And coming up in early August (exact date TBD; check the Austen Addict homepage for further details):
Stephanie's Written Word (guest post) Stephanie is hosting the Everything Austen Challenge, which runs from July 1, 2009 to January 1, 2010. The challenge
is to read, listen to, and/or watch six Jane Austen-related things.
Check out Stephanie's Written Word
for a list of suggestions. The challenge kicks off on July 1 with a
review of RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT. Stephanie's got lots of giveaways
scheduled, so keep checking back.
It's heeeeere! RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT. June 25 is the day!
At a time like this I find myself caught between channeling Mrs. Bennet ("Oh, Lord! What will become of me. I shall go distracted") and that Mike Myers character (you know, the one who's always verklempt).
Romantic Times has made RUDE AWAKENINGS a Top Pick for July, SisterDivas Magazine praises it for its "great main character, solid storytelling, and social commentary on women, independence, and love," and the Deseret News calls it "the perfect summer read."
BrantFlakes is the blog of author Marilyn Brant, whose upcoming Austen-inspired book, ACCORDING TO JANE: A NOVEL ABOUT PRIDE, PREJUDICE, & THE PURSUIT OF THE PERFECT GUY, comes out October 2009. ACCORDING TO JANE is already a winner—it won the 2007 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award for Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements.
6/22/09: Syrie James, author of THE LOST MEMOIRS OF JANE AUSTEN, which was nominated for a 2008 Regency World Award for Best New Fiction; and her new novel, THE SECRET DIARIES OF CHARLOTTE BRONTE.
6/24/09: Kim Wilson, author of TEA WITH JANE AUSTEN and IN THE GARDEN WITH JANE AUSTEN, which is nominated for a 2009 Regency World Award for Best New Nonfiction.
6/26/09: Abigail Reynolds, author of THE PEMBERLEY VARIATIONS series of novels.
6/29/09: Laurie Viera Rigler (that's me), author of RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT, which comes out June 25; and CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT, which is nominated for a 2009 Regency World Award http://www.janeausten.co.uk/awardsurvey.ihtml for Best New Fiction.
Although Marilyn Brant won't be doing a Q&A herself, she just received the ARCs of ACCORDING TO JANE and will be giving away at least one of them.
Each of these authors is giving away at least one book, so be sure to go to AustenFest to enter!
*Brant Flakes is hosting a series of giveaways and Q&As called AustenFest. Check out AustenFest starting June 22 to win books by Syrie James, Kim Wilson, Abigail Reynolds, Marilyn Brant, and me.
Thomas Rigler, my very own Mr. Darcy/Mr. Knightley* produced, wrote, and directed a new viral video in support of my about-to-be-released novel, RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT. I hope you are as delighted and diverted as I am:
Many thanks to the incredible team who, along with Thomas, generously poured their time and talent into this trailer:
Jane's Scene Readings: Arabella Field Multitalented Arabella Field is an accomplished stage and film actress who frequently guest stars on your favorite TV series and has way too many credits under her belt to mention. She co-stars in the upcoming motion picture releases PAPER MAN and FLYING BY. Someday we're going to see her with one of those cute little gold statues they give out here in Los Angeles.
Music: Paul Haslinger, Composer, Producer The fabulous electronica track was pulled from one of Paul's solo CDs. Check out two of Paul’s most recent offerings, the spectacular soundtracks for UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS motion picture (he's composed the soundtracks for all three UNDERWORLD movies) and X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE video game.
Piano: Sigrid Trummer Germaine Tailleferre Piano Concerto D-Dur, Edition Frauentöne Vol. 1 Sigrid just completed solo piano tour across the US and Canada that brought her to Chicago, Washington, Montreal and Ottawa. I don't know about you, but I cannot get that gorgeous piano music out of my head. And why would I want to?
VO: Mehran Azma An accomplished graphic designer and indie musician with The Lost Libraries, Mehran got drafted as a voiceover artist and narrator for this project. With that golden voice he should be narrating movie trailers and audiobooks, too!
VO recordings: Silvia Ryder @ Starfish Records Get the excellent new CD Chinese Leftovers by Starfish Records' house band Sugarplum Fairies. One of the tracks on Chinese Leftovers, HOLD ONTO ME, was featured on the 2009 season finale of GREY'S ANATOMY.
Photography Courtney’s bedroom: Elissa Merola Quintessential Silver Lake photographer, new media artist and decorator.
Animation, visual & sound effects, editing and other wonders: Dave ‘The Rave’ Emmendorfer Dave is an incredibly accomplished editor and animator and pulled out all the stops for this trailer. We still don’t quite know where the space shuttle entered the picture, but it’s beyond brilliant. And we're still not quite sure how we got so lucky as to work with Dave.
* Also sometimes known as Captain Harville when he's puttering around the house fixing things or building shelves.
Here's a writers' conference I wish I were able to attend. It's a new conference sponsored by the Center for Fiction in New York and Fordham University, and organized by one of my favorite bloggers, Ron Hogan of Galleycat. This exciting event will take place on Saturday, June 27, at Fordham College at Lincoln Center.
Here's a description of the conference in Ron's words:
"In this rapidly changing economic climate, it's as important for authors to know about the business side of publishing as it is about the artistic side of writing, so, with generous co-sponsorship from Fordham University's Creative Writing Program, we've created a one-day conference filled with panels designed to immerse people in the practical side of the publishing industry.
"I'm really proud of the lineup we assembled: The keynote is being delivered by Dan Menaker, and a closing panel will feature Jon Karp in conversation with Marlon James, Peter Cameron, and Sigrid Nunez. Other authors speaking at the conference include Jennifer Weiner, Maryann McFadden, Toure, Ben Greenman, and Jami Attenberg; we'll also be hearing from editors Laurie Chittenden, Ethan Nosowsky, and Sarah Crichton. Agents like ICM's Kate Lee, Renee Zuckerbrot, and Larry Kirshbaum have agreed to take part as well. (The complete lineup of two dozen speakers is available online.)
"In addition to all that, the Center for Fiction is giving attendees a free month of access to its writers' studio in midtown Manhattan, plus a discount on future membership. And the total cost is just $200."
All that and a writers' studio, too? Sounds like quite a deal!
[Corin Redgrave as Sir Walter Elliot. The perfect fop.
"A widow Mrs. Smith lodging in Westgate Buildings! A poor widow barely
able to live, between thirty and forty; a mere Mrs. Smith, an every-day
Mrs. Smith, of all people and all names in the world, to be the chosen
friend of Miss Anne Elliot, and to be preferred by her to her own
family connections among the nobility of England and Ireland! Mrs.
Smith! Such a name!"]