Austenesque Reviews is excited to welcome Mary Jane Hathaway, who has graciously answered some questions of mine about writing, Jane Austen, and her lovely Austen-Inspired series, Jane Austen Takes the South. The first two books of this series – Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits and Emma, Mr. Knightley and Chili-Slaw Dogs are currently available, the third book – Persuasion, Captain Wentworth, and Cracklin’ Cornbread will be released this November! Thank you so very much, Mary Jane, for your time and participation in this interview!
You did such a fabulous job answering questions in the back of your book Mary Jane, that I was worried I wouldn’t be able to come up with any of my own! 🙂 But don’t worry, I did (and I tried my best not to repeat!) Let’s start by talking about the south. I love how you found such similarities between Regency England and Southern America – the upheld traditions, importance of society and family. What do you think Jane Austen would have thought about the south? What do you love most about the south?
I think Jane Austen would have loved the South. Regency culture has such emphasis on family ties, societal obligations and gender roles that she probably would have taken to it right away. Let’s see… it’s hard to choose one thing I love about the South, but the way families encourage kids to show respect and carry pride in their ancestry is pretty high on my list. It touches my history-lovin’ heart!
I understand you have visited New Orleans and loved it there, correct? Have you been to any other southern cities? Would you ever want to move to the south? If so, where?
I took a tour of the US the summer after I turned 17 and I visited a lot of Southern cities. Raleigh, Galveston, New Orleans, Birmingham, Atlanta, Memphis, Charlotte, etc. I fell in love with so many regional cuisines that I must have gained 15 pounds!
If I ever got so lucky to move to the South, I think I would choose either Oxford, Mississippi or Charlotte, North Carolina. I met the most gentle, hospital and entertaining people there. Plus, the food was fantastic! (If you can’t tell, I do love food.)
North Carolina is a great state to live in, I definitely recommend it! 😉 I came to NC from the north for college years ago and haven’t gone back! Speaking of..,I loved how the story took place in a university and how both main characters are history professors. What prompted you to choose the world of academia as your setting? Is history, especially Civil War history a passion of yours? Would you ever want to work at university? If so, what would you like to do?
I wanted the Civil War history to take center stage in the story and I couldn’t find another setting where two experts would be forced to share the same space, except for in an academic setting. Small colleges like Midlands bring in people who are stars in their field, just for a semester or two, and I thought it was the best way to plant Ransom in Shelby’s way.
History is absolutely a passion of mine. I have a religious studies degree that was based in the medieval period but I love modern history as well. I fell in love with Civil War history when I watched Ken Burns’ PBS special The Civil War when I was in high school. I had read the facts and knew the dry bones of it, but that PBS special brought it all to life.
I worked in university libraries all the way through college, and then on and off over the past twenty years. I’ve seen more than anybody wants to know about academic infighting and office politics! I love universities, but I have a lot of sympathy for professors who go through the tenure process (which can be very different, depending on the university). I think working in libraries was the perfect job because I was in the university setting, but outside the drama and politics (usually).
That sounds logical, plus libraries are such awesome places anyway – perfect for writer, readers, and history lovers!! Can you tell us a little about what is next for you? Will there be any more Jane Austen novels to follow? (sorry, had to ask!)
Yes, ask away! Right now I’m working on several projects, including another historical (written under the pen name Virginia Carmichael), but there are other Jane Austen Takes the South books on the way. We still have to find our Southern Mr. Tilney and Southern Colonel Brandon!
Woot woot! Would love that! How about we switch it up with some Quickfire Questions:
- What is one of your favorite scenes from Pride and Prejudice?
Book or movie? From the movie, I love the scene in the 1995 BBC where Darcy brings his cousin Col. Fitzwilliam to meet Elizabeth. He mention how Darcy is usually so talkative, but not when visiting his aunt. Then Darcy walks over and has a very awkward exchange of pleasantries with Elizabeth.
Lizzie: Mr. Darcy and I, you see, are not the best of friends.
Colonel Fitzwilliam: I am very surprised to hear that.
Lizzie: Why should you be? I always believe in first impressions, and his good opinion, once lost, is lost forever. So you see it is a hopeless case—is it not, Colonel Fitzwilliam?
I think this scene is perfect on many levels. It tells us that Col. Fitzwilliam has been led to believe that Darcy and Elizabeth are good friends. How? Darcy’s been talking about her and in a very positive way. Also, it tells us that Elizabeth isn’t above slipping in a little inside joke to Darcy, since she uses his words when she responds to his cousin. In the movie, the way he turns around and gives her an expression of such frustration, irritation, and disbelief- it makes me laugh every time!
- What is one of your favorite scenes from one of your own novels?
Let’s see. I love the scene in PPCG where Ransom and Shelby are walking up to the mansion in the twilight, and he quotes Dante. They banter a bit, and then he awkwardly describes her as the beautiful Beatrice who was Dante’s true love. It’s one of the first times that Ransom really puts himself out there, letting her know that he’s interested in her. It’s such a Darcy move. A little too much, and at not quite the right moment. I can imagine how he felt as a widower making the first romantic move in a long time, and feeling completely out of his depth. Of course, she panics and brushes him off, because he’s absolutely off-limits.
- What is your favorite southern dish?
That’s like asking me to pick my favorite child! Probably a draw between great fried chicken and hush puppies. Definitely not health food, so I don’t make them very often. But oh, are they TASTY.
- What southern delicacy are you not a fond of?
I’m not a fan of seafood, so anything like crabs or crawfish are pretty low on my list.
- If you could have dinner with any Jane Austen character who would you choose?
Probably Mr. Bennet, although he would most likely make fun of me to my face and I wouldn’t know it. He’s so witty and clever, and has no sense of propriety, I just can’t enough of him. I wouldn’t want to live with him in real life, but a dinner would be a hoot.
- If you could have dinner with any Civil War historical figure who would you choose?
Probably the Confederate spy Mary Bowser. You can read more about her here. She was most likely the best spy of the war, yet we don’t know much more than the bare bones of her story. She used her ability to pass as an illiterate African American slave (even though she was highly educated and from the best society of Philadelphia) to overhear very sensitive information. She was “invisible” and she used that to the Union’s advantage.
- What do you love most about Jane Austen?
I think I love her ability to weave an engaging story filled with characters that never bore us, while keeping her humor and romantic plot at the highest level. Every person in Austen has a purpose. Every line of dialogue reveals something about the scene or the motivation of the speaker or hearer. Every silly line and tongue-in-cheek riff on society tells us more about our hero or heroine. I just finished my eleventh book and when I look at how many unnecessary words I have in the rough draft, I realize what a genius she is. From our modern standpoint, she might seem wordy, but every word counts. Nothing is wasted, nothing is dropped in haphazardly.
Thank you so much for participating in this interview, Mary Jane! It has been a real treat to have you answer my questions!! Best of luck with all your exciting releases this year!
Thanks for having me on the blog! These were wonderful interview questions and now I can’t decide whether to go watch The Civil War documentary or read Pride and Prejudice. Decisions, decisions!
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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Mary Jane has kindly offered some lovely treats for me to give away in conjunction with her visit!! The three prizes include 2 autographed paperback sets of Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits and Emma, Mr. Knightley and Chili-Slaw Dogs and a lovely tote that says “I love Mr. Darcy.”
To enter this giveaway, leave a question, a comment, or some love for Mary Jane below!
- This giveaway is open worldwide!! Thank you, Mary Jane!
- This giveaway ends July 31st!
For another entry, leave a comment on my review of Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits! (post going up on Friday)
I have this book thanks to the author, read it and gave it 5 stars….so you know I love it. The author is as gracious as a Southern Belle in correspondence and all this with homeschooling her own – WOW! What a woman. Loved that she included recipes in her book.
Great questions, Meredith, and wonderful answers Mary Jane. The covers are beautiful but I do miss the pearls on your old covers. Thank you for the great stories and the recipes in the back. I am anxiously awaiting your Persuasion.
Just a note: I kinda sorta fell a little in love with Ransom and I loved Shelby’s strength and love of her family. Sigh!
The first book that is…cheese grits.
Hi Sheila! You are so lovely! I can’t imagine a higher compliment than “as gracious as a Southern Belle”. I’m so glad you liked the book. 🙂
Hi jdawn! I miss my old covers, too. But I do NOT miss my very first covers. I made the first one myself and it was a stack of old books, with the title in tiny print in the middle. Although I do love old books, it looked like a history book! bad, bad, bad. The pearls were such an improvement.
Ransom blushed at your comment and Shelby send her love right back. Family, honor, faith. Aren’t those the very best things in life?
I meant to tell Meredith that I have SIGNED copies of Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits and Emma, Mr. Knightley and Chili-Slaw Dogs. Those are up for grabs. Also, a lovely tote that says “I love Mr. Darcy”. I spend my off hours trolling etsy in search of Austen items. I can’t keep them all, so the next best thing is to buy them for giveaways. I can almost see my desk again!
If selected I would so want Mr. Knightley. Oh! I mean the Mr. Knightley book, of course.
Me, too! Oh, right. The book. Heehee!
Such an interesting interview! Thank you both 🙂
You’re so very welcome! Good luck on the giveaway!
I haven’t read these books yet, but they are on my wishlist, especially PP&CG. Pride and Prejudice variations are still my favorite! I like to read moderns, because it’s always interesting to see how the key points are translated to our time. And I really love those new covers. If only I could try those dresses on…
Aren’t the dresses lovely? The first batch of covers for PPCG had these two dresses in it. (The others were women holding books, a girl with pearls, etc.) Even though I liked them all, that first dress was just so striking and romantic. Since our heroine is always being dressed up against her will, I thought it was sort of perfect. And then we used the blue dress for #2. And then they found a gorgeous dress for #3.
I re-read both this summer and enjoyed them but for some reason, I wonder if my Kindle book dropped the ending of Chili Slaw dogs because I thought there was some sort of justice for the folks who were stealing all the heirlooms and there wasn’t any mention of it. I wonder if I need to update my Kindle because I thought I remembered something happening to those characters…These books always make me hungry for whatever the characters are eating!
Betsy, I think you must have an older edition. When I sold this series to Howard Books, I thought it was a great time to make changes to the ending. SO MANY people said they were waiting for a little vengeance/ justice. In the original Emma, Frank gets off pretty lightly and although I was following that model, it really isn’t a very satisfying ending for us now. I’d be happy to send you a new Kindle copy so you can see the changes! Contact me over at Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits facebook page and I’ll send it on. 🙂
What a fun interview! I have got to get my hands on these books; I love all things Austen and Civil War history, too. I’m glad to know more are in the works because all of them are going into my library! And thanks for the giveaway to get me started. 😉
Hi Lynda! I was excited when they came out in paper because I’m a paper person myself. I really don’t like reading on a screen. And plus, they look so pretty on a shelf together. 🙂 Good luck on the giveaway! (Persuasion, Captain Wentworth and Cracklin’ Cornbread author copies should be arriving before October so we’ll have to do another Austenesque giveaway, if Meredith is willing!)
If you have not had the chance to sit down with a cup of sweet tea and enjoy some FABULOUS stories that hook you from the first page – you are missing out!!! It is worth every spare moment and will leave a smile on your face. I promise!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Virginia’s stories. She is also the sweetest lady blessing her fans with fun prizes.
Hi Aleena! And I have been blessed with the most fabulous readers. But I wouldn’t expect anything less from the community of Janeites! As for prizes, I really feel I get the best of both worlds. I get to wander around etsy and Amazon looking for the funnest Austen doodads, but then I don’t have to make room for them in my little house!
Yet more Austen related goodies for my Wish Lists! These particular takes on P&P sound most intriguing. Thanks to both of you for such an interesting interview. I love reading about authors’ backgrounds and inspirations.
I see in the comments that there are giveaways. As both of you are in the US, and I’m on the other side of that pond known as the Atlantic, is it too much to hope that it’s an international one? Doesn’t matter if it isn’t but please enter me if it is.
Speaking as a Brit, what exactly ARE cheese grits?
Hi Anji! I have all my giveaways be international since I’ve spent time overseas myself. There’s nothing more wonderful than an international package arriving on your doorstep.
As for cheese grits, you can read about them here. http://www.southernliving.com/food/how-to/cheese-grits Most Southerners eat grits, but a smaller section of them eat cheese grits. And the recipes are hotly debated!
Of course, it occurs to me that we should explain grits, before we go right into a recipe. 😀 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grits Grits actually comes from an Old English word, so I think as a Brit you should start eating grits IMMEDIATELY.
And now I’m thinking of book titles with English food.
Pride, Prejudice and Cornish Pasties. Emma, Mr. Knightley and Kippers. Persuasion, Captain Wentowrth and Beef Wellington.
Fantastic idea! Though for P&P, if you want to have a Derbyshire connection, it would have to be Pride, Prejudice and Sage Derby Cheese.
For Persuasion and a connection to Lyme Regis, we could have Persuasion, Captain Wentworth and Dorset Knobs! They’re a kind of hard, dry savoury biscuit. Doesn’t sound great but I’ve had them in Dorset and they’re OK.
Now I’m going to have to come up with something for all of them! Let me get my thinking cap on and get back to you.
HAHAHA! I was looking at British food when I was writing my list, and I realized… a lot of them have place names. Sage Derby Cheese! I love it! And those Dorset Knobs had me cracking up! Knobs makes me think of doorknobs.
I collect cookbooks, vintage and regional are my faborite varieties. I have some Austen cookbooks and a lot of Southern cookbooks, but now I think I need a British one for the collection. 😀
Cheese grits taste a lot better to me than plain grits.
I read Cheese Grits and absolutely LOVED it! What a fun author. I can’t read the rest of the series.
campbellamyd at gmail dot com
Hi Amy! I hope you mean you can’t WAIT to read the rest of the series! And you’re entered!
I enjoyed the interview and chuckled at the scene in P & P the way you described Colin Firth’s Darcy’s reaction to Elizabeth. Never looked at it in that way before. I have your books on my TBR and am looking forward to reading them.
Debbie, like me you will love these because, though they are filled with passion, they are morally CLEAN. You close the book at the end and sigh with a totally spotless conscience. That is a true gift to this reader.
jdawn, that’s what I was hoping for! I wrote these after I read Bridget Jones’ Diary and although it was heeelarious, I couldn’t really recommend it to anyone I knew, and I felt like I had to skip so many scenes. As a Christian, I want to know that I’ve honored God’s commandments in every way, even my entertainment.
Thank you.
Great interview, I agreed with Mary Jane in her last answer. She said that she would choose to have dinner with Mr Bennet, but Can I ask who is her favorite character (or characters) of Jane Austen’novels??
I read “Pride,Prejudice and Cheese Grits” and I really enjoyed it, it was amazing so congratulations.
I am italian and I read the giveaway is open worldwide so can I partecipate??
Thank you for sharing with us this interview, I love listening to the opinions of others about Jane Austen and her works.
Absolutely! Do you know Maria Grazia from My Jane Austen Book Club? She’s Italian and (I think) teaches English in Italy. I love her site and she had me on there for an interview wayyyyyy back when these were first self published. She has a wonderful facebook page, too, with all sorts of links to happenings in the Austen community around the world (which always makes me so jealous)!
Let’s see… favorite character. That is hard! I have a soft spot for the tortured hero, so it would be a cross between Captain Wentworth and Colonel Brandon. Probably leaning toward Colonel Brandon, because he’s a much better person than I could ever be. He falls in love with a silly (but beautiful) Marianne, and she thinks he’s as dull as dirt because he’s older, more mature, widowed, and doesn’t rocket around the countryside like Willoughby. Brandon knows that Willoughby is bad news but is trying his best to keep Marianne safe, but he just doesn’t have all the information yet. And when she gets her heart broken, he doesn’t just leave her out in the storm (figuratively and literally), but rescues her again. She’s enamored with music and poetry so he surrounds her with it, using it like medicine, until she’s well enough to find joy again. He must have been so frustrated and irritated and jealous and bitter… but he acts like a hero, and a real man. *swoon*
Thank you fot your answer!! Yes, I know Maria Grazia ‘site, she is always so informed about Jane Austen’ events, books…. I love her site!!!
I’m not a huge fan of modern adaptations, but you’ve piqued my interest. LOL I’m a big fan of Mr. Knightley so I’m def looking it up! =D
Hi Stephanie! I have to agree with you. Nothing can ever come close to the real thing, but as a writer who is a true fangirl, I couldn’t resist just one series wrapped around Miss Jane. I just wanted to be able to read Austen books and watch Austen movies and eat Austen food and call it research!
Oh stars. The more and more I hear about these, the more I wants them, precious 😉
The premise … the covers! … Jane Austen and the Deep South just makes spectacular sense! Must get my hands on these 🙂
Hi RivkaBelle! Have you read my piece in Huffpost about The American South and Jane Austen? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-jane-hathaway/the-american-south-the-pe_b_5484618.html I really think that Regency manners have a lot of similarity with Southern habits and traditions… in a good way. Good luck on the giveaway!
Such a fun interview and looking forward to the Persuasion Corn bread book this fall! I have one question for Mary Jane-when you’re developing a Jane Austen themed story like this, how do you decide which characters(other than the leads) to keep,discard or combine into one person? Just with the Bennet sisters alone, that can be tricky!
Hi Lady T! That’s a great question. In the original version of PPCG, there were two characters for Mr. Wickham and Mr. Collins. But the book was so big, and I was trying to shop it to publishers who wanted a smaller (under 300 pages) book, that I decided to combine those two. It’s sort of awkward, because Mr. Collins is a horribly humorous character, and not really bad, in the scheme of things. Mr. Wickham is an absolute cad and deserves the very worst punishment. If I had to do it all again, I would probably keep them separate, but it’s done now… 😀
As for the sisters, in the original P&P, Elizabeth four sisters. In a modern world, that would be a lot of girls, but not too bizarre, since I have six kids myself. But as a writer, I thought that two more characters in Shelby’s family would really tilt the story away from the romance, so I kept only the ones absolutely necessary. Her parents, of course. Kitty is an important character because of the way she plays off Elizabeth and her father, so I kept her. Jane had her own romance going on, and I wasn’t sure how that would compliment Shelby’s story, so I reluctantly let her go. (Although I LOVE Mr. Bingley. He’s just darling. So cheerful!) Mary is a great comic point, but sort of a non-character except for her funny lines, so she could go. Lydia is a really important character, since she’s almost the downfall of the whole family, so I needed her. In a perfect world, I could write just like Jane and keep every character and still wrap up a perfect story under 300 pages, but alas, I can’t seem to introduce and draw a character in less than 20 pages. 🙁
Hope that answered your questions and good luck on the giveaway!
Thank you so much in both regards!:)
Hi, Mary Jane! I live near Oxford, MS, and it’s a great place to live! The area has its own idiosyncrasies, but it’s nice. 🙂 Would love to be entered in the drawing for the books!
Natalie, I had no idea you lived over there! I visited during college, when I went to MS with my roomate. She was from… uh oh… Wait… I can think of it. Come on, old brain! GREENWOOD! (Ha, I still have a little bit of memory.) I remember it as a really lovely place. We also had to go to Tupelo because Elvis was born there. 😀 Tupelo is the site of the third book in the series, and the first real town in the first three books. Brice’s Crossroads is the battlegrounds that the heroine is the caretaker for.
Great interview! I’d love to know more about Mary Bowser, too.
Hi NovElla! There’s a little highlighted link in the interview that gives a nice overview. I think these women were so very brave. They had a lot going against them (gender roles, being at risk of attack, and like Mary being sold as a slave while they were actually free) but they used it to their advantage. I’m so inspired by their stories. It reminds me to stop my whining and try to use what’s running contrary to me as a catalyst in the journey.
OK, done a little research:
Sense, Sensibility and Devon Cream Teas OR Sense, Sensibility and Scrumpy Cider.
Emma, Mr Knightley and the Maids of Honour – a type of pastry tart.
Mansfield Park, Edmund Bertram and the Ock ‘n’ dough – hock of ham placed in a pudding basin and surrounded by onion and potato, topped up with stock and then covered with pastry. Jelly from the hock helps the stock set, so the dish can be cooled and then sliced.
Northanger Abbey, Henry Tilney and Sally Lunns – a light, airy, brioche-style bun.
Thanks for the link to the info about grits. I understand now! Cheese grits sound rather good, though maybe not for the waistline!
Sorry, the above didn’t post in the right place, but hopefully you’ll realise what it relates to!
Crying/laughing over Scrumpy Cider! That sounds like the name of an old country person. And the Ock’n dough sounds delicious. But it’s midnight and anything sounds good right now! I love all of these. Great job!
So apparently I have a new set of Austen based books to read! I have so many friends posting about them! Looking forward to a new experience in the fiction world.
Hi Bethany! I hope you enjoy them and good luck in the giveaway!
I love that scene in P&P, too! That version is by far my favorite film adaptation.
Hi Marissa! My kids love your book! (Had to slip that in there.) And I’m absolutely partial to the BBC 1995 version, but I try not to mention it too much because it’s seriously Civil War material in Austen fandom. I mean, I like the 2009… Sort of. I like Matthew’s Darcy. But Kiera is just so… modern. I can’t see her as Elizabeth. Maybe because I saw her in Pirates of the Caribbean first?
I loved “Emma, Mr. Knightley, and Chili-Slaw Dogs”, and we would welcome you to Charlotte with open arms. ;D
Hi Brooks! I just loooooove your name. I think we’ve had this conversation before. Maybe not. Was it really weird seeing your name as the hero’s name? I never have that problem, since “Virginia” is so out of fashion. And Mary.
Charlotte is such a wonderful city. I want to visit again, but not for a weekend. A place like Charlotte needs a week, and a guide. And someone to control the weather so I don’t die from the humidity. 😀
I read Pride and Prejudice and Cheese Grits in a day and a half. I couldn’t put it down! It was very engaging! I highly recommend it!
Hi Deloris! I think you said one of the sweetest things anyone’s ever said about that book. You went to find and read Pride and Prejudice! That makes my Jane-loving heart go pitter pat. And we need to get you a copy of Emma!
I definitely need to look into her books. The south is great. I was born in Texas but raised in Georgia. Recently moved to Savannah, GA and I love it! Especially since we’re near a book store now. Can’t wait to read her books. And by the way, saw the title of cheese grits. They taste really good.
Hi Amanda! I love Georgia! And is it just me, or do folks from Georgia have one of the sweetest accents? I love all the Southern accents but some are more Tennessee or panhandle Florida or Ozark… I hear someone from Georgia talking and I want to play dumb just so they’ll repeat everything twice!
I have no idea why I can’t see my response. I’m afraid it didn’t post. But just in case I’ll respond again. Honestly, I think the best accent to me is Scottish. That might be because I’m so use to the Southern accent. And I get picked on all the time about my accent. haha. Reason why I do, since I was born in Texas, we lived there for a little while as well before we moved to Georgia to be with my father’s family. Texas and Georgia have a different kind of southern accent. With Texas there’s more of a drawl I guess you can say. So everyone here thinks I sound more Texas and everyone I know in Texas thinks I sound more like Georgia. I use to work for a computer company answering telephones. A few would ask where we were located because they couldn’t place the accent with either Texas or Georgia. So I had to explain. lol. I always had people request to talk to me again because they thought I had the strongest southern accent out of everyone there and liked hearing me talk. I had one Scottish man propose marriage to me when I started talking. Haha. It can be funny on the things people do just to hear you talk.
I lived in Texas for 2 years while my husband was stationed at Ft. Hood. I worked in Temple and the one secretary told me I was the “nicest damn Yankee” she knew. LOL Found many transplanted Yankees living there. We made sure we toured most of Texas while there…never have made it back but loved the bluebells in Spring.
Lol Oh goodness. I have met several “Yankee’s” and so far all seem to be pretty nice. My mom said when she was little, they moved all over the place because my Grandpa was in the military. But their home was Texas. She said back then, everyone in Texas (even people you didn’t know), were always say hello or starting conversation if you were walking down the street. Since my mom was use to that, she decided to say hello to someone once they moved up North. She said the woman jumped and looked at her like she grew two heads. My Grandma told mom they didn’t do that up there so to just wait and talk once they went back home. lol. I know where Ft. Hood is actually. We lived more in the north of Texas around Sherman and Denison. But I have family who live near Beaumont now.
And by the way, I just want to add, PICK ME PICK ME! 😛 I’m going to need a good book to read after we get all of this unpacking done. Looking forward to a relax time. I already have my reading area set up and my husband is in the middle of building me a bookshelf. Which, let me tell how he is fixing my bookshelf. We have a five year old girl who is so good and does everything we tell her but we weren’t lucky enough to have a second good child. Haha. He is two years old and is FEARLESS. But he is so sweet. So, we are putting my bookshelf on the wall in the closet so that our child won’t try to climb up on them. I looked at my husband and said, “Shelves in the closet. Happy thought indeed.” He rolled his eyes and laughed. So glad he watched P&P with me to get that reference.
I am so excited for your next book to come out especially since I couldn’t put your other two down! I hope there are always more books to come!
Hi Angela! Love your middle name. Did you “borrow” it or were you born with it? I really wanted to name a baby Jane but my husband thought it was the weirdest name. And then about five years after our girls were born, it started to get popular. Ha! I knew it!
Persuasion is coming out in October but they usually send me a box of author copies a few months early. Perhaps Meredith will let me come back and hand out some of the third book!
I added it a few years ago because it’s my mother’s and I always liked it more than my own 🙂 persuasion was always one of my favourites so I am definitely looking forward to it
This is an entertaining interview, Meredith and Mary Jane. Mary Jane, as you know I have been following you on your blog and FB page for some time and Meredith has certainly uncovered new aspects of you that I do not know. I believe I didn’t congratulate you yet on the official re-release of the paperback versions of your two books. So a heartiest congratulations to you!
Hopefully I get to win the tote bag.
I change my mind. I hope I get the books or the bag. Thanks a lot for your generosity, Mary Jane.
Wonderful interview, ladies!
I have a question for Mary Jane. I love the titles of your books. What inspired them? And what are you planning after you publish Captain Wentworth?
Thanks for the generous giveaway as well. 🙂
Hi Jakkileatherberry! I wanted to let the reader know right away it was Jane Austen plus The American South. Of course, a Jane Austen title would be good and nothing says the South like Southern food!
Love Mary Jane Hathaway!!
Mary Jane Hathaway loves you right back, Deidre!
Lovely interview, ladies. I have read Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits and loved it. I can’t wait to read Emma, Knightley and Chili-Slaw dogs because I cannot seem to get enough of Mr. Knightley!! I love the bag too! Thanks for the giveaway.
I was always a Mr. Darcy fan and nobody could come close to him, but when I was reading (and re-reading and rewatching the BBC movies) ‘Emma”, I really fell in love with Mr. Knightley all over again. He’s a quiet hero, but so kind and very funny. I don’t think I realized how many wonderfully fun lines he had in the book until I reread it in 2013!
I have to admit I have not read any of the books – the nearest I have got to reading about the South is Gone With The Wind which I loved.
Hi Vesper! You’ve probably got more Southern street cred than I do, then! I’ve tried to watch GWTW three times, and tried to watch the movies MANY times. I just can’t do it. (And now everyone hates me, hahaha.)
Lovely interview, Meredith and Mary Jane!
I have Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits on my Kindle and read it – but it was after first being published, so I guess I need to buy a new copy and reread it and see the changes! 🙂
And I´d love to read something about Capt. Wentworth too (plus Mr. Tilney, of course, I´m a big Mr.Tilney fan!!)
Hi Katrin! PPCG didn’t have too many changes in the story line, but it did get a really thorough editing. 🙂 The story pretty much remains the same. I don’t think there are even any new scenes. there are three new scenes in Emma, so that book is a bit different from the first edition. And I have many friends who are Tilney fans!!
Thank you for the wonderful giveaway! Mary Jane’s reasonings for loving Jane Austen’s works are also mine. Each time I reread a book, I find something new to make a connection. Your scene that you selected from PPCG and your description of why it is your favorite does make that connection to Darcy. Thank you for the adaptation of our beloved novels to the South. Oh, I’m a Maryland girl, and I love to pick crabs!
Hi Eva! I love salmon and shrimp, when someone cooks it for me. I don’t like the way it makes my kitchen smell! Even better on the BBQ… I’ve gone to the oregon coast every since I was very small and we always caught and ate crabs, but I just couldn’t get into having to work so hard for my food, hahaha!
That would be my new library bag–I love it!
I have lived “too close to Atlanta” for the past 25 years but consider myself an adopted “southerner.” I also love a faith-based, wholesome romance….something I could read and then give to my 14 year old granddaughter to read also. It all sounds so inviting.
I agree! These are the type of books I would like to pass down to my children as well. I have been to Atlanta many times.