Top 10 Reasons Why Posting Has Been A Bit Spotty Lately
From the home office in Chawton, Hampshire, the top 10 reasons why posting on AustenBlog has been a bit spotty and distracted lately:
10. Busy plotting infiltration of Persuasion 2007 set
9. Sending Andrew Davies anonymous letters telling him that we can guarantee him an Emmy win for Northanger Abbey 2007 if he deposits £20,000 in our numbered Swiss bank account as a show of good faith.
8. Determining if our hotels in Arizona have wifi so that we can liveblog the JASNA AGM in Tucson, Arizona
7. Crocheting pretty camisole for JJ Feild so that his Henry Tilney doesn’t get a complex over Freddie’s frillies
6. Compiling exhaustive list of demands suggestions for Amanda Grange for when she writes Henry Tilney’s Diary
5. Practicing scales so can go on road with Austentatious…lalala! mimimi!
4. Basking in admiration of syncophantic minions, distributing chocolate
3. Arm-wrestling Heather L for title of Official Webmistress to Da Man
2. Lobbying Congress and Parliament for new law instituting harsh punishment for anyone who calls Jane Austen “the godmother of chick lit”
::drumroll::
And the number one reason that posting on AustenBlog has been a bit spotty lately….
1. The Editrix has been finishing up the final edits and rewrites for The Jane Austen Handbook: A Sensible Yet Elegant Guide to Her World, which will be published by Quirk Books in 2007. (Available for preorder on all the Amazons! 
And yes, this is our tongue-in-cheek way of announcing the book, which we’ve been working on in our Top Secret Writer’s Lair for some months now.)
We’re turning the blog over to the lovely and talented Tasha whilst we enjoy the beauties of nature and the beauties of JASNA next week! *waves hankie*
October 21st, 2006 at 11:45 am
Wow, a book! Congratulations, Mags!
But, is the book for Janeites or for non-Janeites who’re getting in touch with Jane Austen for the first time? Well, I suppose every Janeite can use a handbook now and then anyway.
October 21st, 2006 at 12:00 pm
Both, I hope! It’s definitely geared more to the newbies, though since I learned quite a bit while researching and writing it, I hope that more experienced Janeites will get something from it as well. It’s a handbook for living in the world of Jane Austen’s novels. The novels were my primary source material but I researched other stuff too, such as dancing (had help there) and card games and other stuff that I didn’t know that much about before writing it.
October 21st, 2006 at 12:59 pm
Congratulations Mags!!!!! I suppose you are kind of a big deal now!
Don’t get so big that you forget us little people over here at your beloved blog! Seriously though, this is great and I wish you many more published books in the future! Perhaps an anthology of all of you wonderful short stories??? I can’t wait to get my copy of your new book. 
October 21st, 2006 at 12:59 pm
Wow! Congrats!
October 21st, 2006 at 2:12 pm
Only £20,000? Your success has made you charitable.
BTW, that package of indie film equipment is still for sale. £20K would cover the gear with plenty left over to feed a cast of starving drama students. Think of it — NA3: Back in Bath.
October 21st, 2006 at 4:18 pm
Congratulations! That is such great news!
October 21st, 2006 at 7:28 pm
I am pleased as punch and will personally purchase many, many copies! I know that things can only go up from here. Wishing you nothing but success!!!
October 21st, 2006 at 7:33 pm
Congrats, Mags! And Amen to number two.
October 21st, 2006 at 8:17 pm
Thanks for the kind wishes, everyone. I hope you all enjoy the book.
I should probably tell a little what the book is about, to avoid confusion. If one were magically transported to the world of Jane Austen’s novels, one would use the handbook to know how to act and what to do in various situations in which one might find oneself (such as at a ball, at a dinner party, on a morning call, etc.). Quirk has a line of illustrated handbooks such as the Batman Handbook, the Spiderman Handbook, etc. that are the same format, but this one will have a different look. It will look like a Jane Austen Handbook should.
(The illustrations, which are all original, are fantastic!) The others are more of a comic book style, which fits their subject matter. Quirk also publishes the Worst Case Scenario books if you are familiar with those.
A lot of it is the distillation of eight years of research for fan fiction, so I think it will come in handy for fan fiction writers who aren’t as knowledgeable about the period. I would have loved to have something like it when I was starting out writing fanfic. I did further research on some areas where I didn’t have detailed knowledge and firmed up details that I was fuzzy on in some other areas. There’s not a lot of primary research material for the period–most of what is widely available is pre-1770 or post-1840–so JA’s novels and letters were always my first source.
And you might be able to tell from the subtitle that it is all delivered with tongue slightly in cheek. Like Jane Austen, if my life depended on my writing a serious book I should be hung before I had finished the first chapter.
But there is solid information, and I hope it will be fun to read.
October 22nd, 2006 at 1:50 pm
Congrats Mags. I can’t wait to read it.
October 23rd, 2006 at 9:49 am
Sounds like exactly what I need when reading Austen’s novels! Can’t wait to purchase a copy!
Congratulations Mags!!
By the way, love #6!! I trust you will steer her in the right direction
October 23rd, 2006 at 1:52 pm
Cheers, Mags! This is one minion that will be preordering your book and holding out tongue for chocolate. Could I but see your Top Secret Writer’s Lair…sigh.
October 23rd, 2006 at 2:24 pm
Congratulations! I hope your work can be recognized and it can help people to get into JA’s novels.
October 23rd, 2006 at 4:10 pm
I am so getting your book Mags! May have to bribe my husband. You have a top secret writer’s lair? OOOHHHH! I wish I had one of those.
October 24th, 2006 at 1:41 pm
Congrats, Mags! I’m very excited for you!
October 26th, 2006 at 10:25 pm
Congratulations, Mags! How very exciting…I can’t wait to read it.
P.S. How does one go about getting a book published?
October 30th, 2006 at 3:06 pm
Congrats! Next….a screenplay!
November 1st, 2006 at 10:48 am
Did someone say/type screenplay? I love screenplays. Ok, I’ve never actually seen one. But I do enjoy movies, especially those very rare faithful adaptations of beloved books.
E.D. I have no idea how one gets published. I’m impatient so I self-publish. I suspect Mags has a more traditional arrangement. Possibly an agent as well. Mags is lucky (or just has more sense than I have).
November 6th, 2006 at 5:32 pm
Congratulations indeed! But might these orders, er, helpful hints you have been giving Amanda Grange have so intimidated her that she has decided (or so rumour has it) that the next gentleman to have his private papers invaded by her will be Captain Wentworth rather than Mr Tilney?