Being a Jane Austen Mystery Reading Challenge 2011

I have a very bad track record with things like reading challenges, but that's something I'd like to change. I have this wild theory that reading challenges *might* help me become more disciplined about whittling down my gigantic TBR pile. So when the post announcing the "Being a Jane Austen Mystery Reading Challenge" appeared in my Google Reader this morning, I knew that this was a challenge I couldn't miss! Here's the all the info you need to get up-to-speed on the challenge from Laurel Ann at the Austenprose website:

Being a Jane Austen Mystery Reading Challenge 2011

We are very pleased to announce the Being a Jane Austen Mystery Reading Challenge 2011. If you have not discovered one of her wonderful mysteries, this is a great opportunity to join the challenge along with other Janeites, historical fiction and mystery lovers.

Novels in the Series

• Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor (1996)  
• Jane and the Man of the Cloth (1997)  
• Jane and the Wandering Eye (1998)  
• Jane and the Genius of the Place (1999) 
• Jane and the Stillroom Maid (2000)  
• Jane and the Prisoner of the Wool House (2001)  
• Jane and the Ghosts of Netley (2003)  
• Jane and His Lordship’s Legacy (2005) 
• Jane and the Barque of Frailty (2006)  
• Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron (2010) 
• Jane and the Canterbury Tale (2011)  

Challenge Details

Time-line: The Being a Jane Austen Mystery Challenge runs January 1, through December 31, 2011.

Levels of participation: Neophyte: 1 – 4 novels, Disciple 5 – 8 novels, Aficionada 9 – 11 novels.

Enrollment: Sign up’s are open until July 01, 2011. First, select your level of participation. Second, copy the Being a Jane Austen Mystery Reading Challenge graphic and include it in your blog post detailing the mysteries that you will read in 2011. Third, leave a comment linking back to your blog post in the comments of this announcement post. If you do not have a blog you can still participate. Just leave your commitment to the challenge in the comments below.

Check Back Monthly: The Being a Jane Austen Mystery Challenge 2011 officially begins on Wednesday, January 12, 2010 with my review of the first mystery in the series, Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor. Check back on the 2nd Wednesday of each month for my next review in the challenge.

Your Participation: Once the challenge starts you will see a tab included at the top of Austenprose called Reading Challenges. Click on the tab and select Being a Jane Austen Mystery Reading Challenge 2011. Leave a comment including the mystery that you finished and a link to your blog review. If you do not have a blog, just leave a comment about which book you finished with a brief reaction or remark. It’s that easy.

The Prizes

Oh, of course there are prizes! Author Stephanie Barron has very generously offered one signed hardcover or paperback copy of each of the novels that we will be reviewing each month here on Austenprose to be drawn from comments left with each post, and one signed paperback copy of each of the eleven novels in the series to one lucky Grand Prize Winner to be drawn from comments left at any and all of the reviews left on this blog or yours. Yes, that means that your readers who comment on your challenge reviews have a chance to win too. Winners will be announced monthly two weeks after the blog post, and Grand Prize winner will be announced on January 01, 2012. Shipment to US or Canadian address only.

Bonus Stuff: Yes, of course there is more to get happy about. Availability of each of the novels in the series is great. The books can be purchased or eBooks download at most online etailers and brick and mortar stores. Since the series is so popular, your local library should be a great resource too.

One of the delights of the series is the incredible historical detail that parallel Jane Austen’s life. To expand upon our reading journey in 2011, author Stephanie Barron will be blogging about researching and writing each of the novels as we progress through the series at her Stephanie Barron blog. What an incredible resource and motivation for your reading challenge!

So, make haste and join the challenge today. I am so looking forward to revisiting all the novels in the Being a Jane Austen Mystery series in 2011 and hope you can join in too.

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Okay, Ruth here again. :) I'm signing up for this challenge at the Aficionada level, reading 9-11 novels. Because people, I have determined that 2011 will be the year I finally review ALL of the Jane Austen mysteries on my blog!! I'll be adding a Reading Challenges page to the right sidebar to help me keep track of my review posts and progress on this challenge - keep me accountable, people! :) Oh, and be sure to let me know if you decide to participate in this challenge as well - I promise you won't regret it! Barron's books are fabulous!