Syrie: pronounced like the App but spelled better.
Syrie James is an award-winning author, playwright, and screenwriter. Her comedy JANE AUSTEN IN 89 MINUTES was a smash hit in its world premiere production in Beverly Hills where it played to sold out crowds and rave reviews. Her roster of plays, including JANE AUSTEN IN 44 MINUTES, HOME FIRES BURNING, and others have been performed as full productions and staged readings across North America from L.A. to New York City, in Montreal, and in Australia.
A WGA member, Syrie has sold more than 20 scripts to film and television and is the author of 16 critically acclaimed novels of historical fiction, mystery, suspense, and romance that have been published in more than 20 languages and have been international, USA Today, and Amazon bestsellers and won numerous awards. Although Syrie lives in L.A., she loves All Things English and is particularly fond of the Regency and Victorian eras. (Fabulous gowns! Men in cravats! Country manor houses! Scones and jam! Yes, please!)
Syrie is a devoted Jane Austen fan who has brought her favorite author to life in three celebrated works of historical fiction. Syrie’s novel The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen sold at auction to HarperCollins in a bidding war between three major publishing houses, became an international bestseller, and was a Library Journal Editor’s Pick of the Year (starred review). Syrie explores Jane Austen’s real-life romance as a teenager in Jane Austen’s First Love (Library Journal Editor’s Pick) and her novel The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen (starred review, Kirkus) offers the ultimate Janeite fantasy: the discovery of a long-lost Jane Austen novel.
Syrie’s novels also include The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë which won the coveted Audiobook Audie Award for romance and was named a Women’s National Book Association Great Group Read, and her popular spine-chilling romantic thrillers Dracula, My Love and Nocturne, among others. Her novel The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall debuted as an instant Amazon bestseller and includes two more books in the historical mystery series, The Secrets of Thorndale Manor and Danger at Darkmoor Park.
When wearing her author hat, Syrie has addressed dozens of organizations and conferences across the U.S. and in Canada, Australia, and England. To feed her theatre addiction, Syrie has designed costumes for more than two dozen stage productions and has performed on stage many times as Jane Austen or one of her characters. You will often find Syrie dressing up in one of her many Regency frocks and dancing the night away at a Jane Austen Society of North America ball. You can learn more about Syrie at www.syriejames.com.