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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

How to Have a Jane Austen Valentine’s Day

by Chautona Havig · 8 Comments

Pretty in Print by Laura Hile

Pretty in Print

It was all quite incredible, really. A flowery Valentine card, filled with his eloquent poetry, had been sent to the wrong lady. And so charmed was she by this, that he was now her bridegroom. Well, a week from now he would be.

At the moment Sir Walter Elliot sat gazing at a blank sheet of paper on the desk. Crafting a wedding announcement, to be sent in advance of the event, to the Bath Gazette and the leading London newspapers, was more challenging than he supposed.

For anyone could write a bald-faced statement of the fact. Sir Walter, on the other hand, wished not only to increase his social presence but also to inspire admiration. No, better yet, a sense of awe. After all, not just any gentleman could land a bride as well-endowed as his.

Thus he must word the announcement perfectly. For Miss Austen herself had once told him, “One may as well be single if the wedding is not to be in print.”

Sir Walter Elliot
Image property of the BBC.

There had been a few snags.

Sir Walter’s first choice of venue was oh-so-fashionable Mayfair’s parish church, St. George Hanover Square. Unfortunately, neither he nor Lady Catherine were residents of Mayfair—yet. Then too, the calendar for weddings was notoriously crowded. Sir Walter dared not delay the ceremony. His bride might change her mind.

Lady Catherine had been surprisingly stubborn about the special license, even though it could be easily obtained. “For surely you have the necessary connections, my dear,” Sir Walter had said. Not that he cared for the prestige of this license per se, but the ceremony could have been performed at her brother’s residence. Would not that look fine in print?

Married by special license in the dwelling-house of the earl of —

Sir Walter sighed. The man would not be present for the wedding. Nor would any of the guests be considered prominent, aside from Lady Catherine’s nephews. Since Mr. Darcy was not fond of London society, mentioning his name would not be useful. Such a pity.

He could scarcely refer to his bride’s attire, either—for she was having nothing new made up—or the destination for their wedding trip. Indeed, the latter was still being negotiated. At present, Lady Catherine was holding out for a visit to Kew Gardens—as if this were a destination! And Sir Walter was willing to acquiesce, as long as the money saved could be spent on a full-length bridal portrait for the gallery, with a copy to be made for his own Kellynch Hall.

“For there is no point in looking as handsome as we do,” he had told her, “if it is not recorded for posterity to admire.”

The unhappy truth was this: Sir Walter Elliot, the prize of the Bath marriage mart, was to be married in an ordinary parish church with no attendants and few witnesses.

But they would be married. That was the material point.

“First comes love, then comes marriage—” Sir Walter repeated to himself. “And then, with her splendid fortune at hand, comes all the rest.”

One did what one could.

Thus Sir Walter manfully dipped his pen in the inkpot and wrote:

Lady Catherine de Bourgh, of Rosings Park Estate, and Sir Walter Elliot, of Kellynch Hall, were married on the 16th, at the parish church of Hunsford, Kent. A number of friends of the contracting parties were present, who, in conjunction with numerous acquaintances, wished the newly-wedded pair all the joys of felicity.

To read more of Laura Hile’s short Austen-inspired stories, these are available, too!

Panic Stations, Gentlemen! (with Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam looking on as Sir Walter works his magic)

A Trifle Disguised, He Said (Mr. Collins has had “a little too much wine” the night before, to his wife’s annoyance)

How to Have a Jane Austen Valentine's Day

Links on this post may be affiliate links for which I receive compensation from the owner of the website.

How to Have a Jane Austen Valentine’s Day

As I said in THIS REVIEW of A Very Austen Valentine, it is never too early to read Valentine’s stories. I contend that it is also never too late! This collection of SIX Austen-inspired romantic novellas includes such favorite characters as Elizabeth Bennett, Anne Elliot, and her much-esteemed father, Sir Walter Elliot!

From wise lessons in handling marriage disappointments and some fabulous storytelling from Robin Helm (just a caveat… it’s more sensual than the others!) to comedic relief in the form of the irrepressible and aforementioned Mr. Elliot, you will see how some stories could have happened, what might have happened after others, and fanciful tales in the middle–including a delightful one about two different books’ children and what happened when they grew up.

What does this have to do with how to have a Jane Austen Valentine’s Day?  Well… I hopped into Superman’s phone booth and a mad scientist in there took me back into time.  I stepped out of a blue police box to find Jane Austen standing there giving me an expression that made me think of Caroline Bingley’s, “I’m all astonishment!”

I’d say we can forgive her the bug eyes in this instance, don’t you think?

Anyway, I asked her. “How would you advise young ladies and married women spend their Valentine’s Days so that they feel as if they’ve had a “proper Austen Valentine’s Day?”  (For what it’s worth, I think she is convinced of my lack of sanity).

She said, “I think the perfect day would include a new book by a favorite author.”

When pressed, she did say that her books contain sufficient romance for the day and for someone of any age or situation in life.  I told her how popular her works still were and that people even wrote additional or alternate stories for her characters.  When I told her about A Very Austen Valentine Collection, she gave me a prim nod of approval.

“Now, if you would be so kind as to remove that blue box…”

A Very Austen Valentine

Six beloved authors deliver romantic Valentine novellas set in Jane Austen’s Regency world. Robin Helm, Laura Hile, Wendi Sotis, and Barbara Cornthwaite, together with Susan Kaye and Mandy Cook, share variations of Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, and Sense and Sensibility, featuring your favorite characters in sequels, adaptations, and spinoffs of Austen’s adored novels.

Experience uplifting romance, laugh-out-loud humor, and poignant regret as these authors deftly tug on your heartstrings this Valentine’s Day.

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Comments

  1. Sharon Goodwin says

    February 14, 2019 at 3:06 pm

    I like the sound of this book! I would enjoy hearing / reading more about almost any of Jane Austen’s characters or maybe even Jane herself!

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      February 14, 2019 at 5:10 pm

      I really enjoyed seeing characters as spies, the kids of others, the married troubles of another. So cool.

      Reply
  2. Colleen Parker says

    February 14, 2019 at 1:46 pm

    Sounds fascinating to explore the world of Jane Austen’s characters through the eyes of contemporary authors!

    Reply
  3. Faith says

    February 14, 2019 at 11:19 am

    What could be better than an Austen day no matter how or when!

    Reply
  4. Melissa Kiergaard Smith says

    February 14, 2019 at 9:56 am

    These look nice!

    Reply
  5. April Gebhard says

    February 14, 2019 at 9:04 am

    I think i would love stories about Emma Woodhouse.

    Reply
  6. Lila Diller says

    February 14, 2019 at 8:08 am

    I can never tire of stories about Lizzy or Mr. Darcy. I would also like to hear more about Anne Elliott and Captain Wentworth.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      February 14, 2019 at 8:15 am

      There are a few excellent Lizzie/Darcy in this book.

      Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 231: A Chat with RomCom author, Shannon Sue Dunlap
byChautona Havig

Shannon Sue Dunlap isn’t new to rom-coms, and her first book in the Sweetheart Series promises to be a literary riot, and it lives up to that promise. I’m only halfway through it and am thinking mean, ugly thoughts of everything keeping me from being able to escape into the crazy small-town politics and quirky characters. So far the com far outweighs the rom, which makes me thrilled to bits. Listen in to discover what makes Lone Star Sweetheart so much fun.

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Why Did This Author Write a Rom-Com about a Loveable Shrew?

Well, I think we can safely blame Shakespeare for that. Shannon Sue Dunlap has taken inspiration from Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew in her Katherine, but unlike Katerina, Dunlap’s character is actually trying to learn to tame the tongue. Maybe someone should send her over to the book of James. There’s that whole bit about not being able to tame it, being an “unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

Kate’s isn’t that bad, but not for lack of trying. Or something.

Shannon Sue Dunlap isn’t joking when she says that her Katherine is a “loveable” shrew. Seriously, I love this character. She’s forthright, no-nonsense, and “what you see is what you get” in her approach to life. I respect that. Add to that her boss who has shaken up the town of Sweetheart, Texas, and you’ve got the makings of a great story. I’m loving Lone Star Sweetheart.

But this isn’t all Dunlap has written.

Under the pseudonym, Shannon Kent, you can find her sweet and clean romances (including one Christian romance) inspired by Korean dramas. If you said I’d be not only chomping to read a sweet and clean romance about Korean tour guides and all that entails but also ready to watch a Korean drama on Netflix… Okay, I might not have laughed in your face, but I’d’ve been laughing on the inside.

Best part… one of them ties into her Sweetheart Series

Lone Star Sweetheart by Shannon Sue Dunlap

Katherine Bruno’s passionate, unfiltered temper makes her the shrew of small-town Sweetheart, Texas. When she’s drafted to help the mayor’s wife run against her own husband, Katherine meets opposing big city political consultant Ryan Park. The good-looking, flirtatious campaign manager gets under her skin, but fraternizing with the enemy is off-limits.

Katherine must battle her lack of experience, campaign sabotage, and her growing feelings for Ryan as she strives to succeed. His unprejudiced acceptance of her strong-willed character beckons her heart, but his jaded rejection of God is an insurmountable barrier. Will Ryan return to his faith and stay with her in Sweetheart or leave when the election ends?

You can find out more about Shannon Sue Dunlap AND get that first novella in the Korean Crush series free on her WEBSITE.

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