Jane Odiwe's Project Darcy

I am so excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Jane Odiwe's new book Project Darcy. Not only do I enjoy the books that I have read by Jane Odiwe, but I adore her art! It is so beautiful and in this post she talks of her new book and her art.  She even shares some of her paintings with us. Aren't we the lucky ones! I have always been fascinated with both time travel and archaeology. To mix them with Jane Austen is a treat, indeed. Thanks for sharing with me and my readers, Ms. Odiwe, and for allowing a giveaway too.

Thank you so much, Janet, for inviting me to your blog today to talk about my new book, Project Darcy. As a fellow artist, I know how much work goes into creating one of your fabulous pictures, and I thought I’d talk about one of the paintings I did that inspired my novel.

This is a book I’ve wanted to write for a long time, the story of Jane Austen’s exciting Christmas of 1795/96, when she fell in love with Tom Lefroy. I enjoyed writing a time travel novel so much with my last book that I wanted to do the same again. Ellie is a modern heroine (a little like Elizabeth Bennet) who travels back to the past to witness not only what happens to Jane, but experiences her every thought and feeling!

About thirteen years ago, I started making paintings of Jane Austen and depicting scenes from her life. I was fascinated by this young Jane, and how she looked. Every contemporary account said she was tall, slim and attractive - she had hazel eyes, rather rosy cheeks and curly brown hair. I used Cassandra’s portrait of her to make my own and took off her cap, as she wouldn’t have worn one in her youth. More than anything, I wanted to see her dancing with Tom Lefroy and I decided to paint them at Ashe Rectory with Tom’s aunt, Madame Lefroy, and all their neighbours.

I used reference material - there are portrait miniatures of Madame Lefroy and her nephew Tom, and I used these to make my own sketches. I wanted to show everyone dancing on a starry night, and to get as much movement in the dancers around them so the focal point would be on Jane and Tom. I wanted to see Jane dressed up and wearing a ball gown, and Tom in evening clothes.

When it came to writing the scene at Ashe, I wanted to draw the scene with words - here is my description of Tom and what he is wearing -

‘Good evening, Miss Austen.’

At the sound of his voice, I wanted to prolong the moment of turning – as soon as I did I knew the evening would start and it would all be over in the time a breeze ruffled the lake beyond the formal gardens, stippling the surface into beaten silver. Every second felt like an eternity as I revolved. At last, it was time to stare and take a memory picture in my mind. Fair hair shining in candlelight, a golden curl falling on an eyebrow, brooding grey eyes contemplating me with a steady scrutiny, broad shoulders, black coat, white cravat, silk waistcoat, satin breeches, gleaming shoes – a promising list, but the whole married into an epicurean feast for the senses – my senses. He bowed, and I curtseyed.

I’ve had a wonderful time writing this book, and imagining all the scenes - thank you again for giving me the opportunity to tell your readers about Project Darcy.

Connect with Jane Odiwe:

Jane Odiwe - Austen Effusions

     Jane Austen Sequels

     Twitter

     Facebook

     Pinterest

It is high summer when Ellie Bentley joins an archaeological dig at Jane Austen’s childhood home. She’s always had a talent for ‘seeing’ into the past and is not easily disturbed by her encounters with Mr Darcy’s ghost at the house where she’s staying.

When Ellie travels into the past she discovers exactly what happened whilst Jane danced her way through the snowy winter of 1796 with her dashing Irish friend. As Steventon Rectory and all its characters come to life, Ellie discovers the true love story lost in Pride and Prejudice – a tale which has its own consequences for her future destiny, changing her life beyond imagination.

Jane Odiwe is the author of five Austen-inspired novels, Project Darcy, Searching for Captain Wentworth, Mr Darcy's Secret, Willoughby’s Return, and Lydia Bennet’s Story, and is a contributor to Laurel Ann Nattress’s anthology, Jane Austen Made Me Do It, with a short story, Waiting.

Jane is a member of the Jane Austen Society; she holds an arts degree, and initially started her working life teaching Art and History. When she’s not writing, she enjoys painting and trying to capture the spirit of Jane Austen’s world. Her illustrations have been published in a picture book, Effusions of Fancy, and are featured in a biographical film of Jane Austen’s life in Sony’s DVD edition of The Jane Austen Book Club.

These paintings that you shared with us today are absolutely gorgeous. I love the Ashe Ball painting. I think you most definitely achieved your goal. From the pictures that I have seen, you certainly captured the look of Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy. Thank you so much for allowing me to show your work here at More Agreeably Engaged. Thank you also for telling us about your new book, Project Darcy, and a little of how it came to be. I look forward with much anticipation, to reading it.

For the giveaway of her book, Project Darcy, Jane Odiwe is generously offering a paperback of her new book to one lucky winner and the giveaway is open internationally. To be entered leave a comment below as I always love reading your 'say in the conversation'! Good luck to all. Be sure to include your email address in the comment. To prevent unwanted spam, put your email address with an (at) instead of @. Winner will be chosen in a random drawing. Giveaway ends at midnight, November 13.