Everyone welcome avid Austenesque reader, Ceri! I believe Ceri found her way to Austenesque Reviews through twitter several years back and I’m so glad she did! For two years now she has been a lovely and supportive participant of my blog! And now I’m happy to visit her on her very own blog! 🙂
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You: Tell us about yourself
I’m Ceri, from Wales in the UK. I am married and have 2 children. Ever since I learned to read I’ve been a real bookworm. I’ve always liked reading historical novels, and fell in love with Jane Austen’s work at the age of 14, while reading Pride & Prejudice. I’ve read lots of books since that day but nothing that I prefer to Pride & Prejudice.
Your Induction:
My husband suggested that I get a kindle for Christmas in 2011. I told him I wouldn’t use it (ha!), but I got one anyway. After I ordered it I went looking for books to put on it. Obviously the first things I needed to download were Jane Austen’s classic novels, and when I searched for Persuasion one of the books that came up was a kindle book with both Persuasion by Jane Austen and Captain Wentworth’s Diary by Amanda Grange. I read it, and I enjoyed it, so much so that I also downloaded Darcy’s Diary by the same author. By this point I fancied a change from alternate point of view books, but now I was aware that there was more out there! From reviews on Amazon I found Austenprose and that made me aware of even more JAFF to try, and also the world of fanfiction, which I had no idea existed. I started reading stories on A Happy Assembly too.
Then in May 2012 I injured my foot and spent a few weeks stuck on the sofa with my foot elevated to reduce the swelling. I thought since I was stuck sitting down I’d see what Twitter was all about and I found something wonderful – people with the same taste in reading material as me! I came across Jakki, Candy, Monica, Katrin, and Meredith and I am so grateful, because due to them and their reading recommendations I’ve had some very enjoyable reading hours since! Thank you ladies!
Your Habits:
- About how many Austenesque novels do you read a month? A year? In the last 3 months I’ve read 4 every month. Over the last year I’ve read around 40.
- Around what percentage of your total reads a year are Austenesque novels? It works out about 50%. What I usually do is alternate them, so I’ll read an Austenesque, then something different.
- Where/how do you obtain the Austenesque books your read? The range of Austenesque in the library here is pretty slim. I read mostly ebooks, and I am an avid watcher of bargains, so I will often buy books when they’re on sale, or pick up freebies. I am also fortunate to have won quite a few of them, which is lovely.
- What is your favorite time of day to read? Whenever I can! I often read during my lunch break at work, but that’s actually not my favourite time to read as I don’t get a long enough break to really get into it. I probably do most of my reading in the evenings once my children are asleep.
- What is your favorite place to read? Just somewhere quiet where people won’t speak to me!
- What do you like to listen to when you read if anything? I don’t like to listen to anything that will distract me, but I don’t mind background noise, particularly something nice like birds tweeting etc.
- What do you like to drink or eat when you read if anything? I love having a nice cup of tea when I’m reading. If I’ve had a bad day I’ll have a chocolate bar too! This is only when I’m reading an ebook, because if I’m holding a real book I need two hands to hold it. I am not one of those people who will crease open a book to read and bend back the covers, I am really fussy with my treatment of my precious books!
- Do you read more than one book at a time ever? I do. If I’m reading two they will usually be very different so the story-lines don’t merge together, or one might be a new read and the other an old favourite.
- Do you ever read the ending of a book first? Not first, but I sometimes skip ahead if I am worried about the characters! I try not to because I’ve spoilt a plot twist on more than one occasion doing this!
- Do you ever reread? For many years all I did was re-read, as every time I tried something new I didn’t like it! So I read Austen, Heyer, L M Montgomery, Agatha Christie, Brontes and that was pretty much it. Since I have had my kindle I have had far better luck with trying new things, mainly because I have found people with similar taste to me and I’m no longer getting book recommendations from people with different taste, or from the best seller lists.
My hard copy JAFF collection – isn’t it teeny! I haven’t read them all. The 4 right in the middle are signed by the authors.
Your Collection:
- Collectively around how many Austenesque works do you own? I think about 250+, eeep!
- Where do you store your Austenesque collection? Most of them are ebook. I have very limited space for real books, and I am almost incapable of getting rid of a book once I’ve read it, so I try not to buy many paper books. Also, I usually carry my kindle in my handbag, so I can read whenever I have spare time, but I won’t do that with a real book in case I crease the pages or the cover, plus a lot of them are pretty large and they don’t really fit. Here is my virtual Austeneque bookshelf of read books.
- What format are most of your Austenesque books in – paperback, ebook, or audiobook? Vast majority are ebook. I have never tried an audio book. I am not sure how I’d get on with one.
- How many Austenesque books are currently in your TBR at this moment? Well over 100! In my defense lots of these were freebies, so you have to download them or you’ll miss the offer!
Your Faves:
- Pride and Prejudice Variation: Mr Darcy’s Obsession by Abigail Reynolds
- Pride and Prejudice Sequel: From this Day Forward by Joana Starnes
- Pride and Prejudice Modern Adaptation: 1932 by Karen Cox (I know it’s not that modern!)
- Minor Character Story: The Unexpected Miss Bennet by Patrice Sarath – It’s a story about Mary Bennet.
- Non-Pride and Prejudice Sequel: Mansfield Revisited by Joan Aiken
- Non-Pride and Prejudice Modern Adaptation: Persuade Me by Juliet Archer
- Original Character: My absolute favourite is in a few stories on A Happy Assembly by a lady called Lucy– Darcy’s cousin, Rebecca Darcy, who becomes a good friend of Elizabeth. I wish this author would publish her books so more people would have the opportunity to read them! In published works, my favourite is probably Mary Lydon Simonsen’s Lord Antony Fitzwilliam, or Elizabeth’s son Ben from P O Dixon’s He Taught me to Hope.
- Austenesque Genre: Variations – I just love the inventiveness of the authors, and how small changes have a ripple effect that cause very different outcomes. However, I have read so few sequels that I’d like to read a few more. Any suggestions gratefully received!
Your Desert Island 5: (You are about to be stranded on a desert island for unspecified amount of time you must select what you will bring)
- Five Austenesque/Jane Austen Movies: I’d take Pride & Prejudice 95, Northanger Abbey 2007, Sense & Sensibility 2008, Clueless and another Pride & Prejudice – I’m not sure whether 1940 or 2005
- Five Austenesque Books
Mr Darcy’s Obsession – Abigail Reynolds
Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy; The Last Man in the World – Abigail Reynolds
Bluebells in the Mourning – KaraLynne Mackrory
Mr Darcy’s Letter – Abigail Reynolds (yes I know, another Abigail Reynolds one! I love her stories)
The Subsequent Proposal – Joana Starnes
Would You Rather?:
- Have Lady Catherine or Mrs. Norris as a mother – Definitely Lady Catherine! Although overbearing, she has Anne’s best interests in mind.
- Live in Bath or live in London – Bath. I just love it there, it’s so beautiful. I’d rather visit London than live there.
- Be besties with Eleanor Tilney or Georgiana Darcy – I am rusty on my Northanger Abbey, but from what I remember I’d go for Eleanor. Georgiana needs somebody more outgoing than me to coax her from her shyness. I will leave her with Lizzy!
- Dance every set at a ball or go horseback riding through the countryside with friends – I’d be off to the ball, but that is because I’d rather not go on horseback. If it was a walk in the country I would probably do that.
- Marry Edmund Bertram or Edward Ferrars – I am not a Ferrars fan, he leads ladies to care for him knowing he can’t propose! Edmund is clueless in relation to Fanny’s feelings but he’s also honest and wouldn’t mislead a lady. I think he’d make a nice husband.
- Attend a strawberry-picking party at Donwell Abbey or attend the theatre with the Gardiners – Given my pale colouring I’m safer at the theatre. Plus I’d love to meet the Gardiners, wouldn’t you?
- Go shopping with Lydia Bennet or have tea with Mrs. Elton – I think Lydia would be a keen shopper, as long as she wasn’t flirting, so I’d go for that. Although I love tea I do not like Mrs Elton!
- Discover and read the finished manuscript (by Jane Austen) of The Watsons or Sanditon – I haven’t read either, so have no preference for that reason. However, Austen chose to abandon The Watsons, whereas she didn’t finish Sanditon because she died. So on that basis I’d go for Sanditon.
You Right Now:
- What Austenesque novel(s) are you currently reading at the moment? Currently I’m reading The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet, which is the book of the vlog series ‘The Lizzie Bennet Diaries’.
- What Austenesque novels are on your wish-list? I’d like to read the Fitzwilliam Darcy Gentleman trilogy by Pamela Aiden, and also Fitzwilliam Darcy – An Honourable Man by Brenda Webb.
- What Austenesque novel do you wish someone would write? I’d like to see more books based on Austen’s other novels – Pride & Prejudice is my favourite book, but the others are wonderful too, and there is so much less to read related to these! This year is Mansfield Park’s bicentenary so I’ve been trying to fit in some books based on Mansfield Park, but there is not much to choose from.
- What do you love most about Austenesque novels? I love the inventiveness; that authors can still find fresh ideas with the same cast of people. I also love the idea that Elizabeth and Darcy are meant to be, it’s a very attractive concept.
- Where can we find you? You can find me on Twitter @Frawli1978, and also on my blog, which I just started this year.
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GIVEAWAY TIME!!
Since Ceri has been the lucky winner of some lovely Austeny stuff in the past, she thought she would add a giveaway to her post to share the love!!! Ceri is offering to giveaway to one lucky winner an Austenesque book of their choice (must be £10/ $16.64 or less) purchased from The Book Depository. What a fabulous treat!! Thank you, Ceri! The options are numerous!!!
To enter this giveaway, leave a question, a comment, or some love for Ceri below!
- This giveaway is open internationally!! Thank you, Ceri!
- This giveaway ends August 27th!
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Thank you so much, Ceri!!! I loved reading your answers and think that it is amazing how your road to Austenesque began with a Kindle purchase you weren’t too keen on! Who would’ve thought! Loved your answers to my questions! Thank you for taking the time to participate in this feature and share your love and admiration of Austenesque literature with us!!
Want to see some more Ardent Austenesqe Admirers? CLICK HERE!
So very nice to meet you, Ceri. And I have to learn how to create that virtual bookshelf – really lovely. I have just started reading G. Heyer because some of her books are free on kindle Unlimited. I love her stories but some of her characters are not as upstanding as I prefer. And I do NOT like how abruptly they end. But they do keep my interest. I own all of Abigail Reynolds but she was close to the first JAFF author I found. I aim to own all of several other authors eventually. I love to own the paperback copies of books as it is so much easier to find a part you want to re-read or to quote, etc. but when kindle was on sale last December I caved and now my list of books read and TBR is extensive and my Wish List expands. I too have won a few and find bargains through several sites. E-books gives me a free book every week day if I want to download immediately. Sometimes it is not a book I like. But I also have a kindle APP on my cell phone so if I don’t have my kindle with me I can open that APP and it will coordinate with the book I am reading on my kindle or I can open any kindle book as I prefer. So very glad to read about you. Someday I have to learn about how to Twitter as I see so many so that. Have a good day.
Hi Sheila! One of the things I really like about Goodreads is the ability to have virtual bookshelves, one of the downsides of e-reading is not being able to see all your books at a glance. I know what you mean regarding finding the bit you want in a book, it is much easier with a paper book, but I like being able to highlight quotes on my kindle and I’d never do that with a real book!
What great interview answers, Ceri. Thank you for letting us get to know you better. Tea and chocolate while you read? You are my kind of girl!!! The Gardiners are two of my favorite secondary characters in all of Jane Austen as developed by the variation writers and Miss Austen. Best wishes on plowing through your reading list. I check your blog regularly and appreciate your good eye for bargains. Skip Lydia – I want to go shopping with you!
Thank you Joy. I do my best, but I don’t think I’ll ever make much headway with my TBR, I’m always finding new things I want to read!
Hi Ceri: I have always enjoyed your thoughts, opinions and enthusiasm as I read them throughout the ‘blogosphere.’ And I thought I was a serious Austenesque type but next to you I’m just a piker. “Stay calm and keep reading Jane Austen fan-fic”
Thank you Jeffrey, I always enjoy seeing your contributions and reviews too. I am a relative newcomer to JAFF, but I am trying to catch up 🙂
Ceri I loved your interview responses. I am very fascinated that you are from wales. I don’t recall meeting many others from that region. Beautiful country from what I’ve seen online. I’m glad to read of all your creativity in completing all your reading. Do you have a favorite Heyer? I also love her works. I recall thinking I wouldn’t use a kindle much also and now I have way too many novels between that and paperback. I hadn’t thought as much of the companionship as I had the activities when making choices above. I really agree with you though about the gardiners. I hope you make it thru that tbr list but I know as you add more it seems overwhelming. I need to do the multiple reading your way. Nice to meet you.
Well I *may* be a little biased, but I think Wales is beautiful. I don’t live in the prettiest part of it, but it’s still pretty good.
I recently wrote a blog post where I chose my top 8 Heyers, funnily enough. I didn’t rank them, but my joint favourites are The Grand Sophy and Frederica.
I think it’s almost too hard to rate them. And it depends on the mood your in when you read them. I love both of those. Leave it to Sophy to fix things. I may just have to reread my Heyer’s now that I’m in the mood.
I so agree Suzan! It depends on what you’re in the mood for, and there are a nice range to choose from.
Hi, Ceri, I’ve enjoyed seeing your posts on Goodreads. We got addicted to Austenesque novels in the same way–my best friend sent me a huge stack to read while I was laid up after a hip replacement. Glad you gave a shout-out to Clueless! I grew up in Los Angeles, so it worked for me on many levels. You should definitely read the Pamela Aidan novels–the first and third of the series are my absolute all-time Austenesque faves. Wishing you many more years of happy reading!
Hi Abigail, I also enjoy your posts on Goodreads 🙂 Being stuck on the sofa was a cooking injury for me of all things, I spilled some boiling water from a saucepan and it landed on my foot, gave me a pretty bad scald, I couldn’t walk on it for about 3 weeks and had to wear flip flops for months because I couldn’t wear shoes that touched the top of my foot! But there is a silver lining to every cloud, and the silver lining to that was having the time to learn how to use twitter, which led me to reading buddies, JAFF and Goodreads, so it was worth it!
Much success on your new blog. I have added it to my daily must read blogs list.
Thank you Raquel, that is very kind 🙂
Ceri,
I so enjoyed getting to know about how you came to your love of Austen *and* to all of the Austen-inspired stories you’ve encountered in recent years! I’d first read P&P at age 14, too, and — like you — have read countless novels since then but still love it best ;).
You have a wonderful blog, btw!! And I’m so glad we’ve gotten acquainted through the Austen sites, FB & Twitter!
Many thanks to you & Meredith for such a fun interview!
Thank you Marilyn! I’ve enjoyed getting to know you too, and discovering your books. Finding JAFF opened up a whole new world of reading for me.
I’m so glad I’ve gotten to know you better through Twitter & all of our mutual Austen blog haunts!
You gave great answers, and have a wonderful JAFF collection there! I have a hard time parting with paper books, too. I treat my Austenesque books much nicer than my other paperbacks, some of which are quite crinkled. My Outlander books have little Cheeto- fingerprints in them lol. Hopefully I won’t be stranded on a desert island anytime soon because I wouldn’t know what to take!
Hi Monica! It’s been great meeting you, and having an occasional fanfiction reading buddy! I love the idea of cheeto fingerprints. Luckily for my paper books I can’t eat when I’m reading them, I drop any snacks on my ereader instead.
What a pleasure to ‘meet’ you Ceri! I too love my ‘books’ and hate to have them creased as well. I got a Kindle just this past January and I am slowly adding Austenesque books to it. I still prefer a book but it’s a great way to find out if I really like an author and then buy the book as well if I do. I will have to go and check out your blog now!
Hi Carole, I agree with you, e-reading is definitely a good way to find out if you like an author, it’s so easy to download a sample so you can try before you buy. Unfortunately for my bank balance it’s also very easy to buy books, you don’t notice your TBR ‘pile’ growing in the same way you would with a real pile of books!
Ceri, this was a lovely interview, it was so nice to find more about you. It was a pleasure to read this post – congrats to you and to Meredith.
Thank you for your kind words Lory!
Thank you, Ceri, for your wonderful discussion of your obsession with books! I understand completely and am so glad for ebooks because I don’t know where I could store my books. Abigail Reynolds is also a favorite author so I enjoyed your list. Thank you for the giveaway – it is so kind of you.
Hi Eva. I find it amazing that I carry round a whole library with me in the form of my kindle! I have only a limited space for my books, I have some in a box in the attic and I haven’t been able to read them in years, but all my ebooks are accessible to me anytime. I have been so lucky with JAFF giveaways so it seemed only fitting that I should offer a giveaway too 🙂
It has been fun getting to know more about you, Ceri. I like your experience with the Kindle. I had a similar experience with the NOOK which my husband bout for our anniversary when the NOOK first came out. I was skeptical, but it wasn’t long before I was hooked. Like you, I too can’t part with books. I am so happy there are other Austen lovers to connect with. I love that you look out for book bargains. Thank you for letting us learn even more about you.
Thank you Deborah! I am glad to know there are other people who share my issues with getting rid of books. Ereaders are great for hoarding 🙂
Hi, it is great to get to know someone else who shares my love of Jane Austen. I have quite the collection of JAFF on my kindle and book shelf. I can highly recommend Pamela Aiden’s books. They were some of the first I read. I also agree with you about the lack of what if and sequels for Jane’s other works. Personally I love Mansfield Park and would love to read more stories with those beloved characters. Thanks for sharing.
When I decided to read a book connected to Mansfield Park each month I was really surprised at how little there was to choose from. I managed to find some good reads though most of them have been modern rewrites. I enjoyed ‘Mansfield Revisited’ by Joan Aiken, which is a sequel focussing on Susan Price.
Oh Ceri we must be P&P what if twins I could relate to everything you said and your answers are very similar to what mine would be. I love your pic of the Heyer collection 🙂 I too was against the kindle wow what was that about I can’t live without mine now. Thank you for sharing it is lovely reading about fellow Janeites! I do hope you get to read the Aiden trilogy, I remember you left a comment on my review of them during the Pride and Prejudice bicentenary challenge I didn’t even know who you were then and now look 🙂
Yes, I found your blog through Austenprose 🙂 I definitely need to try the Pamela Aidan trilogy soon, it seems as though everybody has read it except for me!
Hi Ceri! It was lovely to read your interview and get to know you better. What a supportive hubby to get you a Kindle for Christmas! I was the same way when my hubby asked me if I wanted one thinking I wouldn’t use it. Haha!
Lovely Heyer collection! I love her stories too.
My husband has no objection to me spending time reading or spending money on books but he does object to books cluttering up the house (in his eyes, books are too magical for me to see them as clutter!) so the kindle was a win for both of us. I didn’t expect it to introduce me to a whole new genre of reading and so many reading friends though, that was a bonus 🙂
Nice to get to know you a bit better Ceri! 😀 LOVE your GH books!
Hi Brenda. There are still a few Georgette Heyers I need to buy to have a full collection. I’d like to get them all on ebook too, but that would cost a bit as she wrote a lot of books. If Amazon bring in matchbook in the UK so I can get at least some of them a bit cheaper I’d be tempted!
Hei Ceri!!!! 🙂 Reading about your book-favourites made me realize I need to reread Persuade Me #BestModernEver
I´m sooooo glad I met you on twitter! Not only for austenesque chat, but support and encouragement for pregancy and Baby A 🙂 :).
And also – I finally need to read some Georgette Heyer!! My mom loves her books too. #mustread
Aw Katrin, I’m so pleased I met you on Twitter too, you guys were so welcoming to me when I joined 🙂 Yes, I need a reread of Persuade Me too, wonderful book. I think the author captured Anne’s character really well, and I loved how each aspect had been updated to be plausible today. If you’ve never read any Heyer I’d recommend her work (obviously, you can see what a collection I have!). I hope you enjoy her books if you try them.
I loved reading this post, Ceri, and getting to know you better. Actually, come to think of it, I suppose it’s rather silly we haven’t got round to meeting face to face yet, but since I have quite young kids myself, I can see why busy daily life is such a challenge. I still hope we can sit down for coffee (or red wine 🙂 ) together some day!
I felt HUGELY honoured to see my books on you faves and desert island lists!!! You told me time and again that you liked my books but I thought you were just trying to be supportive and lovely as you always are! Thanks again for all your kind words, for putting together such a great post, and for letting us into your world!
Lots of hugs,
Joana
You are too modest Joana! I really enjoyed all three of your books, particularly The Subsequent Proposal (which, for those of you who don’t know, is a P&P what if story also featuring characters from Persuasion, I highly recommend it). You are right too, we’ll have to meet for that cuppa someday 🙂
What a nice interview! It seems you and I have similar tastes, Ceri! I, too, tend to mostly have ebooks. I don’t like to dust, haha. I also love Lucy stories and wish she would publish them as well, so much angst! And Ben is a particular favorite as well. There is a new book to he published by Pam that is on both D&L and AHA called “Dearest Friends”, if you haven’t read that one, I would encourage you to. It is a great read. 🙂 Happy reading!
Kari
Yay, a fellow Lucy fan! My favourite by her is ‘Being Mrs Darcy’. I’d love to see that one published, though it’d need to be cut down a bit or split into volumes because it’s a really long story, but a really original one. I will check out your recommendation too, thank you Kari!
Is this “Lucy” the author who wrote the magnificent sequel to North and South? If so I have to know what other stories she wrote. I absolutely loved Pack Clouds Away and wish she would publish. It had the most gentle and romantic wedding night I have ever read! Meryton Reading Room?
Hi Sheila, I don’t know whether she is the same person who wrote Pack Clouds Away. I haven’t read that one yet, but I’ve heard it recommended by about 4 different people so it’s definitely something I’d like to read. She posts as ‘Lucy S’ on A Happy Assembly, and to find her stories the easiest way is to go into the forums, completed stories, and change the sort order to ‘most viewed’ and her stories jump right to the top. I don’t see her in the Meryton Reading Room.
Thanks for the info. And you will LOVE Pack Clouds Away – the sequel to North and South!
Sheila L. M. – I absolutely loved Pack Clouds Away! Do you have any other recommendations of N&S fan fiction? I’m always on the hunt for it but it’s not as readily available as JAFF!
Pack Clouds Away is one of my personal favorites. I tried Being Mrs. Darcy but it had too much angst and was too grown up for me. I stopped at the first sex scene and skipped to the end. Sterling Fitzwilliam was my favorite character. Absolute, absolute favorite is only two chapters on fan fiction.com. It’s by JacquiT and is called Superman. It’s modern, but I adore this Darcy.
Oops, I should have mentioned that Being Mrs Darcy has sex scenes, as I know some people prefer to avoid them. It is very angsty, but I don’t mind angst if the situation calls for it, and the premise of Being Mrs Darcy, for those who don’t know is that Elizabeth has gone to Ramsgate and she stops Georgiana (who is vile in this story!) eloping with Wickham, but she is seen in the street arguing with Darcy and the ensuing gossip means they are forced to marry, against both of their wishes. There is angst aplenty, but it’s such an original scenario, I really enjoyed it. I reality enjoyed the character of Sterling (Colonel Fitzwilliam’s older brother) too, but my favourite character in it is Darcy’s cousin Rebecca, who is very loveable. A good story on Happy Assembly that has no sex and is low on angst is ‘Thaw’ by Boogima. This is also a forced marriage scenario, in an epistolary format and the author does a wonderful job of capturing Elizabeth’s character.
Thanks for the Superman recommendation Joy 🙂
What a lovely interview. It was so fun to find out about someone new. Best wishes for your future reading Ceri!
Hi Tami, thanks for your good wishes 🙂 I have some good reads lined up, if I stopped buying books tomorrow I’d still have enough to last me for a long time!
Hello Ceri. I’m so pleased to learn a little more about you. An ereader and ebooks was the beginning of an Austenesque addiction, too. That is a very impressive Heyer paperback collection, by the way.
I’m also going to ‘hang out’ with your goodreads bookshelves later today and compare our books. It looks like I’ll be able to add a lot to my already large to be read pile. I like how organized and detailed your Austen related shelves are. My shelf is just that: Austen related 🙂
Isn’t AHA just the best? I read and write there and basically spend far too much of my total internet time there.
You’re so generous to offer a giveaway! Thanks for telling us all a little bit about yourself.
I would love to see your Austenesque shelf too Heather, perhaps you could share a link with me? The reason that I have a few shelves is that sometimes people ask for recommendations but they only want sequels, or Austenesques with no sex scenes, etc, so I added some further shelves because it’s hard to remember the details of a book once you’ve read a few books in between.
I love AHA, it has loads of good stuff on there, the only problem is that it really eats time!
Thank you for telling us about Darcy’s cousin, Rebecca Darcy, – I will have to investigate Lucy’s storied on that web site
Hi Vesper. If you ever are in need of something to read then it’s a good place to check out. The particular story featuring Rebecca Darcy is called ‘Being Mrs Darcy’ and it’s in the completed stories forum. Sort by ‘total views’ and it’ll jump up close to the top.
Hello Ceri! I think I’m not a true austenesque admirer as you…250+ books!? Shame on me…
I haven’t read that many Loren, I just have that many, I am such a hoarder!
Hi Ceri, my name is Teresa and I’m spanish. I’ ve never been to Wales but I think it must have beautiful landscapes as well as an interesting celtic tradition. I’ m also a fan of L M Montgomery with her Anne Shirley books and the lovely tv series!. I see you are a fan of Mrs Gaskell too and I recommend you the BBC series of ” Wives and Daughters” (although surely you’ ve seen it).
I’ ve seen your blog and I like it, I’ll have to check it!. It was fantastic that you discovered Georgette Heyer books when you were a child. Thanks for telling us about you and thanks, again, Meredith!
Hi Teresa! I have seen Wives and Daughters, and I agree with you, I really enjoyed it. I’ve never watched Cranford though. I was very lucky to discover Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer so young, thanks to my mother’s book collection. Thank you so much for visiting my blog too 🙂
What! You’ve never seen Cranford? It is precious.
I’m not very good with watching TV, it cuts into my reading time! I often miss when series begin and then it seems like it’s too much hard work to catch up. I tried reading Cranford years ago but I didn’t get on with it, despite enjoying North and South and Wives and Daughters by the same author, I’ll have to give it a go again some day.
I’ve never seen Cranford either.
Hi Ceri! It has been great getting to know you these past couple months and I enjoyed your post. We have a lot of favorites in common…I love 1932 and Persuade Me! And of course I always enjoy visiting your lovely blog!!:)
Hi Kelli, thanks for your comment, and thank you for being a visitor to my blog. Since we have similar taste if you have any suggestions for a ‘must read’ please let me know 🙂
I’m glad to have known more about your love of JAFF, Ceri. Do I spy the book you won on my blog? I will check out your blog too.
You do! Very eagle eyed 🙂 I have been a follower of a blog for a while and I can thank you for many of the unread freebies on my kindle, due to your proficiency in finding such things 🙂
Hi Ceri! Fantastic post! I’m so glad we became friends on twitter and throughout the blogosphere! I’ve enjoyed chatting with you, and you have helped expand my collection of books in the past couple of years! 😉 Like you, I like a quiet area to read in.
Wow! Thanks for the giveaway! ….be talking to you soon! =)
I’m so glad I found you too Candy, I’ve really enjoyed chatting about books with you the past few years and I appreciated the help and advice you gave me when I started my blog too 🙂
I like hearing about people’s book collections. I also love Agatha Christie, but then again I mostly read mysteries. I have most of Georgette Heyer’s mysteries. I don’t do e-books, only printed books. I liked Mr. Darcy’s Obsession, too. My library didn’t have it so I got it through an interlibrary loan.
Hi Michelle. I like cosy mysteries, nothing too gritty for me! Do you have any author recommendations for that type of thing? I’ve read most of Georgette Heyer’s mystery books but I didn’t find them as charming as her Regency romances, the modern characters were generally more unlikeable!
You are so lucky to be able to get JAFF in your libraries, if it’s not published by a major publisher here, as part of the Austen Project or something it just won’t be available to loan from the library.
Thank you to all of you for your lovely comments, and a big thank you to the lovely Meredith for allowing me to get to know you guys a bit better!
Hi Ceri, it’s nice to meet you. I’m quite late in posting my comment. I loved reading your interview!! I’ve noticed that Janeites are from all generations, as I will be 69 this October, and feel as if we are friends. Best wishes with your blog and other endeavors!
Thank you Catherine 🙂