Q&A with book cover designer, Leah Doguet

“I revel in the love-hate relationship that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy share” – Cover designer, Leah Doguet

For anyone that loves typography, design, words and books, these covers are absolutely perfect. All I can do now is dream that they get picked up and run with, because I would love these on my shelves as a series in hardback.

This beautiful Pride and Prejudice piece is the result of Leah Doguet, a 22-year-old who currently lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “I recently graduated from Tyler School of Art with a degree in Graphic & Interactive Design,” she told The Bennet Sisters, and it’s obvious, from the series of covers she has designed below, that she’s very talented.

Q&A with book cover designer, Laurén Magda

“Pride and Prejudice is definitely my favorite Austen novel… I just think it’s an amazing piece of literature that has so many facets and dimensions.” - Laurén Magda

Having been looking for new Pride and Prejudice covers to showcase on this blog, I stumbled upon a beautiful design from graphic designer, Laurén Magda, a 23 year old recent graduate (College of Creative Studies – Detroit, Michigan). I just couldn’t say no to asking her more about it, and she agreed to share some of her thoughts about the book, her life, her design and Pride and Prejudice with The Bennet Sisters.

Pride and Prejudice genre confusion

I was in Basement Books, at Central Station (Sydney), this weekend just gone and I came across a bizarre cover of Pride and Prejudice. In actuality, it was a 2-in-1 (with Emma) that presented the book as a thriller through the font emblazoned on the cover with ‘Jane Austen’. This A Wilco Book, ISBN: 9788182522367 ,  is so close to reads from Stephen King and the cover-formula for other thriller-style books that it took me by surprise. I only wish now that I’d bought the copy when I saw it!

Arguably, Pride and Prejudice means something different to everyone who reads it.

Book Review: The Jane Austen Marriage Manual, Kim Izzo

“Doesn’t every girl wish she could find her Mr Darcy?” – Cover

This 2012 book jumped at me from the New Release shelf at Kinokuniya book shop in Sydney (also spotted in Dymocks, Castle Towers, Castle Hill) and I just couldn’t say no. At (AU)$26.99, it’s not necessarily the cheapest read in the world, but it stacks up fairly nicely when it comes to originality, with a title that stands out from the Austen fanfiction crowd.

Our main character, Kate, a freelance journalist, suddenly finds work is getting very tight (something that journalists in Australia are feeling, with Fairfax and News Limited cutting their numbers). Her Grandmother passes away, she is about to be evicted, and she realises she needs to get her finances under control. In pursuit of an article about how girls in the 21st century can bag a rich man, akin to our Elizabeth Bennet, and with the encouragement of her own grief and desperation, Kate decides to do it herself. ISBN: 978-1-444-74283-1

Book Review and Q&A: Mary Bennet by Jennifer Paynter

‘Pride, Prejudice and the forgotten sister…’ – cover of Mary Bennet

This book is a beautiful read, repackaging Mary Bennet from before Pride and Prejudice took place all the way through to after the novel ends, showing us the sisters and the scenarios through her eyes. It’s a refreshing look at the characters (Mr Bennet and Lizzy don’t always fare so well) and it’s written in a way that stays completely true to Jane Austen, but also gives us entirely new storylines and characters to enjoy.

BOOK REVIEW: Jane bites back by Michael Thomas Ford

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is still alive today… as a vampire.” – Cover text on Jane Bites Back

I opened this book and thought I was going to hate everything about it. But despite not being a twihard, nor the biggest Pride and Prejudice and Zombies fan… this was surprisingly good. If you’re looking for something that will accurately portray a modern Jane Austen, or that is close sticking to vampire mythology, don’t look here. But, on the other hand, if you’re looking for a book with a half-decent plot, some literary name dropping (Byron, Bronte etc) and a heavy dose of romanticism, then this is for you.

The perfect handbag copy of Pride and Prejudice

I found it today in Newtown, Sydney. It’s ‘The Perfect Handbag Copy’ that I’ve been waiting forever to have. At least, I now see it that way even though I’d been fairly happy carting along a couple of different full-sized versions up until this point. It’s stylish, smaller than the width of my handspan, and the font is still easily readable.

From UK’s Octopus Publishing Group, bargain books branch Bounty Books, it’s really cute! Just £3.99 on the site (£7.99 on the cover) or, as I snapped it up for, (AU)$9.95 (in Modern Times, Newtown), it’s a paperback and was published on 1 November 2011 (according to their website). ISBN: 9780753722725.

Book Review: A Weekend with Mr Darcy by Victoria Connelly

“You’re obviously handsome so you could be any of the heroes, really. But I can’t make out much of your private life so, for all I know, you could be a scoundrel like Willoughby or Wickham, hiding some dreadful secret.” - ‘Katherine Roberts’, A Weekend with Mr Darcy by Victoria Connelly

I really wasn’t sure I was going to like this book when I picked it up initially, but for a light read I have found myself very surprised.

For just (AU)$6.95 from Basement Books in Sydney, I snapped up this lovely paperback (ISBN-13: 978-1-84756-225-8) published in 2010 by Victoria Connelly, obviously after having my attention drawn to it by the name of Darcy. It’s a lovely jewel of a chick-flick quick read that I’m definitely going to share. I’ve spent the last evening, morning and afternoon reading it cover-to-cover so it’s a fairly easy book to consume, and perfect for some train/commuting reading. The story revolves around two girls, Katherine and Robyn, who both have slightly rocky relationships or previous partners, are both avid Janeites, and are about to have one weekend that changes everything…

A new favourite Pride and Prejudice cover! Splinter, from Sterling Publishing

I can hardly contain my excitement (no seriously – I can’t) at this new copy I just picked up about two hours ago. I was in Newtown with my folks shopping for vegan food (I’m holidaying down to Ulladulla for the next few days and I’m not sure what their situation is with Notzarella and Cheezly, and I have a huge pizza craving) when I found this beauty. From ‘Better Read than Dead‘ (but also seen in Art on King’s bookshop ‘Modern Times’) on Newtown’s King Street, and at the brilliant price of (AU)$9.99 I was absolutely chuffed with this purchase. It’s whimsical, elegant and abstract enough that it doesn’t alter how you view the novel. It shall be coming with me to the beach tomorrow!

From Sterling Publishing‘s Splinter imprint (New York) I was surprised to see it as I had only just been talking about the company the other day (I work for Sterling Publishing Australia – which is something quite different indeed!). You probably know them best as non-fiction publishers, and owners of the imprint SparkNotes. As promised from now on – ISBN: 978-1-4027-8530-6 (paperback).

Jane Austen’s handwritten letter in Canberra

“I would not let Martha read “First Impressions” again upon any account, and am very glad that I did not leave it in your power.” – Jane Austen

I trekked from Sydney to Canberra a few weekends ago to see an original handwritten letter from Jane Austen to Cassandra that is housed in the National Library of Australia after my publishing editor told me that he had seen it there some weeks ago. Three hours, traffic stress and seventy dollars worth of petrol later and I had made it to Australia’s capital, ACT. Every moment was worth it, to see this:

(A big thanks to N for going back in to take the picture on her iPhone, how would I do without?)