I had the thrill of a lifetime participating in the Jane Austen Festival this month in Bath, England. It is the largest and longest-running Jane Austen Festival in the world and draws many thousands of people every year. The festivities started off on Saturday Sept. 9 with a Regency Costumed Promenade through the streets ..read more

      I’ve had a wonderful time writing and presenting my new original comedy JANE AUSTEN IN 48 MINUTES, in which a cheeky and wise Jane Austen and a cast of costumed actors deliver all six of Jane Austen’s novels at a lightning pace, with modern day commentary tossed in here and there for ..read more

  In the film EMILY, Emma Mackey brings Emily Brontë to vivid life in writer/director Frances O’Connor’s thrilling blend of fact and fiction.   Emily Brontë is something of a mystery. When she tragically died at age 30 of tuberculosis, she left behind few preserved letters, and no diary to reveal her private thoughts and ..read more

    Summer is the perfect time to dive into a juicy novel. I’m a fan of many genres including historical and contemporary fiction, Christian and inspirational fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, and romance. For me, it isn’t about the newest books on the market—it’s about an engaging, page-turning story that’s so well-written, it stays with ..read more

  It is fascinating to look back at Christmas during Jane Austen’s lifetime. Some of the customs we associate with the holiday, such as Christmas trees, Christmas cards, and Santa Claus, didn’t exist until many years later. But Jane Austen’s Christmas was equally as merry as the one we celebrate today. Read on for a ..read more

  From the desk of Syrie James I just read an advance copy of the most wonderful novel, “Ladies of the Lake” by Cathy Gohlke, and I wanted to share. I was hooked from the first chapter. There are so many suspenseful threads and need-to-know questions between the story in the 1930s and the earlier ..read more

  I had a fabulous time at the JASNA AGM (Jane Austen Society of North America Annual General Meeting) in Victoria, Canada two weeks ago. The weather was perfect, the company delightful, and the city beautiful and welcoming. The theme of this year’s JASNA conference was Sense and Sensibility in the City of Gardens. There ..read more

  From the desk of Syrie James Unnatural Creatures by Kris Waldherr brings to life the stories of three women in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein: Victor Frankenstein’s mother Caroline; his fiancé Elizabeth Lavenza; and the Frankenstein’s servant Justine Moreau, a character who Waldherr gives a fascinating background and a whole new lease on life. Mary ..read more

  Looking for a thrilling read to celebrate the autumn season? Here are not one, but two Gothic Giveaways! Enter for a chance to win a signed paperback copy of my novel The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë and Kris Waldherr’s new release Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women. Read on for contest ..read more