(Austen Addict book covers by Plume US/Bloomsbury UK, courtesy of Laurie Viera Rigler)
Here's part 2 of my two-parts interview with Laurie Viera Rigler, best-selling author of Jane Austen inspired novels, Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict and Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict (as well as the creator and writer of Sex and the Austen Girl, the web series inspired by her novels). But first, If you missed or haven't read the first part of her interview, Read part 1 here! Don’t forget that your COMMENT here answering this question: What is/are your favorite Jane Austen movie(s) and Why? as well as in part 1 of my two-parts interview with Laurie Viera Rigler will enter you for a chance to WIN not just one, but two signed copies of her awesome Austen Addict novels to add to your P&P/Jane Austen related novels collection! Two lucky winners will each received both signed copies!! Read here for more giveaway details!
Now, read on for the last part of my interview with Laurie!
J: The titles of your novels are pretty cool and interesting. How did you come up with the titles?
LVR: A lot of brainstorming. And though I really like these titles, I've decided that it would be fun to have a shorter title for my next novel. One or two words, though if I know myself those words will be polysyllabic!
J: Loved and enjoyed reading your novels as they were so different from a typical Austen inspired novels or the most common P&P continuation or sequels by other inspired Austen Authors. Instead you have two female characters or quoting here the description of your novels, "two women, who have inexplicably switched bodies, time periods, and lives - one from Regency England, the other from 21st-century Los Angeles." Sounds like they could be adapted to a movie or TV series, has anyone in Hollywood ever approached you in adapting your novels into films?
LVR: There have been some conversations, and there are people working on putting all the right elements together. I can definitely see it happening...
J: Love the Sex and the Austen Girl, the Babelgum comedy web series, you created based on your novels. How did that started and were you involved in casting the actresses who are portraying the central characters' Jane Mansfield and Courtney Stone?
LVR: My partners and I have been working on turning my novels into a TV series, and what stuck out in our minds in terms of an approach was the huge response I received to a guest blog post I did on the differences between courtship and romance today and in Jane Austen's day (Read it here at Stephanie's Written World). As arcane and strange as some of the customs of that bygone era seem to us today, our world's idea of how to meet a mate and stay in a relationship can be seen as equally bizarre. And so we thought, why don't we do something with this concept now, in the form of a web series?
(sex and the austen girl banner courtesy of Laurie Viera Rigler)
As for the actresses, I feel so blessed. Watching the brilliantly talented Arabella Field and Fay Masterson bring my characters to life in "Sex and the Austen Girl" is a thrill I won't soon forget. And they're so funny!
Watch the teaser trailer
J: If and when your novels get to be adapted to feature film, which well-known actors in Hollywood are in your wish list or dream cast?
LVR: There are so many fantasy choices that there's even a thread on my website forum on this topic. I would love to hear your ideas and any ideas that readers of this blog might have. It's always fun to hear how readers of the books cast the movie or the TV series in their minds.
J: You also contributed a short story to the upcoming Random House anthology of Austen-inspired fiction entitled Jane Austen Made Me Do It. What's your part in it and when will it be released?
LVR: I'm not at liberty to say anything about the story yet, except that I'm completely excited about it and thrilled to be in the company of such a talented group of authors. The anthology is set for an October 2011 release date.
J: What's next for you? Are you writing more novels? If so, are you sticking to a Jane Austen genre or will you be writing different genres a well?
LVR: I'm currently working on a third novel and very excited about it--but not quite ready to talk about it yet. As for my plans for future novels, I will always want to explore new areas and new possibilities in storytelling. That may include Jane Austen-inspired fiction, or it may not, but the authors I love will always be an inspiration.
Thanks again for inviting me to your blog!
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This concludes my fun interview with the wonderful Laurie Viera Rigler. I hope everyone here enjoyed reading my very first interview with her. Thank you so much Laurie for doing this interview here at the P&P Blog. Also, thanks for the permission to use here your photo (on part 1), all the artworks of your novels, sex and the austen girl banner and teaser clip, and most of all for generously offering here the giveaway of signed copies of your novels to two lucky winners! Thanks a lot! :)
Once again, good of luck to all participants/entrants!!!
Links of Interest
