Need some Austenesque distraction from the travails of the modern world? On June 19-21 and 27-28, I’ll be taking part in Live from Austen Variations: JAFF in June, a free on-line conference for lovers of Austen-inspired fiction, and I hope you’ll join me!

Pfeffernusse photobombing Jane Austen

We came up with the idea of doing a few Zoom chats with readers as Jane Austen festivals and conferences around the world were being cancelled because of the pandemic. We were thinking small, but so many writers were eager to participate that it’s turned into a monster two-weekend event. It’s a little overwhelming, to be honest! There’ll be readings from works in progress, special talks, Q&A sessions, watch parties, chances to chat with your favorite authors, even a couple of JAFF mini-plays starring our authors. It’s FREE, open to all Austen lovers, come-as-you-are (sweat pants and half-grown out hair encouraged!), from our homes to yours. And it’ll probably include at least one photo-bombing by Pfeffernusse the Queen of the Universe.

I’ll be appearing twice, first with a lecture and Q&A on Saturday, June 20 at 2 pm ET (UTC-4), and then on Sunday, June 27 at 4:30 pm with a reading from my WIP. Remember the preview I posted, where Darcy learns Elizabeth is engaged to his brother? This reading will be when Andrew introduces his betrothed to Darcy. It’s a wee bit emotionally loaded! My talk…well, let’s just say it’ll be full of surprising and shocking things you never realized about Pride & Prejudice! Then I have a special event  just for my blog readers. Although the Saturday, June 20 event officially starts at 2:00, I’ll be there at 1:30, and I’d be honored if you’d stop by for an informal chat with me before my talk. I’d love the chance to Zoom with you!

Want to join us in our Zoom discussions? We’d love to have you! For security reasons, we can’t post the Zoom link publicly, but you can get it by subscribing to the Austen Variations newsletter (you can always unsubscribe afterwards, and we promise not to spam you). We have a limit of 100 participants in Zoom, but if you can’t make it in, we’ll have a live stream on our YouTube Channel (crossing fingers that all goes well, since I’m a writer, not a techie!)

Here’s the full schedule, including presentations by lots of great Austenesque authors. All times are US Eastern Time (UTC-4).

Friday, June 19, 2020
7:00 PM – Welcome
7:10 PM – Maria Grace: Talk – Not Quite a Candy Bar but more than Drinking Chocolate: Chocolate as Jane Austen knew it
8:15 PM – Lucy Marin – WIP Reading
8:45 PM – Pemberley Pillow Talk with the Gardiners: Mini-play and discussion with Shannon Winslow & Jack Caldwell
9:15 PM – Shannon Winslow: Reading – “Lady Catherine Gets the Last Word”

Saturday, June 20, 2020
1:30 PM – Informal Zoom chat with Abigail Reynolds
2:00 PM (Official opening) – Abigail Reynolds: Talk – Hidden in Plain Sight in Pride & Prejudice
3:00 PM – Abigail Reynolds: Q&A
3:30 PM – Tales & Tea with Joana Starnes & Jennifer Altman
4:30 PM – Maria Grace: Q&A – Down the Research Rabbit Hole
5:00 PM – The Austen Assizes, a play by Diana Birchall and special guest Syrie James, also starring special guest Paul Birchall

Sunday, June 21, 2020
2:00 PM – Watch Party: Sense & Sensibility 1995, led by Jennifer Altman, Monica Fairview, and Joana Starnes – held on the Austen Variations Facebook Page

Saturday, June 27, 2020
2:00 PM – Watch Party: Persuasion 2007, led by Jennifer Altman, Monica Fairview, and Joana Starnes – held on the Austen Variations Facebook Page
7:00 PM – Maria Grace: Talk – The Itch for Acting: Jane Austen and the Scandalous Home Theatrical
8:00 PM – Troping the Light Fantastic – Panel discussion with Elizabeth Adams, Amy D’Orazio, & Lucy Marin
9:00 PM – Amy D’Orazio: WIP Reading
9:30 PM – Nicole Clarkston: New Release reading
10:00 PM – The News from Northanger: A Tale of Two Sequels – Diana Birchall and Shannon Winslow

Sunday, June 28, 2020
2:00 PM – Maria Grace: Discussion – Of Course There Were Dragons: Dragons, Fantasy and Jane Austen
3:00 PM – Jack Caldwell: Talk – All About ‘Jane Austen’s Fighting Men’
4:00 PM – Joana Starnes: New Release Reading
4:30 PM – Abigail Reynolds: “Elizabeth and her betrothed call on Darcy” – WIP Reading
5:00 PM – Elizabeth Adams – WIP Reading
5:30 PM – Special guest Victoria Kincaid: Q&A and update on November 2020 JAFF Reader/Writer Gathering
6:15 PM – Closing

So please do come, for as much or as little as you wish! I’m really looking forward to the chance to virtually meet some of my readers. Don’t forget the special time just for my blog readers!