Tag Archives: Jane Austen

Around the Interwebs: Volume XIII

19 Jan

Showtime Getting a Dr. Frankenstein/Dorian Gray/Dracula TV Show (via Deadline)

Dorian Gray

Because NBC shouldn’t get to have all the fun with their Dracula series “Dracula”, Showtime is getting a television show named “Penny Dreadful” centered around Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray and Dracula. Apparently they’re the three amigos of the monster world or something. Set in Victorian London, the show claims that it will be the most realistic version possible because the characters all exist in their human forms at the time. So it’s Dr. Frankenstein, Dracula and Dorian Gray before they become vampires, immortal paintings and mad scientists. Gee, that sounds so much better. ::facepalm::

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Book Giveaway: “The Jane Austen Handbook” by Margaret Sullivan

8 Jan

Jane Austen Handbook Giveaway - Margaret SullivanOn January 28th Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice turns 200 year old. That’s right, Mr. Darcy is still sexy despite being as old as dirt. No judgement ladies and gentlemen.

To celebrate this momentous feat- in conjunction with the amazing marketing team at Quirk Books- we are giving away not one, not two, but THREE copies of The Jane Austen Handbook: Proper Life Skills from Regency England by Margaret C. Sullivan.

Hit the jump below to find out how to enter to win and see all pertinent rules. The contest begins on January 8th and ends on January 22nd.

Newly published with a revised cover, The Jane Austen Handbook offers step-by-step instructions for proper comportment in the early 19th century. Readers will discover:

• How to Indicate Interest in a Gentleman Without Seeming Forward
• How to Ensure a Good Yearly Income
• How to Ride Sidesaddle
• How to Behave at a Dinner Party

Full of practical directions for navigating the travails of Regency life, this charming illustrated book also serves as a companion for present-day readers, explaining the English class system, currency, dress, and the nuances of graceful living.

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Around the Interwebs: Volume VII

10 Nov

Hey everybody, we missed you all during our no-power related Hurricane Sandy outages. Thankfully we were all restored in time to enjoy and watch the election coverage in elation and okay, maybe some fear. Good thing all those worries came to naught! FOUR MORE BEERS! FOUR MORE BEERS!

Help Save the Best Lil’ Childrens/YA Bookstore: Books of Wonder (via Indiegogo)

Our favorite NYC children’s and young adult themed independent bookstore Books of Wonder needs a little community help to revitalize their shop. With amazing author events, old and rare books and signed copies on every shelf, we have spent hours wandering their selections and fighting off the desire to buy all the books. ALL THE BOOKS! A small $10 donation will get you a specialized postcard (our favorite of which was drawn by Gregory Maguire and features a doodle of Elphaba) and all the joy of doing a good deed.

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Around the Interwebs: Volume II

29 Sep

Pride and Platypus: Mr. Darcy’s Dreadful Secret (via Goodreads)

We’ve seen, read and occasionally reviewed our fair share of mash ups here on Bibliomantics, but we have yet to come across one as weird as Pride and Platypus. Especially when we thought the mash up literary trend was over. In this novel, every man in Regency-era England turn into wild animals at the full moon because of a curse? Because they’re too repressed? To be honest, we really don’t understand, we just wanted to share the ridiculousness that is Mr. Darcy the Platypus.

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LeakyCon 2012: Day Two

24 Aug

Day two started off bright and early (well, early for people who watched vampires eat placentas until 3:00 AM) with the second annual Lit Day. Or rather “Lit Track” as it was called this year as the event was expanded to a whopping two days. Seriously, Lit Day = love.

The D Word: Diversity
Moderator: Kate Schafer Testerman
Panelists: Rebecca Sherman, Jennifer Laughran, and Maureen Johnson

Kelly and Cassie-wa had big plans of waking early, showering, grabbing breakfast, and getting to this panel on time. They made it to the last 20 minutes (we blame it on Twilight). Which they were kicking themselves over, because it was such a fantastic group of authors and agents. The panelists frankly discussed problems in the publishing industry, like how does one change an industry that says black people on covers results in fewer sales? Authors want to write stories that speak to their readers, but how can they do this when others are worried about the finances? Maureen Johnson lightened the mood (of course) by talking about how one could reveal aspects of a character without it being too overt. Like how could JK Rowling have revealed Dumbledore was gay without it being awkward in terms of narrative. Her point was that JK couldn’t write about Dumbledore’s dating profile on maturewizards.com or anything like that. Diversity is an incredibly tricky concept to define and create authentically. Really thought-provoking and excellent discussion was happening, and then some over-eager Ravenclaw raised her hand. She prefaced her question by saying it may be too advanced for the panel (oooof), and then blathered about privilege. Kelly and Cassie-wa cringed a little, but the panelists were pros and answered with ease.

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Literary Vampires Don’t Suck: Cassie-la Sinks Her Teeth into “Jane Vows Vengeance” by Michael Thomas Ford

9 Mar

Jane Vows Vengeance by Michael Thomas Ford
Genre: Fiction, vampires, humor, do me now Lord Byron!
Rating: 4.67 out of 5 stars

Summary: The final (maybe) novel in the Jane Austen Vampire trilogy opens with Jane preparing for her wedding to long time boyfriend and hunky home restoration expert Walter, under the watchful eye of Vampire Hunter and future Mother-in-law Miriam. When the opportunity to go traveling around Europe with Walter’s preservation society comes up, Jane jumps at the chance to visit her old haunt. Part historical mystery, part Agatha Christie novel, all around vampire fun, Jane Vows Vengeance is the finale you never want to end.

We had a bit of an outbreak of crazies last month on Bibliomantics, from a man who supported racism by claiming characters in Ender’s Game were acting of their own free will, to a girl who couldn’t support my dislike of Anna Karenina and instead arbitrarily attacked my spelling and grammar. Thankfully, the vitriol these comments instilled in me were waylaid when my copy of Jane Vows Vengeance arrived. I last reviewed the second book in the series, Jane Goes Batty (review here) when Bibliomantics first began, and it was the first post an author responded to.

Our good fortune with Michael Thomas Ford continued into this novel, with a blurb from my prior review actually being featured in this first pages of Jane Vows Vengeance! Generally I don’t read the opening quotes praising prior books in the series because hey, I already know they’re good- that’s why I keep reading them! For some reason though I took a gander, and the last quote, shockingly enough was credited to Bibliomantics (insert crazy excited face here). Too bad they used the quote where I made a pun, but at least they kept out the “See what I did there?” comment after. Regardless, we’re all still excited to see our name in print.

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Stephanie Says: Let’s Talk About “Pride and Prejudice”

28 Feb

So…let’s talk about Pride and Prejudice.

Every well-read woman (and I imagine some men too) has a special, undying love for Mr. Darcy. He is the ultimate. Handsome, rich, and kind of an asshole. But an asshole who is willing to change for the one he loves! Okay, so he is super fictional and you will never find him in real life no matter how hard you look, but he’s real enough to make you give it a try anyway. He isn’t such an impossibility like trying to find a sparkly vampire or a ripped werewolf. Darcy is human with faults and issues to overcome and he does it for love.

I read this book for the first time in high school English class. I found it dreadfully boring…until that moment when Mr. Darcy proposes to Elizabeth the first time. Despite his un-gentlemanlike manner, all of a sudden it was riveting. I didn’t see it coming at all. They were so at odds, I totally thought as much as Lizzy did that he simply despised her and then there he is proclaiming his love. Totally hooked me and I flew through the rest of the book, hating on Lydia for being such a foolish slut and obsessing about when Elizabeth and Darcy would finally get together. Of course they did and it worked out perfectly for everyone.

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Jane Austen, Dead and Loving It: Cassie-la Argues for “Jane Goes Batty” by Michael Thomas Ford

11 Feb

Jane Goes Batty by Michael Thomas Ford
Genre: Vampire fiction, humor, Jane Austen may or may not be rolling in her grave literature
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Summary: This over the top vampire novel, a sequel to Jane Bites Back, follows author turned vampire Jane Austen, her sire Lord Byron, and their arch-enemy Charlotte Brontë.

After more than 200 years, Jane Austen (now Jane Fairfax) has finally published her most recent novel, Constance and is dealing with the struggle to write her “sophomore” novel, deal with her new agent, a Brontëite, and attempt to tell her boyfriend that she is a vampire.

These problems are compounded when she meets her boyfriend’s mother, who happens to be a Brontë fan, and may or not be a vampire hunter. To further complicate matters, Constance is being adapted for film, and the director wants to set the costume drama in America in the 50′s.

Hilarity and hi-jinks ensue in a series that will have Jane Austen rolling in her grave… With laughter.

Jane Austen… Is a vampire… Living in the 21st century. Hearing this synopsis, I knew that few people in the literary community would appreciate this series, and I knew I was one crazy few who would read it. Yes, the premise is ridiculous, but that’s what makes this book, and it’s predecessor Jane Bites Back, so refreshing. It doesn’t try to be high brow. Instead it strives to be fun and entertaining, succeeding without crossing the line into literary slop.

Jane Bites Back and Jane Goes Batty are the kind of book you can start reading late at night and fight off sleep just so you can keep reading them. Ending just shy of 300 pages, these fast paced novels can be read in a day or two whether you’re a voracious reader or a voracious eater. Because you will want to read these books while doing everything.

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