Janeite Spotlight: Introducing LaTonya Ranel Williams
- Sarah Hurley
- Jul 10
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 16
Welcome back to the Janeite Spotlight series, dear readers! As most of you know by now, the Janeite Spotlight project is dedicated to showcasing and connecting Austen fans around the globe, without whom Jane Austen’s legacy might have disappeared in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. This week, we’re introducing LaTonya Ranel Williams, owner of Jane Austen Treasures, an online gift boutique featuring products inspired by all-things Austen.
LaTonya Ranel Williams, now in her fifties, is a software engineer by day and the brains behind Jane Austen Treasures by night (and weekends!). As a merchandise buyer for JCPenney during her twenties, LaTonya managed a $2 million annual budget while learning the ins and outs of the retail business. Little did she know that this job, which she began while still attending college, would one day provide the skills and experience necessary to help her launch her own Jane Austen-themed online gift shop.
LaTonya first discovered Austen’s fiction in ninth grade when Pride and Prejudice was required reading, and “[f]rom the first pages, [she] was captivated.” She says, “Elizabeth Bennet’s sharp wit and independence resonated with my ‘smart mouth’ teenage self. I saw in her the confidence I aspired to have. Austen’s world was so different from mine, yet her characters felt deeply real and relatable.” She devoured the rest of Austen’s novels soon after. Now, as a life-long reader, crafter, and Jane Austen devotee, LaTonya endeavors to “bring a little bit of Austen magic” with her wherever she goes.
Jane Austen Treasures was born during the Covid-19 pandemic, when she experienced an unimaginable loss: over twenty of her family members, friends, and mentors passed away in one year. Deciding that life was too short not to embrace one’s dreams, passions, and desires, she opened Jane Austen Treasures on Etsy in 2022. Her family’s initial response to her shop was comedically lackluster: “‘Jane’ who?” her brother asked. But even though LaTonya’s family didn’t originally understand her vision, she knew other people loved Jane Austen as much as she did and wanted her products to inspire within her customers the same delight she felt while reading one of Austen’s novels.
In 2023, LaTonya attended her first JASNA AGM in Denver, which she describes as a “transformative experience.” She was initially hesitant because, as a Black woman, she wasn’t sure how inclusive the space would be, but she quickly formed lasting friendships with the other Austen-lovers in attendance. In 2024, she participated as a vendor at the Cleveland AGM, meeting longtime customers face-to-face. She regularly attends regional JASNA events, has spoken about her work as an AGM vendor with Georgia’s JASNA chapter, and has published several Austen-based books, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Etsy.
One of her most cherished moments at the Cleveland AGM came when a JASNA member purchased all six of LaTonya’s Austenian chrome Christmas ornaments and expressed how much joy they would bring to her annual holiday tradition of creating a Jane Austen-themed Christmas tree. LaTonya was nearly speechless: “Knowing that something I designed would become part of someone’s cherished memories was unforgettable.”
When asked which of Austen’s characters she relates to most, LaTonya’s answer is thorough and well-articulated:
My relationship with Jane Austen’s characters evolves as I grow, face new challenges, and see the world through changing eyes. Over the decades, I’ve found pieces of myself in different characters, and each has offered me something vital at just the right moment.
In my 20s, I saw myself in Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. Like Elizabeth, I was on a journey of self-discovery, fiercely independent, and sometimes a bit too quick-witted for my own good…. I admired Elizabeth’s confidence and her refusal to settle for less than she deserved. Her blend of intelligence, humor, and courage were qualities I aspired to as a young woman forming my own identity. I was learning to see past first impressions and to trust my judgment as I navigated new relationships, career decisions, and the expectations of adulthood. I loved how she could make a point without making an enemy.
In my 30s, Anne Elliot from Persuasion became my favorite. After some “screw-ups” in my 20s, I found myself seeking second chances and redefining my life on my own terms. Anne’s quiet resilience, her ability to endure regret and still hope for happiness, resonated deeply with me. Like Anne, I learned that it’s never too late to pursue your own happiness or to rewrite your story.
In my 40s, I grew into Elinor Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility. This was a decade of balancing duty and desire, learning to control my emotions, and handling situations with maturity. As I began traveling weekly for my career as a government contractor, I often had to strike a balance between caring for others and honoring my own needs. Elinor’s composure and selflessness became qualities I strove to embody. Her ability to be the “steady hand” for her family and herself inspired me to do the same.
Now, in my early 50s, I find myself drawn to the mentors in Emma—Mr. Knightley and Mrs. Weston. Emma is now my favorite novel, not just for its sparkling wit, but for its deeper themes of growth, guidance, and self-awareness. I see myself in the role of the mentor: guiding others at work, in my volunteer efforts, and within my own family, friends, and community. Like Mrs. Weston and Mr. Knightley, I’ve learned the value of nurturing others while continuing to grow myself…
What’s remarkable about Austen’s writing is how her characters grow with you…. Austen’s characters are so deeply human, displaying quirks, flaws, and inner conflicts that mirror our own lives. They remind me that growth is a lifelong journey, and that every stage of life brings new opportunities for self-discovery and connection.
LaTonya admires Austen’s dry humor and sharp observations on class and gender, which feel surprisingly modern. Her romances are built on mutual respect and growth, making them deeply satisfying. “Austen allowed women to be intelligent and complex long before the world was ready to give them that space,” she says. Austen herself refused to settle for a life without love or passion, and she poured her heart into her craft even when it wasn’t fashionable or easy. Her ability to turn ordinary moments into something profound reminds LaTonya to do the same in her own life and work, whether it be through personalizing items for customers or hosting back-to-school parties for her children, nieces, and nephews.
Left: LaTonya's family helps her prepare for the 2024 Cleveland AGM. Middle: LaTonya and her friends attend the Cleveland Regency ball. Right: Jane Austen Treasures' Cleveland vendor table.
Creating and sharing her Austen-inspired items has connected Latonya to a network of Janeites around the world. She has fulfilled orders for customers not only within the United States, but also Australia, France, Slovakia, China, Israel, Germany, Canada, and Japan. Her family, once skeptical, are now her biggest supporters, often accompanying her as a vendor at AGM, helping to process and package orders when she overextends herself, and assisting in boosting her social media presence. Like Austen, LaTonya has found that the love, enthusiasm, and unwavering support of her family, both immediate and extended, is the quiet backbone of her creative work and journey.
As a Black woman, LaTonya doesn’t always see herself directly reflected in Austen’s world, “but [Austen’s] universal themes of self-discovery, resilience, and hope transcend time and place.” Latonya continues, “I often think about how, despite the limitations of her era, Austen gave her heroines self-determination and complexity. I hope to inspire other women, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, to find themselves in these stories, to claim their place in the Janeite community, and to know that these timeless journeys belong to all of us.”
Excerpted from email correspondence with LaTonya Williams, June 29, 2025.
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Congratulations, this is amazing! So happy that you pursued your passion and was determined to move forward. Lovely story how you first connected in your younger years.
Powerful sentiments of Austen characters and their influences in today's world! I am an Austen Fan!!!
Lovely and inspirational!