Just finished my forward for an anthology called Willful Impropriety: 13 Tales of Society, Scandal, and Romance. As you can tell from the subtitle, it’s a set of stories about people young people flouting Victorian-era convention in various ways. There are a few girls-dressed-as-boys tales in the bunch, which is perhaps why I got the chance to read it early and write a forward.
Here’s the rather awesome cover:
And the cover copy:
The Season has finally arrived, filled with the magnificent balls, scandalous gossip, and clandestine romances that every lord and lady in good society has come to expect. But far within the walls of lavish estates and in the dark corners of the city lies a world that the aristocracy dares not touch, with rules and risks that glamour cannot overpower. Yet true love has no boundaries, and heiresses and street thieves alike must use their savvy and strength to create new beginnings and happily-ever-afters. Sometimes luck is enough, but every once in a while, a touch of magic may be needed.
Deliciously alluring, these thirteen historical romances from a talented array of YA authors will make even the most cynical heart swoon.
How can you resist it?
Edited by Ekaterina Sedia, Willful Impropriety comes out September 4, 2012.
Oh, and here’s the full roster of writers:
AT WILL by Leanna Renee Hieber
THE UNLADYLIKE EDUCATION OF AGATHA TREMAIN by Stephanie Burgis
NUSSBAUM’S GOLDEN FORTUNE by M. K. Hobson
THE COLONEL’S DAUGHTER by Barbara Roden
MERCURY RETROGRADE by Mary Robinette Kowal
FALSE COLOURS by Marie Brennan
MRS BEETON’S BOOK OF MAGICKAL MANAGEMENT by Karen Healey
THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Caroline Stevermer
THE DANCING MASTER by Genevieve Valentine
THE GARDEN OF ENGLAND by Sandra McDonald
RESURRECTION by Tiffany Trent
OUTSIDE THE ABSOLUTE by Seth Cadin
STEEPED IN DEBT TO THE CHIMNEY POTS by Steve Berman
March 31st, 2012 03:51
WOOOT first comment~
March 31st, 2012 03:53
But seriously scott, I WILL READ BOOK! *promise*
Hey scott, remember in the meet up when I mentioned Newkirk’s girlfriend/potato Shirley? I’m going to draw her for you
March 31st, 2012 04:03
I cannot wait. 132 days and counting…
March 31st, 2012 04:56
4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sounds cool.
March 31st, 2012 05:31
Oooh, sounds interesting. :}
March 31st, 2012 08:30
Oh Do Want *_*
March 31st, 2012 08:48
I can’t resist which is why I am adding this to my TBR now.l
March 31st, 2012 15:52
The ONLY thing I don’t like about short stories is how quickly they end. I love historical fiction though & I can’t wait to read this book!
March 31st, 2012 16:24
This book sounds so amazing!! I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
March 31st, 2012 16:26
congrats!! now if i could find someone willing to do a foreward for me…that’d be fun. anyone here know the true disney magic??
April 1st, 2012 03:30
i can’t wait to read it! i hope it is as good as as it sounds!
April 1st, 2012 04:30
I think I’ll actually have to buy this one. It looks particularly re-readable. Or something. ;I <– Heehee, it looks like it ate a war head
April 1st, 2012 05:18
Er–Cool! I kind of really want to read this now…
April 1st, 2012 06:31
Cool, definitely going to read it!
April 1st, 2012 09:08
Sounds interesting! Please remind us when it comes out or else I’ll definitely forget xD
April 2nd, 2012 00:17
@13: You’ve used that alias before.
April 2nd, 2012 03:59
cool stuff. the only thing is that stories of girls dressed as boys will only make me MISS LEVIATHAN MORE!!!!!!
April 2nd, 2012 04:04
AND AS A SIDE NOTE:
Can anyone recommend a good book for me??? Barnes and Nobel (not sure if thats how you spell it but whatever) seriously just told me that they didnt have anything for me because ive read everything. IM BEING SHUNNED BY MY PARADISE!!!!! any ideas?
April 2nd, 2012 05:39
@Rue (Selin) I have TWO good books to recommend: The Minister’s Daughter by Julie Hearn (if you’re in England, it’s called the Merrybegot) and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. If you’re being shunned by your paradise, (you and me both, my friend!) then you’ve PROBABLY already read the Book Thief, but still. It’s one of my favorites.
April 2nd, 2012 06:12
@ Clanker Rose/ Ray
I LOVED THE BOOK THIEF!! solid book.
I will definitely look into The Merrybegot (England indeed)
thanks so much!
April 3rd, 2012 09:04
I know this is going to seem irritating (sorry!) but did you mean foreword? It just bothers me a little.
It sounds like a really great book, and I’m happy for you! I’ll definitely read it!
April 11th, 2012 16:56
I like short stories…. they just seem to have a tendency to end be fore they are finished.
I will try to get this book though…. if only for the forward.
April 11th, 2012 16:58
I had a paradise… but I was evicted for failure to pay my bills.
April 13th, 2012 20:50
For people who have read Leviathan and etc.- Since I spend far too much time looking up odd old stuff online, I found these things: http://www.retronaut.co/2010/03/christina-o%E2%80%99gorman-1913-in-colour/
They are color photos from 1913 of a girl who looks like pre-haircut Deryn. :B
April 13th, 2012 21:01
@20 Everyone seems to be in England but the poor lonely Anglophile… I once met someone (here in the US) who thought David Cameron was the King. *Ruth is exasperated*