Yours Faithfully, Amanda

July 18, 2016 Dear Jane, Although it saddens me to pen a letter to you on this day, the 199th anniversary of your untimely passing, it also gives me great joy as so many admirers are paying tribute to your extraordinary life and talent. As a faithful Janeite, I would be remiss if I did not do so as well. Now, as I often find myself writing short poems to express my feelings, it should come as no surprise to you that I was inspired to write one this morning to commemorate this bittersweet occasion. It is as follows: Remembering Jane A watercolor of you painted by your beloved sister, Cassandra. By: Amanda Forker How we wish we could have met you, Our dearest Jane Austen, For in all of your stories, We find ourselves lost in. We thank you for the heroines, And the fine heroes you wrote, For on them your loyal Janeites, Will surely always dote. Miss Austen, you have bewitched us, Both body and soul, And because of your novels, We Janeites are whole. So we remem

July 14, 2016 Dear Jane, We are most certainly in the midst of an exceedingly hot summer and unfortunately, there is no end in sight for my continual state of inelegance. That being said, Jane, one must not be too bothered by such a state as there really is no hope of a cure for it during the summer months! Additionally, it has become my steadfast belief that a lady must not be judged for her inelegance, especially if she perspires greatly whilst riding in a New York City subway car during the months of July and August. The summer is not all bad, though, Jane, as one is bound to partake in exciting diversions throughout the season. I am most happy that I have had several such diversions, some in which I even visited the seaside! Whilst there, I often found myself thinking about how charming it would be if we still used bathing machines while swimming in the ocean. I dare say many young ladies and gentlemen would feel hindered by it, seeing as one is unable to move about freely wh