Austen Locations
It was when I was visiting the Jane Austen House Museum in Chawton in Hampshire for the second time that I realised what a wonderful setting it would make for a novel. The village is postcard-pretty with its thatched cottages and grand manor house and I knew I wanted to write about it. I started to think about other Austen locations such as Lyme Regis and Bath and I quickly came up with the idea of a trilogy: three separate books about Jane Austen addicts – each one set in a different Jane Austen location.
The first book, A Weekend with Mr Darcy, is now published in the UK and US and is about two couples who meet and fall in love at a Jane Austen conference in Hampshire. I adored writing the scenes set at Chawton, and another set in the tiny hamlet of Steventon where one of my heroines visits the church where Jane Austen would have worshipped.
I also set a scene in Winchester Cathedral. One of my heroines visits Jane Austen’s grave there on the 16th December – which is Austen’s birthday. My husband and I visited the cathedral on the 16th December so I could write the scene on the actual day and we went via the cottage at Chawton and were delighted to see the first snow of the year. It was a really magical moment.
The second book in the trilogy, The Perfect Hero (Dreaming of Mr Darcy in the US – out in January 2012) is set in the seaside resort of Lyme Regis and is about a young heroine who opens up a bed and breakfast and has the cast of a new film version of Persuasion landing on her doorstep. Of course, being a romantic comedy, my heroine falls in love with the actor playing Captain Wentworth but is he the perfect hero for her?
My husband and I have had many happy holidays in Dorset but we’d never stayed in Lyme Regis before so I booked an apartment which overlooked the famous Cobb and got writing.
It’s hard to walk around Lyme and not think about Jane Austen’s characters from Persuasion. One really does expect to see Louisa Musgrove launching herself from the Cobb!
Of course, there’s a second famous setting in Persuasion – the glorious Georgian city of Bath and I decided to set Mr Darcy Forever there. Bath also features in Northanger Abbey and it seemed like the perfect setting for the final novel in my trilogy.
Once again, I visited the location, deciding to stay during the famous Jane Austen Festival which takes place in September each year. I just knew it would make the perfect backdrop for my novel.
Bath is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and it’s even more beautiful when filled with Austen fans all dressed in Regency costume. I followed the famous costumed promenade, had lunch in the Pump Room, and attended a dance display – always with a notebook in my hand.
I had so much fun researching these three books and, now that I’ve finished the trilogy, I feel somewhat bereft. I’ve visited some of England’s loveliest locations and have met so many wonderful people and I have one person to thank for it all – Jane Austen.
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I can’t wait for the final book to come out!
Oh, how fun! The pictures look great–and I can’t wait to read the final book!
I love these pictures and your wonderful books! I couldn’t even wait for these books to come out in the US, so I had to order them from the UK. The US covers are so great, I think I’ll be ordering those too for my shelf!=)
I am so excited for the final book to come out!!
What a great time you had “researching” and soaking up the essence of Jane! Thanks for sharing your journey. This proves there are many ways to look at the same thing! Jennifer G.
I loved A Weekend with Mr. Darcy. I can’t wait for the second book to cone out in the US.
Jennifer W. (google)
i am sooo luving your writing Victoria! you have an enjoyable voice and fun style that has me reading nonstop! had just finished ‘a perfect hero’ then rcvd ‘a weekend with mr darcy’ from a uk blogger who gifted it to me as a ‘random act of kindness’ off my wishlist!! how cool is that? my own copy!
this post is wonderful with the firsthand photos. luv hearing your writing rhythms and locations – so influential and adding so much accuracy and atmosphere… luv it!
now – what is the title i’m waiting for?… time to add it to the wishlist “))
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*** for US readers, amazon.ca and bookdepository have ‘the perfect hero’ if you’re interested in ordering…
Thanks for sharing your pictures! I hope to get there some day. I have read the first book and I loved it! I’m (impatiently) waiting for the second to be published in the US.
Beautiful pictures…thanks for sharing them. It was interesting to read how these beautiful places inspired your writing, although I can imagine that they would be inspiring! Thank you again.
Can’t wait for your 2nd and 3rd books to come out in the US!! I hope you continue to have much success!! 🙂
I totally, totally need to read your next book 😀 Oh and the first one 😀
Love the images! Can’t wait to read your series.
Something to look forward to! Yeah! love the photos!
OOO, what lovely pictures!
You’ve definitely intrigued me.
What a wonderful adventure for you in writing these books! Beautiful pictures!! I loved bk 1 and cannot wait to dive into 2&3!!
I love the pictures accompanying the stories behind the settings for your novels :o) So much fun. And can’t wait to get my hands on them and read ’em!!! :oD
Thank you so much for your kind words, everyone! I’m thrilled you like the photos and hope you enjoy the books too! x
As always, I enjoy reading about your tours done in the name of research. I really envy you because I’ve not been to a JA pilgrimage but I plan to. Anyway, thanks for sharing your photos with us.
Victoria, the photo of the Costume Promenade in Bath is just wonderful! I can imagine what an amazing experience that must have been for you. You have me itching to go with camera in hand…but I’d take so many photos they’d probably ask me to leave. I’m so happy for you – congratulations on having your books published in the US!
Best,Susan
PS: You are very much missed at Austen Authors!
I loved reading this post! Oh, and on a side note, the model on the cover of Dreaming of Mr. Darcy looks like Emma Watson to me!