Fall 2014

Jane Austen, Re-imagined

September 20, 2014

Glendale Central Library

Speakers:

Syrie James — Jane Austen’s First Love Re-imagined

Kate Rorick and Jay Bushman — Jane Austen Re-imagined in the Digital World

Highlights

Syrie James began the day with a discussion about the research behind her novel Jane Austen’s First Love. Austen said in a letter to her sister, Cassandra, that she “once fondly doted” on the “beautiful dark eyes” of Mr. Edward Taylor. Just who was this extraordinary young man with whom Jane Austen was romantically involved as a teenager? James shared the groundbreaking information she discovered about him while researching the novel.

Then the creative team from Pemberley Digital, who brought Jane Austen back to life through the Emmy Award-winning web series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, gave a special presentation on their work adapting classic works for new media formats.

Presenters

Jay Bushman wrote and produced The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and served as executive producer and co-showrunner of the series Welcome to Sanditon. An experienced designer and producer of transmedia and platform-independent entertainment, he co-founded Transmedia Los Angeles.

Syrie James has authored eight novels, including The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen and The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen.

Kate Rorick wrote and produced The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and wrote the followup novel The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet. She has written for a variety of television shows, including Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Terra Nova and The Librarians. She is also the bestselling author of historical romance novels under the name Kate Noble.

Syrie James also signed copies of her novel.