Plus get our latest book recommendations, author news, and competitions right to your inbox.
Table of Contents
About The Book
From an Emmy Award–winning writer, witty and hilarious advice to classic literary characters—from Lady Macbeth to Victor Frankenstein—on how to cope with their most arduous, “real-life” struggles.
Why do we love literature? There are many reasons, of course, but one of them has to be that we find the characters relatable. Even while fictional, their problems and predicaments feel real, speaking to human nature and reality even when wrapped in fantastical or romantic packaging.
When a real-world person has a problem, they turn to their friends, family, therapists—and advice columnists. In Novel Advice, our favorite characters from classic literature do just that, writing in to Aunt Antigone, the “agony aunt for the fictional” who dishes out practical advice, along with a fair dose of snark.
By turns amusing, touching, and enlightening, see what Aunt Antigone has to say about:
-Relationships, with advice for Ophelia and Ishmael about their dating woes
-Careers and Work, when Dr. Jekyll searches for the perfect work/life balance
-Mental Health, when Scarlett O’Hara wants tips about the best way to handle stress
-Finances, in response to Mrs. Bennet’s request for tips to manage her money woes
-Community and Society, as when Hester Prynne writes in for help with her judgy neighbors
Emmy Award–winning writer Jay Bushman imaginatively considers those scenarios and dozens more. He shines a light not only on the key themes and plot points found in our favorite classic novels and plays, but also on the human nature that lies beneath these enduring works of fiction.
Perfect for fans of Texts from Jane Eyre, Tequila Mockingbird, and booklovers everywhere, this book is a hilarious and thought-provoking look at our favorite literary characters seeking help from an advice columnist with her own dramatic background.
Why do we love literature? There are many reasons, of course, but one of them has to be that we find the characters relatable. Even while fictional, their problems and predicaments feel real, speaking to human nature and reality even when wrapped in fantastical or romantic packaging.
When a real-world person has a problem, they turn to their friends, family, therapists—and advice columnists. In Novel Advice, our favorite characters from classic literature do just that, writing in to Aunt Antigone, the “agony aunt for the fictional” who dishes out practical advice, along with a fair dose of snark.
By turns amusing, touching, and enlightening, see what Aunt Antigone has to say about:
-Relationships, with advice for Ophelia and Ishmael about their dating woes
-Careers and Work, when Dr. Jekyll searches for the perfect work/life balance
-Mental Health, when Scarlett O’Hara wants tips about the best way to handle stress
-Finances, in response to Mrs. Bennet’s request for tips to manage her money woes
-Community and Society, as when Hester Prynne writes in for help with her judgy neighbors
Emmy Award–winning writer Jay Bushman imaginatively considers those scenarios and dozens more. He shines a light not only on the key themes and plot points found in our favorite classic novels and plays, but also on the human nature that lies beneath these enduring works of fiction.
Perfect for fans of Texts from Jane Eyre, Tequila Mockingbird, and booklovers everywhere, this book is a hilarious and thought-provoking look at our favorite literary characters seeking help from an advice columnist with her own dramatic background.
About The Author
Photograph © Jay Bushman
Jay Bushman has a long history of chopping up classic works of literature into new and surprising formats. He won an Emmy Award as a writer and transmedia producer on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, the hit transmedia modernization of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and was the cocreator/showrunner of its sequel interactive series Welcome To Sanditon. Jay wrote one of the first Twitter novels, The Good Captain, a scifi adaptation of Herman Melville’s Benito Cereno, and his blog reimagining of Spoon River Anthology was honored in the International Symposium on Electronic Art. Jay has written interactive experiences for stories like Disney’s Haunted Mansion, Game of Thrones, 13 Reasons Why, Terminator, and Arrival. JayBushman.com
Product Details
- Publisher: S&S/Simon Element (November 17, 2020)
- Length: 224 pages
- ISBN13: 9781982156350
Browse Related Books
Raves and Reviews
“An inventive story and a loving tribute to literary tradition! I expect nothing less from Jay Bushman!” —Bernie Su, three-time Emmy-winning storyteller and co-creator of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
“In Jay Bushman’s delightful Novel Advice, Aunt Antigone dishes out sage counsel for some of the people who need it most: literary char-acters. Whether she’s giving marriage tips to Lady Macbeth or counseling Long John Silver on how to manage his money, Aunt Antigone is funny, wry, and sometimes surprisingly wise.”—Sean Stewart, Emmy winner and New York Times bestselling author of Cathy’s Book
Jay Bushman’s Novel Advice is an absolute delight! A literary guessing game with great life advice to boot. This is the most fun the Western Canon has been in ages.” —Kate Rorick, co-author of The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet and The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet
“If you’re looking for a book to make you laugh out loud and uplift your spirit then you need to read Jay Bushman’s Novel Advice—like right now. Charming, thoughtful, and clever, the book brings to life the trials and tribulations of some of the world’s most beloved liter-ary characters through the framework of an agony aunt column you have to read to believe. It’s awesome!” —Amber Benson, actress, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
“In Novel Advice, Jay Bushman combines his quick wit and kind heart in the persona of Aunt Antigone to create a source of sage advice for those struggling with a wide variety of problems, be they literary or literal.” —Margaret Dunlap, writer and co-executive producer of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Novel Advice eBook 9781982156350
- Author Photo (jpg): Jay Bushman Photograph © Jay Bushman(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
