{"id":2040,"date":"2025-12-16T12:42:39","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T12:42:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianregency.com\/blog\/?p=2040"},"modified":"2025-12-16T12:42:39","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T12:42:39","slug":"my-year-with-miss-austen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/2025\/12\/16\/my-year-with-miss-austen\/","title":{"rendered":"My Year with Miss Austen"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The winter months can be rough. According to a <a href=\"http:\/\/well.blogs.nytimes.com\/2007\/12\/31\/will-your-resolutions-last-to-february\/\">New York Times article<\/a> from a few years back, it is likely that four out of five of us won&#8217;t keep our New Year&#8217;s Resolutions through January. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/melaniehaiken\/2013\/01\/02\/5-new-years-resolutions-you-wont-keep\/\">Forbes.com states<\/a> that nine out of ten of us go about making a resolution in the wrong way, thus spelling trouble for achieving our goals in the new year. And alas, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.health.com\/health\/gallery\/0,,20452233,00.html\" target=\"_blank\">Health.com<\/a> tells us that less than half of us (a mere 46%) will still be on target with our New Year&#8217;s Resolutions after the six month mark has passed.<\/p><div id=\"vanes-4237941866\" class=\"vanes-content vanes-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 2px;margin-right: 2px;margin-bottom: 2px;margin-left: 2px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/fireswordandsea.htm\" aria-label=\"Fire Sword &amp; Sea\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?fit=1706%2C2560&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Fire Sword &amp; Sea\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?w=1706&ssl=1 1706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C1536&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=1365%2C2048&ssl=1 1365w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?w=1280&ssl=1 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" width=\"569\" height=\"853\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>One of my New Year&#8217;s Resolutions was to read a Regency Era novel each month in 2013. (Think &#8220;<em>Kristy&#8217;s Regency Book Club<\/em>&#8221; for one.) So with all of this gloom and doom predicted around resolutions in the first month of the year, what&#8217;s a gal to do? I&#8217;m following the advice from Forbes.com and will be looking for small lifestyle changes to add a little Regency into each day. Care to join?<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s how I plan to enjoy the Regency in 2013, one month at a time:<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2259\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2259\" style=\"width: 518px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/christianregency.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=2259\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2259\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2259\" alt=\"Austenland 2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianregency.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Austenland-2.png?resize=518%2C344\" width=\"518\" height=\"344\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Austenland-2.png?w=575&amp;ssl=1 575w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Austenland-2.png?resize=300%2C199&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Austenland-2.png?resize=451%2C300&amp;ssl=1 451w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 518px) 100vw, 518px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2259\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Keri Russel (Jane Hayes) and JJ Field (Mr. Henry Nobley), in Austenland (2013)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>JANUARY: Austenland<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Based on the book of the same title by author Shannon Hale, <em>Austenland<\/em>\u00a0has been generating a lot of buzz this month at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. While Sony Pictures Worldwide has yet to issue an official release date, publicity for the film has increased in the first month of the year. In fact, Sundance screenings of the film have completely sold out &#8211; indicating that Jane&#8217;s appeal is just as real today as it was when <em>Pride and Prejudice<\/em> was first published 200 years ago. [<em>Austenland<\/em> &#8211; Desertnews.com <a href=\"http:\/\/www.deseretnews.com\/article\/865571236\/Austenland-movie-to-be-distributed-by-Sony.html\">LINK<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p><strong>FEBRUARY: The Other Kind of Romanticism <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>February, Valentine\u2019s Day, and romance\u2026 they tend to all go together, right? But the romance we associate with this month isn\u2019t the same Romanticism. The Regency Era fell in the middle of the Romanticism movement, which saw its high point from the end of the\u00a018th century to the first part of the\u00a019th century. The movement ushered in a renewed focus on the arts and sciences, particularly those of the natural world, and a moving away of classical (Greco-Roman) themes in art and literature. [Romanticism <a href=\"http:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/toah\/hd\/roma\/hd_roma.htm\">LINK<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p><strong>MARCH:\u00a0\u00a0What to Read&#8230; That is the Question.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If that&#8217;s the question, then\u00a0we aim to answer it here at Regency Reflections.\u00a0\u00a0We\u2019ve compiled a list of current books available from our authors. And if you come back soon, we\u2019ll have updates on upcoming releases posted throughout the year. \u00a0(You\u2019re most welcome!) <a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/s\/ruth-axtell?store=allproducts&amp;keyword=ruth+axtell\">Ruth Axtell<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/s\/linore-rose-burkard?store=allproducts&amp;keyword=linore+rose+burkard\">Linore\u00a0Rose Burkard<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/s\/laurie-alice-eakes?keyword=laurie+alice+eakes&amp;store=allproducts\">Laurie Alice Eakes<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/heiress-of-winterwood-sarah-e-ladd\/1111895816?ean=9781401688356\">Sarah Ladd<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/s\/mary-moore?store=allproducts&amp;keyword=mary+moore\">Mary Moore<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/sanctuary-for-a-lady-naomi-rawlings\/1106937169?ean=9780373829132\">Naomi Rawlings<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>APRIL: \u00a0What Did She Just Say? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>So you don\u2019t know a <i>ha\u2019penny<\/i> from a <i>farthing<\/i>? Is a <i>livery <\/i>a stable or a piece of clothing? And just where is <i>Grosvenor Square<\/i>? Never fear. We\u2019re here to help. Particularly if you\u2019re new to Regency Era fiction, you might find that some assistance with the language is in order. We cordially invite you to partake of the information in the links below, so that you might brush up on your skills with the language. (After all, who wants to be accused of being a <i>ninny <\/i>or a <i>fop<\/i> when it comes to Regency terminology? [<a href=\"http:\/\/www.linoreburkard.com\/resources_glossary.html\">Regency Glossary<\/a>, JaneAusten.org\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.janeausten.org\/regency-period-glossary.asp\">Glossary<\/a>]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2263\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2263\" style=\"width: 229px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/christianregency.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=2263\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2263\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2263\" alt=\"Regency dress\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianregency.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Regency-dress-229x300.png?resize=229%2C300\" width=\"229\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Regency-dress.png?resize=229%2C300&amp;ssl=1 229w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Regency-dress.png?w=527&amp;ssl=1 527w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 229px) 100vw, 229px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2263\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>MAY: I&#8217;ll Take Season Etiquette\u00a0for 100 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It may sound a bit like Jeopardy, but there\u2019s a lot to know about the Regency social season. From the ball to the proper time to call, one could certainly make a social faux pas if you\u2019re not careful. That\u2019s why it\u2019s essential to know your stuff. The London Season coincided with what? Which month signaled the official start of the \u201cseason\u201d? And low neck dresses and short sleeves were reserved for what time of day?\u00a0If you want to make sure you fare well on the Marriage Mart then do your research, ladies! [The London Season \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.literary-liaisons.com\/article024.html\">LINK<\/a>, Jane Austen Centre \u2013 Regency Fashion <a href=\"http:\/\/www.janeausten.co.uk\/online-magazine\/regency-fashion\/\">LINK<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>JUNE: \u00a0Inspiration, Please<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here at Regency Reflections, we live and breathe writing good stories that our readers will love. While similar to fiction you\u2019ve probably read before, there\u2019s one additional component woven into an inspirational book \u2013 a story steeped in a journey with Christ. When you\u2019re looking for a good Regency story to read by a roaring fire, we hope you find comfort in knowing that your story will be encouraging to your Christian walk as well as entertaining to your heart. [For your reading pleasure: Amazon &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s\/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_8\/189-2446314-4035534?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=regency+romance&amp;sprefix=regency+%2Caps%2C351#\/ref=sr_nr_n_4?rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Aregency+fiction%2Cn%3A%211000%2Cn%3A12290&amp;bbn=1000&amp;keywords=regency+\">LINK<\/a>, Barnes and Noble\u00a0&#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/s\/regency-fiction--christian?keyword=regency+fiction%2C+christian&amp;store=allproducts\">LINK<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p><strong>JULY: The Jane Austen Festival, Your Hometown, USA<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.janeausten.co.uk\/festivalhome\/\">Jane Austen Centre<\/a> at Bath is set to celebrate their annual festival in honor of the authoress this April (and in which they\u2019ll\u00a0celebrate the 200<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary of <em>Pride and Prejudice<\/em>). But if you don\u2019t think you\u2019ll make it to the UK this year, then The Jane Austen Society of North America may have a celebration you could attend a little closer to home. With over 70 regional groups across the continental US and Canada, chances are there is a chapter a stone\u2019s throw from your back yard. [Find your local chapter here \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/jasna.org\/regions\/index.html\">LINK<\/a>]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2264\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2264\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2264 \" alt=\"RR 3\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianregency.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/RR-3-300x225.png?resize=300%2C225\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/RR-3.png?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/RR-3.png?resize=398%2C300&amp;ssl=1 398w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/RR-3.png?w=790&amp;ssl=1 790w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2264\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Jane Austen Centre, Bath (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>AUGUST: Happy Birthday, Georgette! <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Born in this month in 1902 (d. 1974), British author Georgette Heyer is beloved by historical romance readers both for her charming characters and rich settings that are reminiscent of Miss Austen\u2019s Regency world. But Georgette is not alone in her book writing genius! Other beloved authors of the genre: Marion Chesney (M.C. Beaton), Julia Quinn, Patricia Veryan, Dawn Lindsay and Debra Raleigh. So if you\u2019ve not ventured far beyond Jane\u2019s novels but you\u2019re drawn to the genre, you might pick up a Regency romance written by one of these authors. [Georgette\u2019s books \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/s\/georgette-heyer?store=allproducts&amp;keyword=georgette+heyer\">LINK<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p><strong>SEPTEMBER: \u00a0Celebrate the Empire Waist!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Now that I know what to read, how to speak, and where to go to celebrate the Regency, this gal needs a dress! There are lots of resources out there to find the right period dress \u2013 whether you\u2019re looking to buy or to make your own. A couple of sites that celebrate Regency fashion are listed below. [<em>Elegance of Fashion<\/em> blog \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/elegance-of-fashion.blogspot.com\/\">LINK<\/a>; <em>Sense and Sensibility Patterns<\/em> \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/Kristy-L-Cambron-Author\/119631931474126#!\/senseandsensibilitypatterns\">LINK<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p><strong>OCTOBER: \u00a0Write It Down<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Whether you are an avid reader or a would-be author, journaling is a classic way to learn more about yourself (or in this case, the Regency). Find out what other writers have essayed on the subject in the annual <em>Jane Austen Journal<\/em>. [<em>The Jane Austen Journal<\/em> \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jasna.org\/persuasions\/index.html\">LINK<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p><strong>NOVEMBER: It\u2019s Cold. I Want a Warm Fire and a Good Movie.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Enough said, right? Here\u2019s a list of must-see films. (Caution: This list may cause one to spend insane amounts of money on Regency entertainment. We are not responsible if your spouse questions your spending habits!) [Your fabulous link to classic romance: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/s\/historical-romance-movies?store=dvd&amp;keyword=historical+romance+movies\">LINK<\/a> ]<br \/>\n<b><br \/>\n<\/b><strong>DECEMBER: \u00a0I\u2019d Like to Thank the Academy\u2026 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For those of you that are fond of entertainment news, you\u2019ll know that the start of a new year sparks excitement for the Hollywood awards season. But for writers, the new year ushers in a season of another kind, and that\u2019s contest season. December is the perfect time to begin thinking about polishing that new manuscript, or even writing something new and submitting it for a contest. So put on your dinner dress or cravat, walk\u00a0on stage\u00a0and prepare to accept your award! [JASNA 2013 Essay <a href=\"http:\/\/jasna.org\/essaycontest\/index.html\">Contest<\/a>, Romance Writers of America (RWA) <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rwa.org\/p\/cm\/ld\/fid=517#contests\">Contests<\/a>, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) <a href=\"http:\/\/www.acfw.com\/contests\">Contests<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p>And there you have it \u2013 a full year of super-simple (but\u00a0 delightfully amiable) tips to incorporate your love of the Christian Regency into your daily routine. Because as we know, it\u2019s a truth universally acknowledged that if you make New Year\u2019s Resolutions next year, you\u2019ll have a whole new outlook if you were able to conquer them the year before.<\/p>\n<p>In His Love,<\/p>\n<p>Kristy<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p id=\"rop\"><small>Originally posted 2013-01-25 10:00:00. <\/small><\/p><div id=\"vanes-2740978430\" class=\"vanes-after-content vanes-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 3px;margin-right: 3px;margin-bottom: 3px;margin-left: 3px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?fit=1080%2C1350&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Listen to the Write of Passage Weekly Podcast\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?w=1080&ssl=1 1080w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?resize=240%2C300&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?resize=819%2C1024&ssl=1 819w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?resize=768%2C960&ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" width=\"540\" height=\"675\"   \/><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The winter months can be rough. According to a New York Times article from a few years back, it is likely that four out of five of us won&#8217;t keep our New Year&#8217;s Resolutions through January. Forbes.com states that nine out of ten of us go about making a resolution in the wrong way, thus [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[169,86,64,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fashion","category-female-authors-regency-period","category-pride-prejudice","category-regency-romance"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2040"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2040\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2278,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2040\/revisions\/2278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}