I must confess, I'm not a Jane Austen addict (probably because I'm more of a P&P addict, lol), but I had a great time reading both of her delightful, fun, witty, and fabulous novels. I couldn't put them down when I read them recently. They were quite a page-turner and I loved and enjoy reading them. Not too mention, in her novels, Pride and Prejudice was the favorite book of the main characters/heroines Jane Mansfield and Courtney Stone. There were lots of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet mentions too as well as the 1995 BBC/A&E P&P miniseries, Colin Firth, and Matthew Macfadyen. What's not to love? So, I thought why not do an interview with Laurie here as I loved her books and one of her novels were on the list of my Book Recommendations: Jane Austen Inspired Novels (Part 1). She was so wonderful and gracious enough to let me do an interview with her here on this blog when I asked her. Thank you so much Laurie!
Also, Laurie is giving away two signed copies of her awesome Austen Addict novels to two lucky winners!! All you have to do is leave a comment here to be entered a chance to win her novels. First, read part 1 (of my two-parts interview with her) and read further for more details on how you can win her novels (after the cut)...
Jeane: How did you discover Jane Austen and when did you become a fan?
Laurie Viera Rigler: Thanks for inviting me to your blog, Jeane! About fifteen years ago, there was a huge wave of Austen film adaptations coming out, and I wondered what the fuss was all about, having never read Jane Austen in school. SENSE AND SENSIBILITY was the first one I read, and I instantly fell in love.
J: Have you read all six of Jane Austen novels or seen all adaptations of each of her novels?
LVR: After SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, I read the other five major novels in quick succession, and I have been re-reading them ever since. I read all six novels at least once a year. I never tire of Austen's inimitable way of combining social satire, comedy, suspenseful love story, and even heart-wrenching tragedy in one book. And it's all done with a keen eye for the best and worst of human nature. These are deeply satisfying stories, and I always see something new in them every time I read them.
As for the films, it's always exciting when a new one comes out. But I have to see a new film at least twice to begin to enjoy it as a work unto itself. The first time I watch an Austen adaptation, I spend most of the time mentally comparing it to the book and thinking, why did they leave this out and why did they add that bit? But after I get that out of the way, I try to experience the film as an entertainment in its own right. I understand the impossibility of adapting any book in a truly faithful manner. The medium of film and the medium of literature are so different, that it simply isn't possible to simply transfer a book to a screen. Even a five-hour extravaganza like the 1995 BBC PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, easily the most faithful of all the adaptations, deviated to some degree from the text. But I do enjoy watching filmmakers try to bring these beloved books to life on the screen, and many of them have done a fine job. When they get it right, it's great fun to watch. Which is why I have seen all of the films made since the mid-1990's, plus the 1980 and 1940 versions of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.
J: Which one of JA novels is your most favorite to read and why?
LVR: PERSUASION is my favorite, for many reasons. I love the idea of second chances, and the rewards of constancy, and the balance between persuadability and obstinacy, and most of all, The Letter, which may be the most romantic in all of English literature. And I have a thing for Captain Wentworth. But then again, I also have a thing for Mr. Darcy and Mr. Knightley and Henry Tilney.
J: Which TV or film adaptations from JA novels is your favorite?
LVR: A few of my favorites are the 1995 PERSUASION, directed by Roger Michell and starring Amanda Root and Ciarán Hinds. It is beautifully cast and acted and directed, and has an earthy realism to it that I find refreshing after the Hollywood gloss of most of the films.
But gloss is fun, too, which is why I also love BRIDE AND PREJUDICE, the Bollywood-meets-Hollywood version of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, directed by Gurinder Chadha, who also directed another of my favorite films, BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM. BRIDE AND PREJUDICE makes me want to sing and dance and wear bright colors. If anyone out there is feeling out of sorts with all the holiday madness, just pop this one in the DVD player: instant antidepressant!
And of course there is the Ang Lee SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, with the brilliant screenplay by Emma Thompson. Of all the Austen adaptations, I think Thompson came closest to capturing Austen's unique blend of satire, tragedy, and romance. It's really a challenge to make your audience laugh within five minutes of the main characters' losing their beloved father, but she pulls it off, just as Austen did in the novel.
I also love the 1995 BBC PRIDE AND PREJUDICE starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, even more so now that it's been remastered. It's always been the most faithful of the adaptations (after all, it has five hours to be so), and at the same time what screenwriter Andrew Davies added was brilliant. Its lead actors completely embody Darcy and Elizabeth. And thus it's deeply satisfying to watch, despite its not being the most cinematically exciting of the films, in my opinion.
J: Speaking of Jane Austen and her classic novels, how did she (and her novels) inspired you to start writing your own novels?
LVR: Writing two Austen-inspired novels wasn't something I planned. It just happened. Courtney Stone, the protagonist of CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT, simply popped into my head one day. I saw her, this twenty-first-century Austen fan, waking up one morning in a bedchamber in Regency England, in someone else's body. I couldn't stop thinking about her, and I started writing down what I saw in my mind. I kept writing, the story kept coming, and eventually I had a book. Clearly my own immersion in Austen, my constant re-readings of her novels and re-screenings of the films, and my own fantasies about what it would be like to live in Austen's world, led to this character's appearance in my life.
Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict
North American (L) and UK (R) editions
(book covers by Plume US/Bloomsbury UK, courtesy of Laurie Viera Rigler)
J: So far, you've written two JA inspired novels, Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict and The Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict. How did the concept of those two novels came about?
LVR: I knew that if I was writing Courtney's story about taking over the life of a gentleman's daughter in !813 England, then that lady from 1813 England would have to be taking over Courtney's life in twenty-first-century L.A. Originally, I thought that both of these stories would be in one book, but it didn't feel right. And so I ended up writing these stories as two separate books, parallel stories rather than sequels. They are connected, yet each one is standalone. The first book is CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT, and the second book is RUDE AWAKENINGS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT.
Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict
North American (L) and UK (R) editions
North American (L) and UK (R) editions
(book covers by Plume US/Bloomsbury UK, courtesy of Laurie Viera Rigler)
To be Continued...
(Part 2 is coming soon! Stay tune!)
Good luck to all participants/entrants!!!(Part 2 is coming soon! Stay tune!)
Confessions and Rude Awakenings Giveaway
How to Enter and Win: Everyone who comments on this post starting today till December 23rd will be entered on the book giveaway here. Two lucky winners (winning one signed copies each of the two books) will be announced on Christmas Day! Sunday, December 26th. All you have to do to win is leave a comment (with your name and valid email address) here or tell us What your favorite Jane Austen movie(s) is/are and Why? You'll be automatically entered on the giveaway for a chance to win the following...
Prizes (for two lucky winners!):
2 Books (both signed copies courtesy of Laurie Viera Rigler)
1. Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
2. Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
NOTE: Open to all participants/entrants WORLDWIDE!
Links of Interest
