Hello, my lovely readers! Have you been enjoying all the Jane Austen content so far? There’s plenty more coming this summer.

Including: giveaways! I have several wonderful Etsy shop owners who have agreed to sponsor Austen-themed giveaways throughout the summer. Each giveaway will run for just under two weeks, starting on Monday morning and ending the next week’s Friday at midnight, so I can pull and notify the winner over the weekend. All times are EST.

Today’s giveaway, which is open internationally and will end at midnight the night of Friday, July 19, comes from watercolor artist and Austenite Kathryn Holeman of Kathryn Holeman Illustration.

About the shop: Kathryn Holeman Illustration

Tell us about your shop. What do you sell? How long have you been on Etsy?

I started my shop in 2010 as a way to sell my handmade notecards. I took a little break from crafting and painting when my two boys were babies. Then in 2017, I had the amazing experience of being a published illustrator with my coloring book, Colouring History: The Tudors. It was around then that I found the confidence, inspiration, and time to build my product line again. I sell art prints, books, notecards, book marks, drink coasters, and jewelry. My products feature the stories and places that I love.

What appeals to you about Jane Austen’s writing?

The first and most honest answer is the romance. I feel like she is the original rom-com genius. There’s no Nancy Myers or Nora Ephron without her. I also love the characters so much and how they feel completely alive and real hundreds of years later. She created some of the most psychologically precise characters in all of history. Finally, I love that she’s a feminist who explores all the challenges, joys, and injustices that come with being a woman.

Do you have a favorite Jane Austen book or character?

I love Marianne Dashwood even though she drives me crazy for more than half of Sense and Sensibility. Her arc is so incredible and complete, and it captures perfectly that transition from being a teenage daydreamer (who often misjudged things and chooses wrongly in romance) to being a woman who recognizes and earns love. She feels so deeply and yet learns to think so well.

What do love about your work?

Being an artist is a dream job and I want my products to bring the same joy and magic into people’s daily lives as they do in mine. From Jane Austen to Harry Potter and Game of Thrones, I love capturing a shared love for these stories through favorite scenes, both in books and film adaptations.

Do you have a favorite item you’ve created?

My current favorite is my newest item: my Pride and Prejudice watercolor print. I actually gasped out loud when I saw how the misty sunrise and dramatic lighting of the characters came together. When my paintings become a window through which I can feel the cool breeze and hear the birds in the distance, that’s what I know it’s a keeper.

You can find me on Twitter and Instagram @KathrynHoleman or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KathrynHoleman/.

About the giveaway

Jane Austen Book Group Package

Whether you are celebrating an opening chapter or commemorating the final installment of your book group’s Jane Austen discussions, this special set of amiable paper ephemera and art prints will be agreeable to any Austen fan.

This package includes:

• Two bookmarks (one of each design)
• One notecard
• One set of 6 coasters
• One art print (choices: Sense and Sensibility or Pride and Prejudice)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open internationally to ages 13 and over, except where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Sponsored by Kathryn Holeman. Not sponsored or endorsed by Etsy, Facebook, or Twitter. Giveaway opens Monday, June 8, 2020 at 12 a.m. EST and ends Saturday, June 20, 2020 at 12 a.m. EST. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. If the winner does not claim their prize within two days of notification, a new winner will be selected. Odds of winning dependent on number of entries received. Winner will be announced on Facebook and Twitter after confirmation. Prize is one (1) Jane Austen Book Club set, which includes: two bookmarks; a choice of one watercolor print; one notecard; and one set of six coasters. Entries submitted via bot or automatic entry service are invalid and cannot win. Email emilyrachellewrites@gmail.com with questions.