Jane Austen turned 250 this year, and I celebrated her quietly—very quietly—at home in Washington State, while rain poured steadily outside. Though floodwaters rose in many areas here in Western Washington, from the safety of my home, the rain seemed suited for reflection and long glances out the window. I didn’t attend a ball or host a tea (confession: I didn’t drink tea at all). Instead, I brewed coffee, indulged in pastries, and settled in for an all-day Austen movie marat

TO MARK THE OCCASION, a short story anthology to commemorate Jane Austen's 250th. I wrote the short "Mary Crawford's Debut." Dear friends, I hope, even if Austen isn't your cup of tea, you will buy the anthology to read my story and, more importantly, support a great cause. All proceeds from this anthology will be donated to the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation, founded by Jane Austen's 5th great niece, Caroline Jane Knight. Caroline also wrote the heartfelt foreword to the a