A Classic Escape

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“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” – C.S. Lewis

Books have been one of my favorite escapes for as long as I can remember. There’s a picture of my mom and me crying as we read Charlotte’s Web when I was about 4-years-old. The way they transport us across space, time, and emotions is amazing.

I don’t read many classics these days (not unless you count Good Night Moon, that is). However when my friend, Christina Dudley released her latest book, Pride and Preston Lin, I knew I was in for a treat. It’s a fantastic adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved book Pride and Prejudice. And it is so much more than a contemporary retelling of the story. Christina’s dialogue and clever plot devices make it a compelling and devourable book.

I know because I hid from my kids for an hour so that I could finish it. Adding to the delights, Vicki and I were able to talk with Christina about it on the Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast: Episode 104: Pride and Preston Lin with Christina Hwang Dudley.

Christina tells us about being an avid reader growing up and never realizing that none of the characters resembled her. So she shares with us her a-ha moment when she read her first Chinese American author. We also talk about how she found her path to writing.

Her inspiration and lessons learned are so interesting and powerful. From notes about the romance genre overall to the marketing tactics she has discovered, Christina generously shares a lot of great info, some of which she had to divine by trial and error.

In this episode, we not only talk about writing but also about the beautiful arc of characters. It’s a great takeaway of kindness and thoughtfulness that is sure to leave you inspired.

We’re confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the storytelling about a great book and more!

We know you’ll love it!

Search (and subscribe!) for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Apple, Amazon, Spotify or Pocket Casts OR Listen to it from your computer on Anchor: Episode 104: Pride and Preston Lin with Christina Hwang Dudley

Episode 104 Transcript

AND subscribe to our YouTube channel to see a video clip of each story: @SharingtheHeartoftheMatter.

Links for this Episode:

Christina’s website: https://christinadudley.com/books/pride-preston-lin/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199362002-pride-and-preston-lin

From the hosts:

Vicki’s book about resilience and love: Surviving Sue; Blog: https://victoriaponders.com/

My book about my beloved father: Finding My Father’s Faith

(featured photo from Pexels)

45 thoughts on “A Classic Escape”

  1. This was such an enjoyable listen. As a dedicated Jane Austen fan, I have been a card carrying member of JASNA (Jane Austen Society of North America), I love the sound of Christina’s latest book. We all have unpublishables lurking around somewhere. Writing is such a learning experience as Christina mentions.

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  2. this was such an engaging conversation with Christina, and I love picturing you and your mom weeping over charlotte’s web, so sweet and shows the power of reading. I also love that you had to find a way to hide from the kids to finish the book, that’s motivation. can’t wait to read it too –

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  3. Christina’s great! She’s open and honest on why certain things didn’t work (the Christian/Inspirational story about her “unpublishable” was insightful, but so funny, too). I really liked the suggestion of being open to the “little Inspirations” and what they can bring you. I want to stay alert to catch them when they appear! 😊 Thanks Wynne and Vicki. This was very enjoyable.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. I was unaware of how many writers created vintage Jane Austen styled novels. That changed when I helped a fellow writer and excellent editor, Kelsey Bryant, produce a book trailer for her book. Kudos to Christina Dudley for her latest book, Pride and Preston Lin!

    Liked by 1 person

  9. What a wonderful interview/chat session. Sigh. Now another book has been added to my pile!!

    Reading is such an important part of my life and has been since I learned what letters are for. I love to think there is a story inside of me, waiting for me to just start it!

    Thank you for this lovely post.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Books are such wonderful ways to escape, including from our own children. And representation is so important in the books that we read. Congrats to your friend, Christina, and I look forward to tuning into this week’s episode this weekend!

    Liked by 1 person

  18. I love how she took her own lived experiences and layered them on top of a book she loved reading, turning it into something new and fresh! Awesome!

    Liked by 1 person

  20. I resonate with the words a great escape, for me when we are writing a book right now it’s like escaping in to other worlds and when I create it makes me fly away and I am nowhere else. I loved writing stories as a child to and also to read but when you create yourself it’s so exiting! Do you write anything yourself?

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