As we noted last week (Shelf Awareness, February 19, 2009), filming begins later this year on Pride and Predator, which combines the Jane Austen classic and an alien arrival in the 19th century.

A recent article in the Times of London calls the film part of a new genre: "monster lit." Among other prime examples is an upcoming book and developing film project also based on Pride and Prejudice called Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith ($12.95, 9781594743344/1594743347). Quirk Books was originally going to publish the book in June but will now publish in April because of exceptional online and newspaper buzz and feverish--even bloodthirsty--Hollywood interest in obtaining movie rights. The new version of the novel includes most of the original Austen novel as well as revisions that the publisher said have livened up the "duller" parts.

Strangely all of the sizzling zombie buzz occurred without anyone seeing a copy of the book--the title and cover were enough to stir up interest.

The Times noted that Grahame-Smith, a TV comedy writer, and his Quirk editor "developed a diagram tracing connections between seminal period novels to cult movie genres, including robots, vampires and aliens." The co-author told the paper that "it quickly became obvious that Jane [Austen] had laid down the blueprint for a zombie novel. Why else in the original should a regiment arrive on Lizzie Bennet's doorstep when they should have been off fighting Napoleon? It was to protect the family from an invasion of brain-eaters, obviously."

Some other monster lit projects in the works, according to the Times: a version of Wuthering Heights in which Catherine returns as a ghost to terrorize Heathcliff; a Jane Eyre title that features more than an insane wife in the attic; and a Mill on the Floss "powered by human sacrifice."

And in an amusing post on the publisher's blog, Dot Lin, publicity manager at Tor/Forge Books, outlined several Austen monster-lit books on the way: "Other Austen monster-lit contenders include the just announced Mary Robinette Kowal's Shades of Milk and Honey (Jane Austen with magic!) [to be published by Tor], Michael Thomas Ford's not yet published Jane Bites Back (an undead Austen with writer's block) [to be published by Ballantine], and Carrie Bebris' cozily paranormal Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mysteries (Pride and Prescience, anyone?) [published by Forge]. As I write this, I'm sure there's a Wickham-bot caper that I missed."