Janeites and Austen Fans Worldwide Celebrate the Release of “Young Jane Austen: Becoming a Writer”, a Unique Biography of Austen’s Childhood and Creative Development
Deadwood, OR (PRWEB) April 20, 2015 -- Slated to be featured at Austen-inspired events around the world, “Young Jane Austen: Becoming a Writer” is a full-color gift book that will surprise, entertain, educate and delight fans.
Drawing upon a wide array of sources, including Austen’s own books and correspondence, author Lisa Pliscou illuminates the little-known life of the youthful Jane. Lavishly annotated, designed with an evocative antique sensibility, and featuring 20 specially commissioned illustrations by artist Massimo Mongiardo, “Young Jane Austen” will intrigue anyone interested in Jane Austen, her enduring legacy as one of the world’s most beloved authors, and the triumph of the artistic spirit.
Advance Praise
“For Jane Austen fans, an intriguing glimpse of their heroine’s childhood,” praises Polly Shulman, author of the Austen-inspired novel “Enthusiasm.”
"Gracefully written and illustrated, Lisa Pliscou's 'Young Jane Austen' offers captivating insights into Austen's early years and her sometimes rocky path toward becoming a writer, in an era when this was decidedly not a 'proper' career choice for a girl. Teenagers especially will relate to young Jane's challenges and struggles in finding her way -- finding her unique voice -- in life. This is a great biographical introduction to Austen, and to her novels as well. I learned much about one of my top-ten authors of all time," said Nancy Gruver, founder and CEO of New Moon Girl Media.
“Like the very best of books, ‘Young Jane Austen’ exists well beyond labels. It is an empathetic biography and an empathic search, a reflection on a singular person and an engaging, universal treatise on creative fervor. At the heart of it all lives an against-the-odds heroine who helped launch that strange, imperfect, necessary creature we now call the novel," says Beth Kephart, author of “Handling the Truth: On the Writing of Memoir” and “Going Over.”
“Beautifully written, enabling the reader to vividly imagine Jane’s world of family, events, and her inner life, on the journey to becoming a writer during her formative years. The addition of annotations and reference material, gained from many sources, help further explore the historical background and context, along with accompanying illustrations, setting Jane Austen firmly in the Georgian world. A charming tribute,” says Jane Odiwe, author of “Searching for Captain Wentworth” and “Lydia Bennet’s Story.”
"'Young Jane Austen' is breathtaking. The writing is superb, the illustrations brilliant, and the design gorgeous. I especially enjoyed the book's focus on creativity and its development. Glorious! Jane Austen would be proud," reviews Leslie McGuirk, bestselling author, artist, and creator of the "Quest for Inspiration" workshops.
Worldwide Appearances
Author Lisa Pliscou will be the keynote speaker at a meeting of the Jane Austen Society of Northern California, celebrating Austen’s birthday in December at San Francisco State University. “Young Jane Austen” will be available via the Jane Austen Centre in Bath, England, and featured at various Jane Austen events and festivals both in the U.S. and around the world, including the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, the Jane Austen Summer Program at the University of North Carolina, the Jane Austen Faire in Oregon, the Jane Austen Society of Ireland Summer Event in Dublin, the Jane Austen Literary Festival in Louisiana, the Jane Austen Weekend Ball in New York, and the Jane Austen Festival in Australia. “Young Jane Austen” will also be a featured title at the Jane Austen School for Writers, sponsored by the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis.
About the Author
Pliscou’s new book, "Young Jane Austen," featuring insights from layperson’s neuroscience, creativity research, and personality typing, is a fresh, accessible contribution to the crowded shelf of Austen biographies. Coming in spring 2016 is a new edition of her first novel, "Higher Education," praised by David Foster Wallace, Betsy Byars, Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and more.
As well as being an author, Lisa Pliscou worked for many years “on the inside” in the publishing field. After graduating with honors from Harvard University with a degree in English and American Literature and Language, she went on to employment in top-tier publishing houses in NYC, including Random House and the Penguin Group, where she served as managing editor of the adult division at Viking Penguin and as a senior editor for Viking Children’s Books. She’s also been a longtime independent editor, and helped create and manage courses at Stanford University’s innovative, world-renowned publishing program. She currently serves as Editor-in-Chief for Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing, Inc.
A native Californian who’s lived all over the country, Lisa has recently returned to her home state, settling happily in the Sacramento area with her family. Learn more at LisaPliscou.com.
"Young Jane Austen" is available as a full-color printed gift book from booksellers worldwide and as an exclusive Kindle from Amazon.
“Young Jane Austen: Becoming a Writer” (April 20, 2015) by Lisa Pliscou, illustrated by Massimo Mongiardo; ISBN: 9781939288905; 188 pages, 5" x 7"; $17.75, full-color, fully indexed; Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1939288908 Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VGZA526
NANCY CLEARY, WYATT-MACKENZIE PUBLISHING, http://wymacpublishing.com, +1 (541) 964-3314, [email protected]
Share this article