Tag Archives: Jane Austen

JOANNA NORLAND: Reverend Austen Orders a Gift for His Daughter

Amusing, Artistic, Submissions, , , ,

“A girl with a lively imagination must be in want of–”

“A writing desk!” Jane exclaimed. “Oh, Papa!”

She opened the gleaming mahogany drawer.
Out scrambled a tiny . . . Someone.
Brilliant eyes. Muddy petticoats.

”I am Miss Elizabeth Bennet,” curtseyed the Someone. “I’ve been waiting for you. Let our adventures begin!”

Joanna Norland is a writing coach and playwright whose scripts, including Lizzy, Darcy and Jane, and a one-act and full-length adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, have been produced on four continents.

OLENA ZHELDAK: Puuuride and Purrrjudice

Amusing, Submissions, , ,

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a human being of legal age, acceptable mental well-being, good physical shape, in possession of a few relatives and a living space with the potential to accommodate a food bowl, a toilet, and a scratching post, must be in want of a cat.

Olena Zheldak was born on November 13, 1981, in Ukraine. After February 24, 2022, having personally survived Russia’s full-scale invasion, she wrote and self-published an autobiographical wartime narrative, “From Irpin with L̶o̶v̶e̶ Pain,” and collaborated with the British author Paul White by writing a lead story for his new edition of “Life in the War Zone.” In 2025, her essay, “Life Interrupted. Resumed. Ended.” was published in the 195 Essays Project by 2084.

MARK FARLEY: Etiquette on the Modern Dance Floor

Amusing, Submissions, ,

Allen bowed low to the beautiful girl. Straightening, he took her hand and called over the music, “May I have the next dance?”

She burst out laughing.

Dejected, Allen returned to his group. His friends patted him consolingly on the back. “Allen, Pride and Prejudice is not an instruction manual.”

Mark Farley was raised in Zimbabwe where he survived two dog maulings, a swarm of killer bees, and being run over by a horse. You can find a video of his 23-word twitter story here.