Based on a Jane Austen classic, Kelowna writer Lona Manning has released her debut novel.
A Contrary Wind is Manning's variation of Mansfield Park, authored by Austen in 1814.
In A Contrary Wind, the heroine, Fanny Price, is given an opportunity to change and grow, to learn and to make mistakes, while Edmund Bertram’s fascination with Mary Crawford, and Henry Crawford’s efforts to avoid matrimony, lead to completely different outcomes.
All of the familiar characters from Mansfield Park are included, and many – such as Mrs. Norris and little Betsey Price – help drive the plot. New characters, such as the brusque but kindly widow, Mrs. Butters, and the impecunious but charming writer, William Gibson, are involved with the movement to abolish slavery.
Real characters from history—politicians, writers, and sea captains, join the story and there are even some cameo appearances from characters in other Austen novels.
“Like many Jane Austen fans, I’ve wished that Austen had written more than six novels,” says Manning. “’A Contrary Wind’ is my homage to Austen, and a bit of a 'what if' scenario.
"I really loved working with the unforgettable characters Jane Austen created, such as Henry and Mary Crawford and Mrs. Norris, while adding a few new characters of my own.”
A Contrary Wind is available through Amazon in Kindle. A paperback version will be available in the near future.
Manning is the author of “The Hurricane Hoax,” “The Murder of Madalyn Murray O’Hare,” and other true-crime articles available at True Crime Magazine online.
She is currently teaching English in China. Lona and her husband make their home in the Okanagan Valley.