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Some more antique book covers for your feed.

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I Shall Never Fall in Love - meet the characters (1/3): George

One of my first big ideas for this book was classic historical romance but with a nonbinary/ transmasc romantic lead - inspired by real queer history, but still a comfort read. Think:

Historical romance repressed emotion and longing / but including gender longing

Gentlemanly manners vs. butch chivalry

Difference that puts them at odds with high society, and leads them to question it

More info here

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I can't stop reading the 1793 third edition of "A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue" (originally published 1785). I have been irritating all my friends and coworkers with fun new terms like "That's the barber!" and "He looks like God's revenge against murder."

Anyway, Ash talked me into drawing some of the phrases and I ended up with these little mid-1780s Londoners.

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I have a story out today, tumblr. It's called The V*mpire and I wrote it for us.

Please mind the warnings.

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So apparently last year the National Park Service in the US dropped an over 1200 page study of LGBTQ American History as part of their Who We Are program which includes studies on African-American history, Latino history, and Indigenous history. 

Like. This is awesome. But also it feels very surreal that maybe one of the most comprehensive examinations of LGBTQ history in America (it covers sports! art! race! historical sites! health! cities!) was just casually done by the parks service. 

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Okay so this is a big deal

To me, and to a significant subset of Sir Terry's fans (including most of you who've found this by the tags), his writing is serious commentary on the human condition - politics, prejudice, self-control, revenge vs. justice, religion, idealism, faith in people vs. cynicism, and more - dressed up with fantasy settings and a hefty leavening of humor to make it fun to read. And it is WILDLY fun to read, actual laugh-out-loud or at least a snicker averaging about every page.

But there's this common idea among the "important literature" people that fun and funny books are not also worthwhile or important in the same way.

This is a Discworld book being released WITH ACADEMIC COMMENTARY and AS A PENGUIN CLASSIC. That's a HUGE amount of recognition.

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Queer Historical Fiction Book Bracket: Round 2B

Book summaries and submitted endorsements below:

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley

1883. Thaniel Steepleton returns home to his tiny London apartment to find a gold pocket watch on his pillow. Six months later, the mysterious timepiece saves his life, drawing him away from a blast that destroys Scotland Yard. At last, he goes in search of its maker, Keita Mori, a kind, lonely immigrant from Japan. Although Mori seems harmless, a chain of unexplainable events soon suggests he must be hiding something. When Grace Carrow, an Oxford physicist, unwittingly interferes, Thaniel is torn between opposing loyalties.

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street is a sweeping, atmospheric narrative that takes the reader on an unexpected journey through Victorian London, Japan as its civil war crumbles long-standing traditions, and beyond. Blending historical events with dazzling flights of fancy, it opens doors to a strange and magical past.

Setting: England, 1883

Fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, science fiction, 1880s, Victorian, adult

All the Painted Stars by Emma Denny (14th Century Oxfordshire #2)

Endorsement from submitter: "What if A Knight's Tale was about lesbians? That's it, that's the book. Also the author's fixation on medieval brewing. Swords, jousting, and the lesbian yearning of being secretly in love with your best friend and not being able to do anything about it. Lily is good at two things: hitting guys with a stick, and ruining marriages."

Oxfordshire 1362

When Lily Barden discovers her best friend Johanna’s hand in marriage is being awarded as the main prize at a tournament, she is determined to stop it. Disguised as a knight, she infiltrates the contest, preparing to fight for Jo’s hand. But her conduct ruffles feathers, and when a dangerous incident escalates out of Lily’s control, Jo must help her escape.

Finding safety with a local brewster, Lily and Jo soon settle into their new freedom, and amongst blackberry bushes and lakeside walks an unexpected relationship blossoms. But when Jo’s past catches up with her and Lily’s reckless behaviour threatens their newfound happiness, both women realise that choices must always come at a cost. The question they need to ask is if the cost is worth the price of love…

Setting: Medieval Oxfordshire, 1362

Historical fiction, romance, medieval, 1360s, series, adult

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Queer Historical Fiction Book Bracket: Round 2B

Book summaries below:

The Vampire Chronicles (Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, The Queen of the Damned, The Tale of the Body Thief, Memnoch the Devil, The Vampire Armand, Merrick, Blood and Gold, Blackwood Farm, Blood Canticle, Prince Lestat, Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis, Blood Communion) by Anne Rice

This is the story of Louis, as told in his own words, of his journey through mortal and immortal life. Louis recounts how he became a vampire at the hands of the radiant and sinister Lestat and how he became indoctrinated, unwillingly, into the vampire way of life. His story ebbs and flows through the streets of New Orleans, defining crucial moments such as his discovery of the exquisite lost young child Claudia, wanting not to hurt but to comfort her with the last breaths of humanity he has inside. Yet, he makes Claudia a vampire, trapping her womanly passion, will, and intelligence inside the body of a small child. Louis and Claudia form a seemingly unbreakable alliance and even "settle down" for a while in the opulent French Quarter. Louis remembers Claudia's struggle to understand herself and the hatred they both have for Lestat that sends them halfway across the world to seek others of their kind. Louis and Claudia are desperate to find somewhere they belong, to find others who understand, and someone who knows what and why they are.

Louis and Claudia travel Europe, eventually coming to Paris and the ragingly successful Theatre des Vampires—a theatre of vampires pretending to be mortals pretending to be vampires. Here they meet the magnetic and ethereal Armand, who brings them into a whole society of vampires. But Louis and Claudia find that finding others like themselves provides no easy answers and in fact presents dangers they scarcely imagined.

Originally begun as a short story, the book took off as Anne wrote it, spinning the tragic and triumphant life experiences of a soul. As well as the struggles of its characters, Interview captures the political and social changes of two continents. The novel also introduces Lestat, Anne's most enduring character, a heady mixture of attraction and revulsion. The book, full of lush description, centers on the themes of immortality, change, loss, sexuality, and power.

Setting: Various time periods

Horror, historical fiction, fantasy, paranormal, gothic, series, adult

Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill

It is not the monster you must fear, but the monster it makes of men. . .

For readers of Circe or Ariadne, a brilliant literary revisiting of Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein with a fresh, queer, provocative twist.

Mary is the great-niece of Victor Frankenstein. She knows her great uncle disappeared in mysterious circumstances in the Arctic, but she doesn't know why or how…

The 1850s is a time of discovery, and London is ablaze with the latest scientific theories and debates, especially when a spectacular new exhibition of dinosaur sculptures opens at the Crystal Palace. Mary, with a sharp mind and a sharper tongue, is keen to make her name in this world of science alongside her geologist husband Henry, but without wealth and connections, their options are limited.

But when Mary discovers some old family papers that allude to the shocking truth behind her great-uncle's past, she thinks she may have found the key to securing their future… Their quest takes them to the wilds of Scotland, to Henry's intriguing but reclusive sister Maisie, and to a deadly chase with a rival who is out to steal their secret.

Our Hideous Progeny is a sumptuous tale of ambition and obsession, of forbidden love and sabotage; an adventure story that blends classic, immersive storytelling with contemporary themes.

Setting: London, 1850

Historical fiction, retelling, gothic, Victorian, 1850s, adult

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vintage poster for a 1908 opera about the Chevalier d'Eon.

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Happy fall! Any sooky recs, bonus points for sapphic vibes? Thanks for all you do! 🎃🩷

oh hell yeah, we’ve got several lists up for the month - full lists linked, with a few sapphic titles pulled out below;

A Touch of the Gothic:

A Dark, Cold Touch

The Wicked & the Willing

My Darling Dreadful Thing

Queer Horror:

Paradise Rot

Green Fuse Burning

One Bloody Thing After Another

Queer Horror (YA):

The Scapegracers

The Dead and the Dark

The Grimrose Girls

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A drawing by Paul Gavarni, 1838, in his series Les Petits malheurs du bonheur (Little Misfortunes of Happiness).

The caption reads: Pour ne pas afficher ses amours, sortir précipitamment par une porte dérobée et rester pris au traquenard. (In order not to show off your love life, you rush out through a back door and get caught in the trap.)

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after eight years, I finally updated my huge Historical Fashion Reference & Resources Doc! Now in the form of a MUCH more easily updated Google Doc with better organization, refreshed links, and five more pages of books and online resources.

I know tumblr hates links, but it’s worth it for a doc that I can now update with far more regularity going forward! RIP to the original, you did your duty for far longer than you should have. 😔🙏🏼

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Dreams can come true, kids

remember when u were like 11 and the only thing u wanted was a lava lamp

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I just finished reading Triple Sec and it was so good for so many reasons! The characters are just so sweet and I love them all. Especially Kade whose awkward confidence and straightforward kindess I adore. I am definitely a bit starved for poly romance and I was so happy to find this today!

thank you so much! If you're looking for more queer poly book recs I believe the @queerliblib has some in their Ask tag. I would personally recommend Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender, which is a YA fantasy/adventure with a pretty nuanced eventual triad romance as part of the main plot.

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“Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust?”