I recently joined this amazing team of Austen Author bloggers!  Check out the site to read posts from other Jane Austen fan fiction writers.  My first post is scheduled for November.
Now on Whizbuzz!  

Emily: a YA Spin on Jane Austen's Emma

Emily Holzhaus, beautiful, clever, and popular, had lived nearly ten and seven years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.

…Except, with her sister moving out and getting married, how can Emily apply to UCLA? Her father dreads an empty house, and he expects Emily to stay close.

…And then there’s Blake, who persists in his frowny face disapproval of what will be Emily’s matchmaking triumph: the sweet and zany Harryet with the smooth yet vulnerable Elton.  Blake tells Emily to stop meddling, but he can’t see the magic like Emily can.

… Ooh, and perfect Jane Santiago, who’s hiding a secret boyfriend. Who wouldn’t be distressed or vexed (or, okay, intrigued) by that? “Just leave it alone, Em,” Blake says, but flawless, thousand point GPA Jane has a clandestine romance? As if there’s anyone in the world who can leave that alone.

But when Emily’s matchmaking and sleuthing reveal unexpected truths, she is forced to reevaluate what is most important in a friend—and what to do with longstanding friendships that are rancid beneath the surface.
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Humorous, smart, and fun, Emily is a YA spin on Austen’s Emma about what happens when plans unravel, friendships evolve, and secrets explode.
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Coming Soon to Amazon Kindle!
Unlocked

Brooklyn has visions of the future. They’re not a big deal, but, well, they are because her mother says that if the government finds out, they’ll lock her up and prod her like E.T. Brooklyn remains cocooned with her family, until, during a family vacation, she meets Conrad Sanchez. Conrad is surly and standoffish and believes “hell is other people,” and Brooklyn knows they’re destined to be BFFs. 

Brooklyn’s vacation gains an edge of mystery when a vision leads her to a diary hidden in the attic, a diary that seemingly locks and unlocks at will. Its pages tell the story of Hazel, a former resident of the house whose mysterious life and illness inspire Conrad and Brooklyn to investigate her fate. Brooklyn becomes more invested in the answers when her visions take a dark turn, twisting and morphing until she can no longer tell what’s a vision and what’s real. She worries she and Hazel are frighteningly similar. Was Brooklyn led to the diary as a warning of where her dark visions will lead her? 

With a sprinkling of humor and romance and a dash of mystery, Unlocked pokes and prods at the zany side of spirituality, destiny, and love.

Elle Oh Elle!

After a bad break up, Elle moves back to her hometown with a secret. She’s pregnant—and she’s absolutely, definitely going to tell her mother and friends right away. But then she reconnects with Henry, who’s also getting over a break up and harboring a secret of his own—the growing certainty that he’s gay. For sure they should tell their secrets eventually, but, Henry argues, what if for now Elle moves in and pretends to be his girlfriend? That will give Henry some time to figure out his sexuality, and Elle can take a break from worrying about her mother’s disapproval and focus on preparing for her baby and on opening her tea shop. Plus, a fake boyfriend will be the excuse she needs to keep her from throwing herself at Jared, her ex who broke her heart and is definitely not a good match for the New Elle Who Makes Good Relationship Decisions—after this non-relationship with Henry, lol.

But things get complicated when Elle’s mother starts receiving threatening letters demanding some mysterious jewels—jewels that her mom is awfully cagey about—even after the threats escalate to action. Apparently Elle and Henry aren’t the only ones with secrets.

Witty, funny, sexy, and a little crazy sometimes, Elle Oh Elle! takes a peek at how much love and trust we can put into (and take from!) our most difficult relationships.

First Impressions: a YA Twist on Pride and Prejudice

On Libby Bennet’s To Do list:

  • Put that arrogant Will Fitz in his place. He bet Libby $50 that she couldn’t find a date to prom. Maybe Libby wasn’t interested in prom before, but now, it’s on.
  • Help her heartbroken sister, Jane. Teo’s been in love with her for years, and now, when Jane’s finally interested, he blows her off. Jane insists Teo has moved on, but Libby knows there is no way he could have forgotten her sister so easily.
  • Figure out what to do about Jeremiah, the new guy in school that her mother invited to LIVE WITH THEM. Every day he’s the star of his own personal play--is there any way to convince him that he can’t go out in public dressed as the Rat King from The Nutcracker?
  • Spend more time with George Moreland, with his tattoos, dimples, and rebel streak that make Libby’s insides go all liquidy. He’s not into prom, but when he’s around, maybe Libby isn’t either.
  • Wait, no. Find a date to prom. Focus, Libby.

Hilarious, witty, and fun, First Impressions is a YA twist on Pride and Prejudice about what happens when To Do lists fail, longstanding judgments crumble, and people no longer fit into the boxes we made for them.