After the prejudice... A breakthrough?

[erastes]

I've just spotted this over on Dear Author

Ann Herendeen’s originally self-published first novel PHYLLIDA AND THE BROTHERHOOD OF PHILANDER, a “bisexual Victorian Regency romance” that marries camp and erotica to humorous effect, to Rakesh Satyal at Harper Perennial (world)

Typo about the Victorian Regency, as you can't have both at once - but I hope this is Good News and that Ms Herendeen's book is the thin end of the Wedge.  We've had F/F making mainstream, and although I haven't yet read it, I've skipped it and there's graphic gay sex in it.

I shall be watching the release of this with interest, to see if they've made her edit it in any way.  But WOOT - after this week, this is GOOD NEWS.

i hope.

Comments

[rmanley.livejournal.com]

Typo about the Victorian Regency, as you can't have both at once

Maybe it was during this weird uncharted nebulous period between William IV's death and Queen Victoria's accession when the story takes place.

It's got a bit of a Twilight Zone feel to it, actually.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I;ll definitely try my next one to the more mainstream. I wonder why it got picked up suddenly after being self published? It wasn't doing anything much at all in sales as far as I can see. But it can only be a good thing, I hope.

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

Well, there is a woman involved in this one--it may be the publisher's way of sticking a toe in the water--menage books have had a certain amount of acceptance for some time. (Although, as my het sister says, in some ways it seems stranger to have 3 people in a relationship than 2, no matter the personal plumbing.)

Or it could be her book's doing so well that the publisher wants in on the action. That happens sometimes--it's so hard to get a self-published book on the radar that just being visible says a lot about the writer's ability and/or persistence. Self-publishing means wearing about four hats at once--and mine's off to Herendeen.

[vinnie-tesla.livejournal.com]

Not my field, but my impression is that "Regency" as a subgenre refers at least as much to a tone and dialogue style as the setting, so one could at least do a Regency-style story set in the Victorian era. Though, if you're gonna mash-up like that, I think it would be more fun to do like a Regency in Edo Japan or something...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

It confuses my brain, Regency refers to a very limited period of time with its own fashions and behaviours so it simply can't bleed into the Victorian. I think it was probably just Dear Author either getting confused, or quoting from someone else who didn't know what they were on about.

I would like to read something from 1816 in japan though.

[tharain.livejournal.com]

It HAS been a week. I spent much of yesterday reading up on this. Mercy.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Unreal isn't it. and now NY has banned a gay pride rally. Not something I'd have ever expected from NY. But I havent read all the facts of that.

[tharain.livejournal.com]

Totally unreal.

and now NY has banned a gay pride rally.

Can you get me some sort of citation on this? I'll hunt it down with some NYC friends.

Hey, if I wrote a period piece, would you look at it? It isn't Regency, it isn't anything, actually, but a plot bunny, and an extremely derivative one at that, and it might not even be period. I generally don't ask this sort of thing, but I'm much less certain of my ground in this kind of situation than I am in the banter of current day SF.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I had the wrong end of stick - not banned, but he's causing problems, apparantly.

http://www.nathanjamesonline.com/9.html

http://www.queerty.com/queer/gay-pride/bloomberg-squashes-pridefest-move-20070507.php#comments

And of course , i'd be thrilled to look at anything sweetie. Bung it over!

[tharain.livejournal.com]

I'll have to bung it down before I can bung it over. I'm not certain about it. It's...screamoingly derivative, I'm afraid. Stealing ideas left and right Inspired by Benson and MR James.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

ooo Now I am interested. And as for stealing - PISH! Find me someone who doesn't. Maybe Moses.

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

“bisexual Victorian Regency romance”

Surely it isn't that difficult to distinguish between Lord Nelson & "Kiss-me" Hardy in breeches and Sherlock Holmes & "my dear Watson" in a deerstalker...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I'd say - and it's about 80 years too. The book is most definitely Regency!

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I'll definitely have to check that one out.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I haven't read it yet, but I have been in email communication with the author and she's very pleased as you can imagine.

"Victorian Regency"--Clarification from the author

[ann-amalie.livejournal.com]

I'm unfamiliar with "Dear Author" and I don't know where they get their info from.

To clarify: the book in question is definitely Regency. It's set in 1812. The correct subtitle of the book is "a bisexual Regency romance."

I read all of Georgette Heyer's romances and developed my love of the Regency period from her. To me, the absolutely hottest idea I can imagine is having a sexy, primarily gay husband who has a sexy boyfriend and is also in love with me. So I tried to write a standard Regency romance plot incorporating this idea.

Sorry for being so late with this comment. I've been busy with my day job.

Thanks so much, Erastes, for noticing Phyllida's success and posting this.

Ann Herendeen, author

Re: "Victorian Regency"--Clarification from the author

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Hi Ann! You've got an LJ - that's great!

I'm very pleased I have a first edition! I expect it to be worth money one day!

Are you working on something else?

Re: "Victorian Regency"--Clarification from the author

[ann-amalie.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm writing Pride/Prejudice : the bisexual Pride and Prejudice

It's very much the same story as Jane Austen's novel, but with what I believe is a genuine bisexual subtext brought out into the open. I don't see bisexuality in all of Austen's work--but I really feel it in P&P. So I'm "slashing" P&P in that sense, which is why I use the slash in the title.

Writing it has become very difficult. I'm about halfway through. I'm going to get it, though. It's just too damn exciting thinking of Darcy and Bingley and then Elizabeth to waste all my work. Besides, I think the literary world needs this...

And yes, I hope you can sell your first edition for scads of money on ebay someday.

Re: "Victorian Regency"--Clarification from the author

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Oh yes - I'm the member of a lot of P&P slash communities, there's loads and loads of Darcy/Bingley fanfic so you'll have a captive audience there!

Good luck, Ann - I shall be cheering!

It's shame you can't say Darcy/Bennet/Bingley but only the slash fraternity/sorority will get that!

Re: "Victorian Regency"--Clarification from the author

[ann-amalie.livejournal.com]

I've been avoiding reading much P&P related stuff, because I would become so tied up in knots wanting to make sure I did everything "right" I'd never write anything.

I hope my built-in audience will like what I produce, but ultimately I'm writing what I see, based purely on Austen's text. What's been hanging me up is that I started with a "gayer" Darcy (from personal preference) than I believe is warranted by the original story. Now I'm struggling to write the genuinely bisexual man he is.

btw, I have looked up your Regency novel, Standish, and I certainly intend to buy it as soon as I have room in my overcrowded apt. for more reading material. But soon, I promise.