy you’ve joined our party and contributed to its success 🙂
What a great letter, I particularly love the bit about Emma. I always have some kind of notebook or journal for scribbles and drabbles, since I was 10 years old. Thanks for the giveaway of Georgiana’s Diary. I’ve read an excerpt but would love to read the whole thing.
monicaperry00 @ gmail.com
What a lovely letter and a lovely giveaway to go with it! Happy Happy Birthday Dear Jane!
Courtney
stilettostorytime at gmail dot com
Deeply grateful for the gifts you leave for all of us, I wish you the happiest of birthdays in a heaven surrounded by friends. Happy Birthday Miss Austen and congratulations to all who celebrate it like a dear friend’s birthday.
My e-mail address is tiernarebeldia@gmail.com
What a lovely and thoughtful gift to Jane:) I’d love to read Georgiana’s diary:)
sarah.setar@gmail.com
Wonderful choice thank you for the giveaway!
Margaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com
Still catching up on the Soiree, there are so many great posts. Thank you for participating, Mesmered! No need to enter me in the giveaway. 🙂
Katherine, it was a great pleasure to be a part of it… I look forward to finding out who won my giveaway when I activate the Random Selector this evening my time!