Bon jour!<\/p>\n
I’m supposed<\/em> to be reading books of short stories, in preparation for my potentially good idea to hoodwink a few friends into writing a book of YA short stories while we’re at the SCBWI L.A. Conference<\/a> this summer. Of course, it being JUNE, it’s also supposed<\/em> to be almost summer, and it’s raining. So, I’m to be excused for my lapse back into novels — and definitely I’m to be excused because my novel finds this week have been such a kick!<\/p>\n One of the best things about the Harry Potter hysteria, in its heyday, anyway (which certainly isn’t now — enough with the disposable characters already, J.K.!), was that it made a lot of publishers go racing back to their slush piles and give a lot of good fantasy a second look. Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot: Being the Correspondence of Two Young Ladies of Quality Regarding Various Magical Scandals in London and the Country<\/a> was one such novel. First published in 1988, this lengthily titled novel was reprinted in 2003 to much greater acclaim.<\/p>\n Think Jane Austen on pixie dust, and you’ve just about got the gist of this unique story. Amusing on so many levels, this book was the mastermind of two authors, Caroline Stevemer and Patricia C. Wrede, based on a game played in childhood. Apparently, during summer break, friends would write letters to each other based on assumed storylines, and become duchesses, movie stars, etc., and have ‘adventures.’ Caroline and Patricia set their adventure in 1817, and came up with a remarkable book.<\/p>\n This is a great mental frolic. There’s danger – from nasty wizards and overbearing aunts. There’s mistaken identities, curfew breaking, misunderstandings and midnight waltzes. Paced sedately, with descriptions of clothes and carriages, and laced with subtle jabs at English manners (so<\/em> very Austen), this was really a surprising and enjoyable find. Better still, there’s a sequel!<\/b><\/p>\n