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The Stories of Scott D. Southard

  • In Jerry’s Corner
  • A Jane Austen Daydream
  • Permanent Spring Showers
  • Megan
  • Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare
  • The Dante 3
  • Me Stuff
  • Man Behind the Curtain
  • November 28, 2013

    Jane Austen! Demonic Castles! Time Travel! Dragons! This Black Friday Consider a Southard Novel…

    When I sit down to write a book, my first goal is always to give my readers something new. So much of what you find on bookstore shelves can feel like a cookie-cutter recipe for a tale. Add a twist here, build to a love story here, sprinkle some comedy… That is not what you will find in one of my novels.

    This Black Friday, and in your holiday shopping, consider one of my novels for your readers. You can find excerpts, reviews, interviews, and more information on each of the books via their pages on this site.

    A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM
    Available in print ($13.46) and eBook ($3.99) from Madison Street Publishing via Amazon.com here.

    A Jane Austen DaydreamAll her heroines find love in the end–but is there love waiting for Jane?

    Jane Austen spends her days writing and matchmaking in the small countryside village of Steventon, until a ball at Godmersham Park propels her into a new world where she yearns for a romance of her own. But whether her heart will settle on a young lawyer, a clever Reverend, a wealthy childhood friend, or a mysterious stranger is anyone’s guess.

    Written in the style of Jane herself, this novel ponders the question faced by many devoted readers over the years–did she ever find love? Weaving fact with fiction, it re-imagines her life, using her own stories to fill in the gaps left by history and showing that all of us–to a greater or lesser degree–are head over heels for Jane.

    “I consider this novel one of the best not only in regency era literature, but also in mainstream fiction.” -NovelTravelist.com

    MAXIMILIAN STANDFORTH AND THE CASE OF THE DANGEROUS DARE
    Available in print ($9.71) and as an eBook ($3.99) via Amazon.com here.

    Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare, CoverThe cursed and foreboding McGregor Castle is the most terrifying and haunted location in all of the British Empire. Only a brave (or foolish) soul would consider visiting it, let alone staying within its walls for five days. In other words, a perfect dare for a man like Maximilian Standforth!

    Maximilian Standforth, famed playboy aristocrat and private detective, is a genius with dangerous tastes. With Bob (his trusty carriage driver, biographer, and body guard) and Maggie Collins (actress, spy, and maid) by his side, Maximilian will experience horrors and madness unlike any seen before. For it is at McGregor Castle that the team will discover more than they ever could imagine in this very experimental and genre-breaking thriller.

    “Playing with traditional style and plot ingredients but introducing enough surprises and originality this book was great fun to read.” -Christoph  Fischer Books

    MY PROBLEM WITH DOORS
    Available in print ($15.38) on Amazon.com here and as an eBook via Google Play ($9.99) here.

    My Problem With DoorsJacob’s life changed in a single moment when, as a toddler, he walked through his bedroom door only to find himself in the office of a British officer in Capetown, 1870. This would begin a thirty-year journey which would take him from ancient to future civilizations, and innumerable places and times in between. Through all of his travels, Jacob seeks for the purpose of his predicament, the significance of his life with all of its joys and suffering, loneliness and impermanence.

    “This is a most compelling book. It pulls you in to a fascinating concept from the beginning…. I give this book 5 stars.” -The Voracious Reader

    MEGAN
    Available in print ($15.51) on Amazon.com here and as an eBook via Google Play ($9.99) here.

    MeganMegan Wane is caught in a life of dull dreariness. She goes to work in a dead end job with a boss she can’t stand, and comes home to a silent apartment with only a standoffish cat for company. She can only get away through her imagination. And there, in her thoughts, there exists a fairy-tale kingdom with wizards and dragons. A place called Prosperity, where she is both a princess and a hero. On this day, both Megan’s external reality and her interior world will suffer tragedy that will turn her life upsidedown and shake her to the foundation. Can Megan turn disaster into deliverance?

    “I am very impressed with how Mr. Southard has interwoven the two world’s of Megan. It is very artfully crafted with vivid descriptions. ” -S. M. Nystoriak, Writer’s Block

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  • November 12, 2013

    “A definite read for all Jane Austen Fans!” Laura’s Little Book Blog reviews A Jane Austen Daydream

    A Jane Austen DaydreamToday A Jane  Austen Daydream was reviewed by the popular book site Laura’s Little Book Blog! Here is an excerpt from the review:

    I instantly took [to] this novel, it is written extremely well and it was almost like Jane Austen herself had written it; it was written so adeptly to the period and I instantly fell in love with Jane’s character.

    The author states from the beginning that this is a work of fiction and not a biography and I mean this in a nice way, but I instantly assumed it would be fictional and not biographical, although it would have been a very clever attempt by the author considering Jane Austen passed away nearly 200 years ago! So this is the authors imagining of what Jane Austen’s life would have been like and I easily could have  believed this really was what Jane Austen was like.

    An Illustration from AustenYou can read the rest of the review here.

    A Jane Austen Daydream can be purchased in print ($13.46) or as an eBook for the outrageously low price of $3.99 for Kindle. You can find it on Amazon here (http://amzn.com/B00CH3HQUU). I hope you will enjoy it as well.

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  • November 3, 2013

    “Wonderfully Written” New review for A Jane Austen Daydream

    121610-brock-persuasionI just found this great new review of A Jane Austen Daydream on Cindy Wade’s blog The Writer BackBlogger.

    Here is an excerpt from it:

    At times I felt as though Scott knew something everyone else didn’t. As if he had been there personally and was sharing her life with his readers.

    I cannot remember when last a book evoked such strong emotions within. I laughed out loud and cried really hard and was shocked, excited, disgusted and sometimes perplexed.

    I couldn’t put this novel down until the charming end after which I sat down with a cup of tea and started my very own daydream.

    A Jane Austen DaydreamYou can read the rest of the review here.

    A Jane Austen Daydream can be purchased in print ($13.46) or as an eBook for the outrageously low price of $3.99 for Kindle.

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  • November 1, 2013

    Discover A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM

    A Jane Austen Daydream

    “I consider this novel one of the best not only in regency era literature, but also in mainstream fiction.” -NovelTravelist.com

    Need a book for this November? A future gift idea? Something new and different for those that feel they have read it all before?

    A Jane Austen Daydream (published by Madison Street Publishing) is a book for the “Janeites” to the everyday reader. It reimagines a new adventure for Jane, something she might’ve wanted but never got… with a very surprising and daring new twist.

    “…Lovely, thought-provoking novel. Fans of Austen will adore this book.” – Lori Nelson Spielman, author of The Life List.

    You can discover about this fun book via links on this site!

    • There are two exclusive excerpts available (here and here). In one Jane discovers her destiny, and in the other she works to fight the fates.
    • There are a series of different articles on its creation from finding its inspiration (Visiting Austen), to the courage needed to attempt it (Braving Austen), the writing of it (Finding Jane’s Voice), and, finally, the gift behind its creation (Austen in Stealth).
    • There are also interviews and reviews by different literary sites, readers, and authors. You can learn more via the main page for the book here.

    “…quick paced novel unlike any you can ever have read, which injects new ideas and possibilities into the world of Jane Austen.” -The Jane Austen Centre

    A Jane Austen Daydream can be purchased in print ($13.46) or as an eBook for the outrageously low price of $3.99 for Kindle.

    “A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM by Scott Southard, a fictionalized account of Jane’s life, is a book that should be placed on the shelf of every book-loving fan of Jane Austen because she’s absolutely “alive” on the pages of this book.” -Julie Valerie’s Book Blog

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  • October 18, 2013

    “Challenging the Fates” My Jane Austen Book Club presents A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM (excerpt and introduction)

    An Illustration from AustenToday, I’m honored to have my novel A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM showcased on the popular Jane Austen site My Jane Austen Book Club.

    “Challenging The Fates” is a new introduction on the inspiration of A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM.

    Here is an excerpt from the beginning:

    The fates gave Jane Austen a bum rap.

    Yes, she is remembered as one of the most important writers in all of literature, defined for generations what it means to be in love and have a successful relationship, and inspired countless writers and genres. That is all fine and very good, but that is now… for us.

    For Miss Austen’s reality, she died young (only 41) in a cottage in a small village where she was living with her sister and mother and her books were published anonymously. Sadly, it is hard for us to even know her that well, with the destruction of many of his letters and writings by her sister. After that, we have to rely on a biography written by her nephew that seems more concerned with the family’s name as compared to the truth of this great person.  She joins Shakespeare in our mystery-lost genius category, the ones we only have our hopes and dreams to point to for truth.

    Also, on My Jane Austen Book Club is an exclusive excerpt from the novel!

    It is Chapter II from Volume I, in which Jane gets some rather surprising news. Something is afoot and her life will never be the same afterwards… You can read this new introduction and fun excerpt on My Jane Austen Book Club here. I hope you enjoy it!A Jane Austen Daydream

    A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM is published by Madison Street Publishing and can be purchased in print or as an ebook for the outrageously low price of $3.99. It is available for the Kindle, Nook, and Kobo.

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  • September 15, 2013

    “I love, love, love this book!” New Reactions to A Jane Austen Daydream

    121610-brock-persuasionOne of my favorite things in the world is tracking the reaction to A Jane Austen Daydream. Seriously, it can turn around any day I am having. Recently, I discovered two fun reactions to my new novel.

    On her blog Tapestry of Words blogger Becky Shillington in her post “My Half-Full Glass and What I’ve Been Reading” mentioned A Jane Austen Daydream, saying:

    I love, love, love this book! Mr. Southard says up front that this is not a biography of Jane Austen, but is instead a projection of what he imagines her life to have been like. I thoroughly enjoyed reading his interpretation, and was gratified at the end of the book because I felt like Miss Austen finally had an opportunity to be the heroine of a story. It has always saddened me that she died at such a young age, but as Mr. Southard suggests, maybe there is more to her story than we know.

    You can read the rest of her post here.

    Also, I am honored that Lori Nelson Spielman, the popular author of the fun book The Life List (check it out here), wrote a review on Amazon!

    Scott Southard captures Jane Austen’s voice in this lovely, thought-provoking novel. Southard deftly weaves fact with fiction, giving readers a glimpse into what might have been for our beloved Jane. Fans of Austen will adore this book.A Jane Austen Daydream

    A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM is published by Madison Street Publishing and can be purchased in print and as an eBook for only $3.99.  It is available for the Kindle, Nook, and Kobo.

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  • September 12, 2013

    “Utter shock” The Book Brothers review A Jane Austen Daydream!

    Jane AustenThere are reviews and then there are reviews by The Book Brothers. I had no idea that they got their hands on A Jane Austen Daydream, but they did and I got a catfish.

    A giant catfish, actually. (You have to read the review to see what I mean). And after a debate whether I am an actual guy (the verdict is yes, I am one), they get into the review. Here are some of my favorite lines:

    • “To my surprise (shock actually, utter shock) this guy pulled it off!”
    • “You would have to be a heartless murderer not to be taken back while reading the dialogue.”
    • “This is a must read for any fan of Jane Austen’s works.”

    A Jane Austen DaydreamYou can read the entire fun review (as well as see a classic video of The Police performing “So Lonely) by clicking here.  If you would like to learn more about A Jane Austen Daydream, you can do so on this page for the book (here). A Jane Austen Daydream is available via Amazon (here), where you can find it for the low price of $3.99 for eBook and $13.46 for print.

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  • August 29, 2013

    New WKAR Book Review: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

    Current StateTo commemorate the 200th anniversary of its publication and as part of the #AustenInAugust events taking place online, this week’s book review is on none other than Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice!

    You can listen to the stream of my book review via this link (http://wkar.org/post/book-review-200th-anniversary-pride-and-prejudice) or read below, after the jump.

    Also, as noted in an earlier post, I have an article on Jane Austen and my inspiration for my Miss Austen in  A Jane Austen Daydream on the website RoofBeamReader.com today. You can also enter to win an autographed copy of A Jane Austen Daydream. You can learn more here.  (more…)

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  • August 29, 2013

    Book Giveaway and Guest Post for #AustenInAugustRBR

    Pride and PrejudiceAs part of the “Austen in August” literary events, I have a guest post on RoofBeamReader.com, which you can read here! It is about how I found the character of Jane Austen for my A Jane Austen Daydream while visiting the Jane Austen House Museum in Chawton. I hope you will check it out.

    Also, there is a giveaway to win an autographed copy of A Jane Austen Daydream! To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment under the post on that site.

    You can check out the article and learn more about the giveaway on RoofBeamReader.com here.

    I hope you enjoy the post and good luck!

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  • July 19, 2013

    “Unstoppable Reading” New book giveaway and reviews for A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM

    Jane AustenRunning through August 9, there is a new book giveaway for A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM, but this one is different. One lucky reader will win an autographed copy of the novel. So if you have already read the ebook and enjoyed it, here is a chance to win one for the shelves. You can enter this fun giveaway here. Good luck!

    This week there were quite a few new book reviews for A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM. For example, on Good Reads one reader (author Jeannie Walker) wrote in a 5-star review:

    I like how this talented author, crafts his novel with Jane Austen spending her days writing and matchmaking until she goes to a ball that launches  her into searching for her own romantic love. Scott D. Southard puts us  into Jane’s world and right in the middle of the action with this well-written and carefully crafted novel… wonderful.

    And here is an excerpt from a review on the blog Mom’s Time 2 Write-

    I don’t know what I was expecting, but it has to be one of the best pieces of fiction I’ve read in a while.  Scott D. Southard’s “A Jane Austen Daydream” had me at page one.  He is a very gifted storyteller with the ability to bring you into the story quickly and keep you there.   I felt every disappointment, triumph and tragedy.  I literally could not put it down.  And the twist at the end was written so well that it took a moment for me to realize what he’d done.

    And finally on the blog Tricia’s Thoughts, the writer notes (in a review that does make me blush a little):

    Don’t you just love it when you happen to come across THE BOOK that you want to devour, as though starving; yet at the same time, attempting to force yourself to slow down in order to savor every word, procrastinating that inevitable ending. I know that I have to have another book available to alleviate the feeling of loss.

    I found it. My latest find, is A Jane Austen Daydream, is just that. I can’t remember finding one since The Help, that hit my over-the-top scale. I simply loved it. I have reviewed it, entered it in two book clubs to which I belong and given it to every reader I know!

    A Jane Austen DaydreamA JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM can be found on Amazon for the low price of 3.99 for eBook and print for 13.46 here.

    You can learn more (interviews, reviews, excerpts, and other links for purchase around the world, etc.) via the A Jane Austen Daydream page on this site.

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