Happy Friday, sweet readers! I am so thrilled to start an exciting weekend (I’m heading to the JAFF Writher/Reader Gathering in Washington DC today) off by sharing my little chat with the lovely Ada Bright and Cass Grafton! 😃
As you may have heard, these ladies have had an exciting year as The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen – a book they co-wrote and self-published together in 2016 – was picked up and reissued by Canelo two months ago. Not only that, Canelo wanted to publish a sequel for this fascinating tale about time travel, Jane Austen, and friendships (something we were eagerly waiting for!) 🙌🏼
And that is what we are here to celebrate and discuss! The Unexpected Past of Miss Jane Austen was just released yesterday! Congrats, ladies! 🥂
How about we start by talking a little bit about the premise for The Unexpected Past of Miss Jane Austen? Please tell us a little bit about your new release and what inspired it.
We realised as we wrote The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen that our original plot was likely to extend into another book, if not three. However, in all honesty, it was the desire to write more with these characters that encouraged us to continue – to put them in different and possibly more challenging situations than we had before and see what would happen. We fell more than a bit in love with them during the first book and just didn’t want to let go!
For Rose, the story picks up immediately after the end of the first book. Jane’s life, however, has 
moved on ten years, and she has now come forward from 1813. Something unusual has cropped up in the past and Jane is determined Rose needs to come back in time with her to help find the answers to some questions.
I love it! What a fun twist for these character. I wonder what Jane Austen needs their help with! Speaking of The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen and its recent rerelease…we saw that you were able to celebrate this momentous event during the Jane Austen Festival in Bath this past September. Tell us about it! What was it like attending the festival yourselves and talking about your book which takes place during festival?
Ada: Attending the festival together and being invited to speak at the Pre Festival Event at St Swithins Church was an incredible experience. It’s always a party when Cass and I get together (I use the word “party” loosely – it usually involves chocolate and wine and laughing until we snort), but this was particularly fun. The volunteers who run the festival took care of us, our audience was gracious, and our moderator Dr Gabrielle Malcolm really drew us out and kept us on task at the same time. This was my first time at the festival, and I was very impressed.
Cass: It was a little surreal at times, because in the first book our characters are living the festival, and there we were, living it too, only together for the first time. There were several moments when we realised life was imitating art!
What an awesome thing! I can just imagine you two channeling Rose and Morgan walking through the festival! With how the door was left wide open at the close of The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen, I’m wondering did you always have a plan that you would write a sequel together?
Ada: As we were writing that first book we kept having to push some of the pivotal ideas we started with to keep that story as simple as possible (again – relative considering we were dealing with time travel and alternate realities) so as we wrote that last chapter I could sense both of us resisting giving it a full stop sort of ending. So, after our hundredth late night meeting discussing it, we finally decided to go with what our gut was telling us and leave it open for the story to continue.
Cass: It’s all about those pivotal ideas! We dropped a few hints in the first story, and we’ve added some more with this second, and we hope to resolve it all in the third. As Ada says, we had to keep telling ourselves to ‘simplify’!
I will say it again, how the story ended was one of my favorite things about The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen. So now that you have co-written two stories together, did you find this book easier or more challenging than the first book?
Ada: I found writing this book way easier than the first. Cass and I learned so much about how we work best together that first go around that by the second, we were more confident, smarter and more collaborative.
Cass: We also knew our main characters this time around, so falling back into the pattern of writing them was easier.
That makes sense! Can you tell us a little bit about writing together as a team? What is the process like? Have you ever disagreed on a plot point or something?
Ada: Writing as a team is a lot like being a part of any other team. We work hard together and appreciate and look forward to what the other brings to the table. I genuinely love how Cass edits or adds to my writing. I feel very lucky that such a good friend can also be such a good match as a writing partner.
We occasionally argue about key plot points, but we agreed before ever starting the first book that we would always put our friendship above our writing, and we never fall out. By the second book, not only was our writing streamlined, but so were any mild disagreements. This is how it usually goes:
A: Why is the room blue? Let’s paint it red.
C: I had it blue because (very logical reason)
A: I like red because (very emotional reason)
C: That’s nice, but I think blue makes sense because of (very logical reason)
A: Hmm. Let’s try red.
C: All right.
two weeks later…
A: You know, why don’t we just paint it blue? It makes way more sense because of (very logical reason)
C: (tactfully not pounding her head on her desk) Lovely. Blue it is.
Haha! That’s great to hear that there were really only mild disagreements! So, what is next for you both? Any projects you can share with us?
Ada: I am starting a series of my own – a little murder mystery based in the present in California. I’m not sure if I can resist trying to British-ize everything I write though… I think I will definitely try to feature Thanksgiving and the 4th of July since I’ve been so accustomed to trying to avoid talking about those holidays when I’m trying to write as if I am English!
Cass: I’ve got a few writing projects on the go, one of which is a series of contemporary feel-good romances set in Cornwall. The first book is done and will come out in February, and I’ve started the second.
Ooh! Both your projects sound fascinating! I like the settings of California and Cornwall! How about we end with some Quick-Fire Questions?
- Which of the main characters in this series do you have the most in common with?
A: Morgan and James both… I almost think they are two sides of my personality.
C: It would be Jane and Rose for me.
- Aside from Jane Austen, which member of the Austen family are you most intrigued by?
A: Cassandra!
C: Ditto!
- If you traveled back in time to 1813, would you rather live in Bath or Chawton?
A: Chawton as long as that doesn’t mean I had to walk farther for food 😉
C: Chawton, and she would be growing her own food!
- What is one thing you would love about living in 1813?
A: The clarity of the night sky.
C: People taking in their surroundings rather than staring at their phones as they eat, walk, talk.
- What is one thing you would hate about living in 1813?
A: ALL the unmentionables! And not drinking water!
C: Tooth extraction! (I’d be okay with all the wine drinking, though)
- What is one of your favorite scenes from this series?
A: Hmm. I can’t tell you exactly. One of Rose’s goodbyes in the second book
C: Eeek, so many… I love the final scenes in both books
- Are you a cat-lover or dog-lover?
A: Both, but cats I can’t live without
C: Cat. Cat, cat cat
Thank you, Ada and Cass, for sharing such fabulous answers with us! It was great to get to know you both better and have this lovely chat! Congrats, again, on your exciting new release of The Unexpected Past of Miss Jane Austen (which is now available for purchase!) 📖💕
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~ Connect with Ada ~
Blog ❧ Twitter ❧ Facebook ❧ Instagram
~ About Ada ~
Ada has lived all her life in Southern California, which makes her intolerant to any weather above or below 72 degrees Fahrenheit. She grew up much more fond of reading than sports or socializing and still tends to ignore everyone she loves, all her responsibilities and basic life needs when she’s in the middle of a book.
She is luckily married to a handsome and funny man who doesn’t mind that the laundry never gets put away and she has three amazing children. Ada spent over a decade as a photographer before dedicating herself to writing, though she still believes that life should be documented well and often.
~ Connect with Cass ~
Blog ❧ Twitter ❧ Facebook ❧ Instagram
~ About Cass ~
A proud bookworm since childhood, Cass writes the sort of stories she loves to read – heart-warming, character driven and strong on location. Having moved around extensively and lived in three countries, she finds places inspiring and the setting of her novels often becomes as much a part of the story as her characters.
Cass loves travelling, words, cats and wine, but never in the same glass. She has two grown up children and currently splits her time between Switzerland, where she lives with her husband and imaginary cats, and England, where she lives with her characters.
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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Today Ada and Cass are so generously offering a paperback copy of either The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen or The Unexpected Past of Miss Jane Austen (winner’s choice) to one lucky winner!
To enter this giveaway, leave a question, a comment, or some love for Ada or Cass below!
- This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you, Ada and Cass!
- This giveaway ends November 15th!
I’m so happy to see a sequel for this book. I am lucky that I already own The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen but would love to win a copy of The Unexpected Past of Miss Jane Austen. Thanks for the giveaway and congratulations on the release!
Hope you enjoy this second book as much as we enjoyed writing it, DarcyBennett!
Good luck in the draw!
Such a lovely interview! Congratulations ladies! I am so excited to hear this book has released! I so enjoyed the first. I also want to say how gorgeous the covers are on the paperbacks! The photos are fabulous and maybe one day I will attend. Thank you for a chance at the giveaway. Wish I could have joined you in Washington, D.C. Meredith!
Thank you, Carole! I love these covers too!
Hope you get to the festival one day, it’s such fun!
Good luck in the draw.
I agree with you about these lovely covers, Carole!
Same here! It sounds like one might be in the plans for next year – hope you can come to that one!
I enjoyed this wonderful interview. Your post is very special and the photos lovely. The books are real treasures which I would enjoy and treasure greatly. Congratulations and best wishes.
So pleased you enjoyed the interview, Ruth. Meredith always comes up with such great questions!
Good luck in the draw!
Thank you, Cass! Yours and Ada’s answers were so much fun!
I also have read the first of these two books and so look forward to reading the second one. Thanks for a chance to win. Best wishes on the release. Thanks for sharing here.
Good luck in the draw, Sheila! Hope you enjoy when you get to read it!
Looking forward to Book 2 (and beyond!). I appreciate the chance to win “The Past …”
Good luck in the draw, Maomac!
A lovely interview that gets me eager to read either of these books! I was thinking about the question you were asked about what you would least like about living in 1813, and I was going to say the personal hygiene practices of the time, but I did a bit of research and found that while personal hygiene practices weren’t what they are today, they weren’t nearly as bad as most think. I think that I would have to say that the thing I would say that the thing I would like the least would be the lack of real economic opportunities for women at the time (especially for single women).
Good point, Nicole! And yes, you’re right, personal hygiene wasn’t quite so dire, though very different to what we are used to. It’s the medical side that would freak me out – lack of anaesthetic etc!
We hope you get to read the books, and good luck in the draw!
Thank you so much for hosting us today, Meredith! I too wish I was coming to DC to meet everyone in person.
We hope people enjoy reading the sequel as much as we enjoyed writing it!
My pleasure, Cass! It was such a treat to have you and Ada visit my blog and share some more about writing and your novels!
Congrats, again, my friend!
Really enjoyed your interview and I look forward to reading your sequel! Congratulations to the two of you on your new release!
Thank you so much, Lynn! Good luck in the draw!
Dear Cass and Ada.
First of all CONGRATULATIONS on publishing your sequel The Unexpected Past of Miss Jane Austen. I am utterly in love with it.
I appreciate you both wishing to write independently and be known as independent authors. But, knowing how well you work together and what delightful time travels you have produced – here’s my question – would you both ever consider to co-wrote more novels?
We have certainly talked about it, Diana. I think we want to focus on our own projects for the near future, but it’s definitely on the cards. First of all, however, we need to finish co-writing this time travel series!
Thank you for all your support. We are so happy you loved the story!
Loved every minute of first book – rushed to read it because was so engrossed, but of course I was then so sad when it was over. Excited to pick up new book and join Rose and Jane again!
We hope you enjoy spending time with Jane and Rose again, Sharon. We certainly did!
Good luck in the draw!
Really enjoyed your interview, Cass and Ada. So look forward to reading your sequel!
Thank you, Lynn! Good luck in the draw!
So nice to get to know more awesome authors around Jane Austen ❤
Lovely for us to meet more readers too, Cristy! Good luck in the draw!
Real Life got in the way of my getting to either Regency Week in Chawton and Alton in June, or Bath in September. Would have loved to been at either (or even both!) to get together with with either Cass or Cass and Ada. Both events sound like a lot of fun; the launch in Bath, especially. Like many of my friends, I have been all anticipation for the sequel to The Particular Charm and now you’re hinting there may be a third book? Bring it on, ladies!
Obviously, I’d choose the sequel if I’m lucky enough to win here. Thanks to you all for a chance to get my hot, sweaty little mits on a copy!
Anji, it’s such a shame that your life this last 12 months has been such a challenge for you and Trevor. 🙁 I know you had hopes of getting to some of the festivals this year, and it would have been lovely to see you at the launch in Bath.
Good luck in the draw and perhaps you’ll be able to get to the launch of book 3!
Many thanks, Cass. The way things have gone this past year, we’re not planning anything too far ahead at the moment. The only exception to that is our son’s wedding next May. That date has been set in stone for a year or more. Even our holiday in September was booked at the last minute. The only fixed thing about it was the date, as we wanted to be out of town when the cyclists were around!
Don’t blame you re the cyclists.
Funnily enough, our son is getting married in May too! <3
Ah, fun interview! Loved your questions and responses. I’m a fan of the first book and hope to read book two this next week. 🙂
Please do not enter me, Meredith.
Sophia Rose, you have been an endless support to us over the years! We only hope we’ve done a good enough job on the sequel to have you equally happy with the story we’re telling! <3
Thanks for checking out our interview and sending such encouraging and kind words, Sophia!
A fabulous highlight thank you. I adore the covers.
Thank you, Mary! Good luck in the draw!
Congratulations on the launch of this sequel, ladies. I just have to go back and reread the first book now, it’s been too long. Anyway, I loved this interview and reading about your teamwork. The new paperback covers are absolutely beautiful. I thought the new cover and the new book’s cover for the ebooks were really really neat, but the paperbacks are sigh-worthy. The best of luck!
Meredith, thanks for hosting these ladies and the neat interview questions. And I’m so eager to follow your trip to D.C. for the Writer/Reader get-together. How I wish I could be there! Can’t wait for the pictures.
So happy you love the paperback covers, Michelle! We felt the pink rose represented Rose very well, especially as she is prone to blushing! <3
I wish I could be in DC too! 😀
Good luck in the draw!
That’s what I did, Michelle! I didn’t realize I read the first book 3 years ago, it didn’t feel that long ago. Time sure does fly!
I quite agree about all the covers! They are all so very lovely!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the interview, Michelle! It was so much fun to ask Ada and Cass these questions~
The DC trip was a lot of fun!! I was quite terrible at taking pictures, though! Enjoying the moment too much! Luckily some other people took great pictures!
I am so excited about this sequel!! I adored the first book…which of course I will have to re-read before diving into the second!! Congratulations, ladies!!! Brilliantly done!! 🙂
Thank you, Meredith, for being a wonderful hostess and interviewer!! 🙂
Warmly,
Susanne 🙂
We’re excited about it too, Susanne! We hope you love it as much as we do!
Good luck in the draw!
Yes, definitely reread it! The first book is just brilliant! I am so excited to see what happens in this next one!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Susanne!
Thank you so much for having us here Meredith! It was so fun to answer your questions!
My pleasure, Ada! I’m so happy to celebrate this lovely new release with you and Cass! Congrats again!
Dynamic duo!! I so enjoy – and envy – your partnership, and the fruits of your talents. I have no doubt that Book Two will satisfy as much or more than Charm. I WANT IT. Congratulations!! I missed Rose and Morgan before leaving them the first time, still ache at the earliest moments with Jane… finding her way… and JAMES… CAN’T WAIT. Brava, Ladies! How many people make all this happen??!?? You are in the Magical Minority!! Have fun!! I know you will… Your fan, Karylee
Karylee! We hope you love this second story as much as the first. We had such fun writing it and we hope it is reflected in the reading. Not just our usual suspects in Jane, Rose, Aiden, Morgan and James, but a few members of the Austen family too, along for the ride! 😀
Good luck in the draw!
I will leave some love because I am so glad that you wrote #2! Please keep writing as a team.
Thank you, Eva <3. Book 3 has already been plotted! 😉
A time travelling Jane Eyre stuck in the 21st century sounds like a very fun read.
It does! I love Jane Eyre. This story is about Jane Austen, though, but imagine if they met up? It could make a fantastic story! 😀
What a fun 2 books these seem to be. I have not read them yet & would love the chance to read the first book. The covers are pretty too 🙂
Thank you, Silvia.
Good luck in the draw.
The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen is on my wishlist!! What fun that there is another book. I’ll add it to my list 😀
Good luck in the draw, Charlotte!
I remember loving the ending of the first book and so wanted to start reading the next straightaway
Then good luck in the draw, Vesper! So happy you loved the first book!
Lovely interview ladies! And I so enjoyed meeting you both at that pre-festival get together in September. What a wonderful evening! I feel so privileged to have gone. Many congratulations on your new release; the first book was fabulous, hope the second does really well too.
Please don’t include me in the giveaway – I have both books and am about to read the second! 🙂
We were really grateful for your support in September, Elaine! We hope very much you enjoy the second book too!
I LOVED the first book and was eagerly awaiting the second. However, when it didn’t materialist I gave up hope so I was THRILLED when I read that this was out!! Looking forward to it and hoping the third will be out soon!!
Yes, apologies for the delay, Teresa! Sometimes life takes over and stops us doing what we wish we could! Hope you enjoy the second now it’s here! Good luck in the draw!
Soooooo excited for another time travel book! I saw your review for the first book and I bought them both so please don’t enter me in the giveaway. 🙂
Hope you enjoy, Danielle! <3
Can’t live without cats too 🙂 And great JAFF novels like these!! Would love to read your first book ladies.
Good luck in the draw, Jo! We hope you get chance to read these stories soon!
Loved the “Charm”; looking forward to reading the “Past”. Congratulations, ladies – thank you for the chance to win your newest book. I would be delighted!
So pleased you enjoyed the first, Lilyane! Good luck in the draw for the second!
The chance to read and review one of these two beauties is wonderful! Looking forward to it, very much. Thank you both for the opportunity….
Good luck in the draw, Denise! Hope you get chance to read them!
I would love to read these. I have always been a big Jane Austen fan. I have stage 4 lung cancer and I am currently undergoing Aggressive Chemotherapy treatments. I read a lot to keep my mind off of everything and it passes the time when I am getting my treatments. Thank you for the chance to win these beauties
I’m so sorry to hear what you’re going through. I’ve had chemotherapy treatment for cancer myself so I understand the need for distraction. Good luck in the draw, and thank you for taking the time to comment. <3
Hello Cass and Ada,
I’ve read about your novels first time today and am really intrigued now! I also love cats and writing (and JA of course) and would like to know more about your writing process together. Do you write chapters each and then discuss/edit them or do you write the dialogues like real dialogues? (Hope this is not too curious a question). Good luck for your new book and future projects!
Best wishes from Germany,
Anja
Hello Anja!
We don’t write chapters separately from each other, or dialogue really. We each work on every scene – one person might start a scene, then the other expands on it, then it goes back to the first to work on and so on – all through the book. This includes both description and dialogue.
Thank you for the good wishes, and good luck in the draw!
Thank you Cass! It sounds like a really intense process. You must both be rather open for changes and compromises then, I guess 🙂 All the best!
Lovely and informative post. I look forward to reading each of these books
Hope you enjoy, Lynn! Good luck in the draw!
What a great interview ! I’m definitely intrigued. All the best with the new book and upcoming projects.
Glad you enjoyed the interview, Lucy! Good luck in the draw!
The e-book covers from Canelo are very cute and pretty. I think it fits the overall theme of your time-travelling premise which is fun and adventurous. The paperback covers are beautiful too but much more serious and have a mature look. If the Canelo covers can be used for the print copies, it would definitely stand out among the other Austenesque books. But this is just my opinion.
Congrats on the launch of the novel! I enjoyed getting to know you both of you better. Have fun cause you deserved it.