Short story sale: "The Prince is Right."

[seanan_mcguire]

UPDATE: I will not be appearing in this anthology, and this is why.

I am pleased to announce the sale of "The Prince is Right" to the anthology Wicked Pretty Things [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy], a YA collection of "dark fairy romance" to be published on August 2nd, 2011.

Questions I have been asked already:

Is your story set in the Tobyverse?

No. "The Prince is Right" is set in an entirely new fae-centric world, one that plays around with my fondness for seasonal monarchies and John Hughes movies. Salem Lyons must find the Harvest King and be crowned the new Harvest Queen, or everything she loves will pay the price. But what if she doesn't want the job?

Is your story a dark fairy romance?

It's a fairy romance that takes place almost entirely at night, which makes it dark. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. I, um, sort of missed the whole "dark = grim" memo, and wrote a classic 1980s teen romance, complete with Molly Ringwald jokes and buckets of John Hughes references. Also, one of my central characters spends about half her time as a hairless cat. So the grim is not so present in this particular tale.

I am super-excited about this book, where I get to appear alongside authors whose work I respect and admire, like Rachel Caine, Tera Lynn Childs, and Lisa Mantchev. This is the first time Rachel (who is awesome) and I have been in a book together, and that's pretty much cause for celebration right there! Also, the cover is gorgeous.

Yay! Wicked Pretty Things!

Comments

[spectralbovine.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

I, um, sort of missed the whole "dark = grim" memo
Grim! Gritty! Depraved! FILL US WITH YOUR FAERIE DARKNESS.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah no.

[ladymurmur.livejournal.com]

Hooray! *flailing Kermit arms*

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Hee.

[priscellie.livejournal.com]

HURRAH! The story is a delight.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

And you were a lovely lovely influence.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Congratulations.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[jnanacandra.livejournal.com]

Have you heard about this, though? http://jessicaverday.blogspot.com/2011/03/being-gay-is-okay.html

I'm not questioning your business decisions and I'm happy for your sale - but I'd hope it's an informed decision, knowing that the publishers are censoring the stories in this anthology.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

I had not when I agreed to sell them the story, and actually found the link shortly before making this entry. I was prepared to become EXTREMELY UPSET, until I reached the bottom of the post and saw the comment from the editor, who made the redaction based on her own reaction, and not that of her publishers.

I'm disappointed. I really am. But since it was not the choice of the publishers themselves, I don't want to hurt the rest of the authors in the book by pulling out at this juncture. If I'd known about this sooner, my response might be different. And if the submission guidelines had said "heterosexual couples only," my response would have been lesbian porn followed by a cheery "fuck you."

I am, however, now renewed in my desire to get the January O'Leary/Li Qin Zhou-O'Leary stories finished. In my copious spare time.

[mskauri.livejournal.com]

And if the submission guidelines had said "heterosexual couples only," my response would have been lesbian porn followed by a cheery "fuck you."


Yet one MORE reason (as if I needed any more) I love you!! I couldn't agree more!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

I do hate it when crap like this sneaks up on us. By the time this came out, my contract was signed.

[ex-kaz-maho.livejournal.com]

I do hate it when crap like this sneaks up on us. By the time this came out, my contract was signed.

Me too. Hate it when crap like this sneaks up on us, I mean. And, yep - contract signed a looong time ago. I've even done my edits, and I'm assuming things will be at the proof stage very soon.

*grits teeth*

Anyway. Onward...

Cheers,
Kaz

P.S. I must tell you how much I'm loving Toby! I'm only on book 2, but still... :)

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Onward and upward. You have no idea how much I want to arrange a specifically non-heteronormative YA antho right now...

Yay for loving Toby! I love her, too. :)

[ex-kaz-maho.livejournal.com]

:) That anthology sounds it would be made of awesome.

Also, I'm sure you're super-busy, but please check out the latest on Jessica Verday's blog for an update. As a result, I've re-thought my position (as have a few others). Just giving you a heads up, though you most likey already know about this.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Thanks for making sure I stayed posted; I've withdrawn.

[ex-kaz-maho.livejournal.com]

I just saw on Twitter. Offering you a massive hug from across the Atlantic. Awesome post. <3

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

Tired now.

[kshandra]

You have no idea how much I want to arrange a specifically non-heteronormative YA antho right now...

Ceilidh from The Sparkle Project is coordinating a free antho on GoodReads; I believe she's got a waiting list for contributors already. ;-)

[dormouse-in-tea.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I read the comments first! Rather than being person number X to bring it up...

I am also glad, because I saw that link before the editor left the comment.

Still going to have to think about whether to purchase this. One the one hand, do not wish to penalize authors and publishers for the editor's bad decision. On the other hand...not happy with the editor. But it looks like rash assumptions rather than rampant homophobia.

So I will probably buy it.

Okay, done thinking out loud in your space! TL;DR -- congratulations on the sale!!!!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Yeah. If I'd seen the link before the editor left the comment, I think this would be a much, much messier entry, accompanied by my editor trying to get me out of my contract. Such is life.

I would say...purchase the book, to show that there is support, and write a letter to the publisher, explaining why you almost didn't.

And thanks!

[dormouse-in-tea.livejournal.com]

That's a pretty good idea. I think I will write that letter.

[mariadkins.livejournal.com]

nice!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Yeah. :)

[mskauri.livejournal.com]

YAY indeed! Love the 1980s teen romance angle...being a high school graduate from the Class of 1985 AND a big fan of the John Hughes universe, I TOTALLY get that! And yes, I pined for Jake Ryan!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

I'm pleased.

[pola-bear.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! Will this be your first published YA? It makes me happy to see you getting some YA into the wild. Because you are good at it. And classic 1980s teen romance is extra awesome.

You have so many thousands of things being published. Wowsers.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

It will! I am finally entering the waters of YA. Next up? Let's see about some Babylon Archer.

[pola-bear.livejournal.com]

Ooh. You have so many wonderful projects. I want them all to get published! Nowhere near as much as I'd like you to not fall apart from having too many things going on, but still.

[dormouse-in-tea.livejournal.com]

That had just occurred to me, after I left my last comment. YAY THE YA WALL IS BREACHED!!!!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Next up: WORLD CONQUEST!

[dormouse-in-tea.livejournal.com]

...and maybe a nap?

[keristor.livejournal.com]

Isn't that what you do every night? *g*

Yay! I for one welcome our plague-wielding mistress of zombies and velociraptors! Ave Imperatrix Mundi!

[yellowblackhaze.livejournal.com]

YA's not a bad place to go for a break once in a while. I'm not big on anthologies, but this one sounds like it will be worth a look and besides it's got Seanan in it, so how can it go wrong?

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm sure there are many ways it could go wrong. Go knock on some wood, quick! But I really love several of the other involved authors; I'm excited.