Author Sherri Browning Erwin ‘90, has recently released her latest novel, Jane Slayre. The book follows in the footsteps of the insanely popular Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, taking a classic tale and giving it a modern makeover with more than a hint of fantasy. The title character of Browning Erwin’s novel is a young girl who, after being orphaned, is raised by vampires. The book has been well received by readers, and Erwin, busy promoting her newest work, recently took some time to answer our questions.
MHN: What inspired Jane Slayre?
Sherri Browning Erwin: My daughter, a high school junior, thought she would be reading [Jane Eyre] for a school assignment this year, and she wasn’t thrilled about it. She’s a great reader, but she doesn’t share my taste in books. I picked it up for her and ended up reading it again myself. While reading, I ended up seeing all sorts of opportunities for paranormal activity. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies had come out and Twilight was a big deal with my daughter’s friends. The Gothic elements in Jane Eyre seemed to make it ready for a reinterpretation. Charlotte even compares Bertha Mason to a vampire at one point. I thought, how perfect! And I blogged about it at The Whine Sisters, the blog I share with my author friends. It was nothing more than a witty blog post to me at the time. Jane Slayre… and my friend Kathleen Givens said I had to write it. I took her advice.
MHN: What was the writing process like for this book, and was it different from your process for previous work?
SBE: My usual process is to write a first draft and then go through it over and over again, adding, changing, polishing. I don’t know how many times I actually edit my own manuscripts before I decide they’re finished. I just keep reading from beginning to end and make changes as they occur to me until it finally feels finished, or I can’t read it anymore. The process for Jane Slayre was accelerated, perhaps, because I had this great “first” draft to work with, thanks to Charlotte Bronte. I read Jane Eyre a few times, made notes, decided what I could change, take out, and work in fresh. I really wanted to stay true to Charlotte’s voice and characters, but I didn’t want to just drop in new funny scenes where they seemed to fit. It was a complete reworking, but done with love and care.
MHN: Were you at all apprehensive about taking on a classic like Jane Eyre and giving it a new twist?
SBE: Absolutely apprehensive. There were times when I almost gave it up. I was not thrilled when Pride and Prejudice and Zombies came out. How could he (author Seth Grahame-Smith) do that to my beloved Pride and Prejudice? But some friends loved it and recommended it. I eventually read it and laughed. I found my sense of humor about it. The original is still there and will still be read. It’s not as if it’s a replacement. And suddenly, I saw young men reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies who would probably never have thought to pick up the original. How can that be a bad thing? I thought it would feel good to finish Jane Slayre, if I could write it in a way that made people want to read Jane Eyre again, or for the first time, or reexamine the original in a new frame of mind. I felt really good about it when I finished, and even better once my agent loved it and it sold at auction, and now I’m thrilled that positive reviews are coming in.
MHN: Has taking on this project changed your interpretation of classic literature?
SBE: I’ve always played “what if” when I’m reading books. What if the author made different choices? I’m not sure I read any differently now.
MHN: Vampires are getting a lot of buzz right now. Do you feel that Jane Slayre offers a new perspective on vampire tales?
SBE: Jane is very thoughtful in her approach to slaying vampires. She was raised with a family of them, after all. Do they deserve to die simply because of what they are? Are they all bad? Does anyone really want to live forever? I’m not sure there’s anything new in the vampire lore, but in Jane’s examination of their place in her world.
MHN: Have you read Twilight? Are you a fan?
SBE: I have read Twilight, not the whole series, but the first one. I have mixed feelings. I thought it was very engaging and I can understand why women of all ages are getting carried away by the romance. But, as a mother of a daughter, I had some reservations about Edward’s behavior and Bella’s willingness to give up on her own dreams to follow his. He seems like a stalker at times. She never came across as a very motivated character. But it’s all good fun if you just let yourself get lost in the fantasy.
MHN: What are some of your favorite books? Authors you find inspiring?
SBE: Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre. I also love Emma, Sense and Sensibility, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short stories and Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Mary Shelley are all inspirations to me.
MHN: What advice do you have for MHC students hoping to be published?
SBE: I would love to teach a course on writing and selling commercial fiction. It wasn’t something that was really addressed when I was at MHC. It involves being able to look at writing as a business, and not just as putting these lovely words on a page. At first, I had no idea how to market my fiction. I would encourage students who want to write to study the market, see what is being published, by which houses and editors, which agents represent your favorite authors. Learn to write an effective query letter. Don’t think of writing the great American novel as a dream you might examine “one day”. If you want to write fiction, think about it now and learn about the publishing business. Join writers groups. Networking with other writers helps the writing process go more smoothly, but it also helps to have contacts and to network.
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- Coming soon: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
- Novelists Russo, Wroblewski talk shop with MHC professor Martin
- John Irving returns to read at Mount Holyoke College
- The Mount Holyoke News speaks to Cerri Banks, new Dean of the College
