Channeling Jane Austen: An Interview with Syrie James, Queen of 19th-C. Reimaginings

Art In Fiction

Welcome to Episode 12 of the Art In Fiction Podcast!

In this episode, bestselling author Syrie James shares her love of Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, and the character of Mina Harker in Bram Stoker's Dracula, as she discusses her five novels included in the Literature category on Art In Fiction.
Learn about writing in Jane Austen's voice, the challenges faced by a female author in the 19th century, James's meticulous research methods, and her wise advice for both aspiring and published authors.
Highlights:

• Why Syrie James is Queen of 19th-century reimaginings
• What attracts Syrie to Jane Austen
• Jane Austen's timeless characters
• Depicting the personal lives of Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë
• Research methods
• Relationship between Charlotte Brontë's novels and her life
• Writing The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen
• Discussion of The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen
• Jane Austen and her love affair with Mr. Ashford
• Marriage and writing in the 19th century
• A reading from The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen
• Discussion of Jane Austen's First Love
• Education of young women in the 19th century
• Excerpt from Jane Austen's First Love
• Will there be a novel about Jane Austen's later years?
• Syrie's favorite Jane Austen novel
• Edward Taylor, Jane's love interest in Jane Austen's First Love
• Discussion of Dracula, My Love: Dracula rehabilitated?
• Development of Mina Harker's character
• Advice to aspiring and published authors
• Recommended writing books
• What Syrie is reading

Press Play right now and be sure to check out Syrie James's novels The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen, Jane Austen's First Love, The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë, and Dracula, My Love, all in the Literature category on Art In Fiction.
Syrie James's website: http://www.syriejames.com/
The Cazalet Chronicles

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Chapters

1. Welcome (00:00:00)

2. Syrie as the queen of 19th-c. reimaginings (00:01:41)

3. Syrie's fascination with Jane Austen (00:03:09)

4. References to Jane Austen's novels in The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen (00:06:58)

5. The audio version of The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen (00:09:46)

6. The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen (00:10:38)

7. Research or imagination? (00:11:53)

8. What if Jane had fallen in love? (00:12:21)

9. Advertisement - ProWritingAid (00:16:26)

10. A reading from The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen (00:17:22)

11. Jane Austen's First Love (00:21:19)

12. Why Syrie loves to write (00:24:17)

13. Will Syrie write about Jane Austen's 3 last novels? (00:26:00)

14. Syrie's favorite Jane Austen novel (00:26:57)

15. Dracula, My Love (00:29:38)

16. Portrayal of Mina and strong women characters (00:32:44)

17. Advice for aspiring authors (00:34:30)

18. Advice for published authors (00:36:11)

19. Recommended writing books (00:38:32)

20. What Syrie is reading right now (00:39:12)

21. Extro (00:40:47)