We are pleased to report that Lydia Bennet’s Story by Jane Odiwe is available for preorder from Amazon.co.uk and will be released on December 1. More information about the book is available at Austen Effusions:

In Lydia’s Story, Jane Odiwe takes us back to Jane Austen’s most beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice, to a Regency world seen through Lydia Bennet’s eyes where officers, pleasure and marriage are the only pursuits. The events that Austen did not relate are revealed, we follow her comical adventures and are privy to her every folly, every romantic whim. All the characters we love and recognise are there with many new ones besides. From Hertfordshire to Brighton, Newcastle and Bath, to the end of Pride and Prejudice and beyond, we learn of Lydia’s quest for true love.

While we understand that Miss Lydia’s character is not exactly redeemed in the story, she is given a somewhat more sympathetic treatment than she has received in the past.

For the purposes of her wonderful book, Jane Austen quite rightly paints Lydia in a less than flattering light, but for the purposes of mine, I hope I have managed to give her a sympathetic hearing, which I believe she deserves, despite her penchant for silliness and folly. Her heart rules her head, her tongue has a habit of running away with her and she acts without thinking but I confess, I could not resist her and have grown to be very fond of Lydia for all her faults.

Don’t forget to check out Miss Lydia’s Blog for a preview of the book and the lovely illustrations.

Innocent Diversions has been named nytheatre.com’s Pick of the Week:

Theater Ten Ten’s new revival of Lynn Marie Macy’s Jane Austen-style holiday entertainment is absolutely delightful and charming.

The New York Times was less pleased with it, though grudgingly admitted that Janeites might like it. (Gee, thanks! We were waiting for your permission! Sheesh) And having seen Ms. Macy’s thoroughly delightful adaptation of Northanger Abbey from the first row of Theater Ten Ten last year, we can say that moving the seats back from the stage is a pretty good idea–otherwise you wouldn’t be able to see the stage properly.

And we have some new photos from the play:

Christiana Lynn Kuczma as Catherine Bigg and Karen Eterovich as Jane Austen

Karen Eterovich as Jane Austen and David Arthur Bachrach as the Reverend George Austen

Karen Eterovich as Jane Austen, Chelsea Jo Pattison as Fanny Austen and Talaura Harms as Madam Lefroy

Innocent Diversions runs through December 16.

Comedian Russell Brand has had to bow out of Jane Austen Handheld due to previous commitments.

It could have been a stroke of inspired casting: louche comic Russell Brand as the dastardly Wickham in a spoof remake of Pride and Prejudice, alongside mouthy singer Lily Allen as Lydia, the headstrong flirt with whom Wickham elopes. Sadly, Brand has said he will be too busy to take up the role in the film, called Jane Austen Handheld, which will retell the Austen classic in the form of a fly-on-the-wall documentary and is due to go into production next year.

“I met Lily when she came on my radio show and I thought she was fantastic,” Brand says. “It’s a pity, as I’d have loved to run off together and have my wicked way with her.”

So this sounds like it’s going forward…who will play Lizzy and Darcy? Shall we start a letter-writing campaign to Stephen Fry to ask him to cast Richard Armitage as Darcy? Might be the last chance to get him in an Austen adaptation, and imagine him doing those one-on-one camera journal things like in The Office, wondering why Elizabeth doesn’t like him, or oh dear God Wickham’s shown up!

*cackles evilly, stands back as Armitage Army stampedes*