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Bertram is the uncle of Fanny Price, the heroine of
Mansfield Park
, Austen’s third published novel
    5 Each year, JASNA convenes in a different city for the Annual General Meeting
    6 Austen is buried at Winchester Cathedral
    7 The mother of Elizabeth Bennet, the heroine of
Pride and Prejudice
. Mrs Bennet was given to histrionics.
    8 Austen visited Lyme Regis at least twice in her lifetime, and in a letter Jane sent to Cassandra about a dance she attended there, remarks on “a new odd-looking man who had been eyeing me for some time, and at last, without any introduction, asked me if I meant to dance again. I think he must be Irish by his ease, and because I imagine him to belong to the Honbl. Barnwalls, who are the son and son’s wife of an Irish viscount, bold and queer-looking people, just fit to be quality at Lyme.” There is no reason to believe the relationship involved more than the one dance.
    9
Persuasions
is a journal published by JASNA

An empty chair
Jane needs an avatar
    “T hen we are agreed,” Mr Pembroke said and sat back in his chair. Jane regarded him with some amusement, charmed by his manner that seemed so like her Mr Gardiner. 1
He is just as I imagined, a good and sensible man with just that sort of amusement.
It helped strengthen the resemblance that he was English—having lived in America a number of years—had grey hair, balding on top, and affected wire-rimmed spectacles that did not obscure his grey eyes.
    It was their fourth meeting, and Jane could not complain of Melody’s skills at negotiation, but to be honest, Mr Pembroke hardly objected to any of her demands. He professed to be Jane’s ardent admirer, having “cut his teeth on Austen,” a phrase that made him laugh just as she imagined Mr Gardiner would.
    Damme, what was his first name? It won’t do for me to forget the name of … wait, did I ever give him a first name?
    She felt slightly foolish, foolish for again cursing and then for forgetting.
I did create him two hundred years ago. And I have created not a few characters.
    “… if you might consider changing the title?”
    “What?”
    “I’m sorry, you want to change the title?” Melody asked.
    “It’s just … now I know this is just one of those marketing things that drives authors insane … it’s just your most famous novel is
Pride and Prejudice
and …”
    “I see where this is going, Mr Pembroke,” Jane said, her words audible for the man through the small speaker attached to the AfterNet terminal on the table before them. “My next most famous novel is
Sense and Sensibility
and you would like another three word title that is similarly alliterative.” Jane hoped the digitized voice of the terminal would convey that she wasn’t upset by the suggestion.
    “But it’s been known as
Sanditon
for two hundred years,” Melody said. “Why would you …”
    “It also has been called
Sand and Sanditon
, Melody, although I never quite understood that. And I thought of it as
The Brothers
. I will certainly consider your suggestion, Mr Pembroke.” Then she thought her words sounded dismissive, and added, “After all, my first titles did not often survive and I’m sure my fame would have suffered if my first books had remained
First Impressions
and
Elinor and Marianne
.”
    “Excellent. Now, could we turn to the matter of the avatar?” he asked, obviously pleased at having won a small battle.
    “Avatar? What avatar? Melody, did you know of this?”
    Melody would not turn to meet her, but nodded her head.
    “Mr Pembroke, could I have a moment alone with my client?”
    The gentleman nodded and left the table, saying he would refill his coffee. After he left, Jane again addressed her friend.
    “I do not recall agreeing to an avatar.”
    “Well, I do not recall you objecting to one.”
    “Who do you think I am? A dead movie star? A politician?”
    “No, you’re just a world famous author who’s inspired a cult following. Look, lots of people have