NOT JUST JANE

While most people have probably read at least one Jane Austen novel (or at least seen a film version), they might be hard pressed to name any of her contemporaries . . . until now. In NOT JUST JANE, Shelley DeWees weaves history, biography, and critical analysis into a rip-roaring narrative of the nation's fabulous, yet mostly forgotten, female literary heritage. As the country, and women's roles within it, evolved, so did the publishing industry, driving legions of ladies to pick up their pens and hit the parchment. Focusing on the creative contributions and personal stories of seven astonishing women—among them pioneers of detective fiction and the modern fantasy novel—DeWees assembles a riveting, intimate, and ruthlessly unromanticized portrait of female life and the literary landscape during this era. In doing so, she comes closer to understanding how a society could forget so many of these women, who all enjoyed success, critical acclaim, and a fair amount of notoriety during their time, and realizes why, now more than ever, it's vital that we remember them.

Shelley DeWees has a graduate degree in ethnomusicology, several tattoos, and a documented obsession with British literature. Her writing has appeared on Austenprose, Jane Austen's World, and Jane Austen Today. She recently returned to the United States after spending several years teaching English in South Korea.