I, unfortunately, was only able to make it for the day and had to drive away in my carriage before the commencement of the ball. There is always next year.
There was a great deal of dancing and a number of workshops. I discussed Jane Austen’s novels in contemporary society referencing a couple of recent novels that based their characters and plot, to some degree, on Austen’s books. The relevance of The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides and Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D James was discussed. The audience was a varied age group, but to my delight did include two Year 11 students who were so much fun and added much to the discussion.
I hope to attend again next year. I might even make it to the ball. After all they will be celebrating the 200thanniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice.
Mr Darcy is coming to Brisbane on Sunday.
Do come along and say hello as we celebratewith storytelling and a demonstration of quite brilliant illustration prowess byPeter Carnavas.
The event will be held at one of myfavourite bookshops in Brisbane.
I will be getting up at the crack of dawnto make my flight on Sunday morning. I intend to sleep on the plane and arrive rejuvenatedfor this fun filled event.
Would love to see you there!
Avid Reader
Sunday 11th December
10am
All things JaneAusten are in vogue. Bonnets, lakes and country manors have never been sopopular.
New adaptationsof Austen’s novels are constantly gracing our screens. Who hasn’t watched ColinFirth in Pride and Prejudice? The lake?
Traditional adaptationshave been made and modern versions have tried to make the most of the Austenfollowing, hoping to encourage the young as well as the old to embrace allthings Austen.
Publishers havenow followed suit broadening the Austen appeal by putting a contemporary twiston well-known and well-loved characters.
HarperCollinshas just commissioned a ‘major’ new series based on Jane Austen’s novels.Joanna Trollope will rewrite Sense and Sensibility as a ‘tribute’ to Austen.The novel will be published in Autumn 2013. HarperCollins will commission authorsof ‘global literary significance’ to rewrite the other five Jane Austen novels.
On November 3 wecan also look forward to the release of Death Comes to Pemberley by PD James: acrime-novel set in the world of Jane Austen.
And… in the nexttwo weeks a children’s book will hit the bookshelves based on Jane Austen’scharacter, Mr Darcy, in Pride and Prejudice. Mr Darcy is a well-mannered andslightly pompous duck. It has been written under my pen name – Alex Field andthe superbly talented Peter Carnavas has created a magical Mr Darcy and Lizzy –and yes, she has a bonnet!
Mr Darcy will bewaddling out onto this blog in the next few weeks. In the meantime here is asneak peek at the front cover:
