Happy Friday, everyone! I am so excited to welcome back author Pamela Lynne today to Austenesque Reviews! If you are not familiar with her stories, I recommend you check them out! I love the unique and and unexpected variations she writes – Dearest Friends, Sketching Character – and I am one of the many ardent admirers of her original character, Sebastian Fitzwilliam – you can see more of him in Family Portraits. 💗📘
Pamela is here to share some exciting new about Dearest Friends and to offer the lovely opportunity to ask any questions you might have for her! 🎧❓
Hello everyone! I’m so happy to be back here at Austenesque Reviews. My plan for today was to let 
you know that Dearest Friends is available on audiobook—except it’s not. ACX is experiencing long delays and the approval process is taking much longer than normal. So, sadly, I come to you today empty handed. All I can do is what I’ve been doing the last several months, throw my hands in the air and say, “That’s 2020 for you.”
I thought we’d still try to have a little bit of fun, even if I’m here without a link. Let’s do a Q&A in the comments. The first ten people to ask a question will receive a code for a free Dearest Friends audiobook as soon as it is available. If you enjoy listening to audiobooks, this one will be a real treat. Brigid Lohrey does an amazing job in bringing the characters to life. You probably recognize her from her previous work with Elizabeth Adams. Brigid has a fantastic ability to make you feel like you are inside a period drama. I look forward to hearing her work on all my JAFF books in the coming months.
I hope you all are well and are finding joy in this odd time. I’ve been inside a rabbit hole for months. COVID turned me into a homeschool mom, something I never thought I’d be. I have two learning at home, two toddlers, and one in-person high-schooler who is trying to be a normal teenager while wearing a mask and social distancing. My plate is beyond full but I can honestly say I’m happier than I have been in a long time. There’s something about being made to be still that gives you the ability to see things clearly and remember who you are.
Let’s cross our fingers and hope we’ll have Dearest Friends available soon. Don’t forget to ask your questions in the comments and I hope y’all have a great Thanksgiving! See you soon.
Fingers crossed for you, Pamela!! Thank you so much for sharing this news with us and coming up with a fun post to share! I wish you the best with your Audible audiobook release of Dearest Friends!!
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~ Connect with Pamela ~
GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Pamela is generously giving away 🔟 Audible audiobook codes for Dearest Friends to the first 🔟 people that comment with a question on this post!
Even if you aren’t one of the first ten to comment or are a listener of audiobooks, please feel free to leave a comment, question, or some love for Pamela! 💖
- This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you, Pamela!
- This giveaway ends November 20th!
I’m not entering the draw as I don’t do audiobooks! I’m just here to share some love for these three fabulous books!
I absolutely love them and have read them all many times! Dearest Friends was the first I read and Sebastian, Mr Gardiner and Remy were favourite characters! After Darcy and Elizabeth of course. Jane, Mary and Bingley were a revelation, as were Mr Bennet and Collins! Family Portraits was the perfect sequel! I am also a big fan of Sketching Characters 🙂
Hi Glynis! I used to not like audiobooks. Lately, though, I’ve found listening to books I’ve already read to be comforting. Thank you for your lovely words. I hope all is well!
I hate to ask this, but how did you first get into Austen herself and then into Austen inspired fiction? I think the way one gets into Austen herself and her writings influences how one interacts with her words and ideas within the context of the Janeite fandom (such as writing Austen-inspired fiction).
Hi Jen! I started reading Jane Austen in high school, more than 25 years ago! She’s my greatest influence no matter what I’m writing. I found JAFF in 2012 when I was pregnant with #3. I was sick all the time and spent a lot of time in bed reading. I was hooked immediately and started my own variations soon after. Thank you for your question!
So lovely to see you here Pamela!
I know you have a young family and I’m sure you are really busy, but I am just wondering whether you are writing anything at the moment?
Hi Ceri! I told Joy below that I have three things working right now. With life the way it is, it’s going to a while before any of them are ready to publish. Thanks Ceri! It’s good to see you.
Hello! Hello! Hello! I am beyond delighted to see you here, Pamela. Like you, my latest audiobooks took way too long. However, I have no doubt that the wait will be worth it.(Please don’t enter me because I will buy it as soon as it’s available.) Let’s see…what to ask? I know, do you by chance have a work in progress you would like to share a bit about with us today?
Thank you, Meredith, for this post. I’m so, so, so happy to see Pamela and JAFF together again.
Hi Joy! Please take the code. You know I’ll have a ton of them and I’d rather they go to JAFF friends. 🙂 I have three WIPs and if any of them get done in the next year it will be a miracle. I’m not joking. My usual writing places have closed their dining rooms and I can’t seem to get fifteen minutes straight of alone time in order to write, though DH does try. It won’t always be that way, though. I know things will get done in the time it’s meant to be done. Thanks Joy! It’s good to see you.
Big hugs to you and thank you!
Same here, Joy! I love Pamela’s writing so much – no matter what genre it is! Thank you so much for the lovely visit!
I love all your books! Are planning audiobooks for your other books?
I do plan to have them all done over the next few months. Thanks Cynthia!
I love Dearest Friends and look forward to listening to it. I loved how Sebastian took care of Mary. Are you ever going to write another Jane Austen variation? Yours are just so wonderful to read.
Hi Lynn! I’ll be honest with you, I got pretty burned out with JAFF for a couple of years. After FP, I had no new ideas and potential plots I had jotted down just didn’t grab me. There was too much weighing me down, but things have been resolved. One of those WIPs I mentioned to Joy is a new JAFF. Both Surrendering the Past and Newness and Wonder started out as JAFF plots and I’m contemplating playing around with those, too. We’ll see. My JAFF work never takes less than a year so don’t look for anything for a while! Thank you so much, Lynn. I hope all is well with you!
Hi,
I haven’t read dearest friends yet sorry to say but am looking forward to either listening to it which I love or reading it. Thank you for the chance and good luck
Hi Maria. It’s nice to meet you!
I know you will love Dearest Friends, Maria I hope you get the chance to read or listen to it soon!
Hi Pamela – it’s so great to have the opportunity to ask questions. I’ve not read your books yet but would love to. I was not too fond of the idea of audiobooks as I love to hold a physical book, but once i tried them, was hooked. I’m a knitter and gardener, so I love to listen to audiobooks when I enjoy my favorite pastimes. What other Jane Austen books do you like and do you have an interest in other variations?
2020 has been a challenge for all of us and it sounds like you have a full family-homeschooling life. I wish you all the best and success on Dearest Friends! –Leslie
Hi Leslie! I can honestly say that the only Austen book I don’t like is Mansfield Park, although I do think a book that concentrates on Mary or Tom (or both) would be interesting–for someone else to write. If I were to write a variation of another work, I’d probably explore the minor characters in Emma or write about Eleanor Tilney. My heart is mostly with the characters of P&P, though. Except for Kitty. I just don’t like her. Thank you, Leslie!
Excellent question, Leslie! And I hope you get the chance to read one of Pamela’s books soon! They are terrific!
And yes, I love the idea of Emma’s secondary characters!
Hi Pamela! I enjoyed this book several years ago, and I am a big audiobook “reader” so this would be lovely to own. My question is what is ACX? What is the approval process? I can guess but truly don’t know… I’m guessing it’s all part of publishing an audiobook, a process I know NOTHING about!
Hi Sarah! ACX is the side of Amazon that produces audiobooks. Usually, the process is fairly painless. After you choose a voice artist and they are through recording, ACX goes over the finished product to ensure quality. That’s where we are now. Thank so much for your question!
I do not need a code, but thank you. I have no question either. I just wanted to say that it’s terrific to “see” you again! Long time…..
Hiiii Ginna! **waves**
I do not care for audiobooks because I find my mind wanders while I listen, but I do love your books. Nice to see your name again in the JAFF circles.
Hi Brenda. Always nice to see you!
So happy to see you back again, Pamela! 2020 certainly has thrown a curve ball at us all! I loved all your JAFF and need to re-read them. Looking forward to your other two series being continued, but I can be patient as I am soooo far behind in my reading! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! No questions from me and please do not enter me in the draw. I have tried audiobooks, but I think it is the speed of the narration. I tend to read faster than someone speaks!
Hi Carole! Sending big hugs!
Sounds really great and I love audiobooks. Look forward to its release. Are there plans for others being released in this format?
I plan to have all my JAFF books in audio in the coming months. I hope you enjoy it!
I have read all three of those books and enjoyed them. Best of luck with getting the audio book released. Happy Thanksgiving to all…stay safe.
Thank you Sheila!
Hello and happy to hear from you Pamela. Congratulations on entering the world of audiobooks! My question is… who do your characters look like? What are your WIP about? Who is your favorite character and why? Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Be safe
Hi Shelley! I don’t always have a specific idea of a character’s appearance, just a general sort of look. However, for me, Darcy is always a young Colin Firth. In DF, my inspiration for Richard and Sebastian, at least for looks, was Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth. I’m working on the third book in my modern series written as Alexis Lynne. It’s a Christmas themed book that continues the stories of the people of Sylvan Hills. I have another Christmas themed one that is built around a house party in Victorian England. My JAFF is set during the time Darcy is looking for Lydia and Wickham in London. It’s very man-centric as he is joined by pretty much every other male in P&P. I imagine it being quite a journey. Thank you Shelley. Happy Thanksgiving!
Shelley – what fantastic questions! I love them!
Pamela, I love your inspo for Richard and Sebastian and now want to read it all over again just so I can picture them!
Thank you for the response.
Beautiful cover!
denise
Thank you!
It is do good to see you again. I have been thinking about you. I was wondering how you come up with ideas for your books…a phrase in a story, an experience, an idea that oops into your head from out of nowhere?
Hi Debbie! The easy answer to that is yes. It’s all those things. Most often, I’ll wonder ‘what if.’ What if Bingley wanted Darcy to marry Caroline? What if Darcy had rescued Lydia from Wickham? As I go along, that’s when the personal experiences will creep in. It’s so good to see you, Debbie! Thanks for your question.
Pam! So great to see you writing, albeit inhibited by the dastardly coronavirus, as I’m sure we have all been. So glad you’re well. Good luck with the audiobook!
Hi Jessie! Good to see you! <3
It looks like I’m a bit late to the party, but I’ll still ask a question! I am an audiobook junkie and am intrigued by the process–ranging from choosing the perfect voice artist to dealing with Amazon. I love reading your positivity in the face of being a homeschool mom during the past months. You have quite a crew! I have only one child and have struggled at times. How have you found time to write and/or move your creative projects forward while living in said rabbit hole? Do you carve out time each day to write?
Hi Paige! Up until now, my experience with ACX has been easy and positive. The hardest part is choosing a voice artist. I had so many talented people audition. That’s a good problem to have, though. My writing time is very limited these days. I used to write during the little ones’ nap time but now that’s taken up with homeschool. I also used to write late at night but have just been exhausted, lately. I do know, however, than when I can focus on just one plot to develop, it will take over and I’ll use every available moment to get it done. Thanks for stopping by, Paige, and for asking a question!
When I spotted this email in my inbox I was actually reading my first ever Pamela Lynne book (I know!!! Where have you been Michelle?) Surrendering The Past. And I have had DF and SC sitting in my TBR for an embarrassing amount of time. Was I ever surprised at that cliff hanger of an ending, I may have known about that when I first bought it, but like I said they’ve all been in that dark hole called by TBR. That said, I saved reading this until I was done and then Life got in the way, 😉
Anyway, congratulations and best luck on entering the audiobook world. I listen to audio books frequently and am always looking for a new JAFF listen out there. I’m sorry for the frustration it has caused you, especially this year. I’m looking forward to getting it though, whenever it does happen for real, and I love listening to Brigid Lohrey.
Yay!! I am so happy, Michelle! Oh I love that book so much! I am so glad you have some of my favorites in your stack! I cannot wait to hear your thoughts on them!
Thank you so much, Michelle! I hope you enjoy it.
Thank you so much, Pamela, for this lovely visit to AR! I know it didn’t pan out as intended but I loved seeing everyone’s questions for you and reading your answers! I might ask one of my own if that is okay…since no one asked it before me. 😉 I would love to know more about Sebastian. What inspired his character creation and personality? Did you know he would be such a prominent character in your stories or did he take over at some point?
#TeamSebastian
I had to think about this question since it has been so long since I wrote DF. Dearest Friends is the only book I have written as a pantser, meaning I made it up as I went along with no outline and no real sense of what the middle parts would be. I posted a chapter a week on a fan fiction forum so I was writing a chapter at a time and not skipping around like I do now. It was very linear, except for one scene. I wrote the scene of Mary, Jane, and Sebastian in the carriage to Scotland fairly early on and it pretty much served as the starting point for me with Sebastian. I knew in that scene that he would be a major player and would be a hero on equal footing with Darcy, at least in my mind. His relationship with Mary did not end up the way I thought it would at the end of DF. **SPOILER** I didn’t see Mary feeling the way he did and only seeing him as a friend. I was wrong, thankfully, because that relationship turned into something so complex and sweet.
As far as his character creation goes, I wanted to write about the Fitzwilliams. We only see the good colonel and crazy aunt, but we know Darcy has an uncle and Colonel Fitzwilliam has a brother. So, I knew I needed a viscount and I knew I didn’t want him to be just like the ones I had read about in other JAFFs. Honestly, all the interviews I watched of the Chrises when The Avengers first came out influenced the mannerisms and playfulness of both Fitzwilliam brothers. Also, I’ve known men who grew up in comfortable surroundings who had big personalities, big libidos, who were fun to be around but never grew up or changed their habits. Perhaps I wanted to reform them in the only way possible–through fiction. 🙂
I know this was a long answer but I do love talking about Sebastian. I can’t imagine loving a character more than I do him. Thanks so much, Meredith!