Jane Austen Addict Blog

living read girl: Some merry modern romps with Jane Austen

"The love for Jane Austen related entertainment may not always appear to be in vogue but as they say,it never dies,it only multiples. To that end,let us look at a few of the latest displays of Austenmania that possess a decidedly modern twist..."

via livingreadgirl.blogspot.com

The whole post is a must-read if you'd like to sample the latest treats in the Janeiverse, including The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, The Jane Austen Academy, The Jane Austen Guide to Life, the LOL Jane Austen is My Homegirl Rap, and a fab shout-out for our very own Sex and the Austen Girl.

Definitely satisfied this Austen addict. Thanks, Living Read Girl!!!

 

Just in time for the holidays: The Darcy Episode (+ a giveaway)

It's the season finale of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL! Watch our time-swapping heroines swoon over the man who launched a thousand sequels--and especially that version of him played by Colin Firth.

Comment on what you love about Darcy--on or off-screen-- to enter a giveaway of signed copies of CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT and RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT.  Giveaway ends Thursday, January 6th, at midnight PST .

Has there ever been a greater specimen of the male sex than that ultimate romantic hero, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE? And is there anything more satisfying than watching "the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world" humbled by the realization that it takes a lot more than a big bank balance to win the girl?

Yes indeed, there is a Santa Claus. And he's brought us Mr. Darcy. So what if you think Darcy's a fictional character? That's your problem!

[SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL is inspired by the novels CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT and RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT and stars Arabella Field and Fay Masterson. Catch up on all the episodes you missed.]

Austen's Timeless and Ageless Appeal

Today's Wall Street Journal has a fun piece on the ever-expanding Janeiverse on the web and on Austen's growing appeal with the young.

Makes sense, don't you think? After all, Austen wrote what could arguably be called the first classic YA coming-of-age novel, NORTHANGER ABBEY. The oldest heroine of Austen's six major works was 27-28 (Anne Elliot of PERUSASION), and the youngest was 17-18 (Catherine Morland of NORTHANGER ABBEY).

The latest Austen adaptations--both of which this blogger loved--clearly targeted a young demographic.[Romola Garai, L, as Emma Woodhouse; Felicity Jones, R, as Catherine Morland]

I'm just happy that a 27-year-old is no longer considered past her sell-by date, and a 17-year-old is usually more concerned with starting her freshman year of college than starting a family.

And on that note, I shall close with one of my favorite episodes of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, which focuses on this very topic:

[SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, babelgum.com/sexandtheaustengirl, is inspired by the novels "Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict" and "Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict" and stars Arabella Field and Fay Masterson.]

Episode 22 Worldwide Giveaway! or "My other car is a barouche"

Imagine you come from 1813 England, where a carriage going 10 miles per hour is a fast mode of travel (remember John Thorpe bragging in NORTHANGER ABBEY?). And then you land in 21st-century L.A., where half your life is lived in a speeding car. When you're not stuck in rush-hour gridlock, that is. 

Watch our time-swapping heroines Courtney and Jane, the one from today's world and the other from Jane Austen's England, talk about the pros and cons of cars and carriages and the wonders of life in the fast lane--no matter what century you're in. TO ENTER OUR GIVEAWAY, Watch "Transportation," Episode 22 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL , the Babelgum original comedy web series, and let us know what you think by leaving a comment here on the blog.

wo lucky winners will win signed copies of the novels that inspired the Babelgum original comedy web series SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL: RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT & CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT. ENTER BY MIDNIGHT THIS SUNDAY PST.

Is your other car a BMW, or a barouche? Is it cheaper, relatively speaking, to own a car today than it was to own a carriage in Jane Austen's day? (Sure, gas is expensive, but what about having to have a stable, feed for the horse, and a servant to care for it--remember Elinor's words to Marianne when Willoughby wanted to give her a horse in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY?)

Or just tell us what you like about the episode! FOR MORE CHANCES TO WIN, SEE BELOW.

DO ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING FOR MULTIPLE CHANCES TO WIN:

1. COMMENT on Episode 22, "Transportation," here on the blog.

2. BLOG about this giveaway with a link to http://janeaustenaddict.com. Send us the link to your post: [email protected].

3. TWEET about the giveaway @TheAustenGirl or @austen_addict with a link to http://janeaustenaddict.com.

4. FACEBOOK POST the giveaway & link to http://janeaustenaddict.com. Send us the link to your post: [email protected].

CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST WEEK'S GIVEAWAY WINNERS, Carl and Susan!

[Sex and the Austen Girl stars Arabella Field as Courtney and Fay Masterson as Jane. For more about Sex and the Austen Girl, and to catch up on all the episodes you missed, visit the Sex and the Austen Girl showpage at Babelgum.]

Chamberpot vs. Toilet (& a giveaway)

What to do when the urge arrives to go to the bathroom during Regency times? Our time-swapping heroines, Jane and Courtney, debate the pros and cons of modern plumbing in Episode 21 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL , the Babelgum original comedy web series.

To enter this week's giveaway, watch "Chamberpot vs. Toilet," and leave a comment here on the blog. wo lucky winners will win signed copies of the novels that inspired the Babelgum original comedy web series SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL:  RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT & CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT.

ENTER BY MIDNIGHT THIS SATURDAY PST. For more chances to win, see below.

DO ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING FOR MULTIPLE CHANCES TO WIN:

1. COMMENT on Episode 21, "Chamberpot vs. Toilet," here on the blog.

2. BLOG about this giveaway with a link to http://janeaustenaddict.com. Send us the link to your post: [email protected].

3. TWEET about the giveaway @TheAustenGirl or @austen_addict with a link to http://janeaustenaddict.com.

4. FACEBOOK POST the giveaway & link to http://janeaustenaddict.com. Send us the link to your post: [email protected].

CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST WEEK'S GIVEAWAY WINNERS!   

[Sex and the Austen Girl stars Arabella Field as Courtney and Fay Masterson as Jane. For more about Sex and the Austen Girl, and to catch up on all the episodes you missed, visit the Sex and the Austen Girl showpage at Babelgum.]

Regency Sports Talk (and a new giveaway)

Yet another reason to wish we lived in Jane Austen's time is that there was no Monday Night Football. No ESPN. No sports talk.

Oh really? Watch Courtney and Jane, time-swapping heroines of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, discover whether men in neckcloths and knee breeches are just as obsessed with sports as men who spend every Saturday in that ancient college football jersey you'd love to throw out.

Watch "Regency Sports Talk," Episode 20 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL , and let us know what you think. AND ENTER OUR GIVEAWAY BY MIDNIGHT SATURDAY PST (JUST AS WE ENTER HALLOWEEN).

Two lucky winners will win signed copies of the novels that inspired the Babelgum original comedy web series SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL:  RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT & CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT.

Watch Episode 20, "Regency Sports Talk," and enter our giveaway!

DO ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING FOR MULTIPLE CHANCES TO WIN:

1. COMMENT on Episode 20, "Regency Sports Talk," here on the blog.

2. BLOG about this giveaway with a link to http://janeaustenaddict.com. Send us the link to your post: [email protected].

3. TWEET about the giveaway @TheAustenGirl or @austen_addict with a link to http://janeaustenaddict.com.

4. FACEBOOK POST the giveaway & link to http://janeaustenaddict.com. Send us the link to your post: [email protected].

CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST WEEK'S GIVEAWAY WINNERS!   

[Sex and the Austen Girl stars Arabella Field as Courtney and Fay Masterson as Jane. For more about Sex and the Austen Girl, and to catch up on all the episodes you missed, visit the Sex and the Austen Girl showpage at Babelgum.]

Clothes Make the Man (and give you a chance to win books!)

Do you ever wish the men in our twenty-first-century world dressed like Mr. Darcy instead of "like farmers and workmen," as Jane, one of our time-swapping heroines of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, would put it?

Watch "Clothes Make the Man," Episode 19 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL , and let us know what you think. And enter our giveaway by midnight Saturday, October 23, PST!

Two lucky winners will win signed copies of the novels that inspired the Babelgum original comedy web series SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL:  RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT & CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT.

Watch Episode 19, "Clothes Make the Man," and enter the giveaway!

DO ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING FOR MULTIPLE CHANCES TO WIN:

1. COMMENT on Episode 19, "Clothes Make the Man," here on the blog.

2. BLOG about this giveaway with a link to http://janeaustenaddict.com. Send the link to your post to [email protected].

3. TWEET about the giveaway @TheAustenGirl or @austen_addict with a  link to http://janeaustenaddict.com.

4. FACEBOOK POST the giveaway & link to http://janeaustenaddict.com. Send the link to your post to [email protected].

This week's giveaway ends Saturday October 23 at midnight PST . Good luck!

AND CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST WEEK'S GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

     
[Sex and the Austen Girl stars Arabella Field as Courtney (left) and Fay Masterson as Jane (right). For more about Sex and the Austen Girl, and to catch up on all the episodes you missed, visit the Sex and the Austen Girl showpage at Babelgum.]

 

Sex and the Austen Girl Episode 18 "The Art of Flattery" AND Another Giveaway!

Episode 18 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL has posted today, and we're having another giveaway!

Two lucky winners will win signed copies of both RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT & CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT.

Watch Episode 18, "The Art of Flattery," and enter the giveaway!

DO ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING FOR MULTIPLE CHANCES TO WIN:

1. COMMENT on Episode 18, "The Art of Flattery," here on the blog. Do women today still make flattery a tactic in the game of love? Or did that go out of style with bonnets and horse-drawn carriages?

2. BLOG about this giveaway with a link to http://janeaustenaddict.com. Send the link to your post to [email protected].

3. TWEET about the giveaway @TheAustenGirl or @austen_addict with a  link to http://janeaustenaddict.com.

4. FACEBOOK POST the giveaway & link to http://janeaustenaddict.com. Send the link to your post to [email protected].

This week's giveaway ends midnight PST October 16. Good luck!

AND CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST WEEK'S GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

     
[Sex and the Austen Girl stars Arabella Field as Courtney (left) and Fay Masterson as Jane (right). For more about Sex and the Austen Girl, and to catch up on all the episodes you missed, visit the Sex and the Austen Girl showpage at Babelgum.]

 

OMG...iveaway! Win signed copies of the Austen Addict books

Episode 17 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL has just posted today, and we're giving away signed copies of both RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT & CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT to two lucky winners.

Watch Episode 17, "A Matter of Chance," to see Courtney and Jane make sense of divorce, Regency style.

And to enter the giveaway, DO ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING FOR MULTIPLE CHANCES TO WIN:

1. COMMENT on Episode 17, "A Matter of Chance," here on the blog.

2. BLOG about this giveaway & link to http://janeaustenaddict.com. Send the link to your post to [email protected].

3. TWEET about the giveaway @TheAustenGirl or @austen_addict & link to http://janeaustenaddict.com.

4. FACEBOOK POST the giveaway & link to http://janeaustenaddict.com. Send the link to your post to [email protected].

This week's giveaway ends midnight PST October 9. Good luck!

AND CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST WEEK'S GIVEAWAY WINNERS LOIS & ANA IRIS!

     
[Sex and the Austen Girl stars Arabella Field as Courtney (left) and Fay Masterson as Jane (right). For more about Sex and the Austen Girl, and to catch up on all the episodes you missed, visit the Sex and the Austen Girl showpage at Babelgum.]

 

"Snip, Snip": Enter the SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL Episode 16 Giveaway

The Episode 16 giveaway has begun, and it's easier than ever to enter.

Here's what you do for a chance to win signed copies of the novels that inspired the series, RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT and CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT.

Each of the following equals one chance to win):

1. Watch Episode 16 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, "Snip, Snip," (below) and post a comment here on the blog. In two minutes you'll see two women from two different centuries tackling the issue of extreme makeovers.

 

AND/OR

2. Blog about our giveaway with a link to http://janeaustenaddict.com AND send us the link to your post to [email protected] with "Episode 16 Giveaway" in the subject line

AND/OR

3. Tweet about our giveaway @TheAustenGirl with a link to http://janeaustenaddict.com

AND/OR

4. Post on Facebook about our giveaway with a link to http://janeaustenaddict.com AND send us the link to your post to [email protected].

Have fun, good luck, and catch up on all the episodes you missed at the SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL showpage!

[On the set of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, starring Fay Masterson as Jane (L) and Arabella Field as Courtney (R)]

Love, Money, & Pemberley (Ep.12 of SEX & THE AUSTEN GIRL)

Don't miss this week's episode which is OUR LAST EPISODE TILL SEPTEMBER 5, when we will return with a special MR. DARCY episode. Everyone wants to marry for love, but shouldn't we consider money as well? Where does romance end and practicality begin? And should they be mutually exclusive? Courtney and Jane, our time-swapping heroines of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, explore an issue that has not changed all that much since Jane Austen's time. Watch Episode 12, "Love, Money, & Pemberley." Only on Babelgum. And read all about it on the Babelgum blog. Episode 12, "Love, Money, & Pemberley," premiered Monday, August 2, 2010 on Babelgum. And stays on the SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL showpage. Where you can catch up on any other episodes you missed. See you September 5! Till then, we'll be dreaming of Pemberley...   [Pemberley. Now that's something Jane (Fay Masterson, L) and Courtney (Arabella Field, R) can agree on.]
SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL is inspired by the novels RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT and CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT.

"The 200-Year-Old Virgin" (Ep. 11 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL)

Imagine the shock you'd feel if you were a sheltered lady from 1813 England who woke up one morning in twenty-first-century Los Angeles. In another woman's body. A woman named Courtney Stone. Who is, like you, unmarried. But who is not, like you, a virgin.

Watch Jane Mansfield, that nineteenth-century lady, and Courtney Stone, the twenty-first-century woman who has taken over Jane's life, discuss things a lady should never talk about.

Watch "The 200-Year-Old Virgin," Episode 11 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL.

And read about it on the Babelgum Blog.

"The 200-Year-Old Virgin," premiered Monday, July 26 on Babelgum and stays on the site. Where you can catch up on any other episodes you missed.

SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL is inspired by the novels RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT and CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT.

[Poor Jane (Fay Masterson) is having a hard time wrapping her head around twenty-first-century dating and mating rituals]

Tell-Tale Signs (Episode 10 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL)

Ever wonder how you could have missed the signs (let's face it; the billboards) that screamed "He's just not that into you"?

In this week's episode of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, our time-swapping heroines Courtney and Jane discuss the tell-tale signs of a lack of male interest, both in Regency England and in twenty-first-century Los Angeles.

Watch Episode 10 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL. Only on Babelgum.

And read about it on the Babelgum Blog.

Episode 10, "Tell-Tale Signs," premiered Monday July 19 and stays on the SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL showpage. Where you can catch up on any other episodes you missed.

SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL is inspired by the novels RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT and CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT.

[Arabella Field (L) is Courtney, and Fay Masterson (R) is Jane.]

Is He For Real? (Episode 9 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL)

Wouldn't it be great if there were a foolproof decoder of male behavior, a dog-meter, if you will, that tells us if he's for real? Or, as Jane Mansfield, one of the heroines of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL would put it, is there anything that indicates his intentions are honorable?

Watch Courtney and Jane, time-swapping heroines of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, figure it all out in Episode 9, "Is He For Real?" 

And read all about it on the Babelgum Blog.

"Is He For Real?" premiered Monday, July 12 and stays on the SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL showpage. Where you can catch up on any other episodes you missed.

SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL is inspired by the novels RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT and CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT.

[On the set of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, from left to right: Director Thomas Rigler, Director of Photography Roman Jakobi, Gaffer Ken Wales, Arabella Field as Courtney, and Fay Masterson as Jane.]

Interview Part 2 + ANOTHER Giveaway!

Check out Part 2 of my interview at the lovely Maria Grazia's blog, My Jane Austen Book Club, in which I talk about--you guessed it--Jane Austen, SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, and the Austen Addict novels.

Speaking of which, enter a comment with your email address at My Jane Austen Book Club, and you will have a chance to win either a signed copy of RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT, or a signed copy of CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT.

Enjoy, and good luck!

Regency Dream Date: Episode 8 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL

Watch & read about Episode 8 on the Babelgum blog. And tell us what your dream date is, Regency or otherwise.

[Arabella Field as Courtney Stone in SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, the comedy web series inspired by the novels RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT and CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT.]

How many dates before you sleep with someone?

To wait or not to wait. To pursue or not to pursue. Those are the questions our time-swapping heroines explore in this week's episode of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, "Lady in Waiting."

Watch this week's episode now.

Read this week's guest post on the Babelgum blog.

Discuss.

And let us know what YOU think.

[Could the answers be found on the props table at the SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL set??]

[SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL is the new comedy web series inspired by the novels RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT and CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT, in which two young women, one from Regency England and the other from 21st-century Los Angeles, swap bodies, time periods, and lives. In SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL the two ladies come together to debate the pros and cons of life and love and being a woman in today's world versus Jane Austen's time.]

Vote for the Jane Austen Awards

Yes, we at Austen Addict Central have a vested interest.

Because we're bursting with pride that both this blog and one of our books RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT, have been nominated. Click on the badge below to go to the polls!

And don't forget to check out our web series, SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIR!

Scents and Sensibility (guest post on the Babelgum blog)

Could it be possible that we have taken our ideas of “clean” too far? Have we scrubbed, deodorized, and perfumed away our very essence, and maybe even our sex appeal along with it? What would someone from Jane Austen's time think about our ideas of "clean"?

Read my guest post on the Babelgum blog.

And watch Jane and Courtney, the time-swapping heroines of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, explore these and other fragrant questions in this week’s episode, “Is Clean Sexy?”

Available now for your viewing pleasure. Only on Babelgum.

[Arabella Field (L) as Courtney Stone, and Fay Masterson (R) as Jane Mansfield in "Sex and the Austen Girl"]

Why all the fuss about Jane Austen? (guest post on the Babelgum blog)

Here's my first guest post on the Babelgum Blog to introduce Jane Austen and Sex and the Austen Girl.

If you haven't yet seen Sex and the Austen Girl, the web series inspired by the Austen Addict novels, Episode 4 has just posted today. In fact, Episodes 1-4 are all ready for your viewing pleasure.

New episodes post every Monday. Only on Babelgum.

Enjoy!

[Actors Arabella Field as Courtney (L) and Fay Masterson as Jane (R) getting finishing touches on hair and makeup by hairstylist Hazel Hartman (L) and hairstylist/make-up artist Alma Anguiano (R)]

Watch Episode 3 of Sex and the Austen Girl

If you meet Mr. Darcy in a forest and there's no way to tweet it or put it on your Facebook, did it really happen?

Find out in Episode 3 of Sex and the Austen Girl:

Helicopters, air conditioning, cars, and a little picture-box called TV. Everything you always wanted to know when traveling to 2010 Los Angeles from the Regency Era. In this Freaky Friday-meets-Masterpiece Theatre comedy, two women have inexplicably switched bodies, time periods, and lives: One from Regency England, the other from 21st-century Los Angeles— they debate the pros and cons of life and love in today's world vs. Jane Austen's world.

Sex and the Austen Girl is inspired by RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT and CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT.

A new episode posts every Monday. Only on the fabulous Babelgum.

[Arabella Field as Courtney (L), and Fay Masterson as Jane (R)]

Pride and Pantylines (guest post on the Penguin Blog)

Ever wondered about undies in the time of Jane Austen? Read this guest post on the Penguin Blog.

And watch Episode 2 of Sex and the Austen Girl. Only on Babelgum.

 
[Courtney Stone (Arabella Field, R) explains to Jane Mansfield (Fay Masterson, L) that strange 21st-century garment called a thong.]

Jane in the 21st Century (guest post on the Penguin Blog)

Ever wonder why we are so attracted to the world of Jane Austen, despite all the freedom and conveniences we have in the 21st century? And what would a lady of Jane Austen's time think of ours? Read my guest post on the Penguin Blog.

[Arabella Field as Courtney Stone (L) and Fay Masterson as Jane Mansfield (R) in the new comedy web series on Babelgum, Sex and the Austen Girl]

The 200-year-old Virgin (guest post on the Penguin blog)

The next in my series of guest posts takes a humorous look at the so-called sexual revolution for women and its effect on Miss Jane Mansfield, the 19th-century heroine of RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT who finds herself inhabiting the body and life of 21st-century Courtney Stone, the heroine of CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT. Who has a very different sort of romantic history from Jane's.

Read the full post here.

And watch SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, the comedy web series inspired by the Austen Addict books.

[Fay Masterson as Miss Jane Mansfield in SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL]

[Arabella Field as Courtney Stone in SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL]

The Austen Girl's Guide to Meeting Men (guest post on the Penguin Blog)

If you think it's challenging for a single woman to meet her Mr. Darcy in today's world, imagine what it was like for a single woman in Jane Austen's time.

But are we really better off today?

RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT, CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT, and Episode 1 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, the new web series inspired by the novels, explore that very question.

Check out more on this in my guest post on the Penguin blog.

And watch Episode 1 of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL.

[Co-director Thomas Rigler working with actors Arabella Field (L) and Fay Masterson (R)]

More about Sex and the Austen Girl on the Penguin Blog

This week I've been doing a series of guest posts on the Penguin blog (as in publisher, not cute arctic birds in tuxedos).

The first one is all about the birth of the new comedy web series that premiered on Monday, May 17, SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, which is inspired by the Austen Addict novels.

[Arabella Field (L) as Courtney Stone, and Fay Masterson (R) as Jane Mansfield.]

Sex & The Austen Girl: an original comedy web series on Babelgum.com

 Last week I went shopping for a chamberpot.

Not something I ever imagined myself doing.

So what possessed me? I was donning the hat of propmaster for SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL, the exciting new web series inspired by my Austen Addict novels, which we just finished shooting.

That's right: In May you'll be able to see the first episodes of Season One of SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL. An original comedy series on the fabulous Babelgum.com. Air dates to be announced very soon!

THE CONCEPT:

 In CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT and RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT, two young women, Courtney Stone of present-day Los Angeles, and Jane Mansfield of 1813 England, inexplicably switch bodies, time periods, and lives.

Now, together for the first time, Courtney and Jane face off to debate the pros and cons of life, love, and being a woman in today's world vs. Jane Austen's world.

THE TOPICS: Love, sex, courtship, fidelity, marriage, manners, morals, hygiene, Facebook status updates, and more.

The core of it all is this: Are we better off now, or were we better off then?

The actors are amazing:

 
On the left is Arabella Field as Courtney Stone, a 21st-century Los Angeleno stuck in Regency England and holding the above-mentioned chamber pot. On the right is Fay Masterson as Jane Mansfield, a gentleman's daughter from 1813 England, stuck in 21st-century Los Angeles and trying to phone home. [photo credit: Deborah Zeitman]

[photo credit: Deborah Zeitman]

Behind the scenes we've got Roman Jakobi on camera, fresh from a gig as second unit director of photography for UNKNOWN WHITE MALE, the Liam Neeson/Diane Kruger thriller; Deborah Zeitman editing (she's cut everything from Peter Weir films to Robert Greenwald documentaries); Dave The Rave Emmendorfer on visual effects (he did the RUDE AWAKENINGS book trailer fx). And best of all, my very own Mr. Darcy, Thomas Rigler, and his partner, Brian Gerber, co-directing.  Between the two of them they've produced and/or directed everything from music videos to features.

Stay tuned for details about where and when to watch SEX AND THE AUSTEN GIRL on Babelgum.com's comedy line-up.

 In the meantime, RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT is out in paperback April 27 and available for order now!