Hello, friends! I’m so happy to welcome back the lovely Shannon Winslow to Austenesque Reviews today! Over the years, Shannon has paid many visits here and celebrated many of her fabulous releases (some of our favorites include Return to Longbourn and The Persuasion of Miss Jane Austen!) Today Shannon is celebrating her newest release, which is actually a nonfiction release – Prayer and Praise: A Jane Austen Devotional! I hope you enjoy this fun post she brings with her today!

Writing a devotional can be a tricky undertaking. The first challenge is setting the right tone – somewhere between meaningless feel-good fluff and sounding too preachy. Secondly, although real-life illustrations are tremendously effective teaching tools for getting a point across, if you name a real person, using them as a negative example, you may find yourself hauled into court for slander!

I tackled the first challenge by always including myself as one who needs to continue learning and improving, which was easy since I have no illusions to the contrary. And I soon realized there was a perfect solution for the other issue as well. I would simply draw my illustrations from people who, although well-known public figures, cannot sue me: Jane Austen’s characters. As I wrote in the introduction to Prayer & Praise: a Jane Austen Devotional…

In these devotional segments, I speak of Jane Austen’s characters as if they are real people with real thoughts and experiences. Jane Austen drew them so true to life (part of her genius), and I have spent so much time in their company that they are like old friends to me. Perhaps you feel much the same way. In any case, for our purposes here, the lines between fact and fiction can be safely discarded in favor of what these characters and their stories can teach us by illustrating Biblical principles.

I’ve learned a lot from these familiar friends – from their positive character traits as well as the negative. And as I said before, they can’t sue me for making examples of them in this devotional. I imagine that wouldn’t stop Lady Catherine from trying, however. (Did I mention that having a sense of humor is another key to writing a devotional?)

“Did you see what that woman – Ms. Winslow, as she calls herself – has written about me in this book of hers?” Lady Catherine demands of her solicitor, brandishing a copy of Prayer and Praise in his face like a weapon.

Discreetly stepping back out of range, Mr. Foster answers, “Yes, your ladyship. I have read the offending chapter, and I think that it is not so very bad…”

“Not so bad! Sir, what can you be talking of? I have not been accustomed to such treatment as this, especially at the hands of a woman without family connections or fortune! She’s not even English. She is an American, for heaven’s sake, and therefore one can assume, totally uncivilized. Yet she presumes to criticize me, a woman of highest birth and irreproachable character. Shall this be endured? It shall not be!”

“Madam, do try to calm yourself.”

“I will do no such thing, not until I am certain that I have carried my point with you.”

“I assure you that I understand your concerns, your ladyship, and that I have your best interests at heart. But there is nothing I can do; my hands are tied. Allow me to suggest that, seen in a certain light, one might consider what Mrs. Winslow says about you not only accurate, in the main, but even flattering.”

“What! Mr. Foster, you forget yourself!”

“Now hear me out, Madam. In this chapter that so offends you, Mrs. Winslow acknowledges your commanding presence and natural authoritative air, your unfailing interest in the supervision and betterment of your subordinates – your neighbors, their households, their cows, and their poultry – down to the minutest detail. I have heard you say as much yourself.”

“That is true enough. I take very seriously my responsibility to lead the way in all things.”

“Just so, your ladyship. So you see what I mean; such statements cannot reasonably be regarded as slander.”

Lady Catherine is momentarily stumbled. “Oooohhh, she’s a sly one, that woman. And so are you, Mr. Foster, if you presume to defend her to me with fine-sounding words, patronizing theories, and half-truths. There is something faulty in your logic; I am sure of that.” Lady Catherine pauses to draw breath before leaning in and pointing a boney finger at her solicitor’s trembling chest. “Let me be rightly understood, Mr. Foster. I intend to get to the bottom of this matter, and if you are wise, you will assist me. Remember who it is that pays your generous salary, keeping the expensive meat and drink you prize on your table. I expect results! Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Lady Catherine, perfectly.”

Well, what do you think? Has Lady Catherine got a case? I suppose you will be better able to judge once you have read “the offending chapter.” It’s #32, entitled “Eye on the Sparrow.”

I love your sense of humor, Shannon! LOL! 😄  Thank you so much for sharing this! I am quite relieved for your sake that these characters will not be suing you…although I definitely believe that Lady C would if she could! Prayer and Praise sounds like such an enlightening and thought-provoking read!

~ Book Description ~

Did you know that Jane Austen wrote prayers in addition to her six classic novels? She was not only a woman of celebrated humor, intellect, and insight; she was a woman of faith.

Prayer & Praise is a treasure trove of thought-provoking messages inspired by the lines of Austen’s three preserved prayers. Atop a solid foundation of scripture, these 50 devotional segments (each finishing with prayer and praise) enlist familiar characters and situations from Austen novels to illustrate spiritual principles – in creative, often surprising, ways!

Which one of Austen’s characters developed a god complex? Who was really pulling Henry Crawford’s strings? Where do we see examples of true repentance, a redeemer at work, light overcoming darkness? With a Biblical perspective, Austen’s beloved stories reveal new lessons about life, truth, hope, and faith.

~~~

Connect with Shannon

Blog    ❧    Twitter    ❧    Facebook    ❧    Austen Variations

What do you think, friends?

Are you intrigued to read this devotional?