Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Jane Austen’s Timeless Influence ~ Marilyn Brant

I am thrilled to welcome New York Times & USA Today bestselling author, Marilyn Brant, to More Agreeably Engaged this morning. When I asked her if she would consider being my guest and she said yes, I have to tell you, I was excited 'beyond belief'! 

Marilyn, it is so good to have you visit and talk about the influence that Jane Austen has on so many of us, as well as share an excerpt from her book, Take A Chance On Me. Dear Readers, since this is Ms. Brant's first visit here, please join me in giving her a very warm reception.


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Janet, thank you so much for inviting me to visit you at More Agreeably Engaged! I’m thrilled to be here ;).

I love classic literature and have always enjoyed reading stories set in the Regency and during other historical periods. But Jane Austen was special. When I first read her work as a 14-year-old high school freshman, Pride and Prejudice rocked my world. Anyone who knows me knows that she became my all-time favorite author that year, and my favoritism has never swayed.

As an author now myself, though, my writing voice and literary sensibility has always been rather contemporary. But the mark that Jane’s stories left on me was very deep. However modern my characters may be or whatever present-day situations they may find themselves in, they all carry around with them a kind of Austen tattoo. It may not be flashed outwardly and often, but it’s always there. And readers who look for it will find it every time.

My debut novel, According to Jane (Kensington, 2009), was about a young woman who had the ghost of Austen in her head giving her dating advice, so that story was an obvious nod to JA. So were my two sweet contemporary romances, Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match (2013) and Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Bet (2014), which were both novels that featured a modern-day Darcy and Bingley, along with their Elizabeth (aka “Beth Ann”) and Jane counterparts.


But while the Austen influence might be more subtle in my new Mirabelle Harbor series, it’s there nonetheless. The characters in Take a Chance on Me and The One That I Want are residents in a contemporary Austen-inspired community, albeit one set in the northern Chicago suburbs rather than anywhere in England. Their families know each other. They interact with each other in the neighborhood. And they form opinions about each other, which may not always be accurate “first impressions...” They are, I think, characters JA might recognize, underneath their 21st Century exterior and despite their Midwestern American vernacular.

Because JA created such relatable characters herself—and such timeless situations that took place between them—I can almost imagine a modern Darcy and Bingley, who acted as much like brothers as good friends, IMO, having a conversation similar to this one below. This scene is between Chance Michaelsen (from Take a Chance on Me) and his older brother Blake.

Story Excerpt:

The next day I called Blake and told him we were going out for lunch. “I’ll drive. Pick you up in fifteen minutes,” I informed him. I didn’t leave him any choice in the matter.

“So, what’s on your mind, little brother?” he asked me when we’d gotten our deli sandwiches and were seated on our favorite rock by the lake. We’d come here as a family when our parents were still alive. A part of me could still feel their presence.

“I can’t talk to Derek about this because, once he met Olivia, it was like he’d never dated anyone else in his life. Chandler is wandering around somewhere in the southeastern United States and is lost until he wants to be found. And Sharlene is a girl.”

Blake laughed. “So, I’m Option D. Last one left, right?”

“Pretty much.” I grinned at him. “Actually, I think you’re the only one who might be able to help me anyway. There’s this woman—”

“There always is.”

“Yeah, well, I’m kind of crazy about her, and I think—I think—she’s noticing me, too, but I’m not positive. I don’t know. This is just not normal for me. I’m not used to feeling this...insecure or whatever. This unsure of someone’s feelings. I send out these obvious signals to her and I think she’s sending signals back, but there’s been nothing definite.”

Blake took a big bite of his sandwich and stared at me thoughtfully as he chewed. Finally, he said, “You mean, she’s not actually throwing herself at you, like most women?”

“Right,” I had to admit. That was the usual scenario, and Nia definitely hadn’t done that.

My brother rolled his eyes. “Did you maybe try asking her out?”

I shook my head. “No. There’s a complication—”

“There always is.”

“Yeah, well, it involves another guy,” I said.

“Oh, shit.”

“Her supposed ‘boyfriend,’ I guess.”

“You guess that she has a boyfriend? Are you kidding me, Chance? You’re encroaching on another guy’s girl?”

“I don’t think it’s a serious thing. There’s no real commitment, from what I can tell. She just introduced him to her parents for the first time on Friday and—”

“She introduced him to the family? Bro, that’s kind of serious.”

I shook my head. “But I saw them together Friday night, and that wasn’t the vibe I got. Not at all. He was barely looking at her. And she seemed...not entirely herself. Thing is, he’s a big shot. One of the dudes at the Jordan-Luccio Corporation.”

“Which one of the dudes? A manager or something?”

“No. The Jordan one.”

Blake raised a dark eyebrow, impressed. “You’re telling me that you’re trying to steal Grant Jordan’s girlfriend?”

“Screw you. I’m not trying to steal her. I think she’s attracted to me, too, but she just won’t say anything. So, then I find myself wondering... Oh, never mind.”

“What?”

I kicked at a pebble with my sneaker. “Maybe she’s not saying anything because she wants Grant Jordan.”

“Do you mean his body? Or do you mean his money, his position in society, and his relative fame?”

“All of the above,” I admitted. “I suppose he’s not ugly. Women seemed to find him attractive, anyway.” I shrugged. “And I know his net worth is in the millions, but I don’t get the sense that she’s a gold digger. I just wonder if, maybe, he’s the better man.”

Blake squinted at me and put down his sandwich. “Look, Chance, I’m your brother. I’m biased. But I don’t think a woman could find a better man than you.”

“I’m not fishing for compliment—”

“I know you’re not. Hear me out, though. All bias aside, you’re not asking the right question here. It’s not whether Grant is a better man, which I think is debatable and highly unlikely.” Blake looked me in the eye and, without the slightest trace of humor, said, “The question is whether Grant is the better man for her.”

~*~
Hope you liked this scene snippet!


When were you first introduced to Austen? Was it as a reader or as a viewer? And was it love at first sight...or did you have to revise your first impression later? :)

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About the Novel:

Dedicated personal trainer Chance Michaelsen falls hard for Nia Pappayiannis—his complete opposite and a member of the family that owns the Greek bakery just down the street from his gym. He considers their pastries to be the enemy of good health, but he can’t quite shake his attraction to Nia, who doesn’t seem nearly as impressed with him or his sculpted physique as most of the women around town.

Unfortunately, between her doctor’s orders and the interfering ways of Chance’s crazy-making ex-girlfriend, who just happens to be one of Nia’s long-time friends, Chance gets assigned to be Nia’s fitness coach for the month. Pure torture. And if his ex weren’t already causing enough problems, he also has to deal with Nia’s current boyfriend—some hotshot Chicago CEO who talks big but, in Chance’s opinion, is as fake as a Styrofoam barbell. 

Nia may have her doubts about a romance with him, but Chance has a well-developed competitive streak and might just be willing to give it a shot...if he can convince her to do the same. 

In matters of the heart, would you risk it all? TAKE A CHANCE ON ME, a Mirabelle Harbor story. 

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Buy links:

Marilyn Brant's books are available on all platforms (B&N, iBooks, Kobo, etc.), but here are the direct Amazon links for the books mentioned in this post:


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Author Bio:

Marilyn Brant is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary women’s fiction, romantic comedy & mystery. She won RWA's prestigious Golden Heart Award for her debut novel, According to Jane, and she was named the Author of the Year (2013) by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She loves all things Austen, has a passion for Sherlock Holmes, is a travel addict and a music junkie, and lives on chocolate and gelato. Look for all of the contemporary romances in her new Mirabelle Harbor series, beginning July 2015! And for giveaways and more information on her stories, please visit her website

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Social Media links:


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Thank you for agreeing to be my guest, Ms. Brant. It is such a privilege to have you visit. I hope you will consider coming back again in the future. To answer your question at the end, I was first introduced to Austen in high school. I was too 'in love' at the time to be too interested. I was re-introduced in 2010 and fell in love! I, like many, could not get enough so started searching for more and more to read. It has been a fantastic time and I am still enjoying all the many books available. Another wonderful thing about this Jane Austen world, is meeting so many nice JA fans and authors. It has been an amazing journey and has even given me a new direction in life. I had not done much with my drawing until I started drawing scenes from the 1995 miniseries. Now I am doing book covers and commissioned art. 

Marilyn Brant is kindly offering an eBook for giveaway. Open internationally - one ebook copy of the romantic-comedy novella TAKE A CHANCE ON ME (Mirabelle Harbor, Book 1). Available in epub, mobi, or pdf format. Please tell us which format you prefer in your comment along with your contact information. Below is the question that Ms. Brant asked at the end of her post. Please have your share in the conversation and tell us...When were you first introduced to Austen? Was it as a reader or as a viewer? And was it love at first sight...or did you have to revise your first impression later? :)   Giveaway will end at 11:59 PM on 7 September, 2015. Good luck to all!

22 comments:

  1. Janet,
    Thank you so much! And it would be a pleasure to get to visit you again sometime ;) .
    Loved hearing your story about how you got to know Austen's writing and, also, how it influenced your drawing and painting! As I've said before, your artwork is wonderful, and I can easily see why your beautiful calendars get snapped up so quickly!! xo

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    1. Thank you, Marilyn. I'm happy that you like my artwork! That is always good to hear. :)

      I hope you will come back soon. Just let me know a time!

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  2. A wonderful interview ladies! I love all of Marilyn's novels. They are all a real treat and have me hooked from page one! I love the new Mirabelle Harbor series especially because I know that more are on the way :) I thoroughly enjoyed 'Take a Chance on Me' and 'The One That I Want' and highly recommend both.
    I was first introduced to Pride and Prejudice in High School 1979. Didn't understand English Lit at all until I watched the 1980 TV adaptation. Fell in love with the story and characters. Reread the novel and have loved anything Jane Austen related since. That led me to searching for more JA related stories, which luckily led me to wonderful contemporary authors like Marilyn. Here's to more entertaining novels!

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    1. Vee,
      Thank you so much for stopping by and for every one of the kind things you said about my stories!! That you've read and enjoyed them is such a thrill to hear! {*hug*}
      And you and I both read/watched P&P for the first time within just a couple of years of each other ;) . It was 1981 for me, and we watched that same adaptation with David Rintoul and Elizabeth Garvie right after we read the book. I loved the story from the start, but seeing it dramatized was amazing to me. The boys in my class were rolling their eyes and half-asleep through it, but I couldn't stop watching...breathless!
      xoxo

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    2. Enjoyed both comments, ladies!

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  3. I was first introduced to Pride and Prejudice in high school. I liked the book but I knew there was so much that I didn't understand. I have always preferred the classics and reread all of Jane Austen's books following the 1995 P&P on BBC and was hooked. I love reading critical commentary, JAFF, and Regency historical novels. I have read your contemporary JAFF books and thoroughly enjoyed them, too. Thank you for the giveaway - would love to read the new one. I would like the epub. evamedmonds(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Eva,
      Many thanks! I'm so glad you enjoyed my Austen-inspired contemporaries!
      Like you, I've been fascinated by the critical commentaries written on a variety of classics books, but especially on Austen. It's really interesting to read what a range of experts might say. And rereading JA's novels always brings with it added appreciation for her genius. Every time, I find something new... ;)

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  4. I was eight when I received a complete set of Jane Austen's novels and minor works for my birthday. My mom and I read Pride & Prejudice aloud together every night. I loved the story particularly the scenes with all the sisters that first time. Later, I read them all on my own in high school and was old enough to appreciate Austen's wit and the romance along with the feeling of familiarity that the characters were every day people.

    Love that even your non-Austen books are flavored with Austen. I tend to see Austen character characteristics and situations in other books, and movies. Its fun to notice it.

    If I won, I'd like .mobi format.
    Thanks!
    sophiarose1816 at gmail dot com

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    1. Sophia Rose,
      How lovely that you and your mom could share Austen together like that! To be introduced to JA's work at such a young age and to appreciate it even then is really, really wonderful ;) . And what you mentioned about JA's characters being "every day people" is something I truly loved about her characterizations as well. They feel so REAL to me. So very human. I recognize them in people I meet...

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  5. I can't post my comment, could you please post it for me?

    I was first introduced to Jane Austen in my teens, I have to confess she was not a very widely known author in Mexico. That changed after the movie, but not too much. But I always loved to read and my father every summer bought me a pile of books to read during the summer, in one of those piles I got Orgullo y Prejuicio...

    I have two of Marilyn's books, and I hope I get lucky and get this one.
    Thanks for the chance!
    tgruy at netscape dot net

    Regards,
    tgruy | tgruy@netscape.net

    Note: This email was sent via the Contact Form gadget on http://moreagreeablyengaged.blogspot.mx

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    1. tgruy,
      Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by (and for already having a couple of my books!! ;) I truly appreciate it.
      And I think it's wonderful that your father was the one who gave you your first Jane Austen novel. How lovely it must have been to discover her writing!!

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  6. I first read JA in school as well! I love the classics (although Hawthorne 's seven gables gave me a difficult time! ) But I got much more out of it when I reread in university for myself. The social commentary underlying the amazing characters really makes it unforgettable and is why I read FF now I suppose. I really enjoy your books so thank you for writing them.
    Pdf please if I get chosen.
    Nicole_a_baur at yahoo dot com

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  7. I first read JA in school as well! I love the classics (although Hawthorne 's seven gables gave me a difficult time! ) But I got much more out of it when I reread in university for myself. The social commentary underlying the amazing characters really makes it unforgettable and is why I read FF now I suppose. I really enjoy your books so thank you for writing them.
    Pdf please if I get chosen.
    Nicole_a_baur at yahoo dot com

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    1. Nicole, thank you! I'm so thrilled that you enjoy my books ;). And YES!! I completely agree with what you said about Austen's brilliant writing. The social commentary paired with such memorable characters creates such fabulous stories. I can never get enough of her writing!

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  8. Thank you for the giveaway! I don't mine either ebooks or physical books :) I first fell in love at first sight with JA was when I watched the 2005 version of P&P. I've since watched the movie 9 times and have read the book countless numbers of times!

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    1. Priscilla,
      The actors and directors in the various P&P adaptations have done such a stellar job of conveying the story and the characters! I'm glad that watching the 2005 movie was what introduced to Austen ;).

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  9. What a fabulous post! Excellent interview and excerpt. I read and fell in love with Austen at the age of ten when I highjacked my brother's copy of Pride and Prejudice. He was reading it for his high school literature class and though I didn't get all of the nuances, I still loved the characters. Same thing with Marilyn Brant's books and characters :)

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    1. Oh, Pamala!! Seriously, your sweet comment just made my day ♥. Thank you! And I knew you'd read Austen early, but I hadn't realized you were only ten! Precocious kid ;).

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  10. Love at first read! I started on a classics reading kick about 5 years ago. After a few, I ran into P&P. I definitely got sidetracked from my original goal with my run on all things Austen. Wonderful post. Thank you for the giveaway!

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    1. Becky,
      Ha!! I think for those of us who love Austen, it can be hard to go back to other authors after falling for Jane's style. She was such a unique writer for her time!! ;)

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  11. It has been great and such fun reading all the ways that each of you first read Pride and Prejudice or were introduced to Austen. A special 'thank you' to each of you for taking the time to tell us. Marilyn, I loved all your responses in return. I believe your books are well-loved! Thanks again to all of you. :)

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    1. Janet,
      Thank you again for your warm welcome and for all of your kindness! I've loved getting to visit :).
      XO ♥

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