Meet author Jane Austen! Who was she and why have her six novels remained worldwide favorites for over two centuries? Why are her works so frequently adapted for film and TV and become the basis for so many spin-offs? Is it the romance, the wit, or the clever story-telling that fascinates us? Join two Austen enthusiasts, Margie Burns and Janet Mullany, to see what all the excitement is about. We’ll take a look at Jane’s life and her influences, and chat about the books, her vivid characters, and why she is a writer worth reading.

Margie Burns, Ph.D., author of Publishing Northanger Abbey, is a writer with academic training and experience. Her published work includes scholarly and general-interest articles, print and online journalism, and four nonfiction books.

Janet Mullany is a longtime Austen fan who has written Austen-inspired fiction and is a regular contributor to WETA’s Tellyvisions blog, where she writes about British culture and TV.