Meeting Meg

from http://www.blubellpublishing.com/

Meg Kerr is the author of Experience, a continuation of Pride and Prejudice.  After reviewing her book for my blog and for the Jane Austen Society of North America Calgary website, I asked her a few questions about her work.

Samantha Adkins:  How did you come to know Jane Austen and her work? 

Meg Kerr:  I was one of those kids who always had her nose in a book. I was about twelve when I first read Pride and Prejudice, and as a teenager I re-read it every year. That of course led to the rest of Jane Austen’s novels (Persuasion is my next favourite, followed by Emma) and then to other 19^th century novelists. Their stories are still easy for us to identify with in the 21^st century, even if the details now seem exotic (candlelight, coaches-and-four), and their prose has rarely been equaled by later novelists—and NEVER equaled if we’re speaking of Austen!

SA:  Why did you decide to write a sequel to Pride and Prejudice?

MK:  Just as every reader does, I wanted to know what happened after Pride and Prejudice ended. And I wanted to have a visit with all the characters simply because I like them and wanted to see more of them! They really turn into friends after a couple of readings. Who wouldn’t want to live at Pemberley? And although we might not want to stay at Rosings or Hunsford Parsonage for a month, we’d even like to drop in on Lady Catherine and Mr. and Mrs. Collins for an evening.

P&P takes place in a world all its own, almost untouched by contemporary events in England. I love history, and I wondered what would be the result if the real world leaked a little into the story; so some of the things that happen in Experience are based on current events. (Little things like the Napoleonic Wars….)  But others are based more on the personalities of the characters—what they would do if they found themselves in new situations. I’m one of those people who firmly believe that Elizabeth and Darcy lived happily ever after, so I’ll say right now that they don’t drag each other around by the hair,  divorce or die in Experience.           

SA:  What do you enjoy about the writing process?

MK:  Thinking up stories is fun. And I love playing with words—maybe that’s something I picked up from early exposure to Jane Austen.

SA:  What part of Canada do you live in?   

MK:  I live in Toronto, although as a little girl I lived on my family’s farm north of Port Hope, Ontario. That branch of my family emigrated from Ireland between 1820 and 1830 (they would have been fairly close contemporaries of Susannah Moodie and Catherine Parr Traill, who also settled in the general area). I mention this because I put a Canadian connection—a historically natural one--into Experience.

SA:  Do you plan to write other novels related to Jane Austen?

MK:  I’m working on a sequel to Experience that tells Georgiana’s story. (Of course several other characters’ stories are in it as well.) Poor Georgiana is a cipher in Pride and Prejudice. Not even any speaking lines! I was sure something interesting would happen to her, and better than her little adventure with Wickham at Ramsgate.

SA:  Where can we find out more about your work?

MK:  I am taking part in this summer’s Austenesque Extravaganza http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/more-about-austenesque-extravaganza.html--or I should say that someone from Pride and Prejudice is taking part. For a little treat, have a look at Meredith Esparza’s blog on Austenesque Reviews on August 13.

The website for Experience is at http://www.bluebellpublishing.com/.

Experience by Meg Kerr

            Experience is a gratifying continuation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.  It begins with the final chapter of P&P and continues directly after Darcy and Elizabeth’s honeymoon.  The reader is treated to an intelligent and entertaining story of “what happens next” to all of the Bennet sisters, Caroline Bingley, Colonel Fitzwilliam and a host of other characters.

            Kerr does a fine job of maintaining Austen’s characters, intentions and style.  She shows an obvious respect for Austen’s sensibilities and writes with a good deal of wit.  She also writes amusing dialogue and weaves many Austen quotations into her novel.

            Readers who are interested in knowing more about the regency world will be pleased with the attention to detail and the inclusion of historical events.  Kerr cleverly includes the birth of the S.P.C.A., the Luddite Rebellion, British politics, the birth of the railway and many other occurrences into the plot.  Her own love of horses is evident throughout the book. 

            There are several new characters in this novel who compliment Austen’s characters.  I especially enjoyed Adam Kendall.  I was tickled with the future Kerr imagined for Elizabeth and Darcy and their sisters.  Anyone looking for a bodice-ripper will not find one in Kerr’s work, but will instead be treated to an admirable homage to Jane Austen and her work.

 http://www.amazon.com/Experience-Meg-Kerr/dp/0986778907/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309664373&sr=8-1          

Weird things happen when you publish a book

Do you ever Google yourself?  It might be a bit egotistical, but it is interesting.  A few years ago, all I could find about myself was a reference to my time at Mount Royal College.  Now I find my books and other writings and one very strange item.  But first I have to back up. . .

A few months after I published Expectations: A Continuation of Pride and Prejudice I decided to take the plunge and send it to Andrew Davies, writer and director of all my favourite Austen film adaptations.  But how to find his address?  Google of course!  I was led to many different sites where I could pay to get his agent information OR, I could use an address I found for him in the U.K.  Perfect!  As a self-published author, I almost always go with the most cost-efficient route:) 

I wrote up a letter, which I thought rather witty, and at the end said something like “if you are not the Andrew Davies who wrote and directed Jane Austen’s movies, please feel free to keep my book as a gift, but kindly notify me by email so I can search for a different address.” 

A year passed.

I decided to Google my book, just to see if there was anything on the web I didn’t know about.  Then I found this link http://www.abebooks.com/Expectations-Continuation-Pride-Prejudice-ADKINS-Samantha/3241079893/bd  Ha!  My book was for sale on ABE books for over $40.00.  I won’t quote directly from the sales pitch, but it was noted as a rare book with a personal inscription to Andrew Davies!  It was also marked as “unread”, which I found just a tad insulting.  If only they had read the book, I would feel better about the whole mess.  Anyway, I had a good laugh and next time, I’ll make sure to find Mr. Davies’ real address before sending him my book.

Blogging Block

I hope no one's been holding their breath to read my blog!  I've been happily busy working away at my next book.  It will be Austen related!  Don't know if I'll blog much until it's done.  Thanks so much to everyone that's been following.  I've been a little frustrated with how difficult it is to leave a comment on Blogger.  Maybe by the time I post again, things will be easier.  Enjoy the sunshine while you can!

Interview with Bonnie Mae, writer and director of A Modern Pride and Prejudice

I joined the Calgary chapter of the Jane Austen Society of North America just over a year ago.  One of the benefits of joining is receiving regular updates, via their website and newsletters, of what is happening in the Jane Austen world.  It was through one of these newsletters that I first learned about Bonnie Mae and her soon to be released movie A Modern Pride and Prejudice.  The movie stars Maia Petee, Caleb Grusing, Christina LaFon and Mark Mook.  Although she is in the midst of editing, she had a few minutes to spare for my questions on her soon-to-be-released film.

Samantha:  Is A Modern Pride and Prejudice your first movie?

Bonnie Mae: No, this is not my first Feature Film.  Since and before A Modern Pride and Prejudice I have directed several other films.

S:  How did you get into directing?

B:  I've been directing movies and theater since high school and it is something that I always wanted to do since I was a little girl.  Most little girls had pink rooms filled with Barbies and dress-up stuff; I had a Directors Chair, old film posters of Ron Howard, James Cameron, S.S (Steven Spielberg) and more plastered on my wall.

S:  Why did you decide to make a modern version of P&P?

B:  I have been a HUGE fan of Jane Austen since high school and really started to think about it and write it down a couple of years later. It has been a ton of years in the making. I wanted it to be modern because there were so many period adaptations and I wanted it to be fun and fresh, so I decided to make it modern, but still use the language of the period, society, estates etc...It’s a very different version :)

S: Tell me about the process of turning Jane Austen's work into a modern script?

B:  Doing the screenplay was fun because I got to insert my own modern day flare into the script. The challenge was trying to put modern day into the script but also keeping the period version of the dialogue.  I (kept asking) myself, "What Would Jane Austen Do?" The most fun of the script was the last proposal scene.  In the book they walk off and then they are married. I added my own period dialogue with an extremely intense and romantic proposal scene.  It turned out great!  We actually filmed it two different ways with and without rain...you have to wait and see what we ended up using :)

S:  What was the process for selecting your cast?

B:  The cast process was LONG.  Even though it was only six days worth of auditions and call backs we had a ton of people to audition that came from Colorado and as far as the UK.  Everyone wanted to be a part of this film and we went through thousands of auditions live and via the internet.

S:  Was one character more difficult to cast than the others?



B:  The hardest part was casting Elizabeth because I wanted a modern day girl but also someone that could do period dialogue, (be) feisty and passionate. I also wanted a girl that was the same age as the Elizabeth in the book. We ended up casting everyone the same (age) as in the book, even Darcy. I didn't plan on everyone but it just happened that way so that was pretty interesting. I was fortunate enough to have a great cast.  We had a blast on set and off set as well. There was a very abundant amount of laughing! The film is filled with a ton of Love.

S:  When do you hope to release your movie?

B:  We are hoping we can release the movie very soon but I want to post the trailer first, which I'm hoping will be done within the month of May. Keep Posted:)

S:  How can people keep posted on your movie?

B:  Find us on facebook at: www.facebook.com/AModernPrideandPrejudiceMovie or on the official website: www.janeaustensprideandprejudice.com

S:  What do you plan to work on next?

B:  I'm hoping to do Persuasion next as a part of a modern series with JA novels.

I already finished the script for "Persuasion" which is my favorite novel of JA so I'm hoping to do that JA novel next.

For right now I'm working on some other feature films and trailers that I hope to have out in the future. I've also been hired as a Director to do some local things and one Giant thing in LA which I will be a part of at the beginning of fall, if everything goes as planned.

S:  Why did you start with Pride and Prejudice?

B:  I have a ton of people ask me why I did P and P first if I love Persuasion more.  The answer is P and P is more well known and I hope to have great results from A Modern Pride and Prejudice (so I can) do "Persuasion." (Fingers and Toes Crossed).  

S:  Is there anything else you’d like to say to your readers?

B:  I also want to say Thanks to all the fans that have supported this version and this vision. I also want to give a BIG shout out THANK YOU to everyone in front of and behind the camera that worked on this film. We spent three months together and I had a blast!!

If anyone wants to send Fan Mail to any of the actors or crew they can send it to: PaperCut Studio Productions PO BOX 7069 Woodland Park CO 80863 Please send a self addressed envelope for cast pics. Thank You!

A Critical Review

I received my first bad review for my book Expectations: A Continuation of Pride and Prejudice.  I’ve been expecting it for some time, but after having my book out for over a year and a half, I was starting to think I was safe.  Wrong!  Now before I start, I must say I absolutely respect the right of the reader to post her opinion.  I’m merely exercising my right to respond.

The review was posted on amazon.com along with my book sale information.  It will stay there with my book for as long as I keep it on amazon.  I will see it any time I check my book – which I do about once a week to see if there are any new customer reviews.  I don’t wish to rewrite what the reviewer said here – feel free to check it yourself.  But the gist of it is that I write like a twelve-year old and that I probably put “Mrs.” along with my name in order to make me feel older.  I had to laugh at this.  I only wish I weren’t as old as I am!  Also, the “Mrs.” is there simply because I had to enter my title when I was filling in my information to publish. 

So what does it mean to write like a twelve-year old?  This is the question that keeps spinning around my head.  Does it mean I did not include sex, swearing or tragedy?  I did this on purpose as I wanted to write in Jane Austen’s style.  Did I do a bad job of writing in regency style?  This is quite possible.  I did my best by reading Jane Austen’s books continually as I wrote and watching movie adaptations of her work.  Is my grammar poor?  Another possibility as I did the editing myself with some help from friends and family.  I’m certainly a product of the whole-language movement.  I go by what sounds good and have difficulty picking out parts of a sentence.  I hope I can afford an editor next time.  Have I been reading too many picture books to my children?  Another possibility. 

Ironically, my most recently published book, Subgirl, is written from the point of view of a twelve-year-old.  I had an editor say she didn’t believe the narrator was twelve, so I reworked my book, hoping to make it sound like it was written by a twelve-year-old.  In the end, this criticism is not very helpful.  There are too many possibilities.

In defense of the comment that I should spend time refining my writing processes, I must say that I've been working on this since I could hold a pencil.  I studied journalism and professional writing for two years at college and have been writing and honing my skills in the fifteen years since.  I majored in English at University, am part of a writers group, read constantly, and attend any writing event I can.  I really want to become a better writer.  I have embraced the suggestions I’ve had from other writers, friends and family in regards to my writing. 

My introverted instinct was to keep the review to myself and not mention it to anyone.  I thought maybe no one would see it.  But after half a day of this, I decided I should at least tell my husband.  Then I thought I’d mention it on Twitter – most of the people there don’t know me personally, so it seemed rather anonymous.  But I kept feeling this burning shame and discomfort so I decided to post it on Facebook.  Why not let my friends give me their opinion on the article?  Definitely a good decision.  Somehow, the kind and encouraging words of my friends, assuring me I have a gift and should ignore the review and keep writing, have given me the courage to keep writing. 

I hope this might help any other writers faced with a negative review.  There is the temptation to believe bad reviews are the truth and good reviews are written just to be nice.  Emily Brontё kept her critical reviews in her desk at all times.  I will not be doing this.  I don’t think it would be helpful.  The pain of negative words has faded over the week and I have been able to put it into perspective.  I just think of all the books I’ve loved that others haven’t and vice versa.  Writing is very subjective and a bad review can be seen as a way to get the conversation started.  I'd love to hear about anyone else's experience in this regard.  Just post a comment.  I'll read it!   

Austenland?

I returned last night from a glorious trip to Southern California, expressly to visit Disneyland with my family.  We had sunshine every day and we wore shorts and sandals!  I didn’t write a thing and only checked my email and Twitter twice!  What a treat after the longest winter I can remember here in Alberta.  My kids, who are six and three, had a blast and we were able to get full value out of our five-day park hopper. 

My daughter, who has loved Princess Aurora since the day she first set eyes on her lovely pink dress, tried all week to find her at the park.  We went three times to the Princess Fantasy Faire, watched the Royal Princess Ceremony thrice and stood in line two times to meet the princesses – but only Princesses Tia, Ariel and Belle could be reached for photos and autographs. 

Finally, on day five, we returned to the Princess area.  We asked which princesses were available and found the same three.  We went to watch the Ceremony AGAIN and while we were waiting, “J” approached a young man in prince attire and asked if he could take her to Sleeping Beauty.  He couldn’t then as she was “taking tea”, but after much persuasion, he promised “J” she would come out for autographs after the ceremony.  We waited the thirty minutes and then the show began.  “J” watched desperately and positioned herself beside the princess for the one time she descends from the stage – during the maypole dance.  She walked beside the princess and told her she was her favourite and asked if she could sign her book.  The princess said yes, but I worried it was just a ploy to keep a young girl from crying.

The ceremony ended and the princesses disappeared behind the set.  We waited with bated breath.  Then “J” approached another lady who was part of the show and she said she would get Princess Aurora.  “J” was elated, but I worried as the minutes ticked by.  Then the castle door opened and out came. . . Snow White.  Hmm.  Closer, but not quite and then. . . Sleeping Beauty!  “J” ran to greet her and said “Do you remember me?”  Sleeping Beauty said “Of course!”  She signed “J”’s book, posed for a picture, talked prettily, and gave her a hug.  My little girl was overjoyed, her face a shining orb.  It was, indeed, the best part of her trip.

I couldn’t help but notice, with my Austen-shaped mind, how much I enjoyed the rides dedicated to Disney movies – especially Peter Pan, Snow White, Pirates of the Caribbean and Sleeping Beauty’s castle.  I loved how Storyland looks like a little English village.  I delighted in becoming a part of the story.  And I wondered – wouldn’t it be grand to have a Jane Austen-land?  You could dress up in Regency garb, ride a carriage around Pemberley, waltz with Henry Tilney, share a sisterly chat with Elinor Dashwood, break for tea with Fanny Price, stoke a fire and just stare and stare at the beautiful clothes and antiques.  Well, maybe that is a North American idea, but I’m certain we could all enjoy ourselves, imagining we’d met the real Jane Austen and all of her fabulous characters.  Which one would you wait all day to meet?