About Syrie

“The queen of nineteenth century re-imaginings.”
—Los Angeles Magazine

 

Syrie: pronounced like the App, but spelled better.

SYRIE JAMES is the author of thirteen critically acclaimed novels of historical fiction, romance, and young adult fiction that have been international, USA Today, and Amazon bestsellers and won numerous awards. Her books are published in more than twenty languages.

A member of the Writer’s Guild of America, JASNA, and the Historical Novel Society, Syrie has sold many scripts to film and television and adapted bestselling books to screen, including Danielle Steele’s Once in a Lifetime. A research and story structure maven, Syrie is committed to taking her characters on challenging journeys of growth and discovery.

Syrie’s work as a playwright has been produced across North America and off-Broadway in New York City. Her comedy Jane Austen in 48 Minutes was nominated as a Best Special Event in the Broadway World L.A. 2023 Awards. An in-demand speaker, Syrie often performs as Jane Austen and has addressed dozens of organizations, universities, and literary conferences in the U.S., Canada, and England.

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 instant 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 novel The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë won the Audiobook Audie Award and was named a Women’s National Book Association Great Group Read. Syrie’s love of all things English and 19th century led to her Victorian historical romance trilogy including the #1 Amazon bestsellers Runaway Heiress and Duke Darcy’s Castle.

Syrie also writes contemporary romance (Floating on Air and Two Week Deal) and co-wrote the young adult paranormal romance series Forbidden with her son Ryan James. Her interest in paranormal suspense inspired her romantic thrillers Dracula, My Love and the award-winning Nocturne (an Amazon bestseller, Barnes and Noble’s Romantic Read of the Week, Best Novel of the Year by Suspense Magazine and Romance Reviews, and Bookbub’s Best Snowbound Romance).

Syrie lives in Los Angeles, where she is currently writing a new play and her next book.