What is a "Read-Along" anyway?

Have you ever read a book, and wished that you could find someone else who had read it, so that you could talk about it? I suppose that's why people join book clubs. But sometimes, you don't belong to a book club, and maybe you haven't got time to find one, or even time to go to one if you could find one. And then once you join the book club, you would have to convince everyone else to read the book that you just read.  And even if you are successful in convincing them, you would have to wait until they all read it. If, like me, you can't get it together to do all of this, if you haven't got the patience to wait through all of that, and just want to talk to about the book while it is still fresh in your mind, and you're still excited about it, then maybe a read along would be worth joining instead. You might miss out on the snacks and beverages of a real life book club, but you get to stay in your pyjamas and you can always make your own tea.

So what is a read along, then? Basically, it's an online book club. Book bloggers sometimes do them and post as they go and invite discussion etc. on their blog. In the coming month, Edmonton's newest publishing house, Stonehouse, is doing a read along of the five books it is releasing in May 1, all by Alberta authors. So if you want to get in on supporting local authors and being part of the buzz, you might want to see if any of their offerings interest you. 

The read along will involve a spotlight each week on a different book, with book club guides and author interviews and book trailers on the publisher's website, as well as a hashtag for each book that you can use to participate in the discussion on social media sites. And if you have your own blog and want to discuss the books on your site, all the better. You will be in good company, as a few bloggers are already signed on to do just that.

Here are the dates of the read along for each of the five Stonehouse titles (More details and ordering info can be found on the Stonehouse website):

May 6-13

Edge of Wild by Danika Stone

A mystery-thriller set in 1990's Waterton, Alberta.
#EdgeofWild

May 13-20

Mary Green by Melanie Kerr (that's me!)

An Austen-like tale of an orphan girl set in 19th Century England. 

#MaryGreen

May 20-27

Kalyna by Pam Clark

A story of love, heartbreak and internment among the Ukranian settlers of war-time Alberta. 

#Kalyna

May 27-June 2

Course Correction by Doug Morrison

A maffia, spy thriller set in modern Ukraine. 

#CourseCorrection

June 2-9

League of the Star by N R Cruise

The saga of a French family exiled in England following the revolution. 

#LeaugeoftheStar

Publishers Weekly Reviews Mary Green

I can hardly speak for excitement! What could be more desirable for an author than a review in the most prestigious of literary publications of their upcoming novel? I shall tell you what is -  a GLOWING review in such a publication! Here is what they had to say (I did remove one small part because it included a spoiler, and I didn't want to give anything away unexpectedly, but you can read the whole review, spoiler and all, here):


"Kerr's heroine, Mary Green, delightfully combines Anne Shirley's naivety with Emma Woodhouse's strength of mind in a debut historical novel filled with the magic and romance of Cinderella. Mary, an orphaned ward of her uncle Sir Richard Hargreaves, decides on her 21st birthday to leave behind his Oxfordshire house along with her cousins' and aunt's air of superiority. ...[S]he sets off for a new life in London. Her quest to figure out who she is both biological and metaphorically is a joy. Kerr uses dialogue and colloquialisms that authentically evoke the Regency era. The cast of secondary characters—including Mary's quippy chaperone, Mrs. Burrows; the entitled but loveable Carrington sisters; the resourceful and talented dressmaker Graham; and the puzzling Ingles brothers—all help to draw readers into this fairy tale. Mary is so captivating that readers will readily suspend any disbelief to see her get to a happy ending."


Mary Green comes out on May 1, 2016. To get your hands on a copy, you can pre-order it using the following links, or ask for it at your local bookstore (Audrey's Books in Edmonton will have copies on the shelf). Available in limited edition hard cover or paperback, as well as eBook.

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
iBooks
Chapters/Indigo/Coles

Christmas Gifts for Jane Austen Fans

In honour of Jane Austen's birthday, here is a Christmas wish list for the Austen fan - even if that person is you.
You may know a lover of Jane Austen, or of classic literature in general, and be looking for inspiration for a unique gift. They probably have all the books, in various editions, as well as all the movies, and many works of fan fiction, or non-fiction. So what do you get them? Of course, they probably have other interests which you may know more about. Just because they like Jane Austen doesn't mean they need an Austenesque gift, but if that is what you would like to get them, here are a few things I have come across, and which I think would be very welcome by anyone. Most of them will make it in time for Christmas, depending on where you are.

Storiarts Persuasion Gloves

Storiarts makes clothing and accessories based on classic literature. I like these gloves in particular, because they use text from Persuasion, which is not a novel that gets as much attention as some of the others, so it is nice to see it highlighted here. I would be delighted to receive a pair of these, as I think, would any Jane Austen fan. And it is not too late to order for Christmas, as they offer express shipping. They also have scarves, and cushions and other stuff, but these were my favourites.

Jane Austen Fridge Magnets

These are available from the Jane Austen gift shop in Bath. If you are in the UK, they should get to you in time for Christmas. They are also on Amazon, if you are not in the UK. These are best for people without kids, and therefore with a fridge that is not covered in dinosaur magnets and school notices and crayon drawings, like mine is. In fact, the Jane Austen Centre has loads of awesome gifts, including a reproduction ring, copied from the one Jane Austen wore herself, which is exclusively available through them. But as that requires six weeks to custom order, so no dice for Christmas!

Jane Austen Book Cover Purse

These are made to order, though the site says there is one in stock, so you might have some luck getting one for Christmas. I have only ever seen these on line, so there is a good chance your Jane Austen fan does not have one already. The cover design is from a vintage collection, and one  you don't see much, so it's a great, unique gift.

Pride and Prejudive Adult Colouring Book

This, from A Mighty Girl, is my idea of fun. I love the adult colouring book movement! I have a mandela book, and I work on it when I am watching my kids, because it makes me happy and I can leave it and come back, and it is kind of mindless but cathartic. How much more true would this be if the images were Regency themed? Love it.

Sense and Sensibility Opposites Primer

If you are a parent and a Jane Austen fan, you have no doubt received more copies than  you can count of the Pride and Prejudice counting primer. It is adorable, my kids love it, and I think it's a great gift... so long as you are sure they don't already have it! BUT, now there is a new one, and if you are quick, you might get to be the first to give it! (I have a copy already and it's adorable and kind of hilarious, just like the first one). It is on Amazon, so should be able to ship in time for Christmas.

Follies Past: a Prequel to Pride and Prejudice

I know, I know. Yes, this is my book, and yes I am shamelessly putting it on this list. We indie authors have to do what we can. But seriously, I have read numerous fan fiction novels, and never found what I was looking for. That is why I wrote this book, because it is what I, as a fan, wanted to read. It is also pretty obscure, so there is a very good chance that they have not read it, unlike most of the mainstream spinoff novels that you might find on shelves at your local bookstore. If you happen to live in Edmonton, you can pick up a copy at Cally's Teas on Whyte Ave, where they also carry Jane Austen band aids and air freshener as well as many other charming gifts and teas. Follies Past is also available at Tix on the Square, where they have a large selection of local handicrafts, which would make unique gifts for anyone on your list.  For those outside Edmonton, Follies Past is available on Amazon in paperback and eBook and will ship in time for Christmas if you are in North America. I cannot confirm either way for the rest of the world. 

Regency Event Tickets

I am a believer in not giving more stuff. Despite my enthusiasm for the gifts set out above, I think in our cluttered world it can be much better to give an experience. Yes, if you are in Edmonton, you can come to one of my events, like the Midwinter Ball on February 27, but there are events all over the world that you can check out. I recommend having a peruse through the Facebook Page for Regency-Austen-Napoleonic Events. You can check out your local chapter of the Jane Austen Society of North America, or the Jane Austen Festival in Bath. I know there are a few groups in Australia and across the US. And in the UK, there is lots always going on. There are costume balls, and retreats in Georgian houses, and dinners and musical evenings - I have seen posts about all of these things. If you have specific suggestions, please make them in the comments page.

Whatever you give or you get, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, with plenty of good cheer!

Pride and Prejudice on the big screen

November 15 saw possibly the most enjoyable six hours I and 250 other Edmontonians have ever spent - with this guy (see below) at Fort Edmonton Park in the historical Capitol Theatre. It sold out in under an hour, and I have been overwhelmed with interest in repeating it. I enjoyed it so much, that even after six hours of sitting, I would have done it all over again the next day... nay, that very same night. "Just put it back to the beginning, Mr. Tech! We want more!"

So, since so many people were unable to get tickets, and are hoping for a repeat, and indeed even those who did get tickets would like to do it again, I thought I would write this little post letting everyone in on the background and thus the future of this unprecedented and thrilling event.

I had wanted to put this on for years. Eventually, in 2014, I started trying to track down the rights for a public screening. Many people do not understand copyright and think that as long as you aren't charging any money, or include a disclaimer giving credit to the rights holders and stating that you intend no copyright infringement, then you are not committing an offense. This is like saying, "I didn't intend any theft; I just meant to take it without paying." Or how about, "I did kill him, but look, I held up this sign as I did it!" (sign says: No Murder Intended). So, I had to actually acquire the rights. This proved quite a challenge. I contacted every copyright collective and every agency that I could find. They all directed me to each other. Nobody seemed to know how to obtain these rights. I even called 1800-O-Canada, which is a surprisingly helpful service in the most unexpected situations. They too were flummoxed. I contacted companies that arrange film rights for public viewings like the ones in Churchill square. They could not help me. I was sent to broadcasting rights organizations all across the county. They were all equally unhelpful. Surely, I am not the first person in the world ever to want to put on a show? Was there something about this particular show?

In the end, I went to the BBC shop - the online store where you can order DVDs and mugs and stuff. I dropped them a line. You can imagine, they were not really the right people. But I did not go away.

After a few months, I finally heard back from a guy at BBC International. He told me it was unlikely the BBC would give me the rights. I thought unlikely was not the same as impossible, so I asked him to look into it. He told me there would be a lot of obstacles and it would be very expensive. I may want to have a plan B. I told him my plan B was not to do the event. And let's see what those obstacles are, shall we? Apparently, the BBC never imagined anyone would want to show the program on the big screen and so had not negotiated the rights for that with people like the director. Essentially, the BBC didn't have the power to grant me a license to show the program, because they didn't actually own all the rights to it.

I told them to get me a ballpark estimate, just so I could evaluate whether it was worth pursuing. It was several weeks before he came back with a figure. He said it would be in the range of $37,000.00.

So, that was more than I had expected! And yet I was not deterred. It seems they had decided just to set the price so high that nobody would want to purchase the license and they wouldn't have to renegotiate the rights. Little did they know, I would not be so easily put off. I decided to ask what I would get for my $37,000.00. Could I sub-lease the license, for example? Would it be exclusive to Canada? To North America? For how long? Maybe I could get corporate sponsorship. Maybe I could crowd-fund it. Maybe Cineplex would like to do a national run of it. He said he would get back to me.

It then came up that some people didn't know that you needed to have permission to show programs even if they weren't charging admission. He asked whether I would be interested in a non-theatrical license (one that did not permit admission charges, usually used by schools and private groups), which would have different pricing. I said I could find a way to work with that (again, maybe corporate sponsorship, maybe crowd-funding). He said he would find out the price for that.

Some time later, I received the most wonderful and amazing email. He came back to me saying that the BBC had decided to buy out the rights to the program, so they now had the power to grant whatever licenses they wanted. (I'm not saying this was entirely my doing, but in my heart I do like to think that it was). And they were setting the fee at zero for me and my event. As long as I didn't charge admission, I could show it. He then said that the upcoming Friday was his last day at the BBC, and not to ask any questions but to take this permission and run.

So I did.

Next was the challenge of finding a way to cover the expenses of putting on a film screening without any income from ticket sales. I was not hopeful about grants. I could sell really expensive refreshments. Maybe do a Kickstarter campaign, but with no rewards, since I couldn't offer admission as a reward. I approached my first choice of venue, which was Fort Edmonton Park, just to get an estimate of costs so I knew how much I had to fund-raise. They took a while to provide an answer, but after several phone conversation and email exchanges, they offered to put the whole thing on for free! We would co-host it. I would provide the license and they would do everything else. What a dream come true! All they asked was the right to sell us food. All the costs of running the theatre and paying the staff would have to come out of the food sales, so they were kind of expensive, but considering the entertainment was free, it was still a good deal.

It turned out I was not the only one with this dream, as I did no advertising and it sold out almost instantly. All I did was make an event on Facebook and invite my friends to it. There were over twice as many people wanting to go as there were seats, and that was just according to the Facebook numbers. There may have been others.

Lizzie on the big screen, entertaining the throng

The event itself was absolutely glorious. The weather was perfect. The venue was perfect. Everything was even better than I had imagined it. I was a bit worried that six hours was going to seem long. It didn't. It was such a festive atmosphere. The jokes were funnier with such a large group, and the nuances of the acting, the directing choices, even the editing, were so much clearer and more entertaining when blown up to such a large size. It was truly magnificent and completely unforgettable.

Some people even came in costume!

The food was delicious, and so plentiful!

Treats laid out for our enjoyment in the original Selkirk Hotel,
beside the theatre

I have written to the BBC to seek permission to repeat this event. I have not yet had a reply, but it is Christmas time. Everyone is no doubt run off their feet. But fear not. I am not easily dissuaded, and I hope, before long, to be able to post good news here, or at RegencyEncounters.com, or on our Facebook page or Twitter. In the meantime, if you are interested in getting first dibs on tickets once I wrangle the BBC into letting me do it again, you can put your name on a waitlist I created on Eventbrite.ca. Just click the "Get Tickets" button and then the "Join Waitlist" button in the window that should pop up. (It was brought to my attention that these links were not taking readers to the waitlist. I have fixed this error and it seems to be working now. Sorry about that!)

Hopefully I will see you at Fort Edmonton Park soon!

Melanie Kerr is the author of Follies Past: a Prequel to Pride and Prejudice and founder of Regency Encounters

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Make-Believeism - a Manifesto

This afternoon, I was on the radio, talking about the Jane Austen Festival taking place this week in Bath, England. After the interview, I realized there was so much more I wanted to say, so I wrote this post to say it.

The Jane Austen Festival, like the Regency Ball, is an example of what I call Make-Believeist events, or ‎RePlay‬, as I like to call Regency re-enactment. Make-Believeism has been proliferating of late, and other examples include Comic-Con, Steam-Punk, CosPlay, masquerade balls in Venice, LARPing, etc. But what does all this say about our desires as a modern, western world? In events like these, we seek to fulfil the fantasy of entering an alternative reality, of stepping through that magical door, be it a wardrobe in the spare room or platform nine-and-three-quarters or a portal to Longbourn that we discover in the bath. By leaving behind all the markers that define us in our lives, we are forced to confront the question of who we really are. Although it seems counter-intuitive, it is my experience and my observation that when people engage in make-believe, they are more themselves than they are at any other time. It is also, for many people, the only time that they detach from their digital world and engage with the people around them in a sense of community that is based on fun, and on casting away our pretensions of social hierarchy. How can you think yourself better than anyone else when you are dressed up in a costume? We are all just having a ridiculous good time and we are all in it together. It is permission to play and it frees us to the person our heart, our spirit wants to be. 

What is more, I have observed more artistry and craftsmanship and creativity in the Make-Believeist context than in most of the many so-called arts events I have attended in my life. People are motivated in Make-Believeism not by some moralistic, abstract desire to "promote the arts" but by a burning, gleeful compulsion to live out their crazy childhood dream. They take up sewing, crafting, dancing, music, writing, all kinds of things that they would never otherwise think of, and they do not do it out of obligation. They do it out of love, out of joy. It is deeply addictive. 

This is a rebellion against consumerism. A growing number of people are tired of passive entertainment. They don't just want to watch the show. They want to be the show, be in the fantastical world, see it, feel it, live it for themselves. The world of skinny jeans is not enough for some of us. We want more. We want to dance in long-wise sets. We want to taste lembas bread. We are throwing down our cel phones and bringing our imaginations to life. 

Call it nonsense if you will. I call it art.

Melanie Kerr is the author of Follies Past: a Prequel to Pride and Prejudice and founder of Regency Encounters

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The Regency comes to Calgary, May 16, 2015

On September 28 last year, Edmonton saw its first Regency costume ball, which took place in the sumptuous Wedgwood Room of the Hotel MacDonald, which is actually a certified castle. To own the truth, I think of it as my castle. It isn't. I just feel an affinity towards it. For pictures and details, see my post about that event, which was so popular, we had to do it all over again to accommodate those who couldn't get tickets. 

Dancing in the sumptuous Wedgwood Room at the Michaelmas Ball

We are currently in the midst of dance lessons for the Regency Midwinter Ball taking place again at the Hotel Mac, on February 28.

Dance lessons begin for the Midwinter Ball

If you missed that as well, or if you simply cannot get enough Regency loveliness, then have I got news for you! I am bringing the show south to Calgary, where we will repeat it all, this time at the Palliser, in the Alberta Ballroom, which might be the only venue in the province that could rival the Mac's Wedgwood Room. Tickets at www.RegencyEncounters.com.

Alberta Ballroom at the Palliser Hotel

For the benefit of the uninitiated, let me tell you how it works, and how I came to hatch this plan. I have been to several Regency events, particularly costume balls, and while I enjoyed myself tremendously, those events were all in England and we cannot always hop on a plane for the sake of an evening's revelry. Furthermore, I wanted to do things differently.

Dancing at the Jane Austen Ball in Bath, England

One think I always felt was underdeveloped was the actual dancing. There were hundreds of people at the ball, and though there was a workshop offered in advance to learn the dances, we learned more than 5 dances in an hour and a half, and then spent the ball reviewing them and never really got to dance. I wanted to hold a ball at which people came knowing the dances already, so we could all just dance, as they would have in Jane Austen's time. I wanted the dances to last long enough to really get going. In the old days, a single dance could last as long as half an hour. Mine last about 10 minutes, which is long enough to work out the kinks, and for most people to make it at least once down the set.

So, for that reason, I offer 3 dance lessons leading up to the ball, to teach and practice the dances fully. Everyone comes knowing the steps, and recognizing many of the faces of the other guests. I like to think this gives an air of authenticity to the experience.

Some of our guests posing for the camera at the Michaelmas Ball

In Calgary, the lessons will take place at 5400 Dalhousie Drive, NW, on April 26, May 3 and May 10. You can register for the lessons at www.RegencyEncounters.com.

I also have a rule against cel phones and cameras at the ball. I always find it impossible to suspend my disbelief of time travel when people are texting and taking selfies all around me. Also, one wants to have a splendid visual record of the event, and being someone who is terrible at photography, and always forgets to take pictures, I never walk away with anything like the images I would like to take with me. 

So, I hire a professional photographer to take everyone's portrait, in their costume, as they arrive, and to take photographs throughout the evening. That way we all get to see ourselves looking our best, and there is only one discreet professional intruding with modern technology on our evening of make-believe.

I have a few gowns that I hire out, and I have posted videos to my YouTube channel showing people how to create a Regency costume out of regular clothing. Costume is mandatory, though flexible. I order a stock of long white gloves for the ladies and stockings  for the gentlemen, which guests can purchase, as they are both difficult to find. Plus I have a few gowns which I rent out to guests who are in a bind about their dress.

Showing some of my gowns to guests at the dance lessons for the Midwinter ball

I recommend people in Edmonton to the Theatre Garage for costume rentals, but do not know of a good costume rental shop in Calgary. Please comment below if you do.

Please share the word about this event. It is going to be tremendous fun, and a lot less expensive than a trip to England.

Melanie Kerr is the author of Follies Past: a Prequel to Pride and Prejudice

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Regency Michaelmas Ball

I just received the official photographs from the Regency costume ball which I organized here in Edmonton, at our beautiful and historic Hotel Macdonald. As promised, here is the full recap.
125 folks of every walk of life dressed up in Regency period costume and danced Regency dances, and ate Regency food, in 2014, in Alberta's capital city.
Can you believe that this is Edmonton?

I had been very clear that, although period costume was required, I would be very flexible on what would be accepted as a costume. I also posted video tutorials on how to fudge a costume out of thrift store finds and the like. I really was not prepared for how seriously people would take the dressing up! I mean, people put serious work into their outfits. Here are some examples.

I believe all of these were actually made by the people wearing them. I was absolutely gobsmacked. People also ordered custom-made costumes, and some rented their outfits from Theatre Garage, who were very supportive and helpful, particularly with a last-minute gloves crisis.
This woman came all the way from Victoria, BC just for the ball. It was her birthday, and she had planned to stop in Edmonton on her way home from a conference in Ontario. The conference was cancelled, but she decided to come anyway. I mean, it was her birthday after all!

I hired a photographer to take these wonderful pictures (Danny Jones Photography), and he took a portrait of every guest as they approached the sign-in table. At the table, every lady got a dance card with her name written on it in calligraphy by my talented father, Bruce Rout, who volunteered for this job.

I am sorry I did not get a picture of the reverse side of the cards, with the names so beautifully rendered.
Each guest also received a pouch of replica antique coins for use at the card tables, where guests could learn obscure Regency card games, and then play them with replica antique playing cards. The coins could be redeemed at intermission and at the end of the night for draw prize tickets.

Of all the successes of the night, I was proud of none so much as I was of the dancing. I mean, we seriously danced Regency dances. The Mozart Society, which provided the musicians for the evening, also arranged the music for 3 English Contra Dances popular in the early 19th Century: Zephyrs and Flora; Haymakers; and, Indian Queen. (Special thanks to Nicole Letersy and Crystal Yoner for making the frock coats for the gentlemen players).

There were 3 dance lessons on the Sunday evenings leading up to the ball, and most of the guests attended to learn the dances, so that at the ball itself, we could actually dance, and it would really be a ball rather than a dance lesson. We danced the set of three dances twice, with an intermission in between, and by the end of the night, we asked the dance caller to stop calling and just let us go. And go we did! I have been to numerous similar events in England, and I have never seen the likes of this before. It was unbelievably thrilling. Just look at how happy we are!

I confess that I completely underestimated the joy of dancing together, and the sense of community that emerged from it. Although I didn't necessarily even learn the names of all the people who came to the lessons, I did come to recognize their faces, and felt like they were familiar, and friendly, and it enhanced the enjoyment of the event itself beyond measure.
Another surprising aspect of the event was the gentlemen. Firstly, it was impressive how many of them were there. I believe most of them were tagging along with their wives and girlfriends, and more than one a little reluctant I would say. But once it came to the point, they had just as much fun as their female counterparts, and all felt themselves remarkably handsome in their waist coats and tails. You could see their demeanour completely change once they got into their costumes. They all instantly became Mr. Darcy in their minds, and they looked terrific. I mean, I know this fashion will never come back, but do you think maybe we could just bring on the cravats? They are so flattering on every gentleman!

Oh yeah, and this happened:

Obviously, she said yes! The amazing musicians played "Here comes the Bride" off the cuff as they entered the room following the proposal so, that was pretty magical. How memorable can you get, right?
Adara Hair Salon pitched in by opening up outside business hours just to give some of us wonderful Regency updos. And there were several excellent door prizes, including: tickets for 2 to Free Will Shakespeare Festival 2015; a copy of Follies Past and a hardcover copy of Pride and Prejudice; a shawl, cravat, reticule and fan from Fashions under Seige; and, a beautiful gold-plated necklace reproducing "Dearest" in Jane Austen's handwriting from Snake and Fawn (by the way, they can make a custom pendant with any word Jane Austen ever wrote, or in fact any of a  number of writers, including Oscar Wilde, JRR Tolkein and many others).

The photos in this post are only a small selection. Visit the Facebook event page to see them all. If sharing, please credit Danny Jones Photography.
It was an amazing night, all to be repeated again on February 27, 2016. Tickets at RegencyEncounters.com.

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costumes for rent for the ball

These are some of the gowns I have made for other Regency events, mostly the Jane Austen Festival in Bath. I am renting them out to help people who have nothing to wear for the ball and don't want to commit to having a whole costume custom-made (which is an option; please contact me for details). I am charging $25 per gown. They come with accessories. Not all of them are shown here, but this gives you some idea of what I have available.
I have some petticoats and stays as well for some of them, and some capes. I may charge extra for those. Please contact me or comment below if you are interested in renting one. I have ones that will fit sizes 2-14. I also have the grey gown seen in this trailer, which is not in any of the pictures:

Others, including those below, can also be seen in this trailer: