I love reading historical romances and novels. Actually, I wrote four historical romances (two Regency and two Victorian) and a Jane Austen short story before I got published. But I was not a natural at it for sure! I spent so many hours stopping the writing and then researching everything from the types of teacups my heroine would pick up to whether she had buttons or ties on her clothing that in a state of exhaustion, I decided to try a contemporary romance, something rather lighthearted and fun…and my life was changed forever. Something about writing in the contemporary romance genre “clicked”–my voice or whatever–and I got published!

But I love historical romances and I will always love Jane Austen. I share this love with my oldest daughter, who is in grad school. We are both the kind of people who laugh hysterically when Mrs. Bennett talks about Lydia running away with “the perfidious Mr. Wickham”…so I suppose you can say that language “does” something for us.  My other daughter doesn’t exactly share this appreciation for the older English language. We try not to hold it against her (although we do try in vain to convert her, but she runs for the hills every time we turn a period movie on)!

I know there is much discussion in the Jane Austen community about which Pride and Prejudice on film is better, the Colin Firth PBS miniseries from the 80’s or the Keira Knightley-Matthew MacFayden one from 2005.

And I do love Colin Firth, but my oldest daughter and I have a particular affection for the 2005 version. In fact, we love it! It’s become a tradition for us to watch it together whenever she’s home for a long weekend, as we did this past week. If you’ve never seen it, you must know that the romantic chemistry is off the charts, even though the most Elizabeth and Darcy do throughout the entire movie is one (quite wonderful) kiss. The soundtrack is spectacular and the scenery is…gorgeous. And the story…with all its twists and turns–is still so brilliant even after all these years.

Anyway, we both love everything about this movie. It leaves us happy and sighing and believing that true love can conquer all, exactly what a good love story should do.

A few years ago, my daughter made me this plaque, on which she painted the first line of the book, which I keep right on my desk. It’s a lovely inspiration as I write my own love stories.

So I mostly prefer books over movies, but there’s something to be said about sharing a great love story with someone else, especially a beloved daughter. And as the soundtrack fades, and we turn it off and tuck it away for her next visit home, we know, like any good book, it will make us feel just as good the next time around 🙂

What’s going on this week:  I invite you to check out my Facebook Author Page (and I always appreciate the likes if you’re so inclined) as I’m taking part in a huge multi-author giveaway starting Friday, September 2nd and running through Labor Day weekend. Prizes include multiple gift cards and a Kindle jam packed with books. So stay tuned for that and have a happy week!