Jane Austen State of Mind

My Jane Austen blog is different from many others in that I write about much more than just JAFF/Austenesque fiction. As such, posts titled, "Chronicles of an Incurable Collector" will be a regular feature. Last time, I wrote about my $25 Facebook Marketplace 18th century oil painting . I'd now like to share another recently acquired treasure. In April, I purchased a set of antique vanity pieces consisting of an ornate ormolu hand mirror and box. I acquired the set for only $60. I consider that a steal considering the box alone had an antique store price tag of $600.  This picture shows how I found this set when I attended the preview prior to the actual auction. Upon inspection, I determined the set was not in perfect condition due to a mildly chipped mirror inside the box, verdigris on the mirror's handle, and some distortion in the miniature portraits. Unlike some I found online, however, the glass inserts covering the robins egg blue guilloche enamel panels are in...

  Less than a week ago, I wrote a post about one of my favorite JAFF authors, Lory Lilian, and her newest book, "The Mistress of All." If you haven't already, please consider reading my first blog post about her and the book. That first post (Part 1)  provided information about Lory's background, previous books, a summary of the book, and an excerpt from The Mistress of All (MOA). Since that last post, rave reviews on Amazon for MOA have continued to pour in, far exceeding the number for many well-regarded books in the Austenesque genre (including some of my favorites) that have been out for years. Moreover, the 164 reviews MOA has received so far average 4.5 out of 5 stars! One of the many 5-star ratings was my own.  A few reasons for my 5-start review are as follows: 1) This quote from the book is about the evolution of Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship is EVERYTHING!! I bookmarked it, screenshotted it, and exclaimed out loud as I read it (silly, I know, but th...

As you may know, the Jane Austen State of Mind blog and  Facebook page are relatively new. As such, this is my first formal post about a book. I was so excited and honored when one of my favorite authors in the Jane Austen Fan Fiction (JAFF)/Austeneque fiction genre agreed to provide information for my very first book preview and review! Unlike some reviews, I did not receive an advanced copy of the book and have no incentive to provide a positive review. Instead, I'm a long time fan of the author, and I pre-ordered the book, as I have with many of hers. It is my pleasure to share an excerpt and Q&A from one of the best JAFF authors, Lory Lilian! Her most recent book, The Mistress of All , has been out for just over two weeks and, as of the date of this post, has already had 134 reviews averaging 4.5/5 stars. That number of reviews in such a short time is almost unheard of!! I see this as an indicator of just how overwhelmingly positive this book's reception has been. I w...