Jane Austen, the most wonderful writer that ever lived!

(16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817)
Thinking of Jane Austen especially today on the anniversary of her death. She could not have imagined how much her books would be treasured and loved by so many people over the next two hundred years!
Here is the letter Jane’s sister Cassandra wrote to her niece Fanny on [...]

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Jane Austen’s Birthday, December 16th, 1775

On this day in 1775 Jane Austen was born.
Cassy knew there was something different about the house when she woke up. Apart from the dying wood embers of the glowing nursery fire and the darkness outside telling her that it was still night time, there was a lot of noise and activity inside. [...]

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Chilly winds, Snow and a Warm Review from Ex Libris

The weather here in the UK has been getting colder with freezing winds blowing down from the north. Last night was most unusual for this time of year as autumn was quickly ousted by winter. Last night we had lightning, a thunderstorm, followed by snow – huge, fat flakes of twirling ice hurtling to the [...]

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Jane Austen’s house at Chawton and another painting of Jane

Here is another painting of Jane Austen which I’d forgotten about and came across whilst looking for something else, inspired, as ever, by Cassandra’s sketch. The little painting that Cassandra produced is very delicate when seen close to and I have attempted a similar effect. However, Cassandra’s brushwork was so fine that I found I [...]

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