Brontë, the Other Brontë, and the Other Other Brontë

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch features Sarah Godefroid-Cannon, who plays the title role in Mustard Seed Theatre's production of Jane Eyre. She

has loved Charlotte Brontë's influential romance ever since she first read it, when she was around 12 years old.
Today she loves it more. Before she appeared in this production, she directed a student production of the novel at Rosati-Kain High School, where she teaches drama and English.
Like Mustard Seed director Deanna Jent, Godefroid-Cannon chose Julie Beckman's adaptation, a page-to-stage treatment in which the characters (including Jane) narrate the action.
Godefroid-Cannon says she hopes she is a more astute reader than she was as a girl, and that she knows she's a more sympathetic one. At one time, she said, she had a lot of trouble with dashing, mysterious Mr. Rochester (played by Shaun Sheley at Mustard Seed), Jane's employer and, eventually, her husband.
It used to bother her that Mr. Rochester could only seem to reach out to Jane when he was injured (which happens more than you might imagine). “I think I have a better grasp of him now,” she said.
Godefroid-Cannon is making the most of her recent immersion in Brontë's work. She's taking the combination of directing and starring in the different productions of the same play as the subject of her master's thesis at Fontbonne University – which is where Mustard Seed performs. (Judith Newmark)

Jezebel also seems to have trouble with Jane and Rochester's relationship, particularly their age-gap:

So dudes are into hot young chicks? So what? It's nothing new. I believe it was Jane Austen who once wrote, "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a venerable leading man in possession of a good hot chick must be in want of another better hot chick with 30% less spider veins." Then she drowned in a barrel of wrinkle cream on her 31st birthday. The cause of death was "old age/being gross." (Below, the medical examiner added, "BRB, just met this really hot baby named Charlotte Brontë & am waiting for it to turn 18 so that I might obtain some of that fine undercarriage. #yolo.") Literature. (Lindy West)

Slate discusses the myth of men not reading anything by women authors.

Because publishers, editors, and agents fear that men won’t read books by women, they encourage people like Rowling and Evans—and, for that matter, the Brontë sisters, Hilda Doolittle, Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson, Karen Blixen, Alice Sheldon, Amandine Lucie Aurore Dupin, and an exhausting number of others—to hide behind gender-obscuring initials or pen names, and thus they exacerbate the problem. A male-seeming author of a well-loved book doesn’t help to change the perceptions of a male reader, just as a child who hates spinach doesn’t come to love it when it is blended skillfully into his cupcake. (Ester Bloom)

While the Alberta Lea Tribune discusses romance in literature.

Romance in literature is as eclectic as real life. From bare-chested Fabio covers of Harlequin to gray-tie wearing millionaires to the starry-eyed poetry of Keats and the gothic tragedy of the Brontës, romance has always been defined by the reader. (Angie Barker)

The Oxford Student discusses romance in real life:

I was raised on a diet of Austen, Brontë, the Other Brontë, and the Other Other Brontë- and so far, I’ve noticed a distinct dearth of dark, brooding young men confessing their undying love on horseback. (Maryam Ahmed)

USA Today's Happy Ever After features several newly-released erotic novels and among them is

Wuthering Nights by I.J. Miller (Grand Central Publishing). Romantics everywhere have been enthralled by Emily Brontë's classic novel of the tragic love between beautiful, spirited Catherine and dark, brooding Heathcliff. The restrained desire between these two star-crossed lovers now ignites as writer I.J. Miller reimagines this timeless story to reveal the passion between Catherine and Heathcliff — in all its forbidden glory. (Joyce Lamb)

For Cosmopolitan the actual Brontë novels seem more than enough. In an article on condoms being used as protection for smartphones, the columnist writes,

Might I suggest a size that fits Kindles? When I'm reading a novel by, say, one of the Brontë sisters, I sometimes feel like its sheer steaminess might knock me up. (Anna Breslaw)

Female First interviews writer Chelsey Flood:

Do you find that other novelists have had an impact on your work?Of course. Only a maniac would think not. Other novelists made me want to write novels in the first place, and keep me wanting to write them, even though it's quite difficult and boring a lot of the time! I am a bit behind in terms of contemporary literature, as I am still struggling to get up to date with the old stuff. Some writers I love are Kurt Vonnegut, Richard Yates, Lorrie Moore, Emily Brontë, Margaret Atwood, David Almond, Amanda Davies, Tolstoy, and Fitzgerald. (Lucy Walton)

The Warrington Guardian features singer Chris Braide who has some other sort of Brontë influence:

The singer said: “Kate Bush was one of my earliest influences and hearing her sing Wuthering Heights made a huge impression on me along with the production on Video Killed The Radio Star. Those records inspired me and fired my imagination”.

Cuchara Sónica picks the Top 10 songs by music band Death Cab For Cutie and finds another Wuthering Heights-inspired song:

"Cath..."
"Cath..." es una de las canciones más interesantes de de Narrow Stairs y no solo porque su música es genial, sino también porque está basada en el personaje Catherine Earnshaw de la novela Wuthering Heights, que cuenta el casamiento de la protagonista y un hombre al que no ama. (Axel Marazzi) (Translation)

A letter from a reader of the Spenborough Guardian on the recent events at the Red House Museum:

On Sunday I helped out at the Red House Museum where the Brontë Society was celebrating the 197th anniversary of Charlotte Brontë’s birthday. On display was a copy of Charlotte Brontë’s wedding dress and hat.
Imelda Marsden, life member of the Brontë Society gave a brief introduction to Charlotte’s life and her book Shirley and the connections with the local area.
Local historian Jim Summerscales gave us a fascinating afternoon of what life was like in Liversedge during the Luddite uprising of 1812. Jim has a fascinating background with family connections to the Luddites – and one of his relatives invented the lawnmower!
Jim’s talks are informative and witty and he was much appreciated by a receptive audience.
(John Appleyard)

And the Daily Trojan suggests an outing for Saturday 27th April:

Mom and Pop Up Shop
Saturday, April 27, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m
110 E. 22nd St., San Pedro
For those of you rocking a homemade beaded embroidered cuff or maybe a customized Jane Eyre T-shirt, you’ll feel right at home at the Mom and Pop Up Shop, co-hosted by Crafted and the SoCal Etsy Guild this Saturday. The one-day collaboration will feature more than 50 vendors selling one-of-a-kind art, handmade or vintage items and artisanal food. There will also be live music and food trucks on hand for those looking to do more than just shop. Etsy is based on the Finnish word “etsi,” meaning search, and the Mom and Pop Up Shop is sure to let you do that to your heart’s content. Who knows, maybe you’ll finally find that elusive specimen of jackalope feltidermy you’ve been searching for. (Jackie Mansky and Sara Clayton)

Delightful new from the Brontë Parsonage Facebook page:

The Brontë Society admitted its youngest member recently in the form of nine-year-old Emily Evans. Instead of a peaceful visit to the Museum, Emily was astonished to walk into a surprise reception and presented with her membership papers!
Emily, who lives near Llanelli, South Wales, and was named after Emily Brontë, has always wanted to visit Haworth to find out about "the other Emily" and to see where she lived. Being made a member was a complete surprise, and staff lined up to applaud as she received her membership starter pack, and a special present: graphic-novel version of 'Jane Eyre'.
As well as loving books and stories, Emily also enjoys most forms of art, going to places and seeing things. Her favourite Brontë fact: Mr Brontë firing his pistol at the church tower. Her favourite Brontë artefact: Aunt Branwell's pattens.
Well done, Emily! It's lovely to welcome you to the Society, and we wish you a lifetime of loving the Brontës!

Aneta Ostaszewska writes in Polish about the 2006 book Siostry Brontë by Ewa Kraskowska. The Brontë Sisters posts several letters by Charlotte Brontë.