It’s been two months since I released Amelia Elkins Elkins, a retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion in which a modern Anne Elliot seeks justice for her mother’s death. The novel takes place in the suburbs of Philadelphia, my hometown, and includes a type of litigation that I know through my husband’s legal practice. We’re both lawyers, which means that law is a constant topic of conversation in our household (much to the dismay of our three daughters, who probably know more legal jargon than they should for their ages!).
Anyway, it’s been fun to share my Amelia with the world… and also a little nerve-wracking! I started this blog three years ago to overcome my fear of sharing my writing with others. I’ve come a long way since then. 🙂
It’s been wonderful to hear from people who have read my version of Jane Austen’s classic story.
Last month, Anadarcy @ My Vices and Weaknesses profiled Amelia on her blog, saying:
“Michael is as loveable as Frederick… You really need to grab a copy and read it, I only hope that you enjoy Amelia Elkins Elkins at least as much as I have enjoyed it.”
Then, yesterday, Maggie @ Macarons & Paperbacks wrote:
“Blair does a fantastic job at preserving the spirit of Austen’s Persuasion in her modern adaptation… One of my favorite parts about this novel is how the romance, although thrilling and sweet, was not the main focus of the story. I loved diving into the legal world, which I know little about, and I appreciate how Blair clearly described all of the technical terms and documents.”
I am grateful to both of these bloggers for reviewing Amelia Elkins Elkins — and to everyone else who has either read it or considered adding it to their TBR list. Thank you!
The Misfortune Of Knowing 
I hope your book is successful. It sounds like you are getting good reviews. Good luck on the sale of the book.
Glad for you… 🙂 All the best wishes, and hope your book turns out to be a great success. I’ll definitely give your book a read (y)
Thank you very much! It was such a fun book to write.
I am reading the book now.
Thank you for reading it! 🙂
Exciting for you! It must have been a big relief to know that someone found your new Capt Wentworth as lovable as the original.
Thank you! Yes, it’s quite a relief to know that someone who is familiar with the original Wentworth thought my Michael was as lovable. The biggest risk we take in updating a classic is that we’ll completely miss the mark!
I didn’t know you had written this! I will go and take a look.
Thanks for looking into Amelia! It was a really fun book to write. 🙂
Congrats on the books and the good reviews! I hope the success continues for you 🙂
Thank you! It’s very exciting. 🙂
Congrats on the great reviews! I still have a copy and just have to find time for it.
Thanks, Geoff! Not everyone is going to like it– no book will please everyone –and I’m just relieved that one of those people wasn’t the first to review it. 🙂
I’m surprised you were ever nervous about sharing your writing. You do it very well. 🙂
You are up early! Thanks, Theo. I write all the time for my job, but legal writing and creative writing are very different from each other. The latter is personal. It’s hard to share it with people who don’t know me very well (or at all!).
I’d think it would be easier to share it with strangers. When people who know you read your stuff, you immediately wonder if they’re trying to figure out what part of your life you’re writing about. 😉
As for being up early… I’ve been waking up and not able to get back to sleep, so I get out of bed, go online a while, then read until I’m tired again. It’s nice I’m finally able to do this without worrying about getting to a job by a certain time.
Yeah, it’s easier to share with strangers. So far, that’s all I’ve done when it comes to my creative writing. A handful of people in my real life have stumbled on my blog and my books, but otherwise, I keep my projects under wraps.