Margery Sharp referred to Jane Austen several times in her novels, and admired her exceedingly.
I refer you to this interview conducted back in October, 1963. (Counterpoint, Roy Newquist, published 1964, Rand McNally & Co.)
Margery Sharp was asked by Roy Newquist ‘What would you still like to accomplish that you haven’t already done?’
Her answer?
“What I should like to achieve in the future, of course, is a novel as good as Emma, and a play as good as The Cherry Orchard. But that’s talking of miracles.”