Grace Watson's Blog, page 5
July 18, 2017
southcoasting:
Today is the 200th Anniversary of the death of...
Today is the 200th Anniversary of the death of Jane Austen.
Above picture is
the famous engraving of the author. The picture below is of her gravestone in Winchester Cathedral ( © Jon Southcoasting ).
Jane Austen, English author (b. 16 Dec 1775, d. 18 July 1817)
July 14, 2017
booksftpolitics:
“It is a truth universally acknowledged,...
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”Or is it?
Grace Watson is the debut author of The Story of Lizzy and Darcy, a queer modern re-telling of
Pride and Prejudice. Quite literally bringing new meaning to the title and the classic love story, Grace joins Books ft. Politics to talk queer history, publishing and what we can expect next from her.Why did you choose to queer Jane Austen’s classic tale over writing a new story? Do you think there is specific value in carving out queer spaces in stories we all know so well?
I’m a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice and I absolutely love re-imaginings of it. I was watching one of my favourites, Bride and Prejudice, which puts the story in a cross-cultural setting, and I started thinking about how well the story would work in a queer setting, to the point that I was convinced that someone must have already written or made it! When I discovered that no one had, I started thinking more and more about how best to bring that new dimension to the well-loved classic. When it comes to stories such as Pride and Prejudice, there’s a reason that they’re so universally well-loved, and I think that’s because they ring true to our own experiences and we can all relate to it in some way. By putting a queer perspective on it – in the same way that stories such as this one have been set in different eras and cultures – we can start to appreciate the same story from someone else’s point of view, which can give us a fresh perspective, as well as allowing us space to identify ourselves more closely with the story.
You chose to set your re-telling in the present day. Do you think it’s also possible for non-heterosexuality to exist in Georgian fiction like Austen’s work?It is absolutely possible! Historical queer fiction is really, really important, because it reminds us that there have always been queer people, as well as bringing to light how life was different for queer people in the past. I was tempted to set The Story of Lizzy and Darcy in the past, but I couldn’t do that without the main obstacle in their relationship being their sexuality. I wanted to tell a love story without the characters’ genders being the main focus, and I can only hope I achieved that!
Do you want The Story of Lizzy and Darcy to help readers think about Pride and Prejudice in different ways? Are there any comments you are trying to make on Austen’s work?Pride and Prejudice has not only stood the test of time but has managed to do so without feeling outdated, which is a rare feat. I am honestly just incredibly grateful to be given the chance to play in the Austen-sandbox for so long, which has helped me to understand the characters (and my relationship with them) much more deeply. If anything, I hope to have proven that one of the most famous romances in Western canon is not exclusive to those two people in Georgian England. When it comes to a ‘truth universally acknowledged’, it’s that two people, regardless of gender, ethnicity or social status, can meet, have a terrible first impression, and while learning more about each other and themselves, fall in love.
Your work features characters that identify as bi-sexual, aro/ace and trans. Is it important that both your female leads are LGBTQIA+ activists?I knew very early on that Lizzy and Darcy would both be involved with activism, at least to an extent. Lizzy Bennet is outspoken, self-assured, independent and not afraid to speak her mind. Mr Darcy in the book is very aware of his position in his society, even if he’s not particularly good at expressing how he feels about that. Darcy Williams is also very aware of how her background has given her privilege, but struggles to balance that with how she can sometimes feel isolated because of her sexuality or ethnicity. It felt natural that both of these women would do what they can where they can, even if it’s just calling out someone’s heteronormativity. I will happily admit, though, that there was a certain amount of hero-worship and projection going on here! When I wrote the first draft of The Story of Lizzy and Darcy, I was still slowly coming to terms with my sexuality, and was lacking the confidence to admit to myself that I really did belong in the LGBTQIA+ community. Unconsciously, this turned into a way of taking my favourite fictional couple and making them more like the person I wanted to be.
You replaced Lizzy Bennet’s younger sisters with male twins. Was it important to show that men can also be vulnerable to manipulation and that abuse can occur in platonic friendships as well as romantic relationships?
George Wickham can very easily be served as a personification of toxic masculinity, and I think it was a really interesting – and important – theme to explore. The worst thing about these sorts of ideals is that they’re infectious, and it can be easy, as happens in the book, for a young man who’s feeling lonely or insecure to see someone who seemingly represents everything they think they should be and to be manipulated. It’s just important to show vulnerable men as it is to show strong women, because everyone is strong and everyone is vulnerable and our genders don’t define that. Sander (the updated Lydia Bennet) sees the world in a black-and-white, very heteronormative way, and to him abuse is something that happens to women at the hands of their male partners, which is a far too common preconception and one that needs to be challenged.
Lizzy and Darcy have very strong opinions but what do *you* think it means to be ‘accomplished’ in 2017?I think that an accomplished person knows the value of hard work, strives to achieve their goals, and most importantly is always seeking to become a better, more rounded, and kinder person. Being aware of other people as three-dimensional is only possible if you are aware of your own grey areas, and are continuously making an effort to do more good in the world. And that can be the smallest things; if you brighten someone’s day, you’re one step closer to changing the world.
The publishing world features heavily in ‘The Story of Lizzy and Darcy’. What improvements would you like to see happen next for LGBTQIA+ representation?I think that we need to move away from this idea that diversity and representation is something that only young people want and need. The best places to look for representation are the young adult shelves – which is absolutely fantastic – but we can fall into a trap of seeing diversity as a token thing rather than as a way of making a story more interesting, three-dimensional, and true to life. It would also be great to see better LGBTQIA+ representation across more genres, an area in which television is streaks ahead of books, which are again miles ahead of film. Why should fantasy worlds be filled with straight white people? Why are futuristic societies so heteronormative? All of that being said, I’m really looking forward to what’s going to happen in the coming years. Our generation is a powerful one with a lot to say and I really think we can – and have started to – change the face of fiction.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m currently writing a spin-off/sequel to The Story of Lizzy and Darcy which follows Will, set about a year later, which will hopefully be out by the end of the year! I also have a couple of ideas up my sleeve. One is an original historical novel following a gay and lesbian couple in the Second World War, and the other is a steampunk-esque, queer version of a well-loved classic, which I can’t wait to write!Finally, please recommend three reads for an inclusive TBR!
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. This is my absolute favourite stand-alone book, and tells the story of Achilles from the point of view of his friend and lover, Patroclus. Apart from being beautifully written, it’s also an interesting insight into a society that has a very different attitude towards homosexuality than ours does.
Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley. This book tackles so much and does it so deftly. The story follows Sarah as she fights the daily battle that is being one of the first black students at a newly integrated high school while coming to terms with her sexuality.
A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale. Harry Cane has left his life in England in the early 20th Century to avoid scandal after his affair with another man is found out, and moves to Canada. One of the key themes in this book is how traditional Western standards and gender roles were – and are – forced upon other societies and cultures.
You can get your copy of The Story of Lizzy and Darcy here .
July 6, 2017
“It is seriously completely brilliant and I need everyone to read it… You can feel...
“It is seriously completely brilliant and I need everyone to read it… You can feel the sparks between Lizzy and Darcy right from the start.” ~Molly Lolly Reviews
The Story of Lizzy and Darcy is a queer retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Buy it now for Kindle and in paperback!
"Let me get this straight – which is something I very rarely say."
- Lizzy Bennet, The Adventures of Wiliam Fitts
July 1, 2017
An excerpt from The Adventures of William FittsI woke up the following morning, first to a throbbing...
An excerpt from The Adventures of William Fitts
I woke up the following morning, first to a throbbing in my foot, then to a pounding on the door. Slowly sitting up, I rubbed my foot and grunted a response.
“Will, wake up!” Lizzy called through the door. “We’re leaving in half an hour.”
Leaving? Where the hell were we going?
I glanced at the clock. Half-past five. On a Saturday.
“What?” I yelled back, unable to think of anything more coherent to say.
Lizzy took this as an invitation to come in, an empty overnight bag in hand, and start packing away some of the clothes that were draped untidily on my chair.
“We’re going to Derbyshire,” she said, as if that explained everything. “Now, come on, we don’t have much time if we want to get there by ten.”
“Why do we want to get there by ten? Scratch that, why the hell are we going to Derbyshire?!”
She looked up from where she was hunting through my underwear drawer. “Me and Darcy’s romantic getaway, remember? Pre-Valentine’s Day, because we’re both busy that weekend.”
I was getting more confused by the second. “So why am I coming with you?”
She zipped up the bag, and threw a clean set of clothes at me. “We’ve got a surprise for you. We’ll explain in the car. Are your meds in the cupboard in the kitchen?”
I nodded, knowing full well that I wasn’t going to get any further information from her, and threw on my clothes as soon as she’d shut the door behind her. None of this made the slightest bit of sense, but I’d learnt to just roll with it.
It was a good thing I hadn’t had any plans that weekend, I mused as I stumbled out into the living room. Must be one of the few downsides of having an electronic shared calendar: your friends knew when you were free and available to be kidnapped in the early hours and driven to remote parts of the British countryside. Either way, it hadn’t occurred to me until that very moment how dire the consequences would be once Darcy’s tendency for early morning holidays collided with Lizzy’s spontaneity.
Darcy and Lizzy were both waiting when I emerged, Darcy throwing my coat at me and checking that she had her keys.
“Why are we leaving so early?” I moaned as we left, deliberately kicking the ground to annoy Darcy. I succeeded; her reply was short and curt.
“To beat the traffic.”
“At five o’clock?!”
Lizzy looked at me sympathetically as Darcy marched out, handing me a travel cushion.
“Sleep in the car,” she said as we left. “It’s what I always do. Unless Darcy’s choosing the music, of course, no one can sleep to that crap.”
June 27, 2017
News update!
Hello there!
First of all, thank you to everyone who has bought and/or read The Story of Lizzy and Darcy so far. Over 100 copies have been sold (which is amazing!) and the feedback has been amazing. (If you haven’t bought it yet, you can get it here!)
With TSOLAD out and doing well, I’m focusing on the sequel The Adventures of William Fitts. This is set about a year after TSOLAD, and follows Will’s story - with plenty of appearances from our favourite ladies!
I’ll be posting updates - including excerpts, an official synopsis and publication details - over the next few weeks, so make sure to follow either “#the adventures of william fitts” or “#taowf”. You can also sign up to my mailing list or like my Facebook page for updates.
Happy reading!
Grace xx
June 23, 2017
"She infuriated me so, so much, and I knew that would never change, but I also knew that I couldn’t..."
- The Story of Lizzy and Darcy: A ‘Pride and Prejudice’ Adaptation by Grace Watson
(via xaltion)
June 20, 2017
fuckyeahlesbianliterature:
[image description: a collage of...
Motor Crush Volume 1 by Brendon Fletcher, Cameron Stewart, and Babs Tarr (Comics)
[image description: a collage of the books listed below with the text “Lesbian & Bi Books New In June!”]Cottonmouths by Kelly J. Ford (Fiction)
The team behind the critically-acclaimed revamp of Batgirl returns with an exciting sci-fi action-adventure series! By day, Domino Swift competes for fame & fortune in a worldwide motorcycle racing league. By night, she cracks heads of rival gangs in brutal bike wars to gain possession of a rare, valuable contraband: an engine-boosting “machine narcotic” known as Crush.Marriage of a Thousand Lies by SJ Sindu (Fiction)
From a compelling new voice in LGBTQ and Southern fiction, a gripping tale of crime and desire amid small-town America’s meth epidemic.
This was Drear’s Bluff. Nothing bad happened here. People didn’t disappear.
College was supposed to be an escape for Emily Skinner. But after failing out of school, she’s left with no choice but to return to her small Arkansas hometown, a place run on gossip and good Christian values.
She’s not alone. Emily’s former best friend—and childhood crush—Jody Monroe is back with a baby. Emily can’t resist the opportunity to reconnect, despite the uncomfortable way things ended between them and her mom’s disapproval of their friendship. When Emily stumbles upon a meth lab on Jody’s property, she realizes just how far they’ve both fallen.
Emily intends to keep her distance from Jody, but when she’s kicked out of her house with no money and nowhere to go, a paying job as Jody’s live-in babysitter is hard to pass up. As they grow closer, Emily glimpses a future for the first time since coming home. She dismisses her worries; after all, Jody is a single mom. The meth lab is a means to an end. And besides, for Emily, Jody is the real drug.
But when Jody’s business partner goes missing, and the lies begin to pile up, Emily will learn just how far Jody is willing to go to save her own skin—and how much Emily herself has risked for the love of someone who may never truly love her back.
Echoing the work of authors like Daniel Woodrell and Sarah Waters, Cottonmouths is an unflinching story about the ways in which the past pulls us back … despite our best efforts to leave it behind.Grrrls on the Side by Carrie Pack (Young Adult)A necessary and exciting addition to both the Sri Lankan-American and LGBTQ canons, SJ Sindu’s debut novel Marriage of a Thousand Lies offers a moving and sharply rendered exploration of friendship, family, love, and loss.
Lucky and her husband, Krishna, are gay. They present an illusion of marital bliss to their conservative Sri Lankan–American families, while each dates on the side. It’s not ideal, but for Lucky, it seems to be working. She goes out dancing, she drinks a bit, she makes ends meet by doing digital art on commission. But when Lucky’s grandmother has a nasty fall, Lucky returns to her childhood home and unexpectedly reconnects with her former best friend and first lover, Nisha, who is preparing for her own arranged wedding with a man she’s never met.
As the connection between the two women is rekindled, Lucky tries to save Nisha from entering a marriage based on a lie. But does Nisha really want to be saved? And after a decade’s worth of lying, can Lucky break free of her own circumstances and build a new life? Is she willing to walk away from all that she values about her parents and community to live in a new truth? As Lucky—an outsider no matter what choices she makes—is pushed to the breaking point, Marriage of a Thousand Lies offers a vivid exploration of a life lived at a complex intersection of race, sexuality, and nationality. The result is a profoundly American debut novel shot through with humor and loss, a story of love, family, and the truths that define us all.Hunger by Roxane Gay (Memoir)
The year is 1994, and alternative is in. But not for alternative girl Tabitha Denton; she hates her life. She is uninterested in boys, lonely, and sidelined by former friends at her suburban high school. When she picks up a zine at a punk concert, she finds an escape—an advertisement for a Riot Grrrl meetup.
At the meeting, Tabitha finds girls who are more like her and a place to belong. But just as Tabitha is settling in with her new friends and beginning to think she understands herself, eighteen-year-old Jackie Hardwick walks into a meeting and changes her world forever. The out-and-proud Jackie is unlike anyone Tabitha has ever known. As her feelings for Jackie grow, Tabitha begins to learn more about herself and the racial injustices of the punk scene, but to be with Jackie, she must also come to grips with her own privilege and stand up for what’s right.With the bracing candor, vulnerability, and authority that have made her one of the most admired voices of her generation, Roxane explores what it means to be overweight in a time when the bigger you are, the less you are seen. Hunger is a deeply personal memoir from one of our finest writers, and tells a story that hasn’t yet been told but needs to be.
My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness by Kabi Nagata (Comics)The Practitioner by Ronica Black (Romance)
Canvas for Love by Charlotte Greene (Romance)
The Story of Lizzy and Darcy: A ‘Pride and Prejudice’ Adaptation by Grace Watson (Romance)
Where Love Leads by Erin McKenzie (Romance)
Huntress by A.E. Radley (Romance)
June 18, 2017
It’s official… it’s happening…The Adventures of Will Fitts is well underway! With any...
It’s official… it’s happening…
The Adventures of Will Fitts is well underway! With any luck, it will be ready by the end of the summer.
And let me just say this… drunk Will is very amusing to write.
