Wednesday, December 3, 2014

The Muse Blog Tour with Jessica Evans

We are in for a treat today, dear readers. It is my turn to take part in the Blog Tour for new Meryton Press Author, Jessica Evans. Don't you just love the cover of her book, The Muse? I think it is stunning.  Jessica tells us about her reasons, as a reader and writer, for loving Jane Austen. Good reading, my friends.

There is a giveaway so don't forget to check it out. Thanks for stopping by and a special thanks to Jessica Evans for being my guest today.

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I love Jane Austen as both a reader and a writer. When writing “The Muse,” I looked to Pride and Prejudice not only for inspiration on plot and characterization, but I also tried to emulate what I loved most about Austen’s craft in my own writing.

When we talk about Jane Austen, we talk about her biting humor. I remember laughing out loud the first time I read the opening dialogue between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. I felt the dysfunction between them, Mr. Bennet’s indifference, Mrs. Bennet’s penchant for melodrama. I love reading Jane Austen’s dialogue, and love writing dialogue even more. To that end, I tried to capture that same wit and banter in the dialogue in my story. Some of my favorite dialogue scenes to write were Elizabeth and Darcy bantering at Charles’ Rhinebeck cabin (the equivalent of the drawing room scene when Jane is sick at Netherfield) and a conversation post-“Hunsford” between Darcy and Anne.

Another reason that I love Austen’s writings is her ridiculous minor characters. I love to hate them! In particular, I love hating those who are most self-important and least self-aware, the egomaniacs and hypochondriacs: Mr. Collins, Catherine de Bourgh, Lady Bertram, Mary Musgrove. Austen makes me feel like, together, we are in on a joke. I wanted my readers to feel the same way in The Muse so I tried to paint Catherine Boroughs (my version of Catherine de Bourgh), heiress and arts philanthropist, with the same brush of sarcasm that Austen wields so expertly. I made Catherine an interloping arts philanthropist with lots of opinions and money, and no artistic sensibility. Her ignorance – coupled with her ignorance of her ignorance – made her a fun character to write.

That said, none of Jane Austen’s characters are perfect. She creates human characters with real flaws. Darcy, as we know, has too much pride. So does Catherine de Bourgh. So does Mr. Collins. But, the difference between those characters that endure Jane’s ridicule and those that earn her love and empathy is one of self-awareness. Although both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy suffered from self-righteousness at the beginning of Pride and Prejudice, they both become willing to look inwards, assess themselves honestly, and admit that they were wrong. Each causes the other to change and evolve. Jane Austen creates characters who grow to understand themselves, which is why I and many others fall in love with her characters and stories. In The Muse, I try to do justice to this theme by describing the evolution of Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship and each of their thinking about themselves as artists.

Those are some of the reasons that I love Jane Austen as a reader and writer. What about you? I’d love to hear what you love most about Jane Austen’s writings!


Book Blurb:
Elizabeth Bennet, the newest corps de ballet dancer at Ballet Theater of New York, dreams of rising through the prestigious company’s ranks to become a prima ballerina. When she’s cast in superstar choreographer William Darcy’s newest work, she believes she’s one step closer to realizing her dream–until she meets him. 

William Darcy, the former dance legend and ballet bad boy, is a jaded perfectionist whom dancers both fear and admire. Although touted as the next big thing in the ballet world, he secretly battles a bad case of artist’s block–until he meets Elizabeth Bennet. 

Tempers ignite between Elizabeth and Darcy, but he’s irresistibly drawn to the stubborn and beautiful corps de ballet dancer. Could she be the muse he needs to reignite his passion for ballet?

Links:

Author Bio:
A middle school English teacher by trade, I cut my writer’s teeth in various fan fiction forums starting at the tender age of fifteen. My debut novel, The Muse: A Pride and Prejudice Variation, is set to be published by Meryton Press in late November 2014.
In my spare time, I read a lot of Young Adult literature, cook and eat as organically/sustainably/artisanally/grass-fed-ally as possible, and work on improving my life one affirmation at a time. I live in Brooklyn, NY though am not a hipster. I swear.

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Thank you, Jessica Evans, for visiting today. It is such a pleasure to have you here. Your book sounds fascinating and I wish you much success. In her post, Jessica asked what you love most about Jane Austen writings. Please share your thoughts with us in your comments as we would dearly love to know. Thank you again, Jessica, and please stop by anytime.

Meryton Press is kindly giving away two chances to win a copy of The Muse. There will be one paperback and one eBook up for grabs and both are international! YAY!!! Thank you Michele Reed. Let me know in your comments which you prefer should you be one of the lucky winners. We always love to hear your share in the conversation so please leave a comment below to be entered in the giveaway. Be sure to include your email address so that I may contact you.  Giveaway ends at midnight December 9, 2014.

41 comments:

  1. Mostly I love the plot composed by Jane Austen. Her stories aren't preachy and always leave a message. There's romance, humour and witty banter between characters to look forward too.

    evangelineace2020(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Yes to the banter! Nobody does dialogue like Jane Austen.
      Thanks for commenting!

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  2. I love Jane's beautiful use of words -- the way she puts them together, like delicate paint brush strokes on a canvas -- perfectly nuanced with just the right shade of humor and social commentary. Nut what I love most is how easily a reader can relate to the characters she constructed. Because they are so completely human, we can see many of our contemporaries acting out their self-same foibles and awkwardness out on the pages of her novels. It's such a pleasure to read her well-crafted novels. It's no wonder we go back to them again and again. -- If I am selected to receive a copy of the Muse (which I also LOVED... especially the shower scene... which (without presenting a spoiler) is NOTHING like the shower scene in Psycho ... LOL!), I would prefer the paperback version. I'm not quite on digital books yet. Thanks and best of luck with book sales!

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    1. Amy,
      I agree with you. There's something very relatable about all of the characters - from Emma's good-natured meddling, to Lizzy's headstrong nature, to Anne's quiet fortitude. I love them more for their flaws!
      Glad you're looking forward to The Muse. The shower scene is a favorite of mine, too. ;)
      Thanks for commenting!

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  3. Thanks for the giveaway. I can not wait to read this one. It sounds so good. tresha_7 atmsndotcom

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    1. Thanks for commenting! I hope it lives up to your expectations. Let me know your thoughts when you finish.

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  4. Jessica, I love both the ballet and Jane Austen and am looking forward to learning more about The Muse. Your bio made me chuckle. Best wishes for a successful launch of what sounds like an amazing story.

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    1. Glad I made you laugh. ;) Thanks for your best wishes. I'd love to know what you think when you're finished reading.

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  5. I love how Austen makes the story relatable even transcending over 200 years. The wit and humor builds on her style of writing. I can always imagine the scene playing out in my head when reading her novels.

    Thank you for sharing about your experience with Austen and how you incorporate some of the style and wit in your writing.

    Thanks for hosting Janet and for the opportunity. I would prefer the book version but either would be wonderful.

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    1. Yes, the wit and humor has withstood the test of time! Thanks for commenting!

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    2. You are welcome, Dung Vu. Thank you stopping by and good luck.

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  6. I've read this story online some time ago and I remember that it was really great!
    I would love to win a paperback (don't have an e-reader). Thanks for the giveaway!

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    1. Thanks for remembering my story! There have been some revisions since the last version, but I think they made the story better. Let me know what you think when you're done reading!

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  7. Good point about why Jane Austen is still popular two centuries later. The wit, the flawed characters, and the engaging stories. She doesn't try to wow people; she just tells a story and I love that.
    Congrats on the new book, Jessica. I'm intrigued on the setting of the ballet world for the story.

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    1. She doesn't try to wow people, but of course, we are wowed! :D Thanks for commenting!

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  8. Lady Catherine is my favorite secondary character! I read only ebooks these days, so I'd love to read yours in that format. (Lesliebdougherty at gmail dot com)

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  9. Lady C is such a ridiculous figure, isn't she? I love those the best. Thanks for commenting!

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  10. Sounds like such a fun story! I read most of my austen-esque fiction on my kindle now but I would love either version. Thanks for the opportunity! madeleine.everse@gmail.com

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    1. Thanks for commenting! I'd love to know what you think of the story when you finish. :)

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  11. Hello ladies! I first read Jane Austen when I was a teenager. I fell in love with her work when I read Pride & Prejudice. There were two main things that stood out for me. Firstly, the humour. The wittiness, the irony, the affectionate view of people's foibles. The second thing that I particularly loved was actually Elizabeth. I completely identified with her, even though the character was written nearly 200 years before I read the story which shows you how well Austen captured human nature. I loved her intelligence, humour, the fact that she wasn't perfect, but a rounded, three dimensional character who made mistakes and learned from them.

    Thank you for the giveaway opportunity. I'd love either version, The Muse looks like a great read! I'm at frawli1978 (at) gmail (dot) com

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    1. Yes, in addition to her intelligence and humor, my favorite thing about Elizabeth is her capacity for self-awareness and reflection. Good luck in the giveaway! Hope you enjoy.

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  12. I'm only just starting to get into modern re-tellings/variations of one of our favourite love stories. This one, in particular, sounds quite unusual. I know very little about ballet, in particular, and my dancing skills of any sort make Mr. Collins look like Fred Astaire!

    The more I read Jane Austen's works and about her life, the more she appears to have been very much ahead of her time. The dialogue she created between her characters hasn't dated at all, only it's historical context. While I know that the context is very much part of what she wrote, you can appreciate what an extraordinary talent she had, whether or not you need to take those circumstances into account.

    Thanks so much for the giveaway. If I can express a preference, it would be for the paperback, but I won't say no to the ebook either.

    angmardee@hotmail.com

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    1. "my dancing skills of any sort make Mr. Collins look like Fred Astaire!"

      This made me laugh! I hope you enjoy the book. I'd love to know your thoughts afterwards as someone who is new to the ballet world.

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  13. "The Muse" was the first long Austen fanfic I read. I remember it fondly, mostly for two reasons:
    1--Elizabeth's learning how to put herself forward w/o being a bitch.
    2--Her perfect retort when Catherine B. asks how she managed to attract a man like Darcy. :)

    I'd love an ebook if my comment gets drawn. My email address is dendra6886 at yahoo.com

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    1. Wow! What a huge honor for me to be your first long Austen fic. I always love hearing from past readers. Inside secret...I almost nixed Lizzy's infamous retort to Catherine, until my editor smacked some sense into me. I'm glad she made me see the light! Hope you enjoy it as much the second time around.

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  14. Sounds like an intresting book. I would love to win a paperback copy. e-mail: heleanna(at)gmail.com

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  15. Oh, my, does William Darcy wear tights? This is a wonderful premise, and I can hardly wait to read it! I could sense the tension of the characters in the interview. Thank you for the giveaway. evamedmonds(at)gmail.com

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    1. Haha! Darcy's tights days are over unfortunately, since in The Muse, he's a choreographer. But you can imagine some form-fitting sweatpants, if you'd like. :D

      Thanks for your compliments and good luck in the giveaway!

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  16. I definitely want to read this book. I used to be a dancer (a ballroom dancer, in fact, but I love every kind of dance), so this retelling is quite perfect for me. As I live in Italy, I'd prefer the e-book copy. (I'm looking forward to reading this one soon, and I would get it sooner!) ;)
    gabrielladiariodipensieripersi(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Thanks for commenting Gabrielle and good luck in the giveaway!

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  17. I’m fascinated by the complexity of Austen’s novels—you can read them on so many different levels! I’m always discovering something new. Retellings such as The Muse are a great way to see the story in a new light :) . I can’t wait to read it.

    NovEllaandBanannabelle(at)Gmail(dot)com

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    1. Every time I reread Austen's novels, I also take something new away from them. They have always been enjoyable to me. :)

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  18. Cannot wait to read this. I would pay good money to see Darcy in tights! Fan please, raising my temperature.

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    1. Well, his tights days are over since he's a retired dancer, but perhaps you can imagine him in some form-fitting sweat-pants?? :D

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  19. I was first introduced to Jane Austen a few years ago when I was in my late 40's. I love how the main characters in Jane's books evolve into characters we can relate to as they grow and change, not in their essence, but in their understanding. I am looking forward to reading this retelling. skamper25 (at) gmail (dot) com

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    1. I love how you expressed that...that they change not in their essence, but in their understanding. Thanks so much! I'm going to borrow that from now on!

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  20. I consider The Muse my favorite JA fanfic that I have read, Congrats on publishing it.

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    1. oops elysehome at yahoo dot com. Never has a dance lesson been so hot. I'm now in a New York State of Mind.

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    2. Thanks for this tremendous praise! Good luck in the giveaway.

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