Trans people in history

This morning I want to talk a little bit about trans people in history. Transgender is a word that can only be traced back to 1974, but that didn’t mean trans people didn’t exist before that date! Walter, one of the main characters in The Quid Pro Quo is transgender—he’s caused me all sorts of plot issues, but has sent me off to do lots of really interesting reading, which I’m delighted to share here!

One of the things that gender studies academics all agree about is that it’s almost impossible to know how people in the past that we now see as trans would have seen themselves. The records are very sparse, often sensationalised and are usually other people’s view of the person rather than their own. Who wanted to put that sort of thing down in writing when it would get you prosecuted or put in a mental hospital? So it’s hard to tell whether past figures were transgender; or whether they were passing as a man or woman in order to access spaces and privilege they would be otherwise denied. This is particularly true of people who were assigned female at birth and lived the bulk of their lives as men.

The most famous of these cases is Dr James Barry, who after his death in the mid-nineteenth century was revealed to be AFAB (assigned female at birth). I won’t write much about him here because this is the article I would write and Rebecca Ortenberg has already done it better than I would. Suffice to say that after he began his medical education at Edinburgh, Barry never presented or referred to himself as female again. He was only discovered to be AFAB after the person laying his body out for burial spoke about him. In recent years he’s been absorbed by the ‘plucky girl breaking the glass ceiling by putting on breeches’ narrative, which I personally feel is wrong.

This article at the British Library about Transgender Identities in the Past is fascinating. It focuses on two people, Eliza Edwards, who on her death in 1833 was discovered to be AMAB. And in 1901, someone we’d now understand to be a trans man who at the age of sixty and after several marriages and a career as a cook on P&O liners was revealed to be AFAB. The newspaper article calls them by a woman’s name. It completely erases the life they lived. The article has audio clips of a 2018 discussion between E-J Scott, curator of the Museum of Transology; Dr Jay Stewart, the chief executive of Gendered Intelligence, and Annie Brown, an activist, artist and GI youth worker. It’s worth your time.

In The Flowers of Time, my story set in the late eighteenth century, Jones the non-binary character eventually decides to present as masculine because it makes their life with Edie easier. They fudge the record, more or less blackmail close family into accepting them and that’s that. However, it’s not unreasonable to suppose that as time went on, communication became quicker and easier and records of births and marriages became more common it became much more difficult to pass. British army records mention Phoebe Hassel, who was discharged in 1817 when she was flogged and discovered to be a man (bottom of page seven, you have to register, but it’s free). We don’t know whether she was a passing woman for financial or social reasons or whether she was what we’d understand today as trans. Her male name is not mentioned. However, she must have passed well enough or had enough support by her peers to have concealed her natal gender for some years.

However, The Quid Pro Quo is set a hundred and fifty years later than Phoebe’s flogging and The Flowers of Time. By the time Walter joined up in 1898, there were medicals for army recruits. This was such a sticking point for me that I bottled it and I honestly tried to write the book with him as cis. However, he just wouldn’t play…he’d been trans in my head as I was writing The Fog of War, right back as far the planning stage of the trilogy. But when I came to write it, I couldn’t make the story work with him as trans because of the army regulations; and I couldn’t make the story work with him as cis because he’s not cis.

I threw the question to some of my lovely friends at the Quiltbag Historicals facebook group (join us, we’re cool!) and they immediately began working out ways I could fudge the story. So Walter begins his army career as his twin brother and has a little help from the people around him to keep his origins concealed. And I reassured myself that if people are prepared to suspend disbelief about the paranormal aspects of my stories then they can allow me this tiny (enormous) stretch of possibility to get it off the ground!

I love Walter. He’s so very pragmatic about his life and his place in the universe. He’s just getting on and doing his thing. I wanted him to have a happy ending so badly all the time I was writing The Fog of War and I was very pleased to be able to give him one here in The Quid Pro Quo.

I like to think of my stories as realistically historical first and paranormal second. My characters are just getting on living their lives—which have greater or lesser levels of complexity—and the paranormal comes and whacks them round the back of the head with half a brick in a sock. I try and make the history as accurate and the paranormal as twisted as I can! I think I’ve done Walter justice, as he’s one of my favourite people. I hope you like him too.

Lastly, here is a brilliant collection of books about trans history and trans issues, curated by Christine Burns and available from independent bookshops.

The Quid Pro Quo

Cover: The Quid Pro Quo

Village nurse Walter Kennett is content with his makeshift found-family in tiny Bradfield. However one midsummer morning a body is found floating in the village duck pond, dead by magical means.

Detective Simon Frost arrives in Bradfield to investigate a inexplicable murder. The evidence seems to point to Lucille Hall-Bridges, who lives with doctor Sylvia Marks and nurse Walter Kennett at Courtfield House. Simon isn’t happy—he doesn’t believe Lucy is a murderer but  he’s sure the three of them are hiding something. In the meantime, the draw he feels toward Walter takes him by surprise.

Walter is in a dilemma, concealing Sylvia and Lucy’s relationship and not knowing how much to tell Frost about the paranormal possibilities of the murder. He isn’t interested in going to bed with anyone—he’s got a complicated life and has to know someone really well before he falls between the sheets. He’s taken aback by his own attraction to Detective Frost and angry when Frost appears to twist the spark between them to something transactional in nature.

Will Walter be satisfied to stay on the periphery of Lucy and Sylvia’s love affair, a welcome friend but never quite included? Or is it time for him to strike out and embark on  a relationship of his own?

Add The Quid Pro Quo on Goodreads

quid pro quo banner

Interview: Isabelle Adler

Let’s welcome Isabelle Adler to the blog today to talk about her recent release and answer some nosey questions!

I’m very happy to be here today to talk about my newest release, The House on Druid Lake. It’s a Halloween-themed M/M romance, sweet and emotional with just a tiny bit of spooky thrown into the mix, which I believe is the perfect fit for the autumn season. The story follows Oliver Foster, an aspiring young architect embarking on a successful career in Baltimore, who rents an apartment in an old Victorian house overlooking Baltimore’s Druid Lake. As he gradually meets his quirky neighbours and develops feelings for Nym, his enigmatic, gruff landlord, Oliver becomes convinced there is more going on at Lakeside Lodge than meets the eye, and Halloween might be just the right (or the wrong) time to unearth some supernatural secrets.

Where do you write?

I’m very lucky to have my own little writing nook with a built-in desk and shelves. It’s not very private, but I rely on my noise-cancelling headphones to filter the sounds of a busy household when I want to focus on my work. Sometimes, when I feel I need an even quieter space and a change of scenery, I take my laptop to a coffee shop or a library.

What do you like to read?

I used to read across different genres of speculative fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, historical adventure), but in the recent years I almost exclusively read romance, leaning heavily into queer romance. What can I say, with the world being currently the mess that it is, I feel like I need the assurance of a happy ending in my reading. Besides, the romance genre, and even LGBTQ romance in particular, is so broad, encompassing every kind of plot and setup one could wish for – mystery, paranormal, historical, etc. – that I’m never stuck for choice, depending on my mood and current interests. In my writing, I also dabble in a variety of different subgenres, which allows for a larger creative freedom.

Writing is an intrinsically solo occupation. Do you belong to any groups or associations, either online or in the ‘real’ world? How does that work for you?

I don’t currently belong to any writer groups, though I know authors who absolutely swear by them. I’m a very private and solitary person, and I’m rather shy when it comes to talking about myself or asking for opinions about my work – and I’m even worse about offering my opinion to others, unless specifically asked to do so. I tend to let ideas percolate in my brain until I feel they’re ready to become stories, and then it’s all about fleshing them out on my own.

That being said, I really enjoy interacting with readers and other authors on Twitter, sharing snippets of works in progress and bits of inspiration. That has become a huge part of my author experience, and I’m very glad that modern social media (as bad as it can be sometimes in other respects) has allowed me to be a part of a large writing community.

Tell me a little bit about your most recent release. What gave you the idea for it? How long did it take to write? What did you enjoy about writing it? What did you hate?

My recent release is called The House on Druid Lake. It’s a Halloween-themed M/M romance, published October 4th, 2021, with NineStar Press. I simply adore holiday romances, and have written several stories centred around Christmas in the recent years, but I’ve always wanted to write a Halloween story. I’m not a huge horror fan, so I aimed for it to be more comedically spooky than truly scary. I had this initial idea about an old house inhabited by strange and mysterious creatures that are doing their best to blend in with human society (not always successfully), and it all developed from there. The thing is, because of my busy schedule, I didn’t have a lot of time to draft it before the fall release, so I had to complete the entire thing in about three months, which is an incredibly tight timeline for me! It was difficult, but also fun and challenging, and certainly made for an interesting experience. Still, I think I wouldn’t choose to work on such deadlines again!

The House on Druid Lake

The House on Druid Lake by Isabelle Adler

A new city, a new job, a new home—things are definitely looking up for Oliver Foster. An aspiring young architect, embarking on a successful career in Baltimore, all he wants is to put the pain of a broken heart and broken trust behind him. The last thing he needs is another ill-advised romantic entanglement. But despite his best intentions, Oliver can’t help his growing fascination with Nym Brown, the mysterious owner of Lakeside Lodge.

When Oliver rents an apartment in an old Victorian house overlooking Baltimore’s Druid Lake, he expects it to be quaint and shabbily charming. But as Halloween draws near and all things spooky come out to play, Oliver becomes convinced there is more going on at Lakeside Lodge than meets the eye, aside from the faulty plumbing. His neighbours are a whole new definition of quirky, and his enigmatic, gruff landlord is both intimidating and dangerously attractive.

Dark and sinister secrets lurk behind the house on Druid Lake’s crumbling façade. Unearthing them might yet put Oliver’s future—and his heart—on the line.

Buy from Nine Star Press Amazon USAmazon UK : Kobo B&NAdd on Goodreads

Meet Isabelle

A voracious reader from the age of five, Isabelle Adler has always dreamed of one day putting her own stories into writing. She loves traveling, art, and science, and finds inspiration in all of these. Her favorite genres include sci-fi, fantasy, and historical adventure. She also firmly believes in the unlimited powers of imagination and caffeine.

Email : Twitter : Website : Goodreads : Amazon

Interview: Iyana Jenna

Today Iyana Jenna is visiting the blog to talk about her new seasonal short story.

Welcome, Iyana! Why are you visiting today!

Yeah, I released my short story, Santa’s Reindeer, on October 7. It is a YA MM Christmas romance about a young Reindeer shapeshifter.

What started you writing?

I began writing because I didn’t find what I wanted to read. At that someone I asked about it told me, “So, why don’t you write the story? You know what you want, so go ahead.”

Where do you write?

I used to write on my way to the office on my cellphone. Due to the pandemic, I have to write anywhere at home. But still on my cellphone.

What do you like to read?

It depends on my mood. Sometimes I like action stories, sometimes espionage, other times something that can make cry my eyes out.

What are the three books you’d take to a desert island? Why would you choose them?

A Matter of Honour by Jeffrey Archer

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Because of these books I started writing.

Writing is an intrinsically solo occupation. Do you belong to any groups or associations, either online or in the ‘real’ world? How does that work for you?

I happen to agree that writing is a solo occupation. I don’t belong to any writing groups because I believe that you will jinx it if you talk or tell someone else about your story before you finish writing it.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I have lots of cats, like, more than 10. Besides that I spend my time watching my favorite TV series. Some of them are Succession, Seal Team, SWAT, Titans, Roswell, etc.

Tell me a little bit about your most recent release. What gave you the idea for it? How long did it take to write? What did you enjoy about writing it? What did you hate?

It is a story about the youngest reindeer shapeshifter. But it’s a very short story so it didn’t take a long time to write it. It was written quite a long time ago so I kind of forget what inspired me. What I like about it is just that story is sweet and clean.

Santa’s Reindeer

Tyler gets left behind by the group. He makes a mistake of landing on earth when Santa is delivering a package. He is enticed by the sparkly stuff at a window. He has seen things like that when he was with Santa going places but never got a chance to watch closer. Now he does.

Excerpt

The night was getting dark and the snow was falling harder and thicker. Tyler tightened the thin blanket he’d snatched from a clothesline earlier this afternoon around his body. It didn’t help much. The best it could do was keep his dignity.

He looked around the town. It wasn’t as lively as several hours before. Not many people were still on the streets—which was completely understandable judging from the weather and cold temperature—and not for the first time Tyler regretted his own stupidity. He wanted to blame those sparkling lights coming from the stores and the streets’ Christmas decorations, but that wouldn’t be fair. Those lights had always been there every time he stopped by the town, which was only his second time this year. Yeah, what did you expect? He was just thirteen. The youngest Santa allowed a boy to come along was twelve.

Buy Santa’s Reindeer

Thanks again, Ally!

British Accents now and then

One of the things I love about working with Callum Hale on my audiobooks is his ability to throw himself into pretty much any British accent and bring the character to life. To my British ear each of the people I’ve created sound exactly as I’ve envisaged them as he brings them off the page.

Lost in Time audio cover

I asked him to make Rob, from Inheritance of Shadows ‘less ooh-arr’ and he toned the accent down so to me at least, Rob doesn’t sound so much like a heavy-handed son of the Somerset soil. And I wanted Will Grant in the 1920s London Trilogy to sound more like Lord Peter Wimsey. Callum obliged, perfectly. (These are my two favourite of all my characters, ever, incidentally).

The question I’m always asking myself about my writing though, is how right can I get it? I want the history in my books to be accurate, unless I’m deliberately twisting the universe out of true with magic. I think this is the same question historians have to ask themselves about looking at anything in the past. We are both looking at things through our own rose-tinted spectacles, coloured with our own experiences and social expectations. My characters in these books grew up in Victorian England. What did they really think about the Empire? What did they talk about in the pub? What did they really sound like? How did they really smell? We’re fudging it, the whole lot. Historians and archaeologists because of lack of data. And writers because of lack of data and because we don’t want our main characters to be unsympathetic to modern audiences.

Anyway…during one or other of my late-night sessions randomly browsing the web, I came across this programme about Edwardian accents. A regional English language specialist in Germany during the First World War, a real-life Professor Higgins, suddenly realised he had a huge pool of untapped research material in the German army’s British prisoners of war. In this documentary you can actually listen to their voices.

Inheritance of Shadows audio cover

I was very interested in how the modern specialists in the programme say the regional accents of the past are broader in the recordings than they are now. It’s as if the rising tide of London-speak has swept the broad vowels of the regional accents back from the centre of the country, into the more remote west of England. So although to me, Rob sounds about right, a farm labourer from Somerset who’s self-educated and likes to read, to his contemporaries he’d probably have sounded out of place. You can listen to Callum’s reading of him here, in the first chapter of Inheritance of Shadows.

I think, listening to those long-ago voices in the programme, it’s important to remember these men were prisoners. That’s one of the filters we mustn’t discard. Were they doing this work in the language lab out of the kindness of their hearts? Because they were bored and wanted an occupation? Because they were threatened in to it? Because they were offered extra rations or privileges? Are these their actual accents? Or are they performative, a joke on the professor? They’re immensely touching, whatever their origin and I hope you enjoy it.

You can buy the 1920s London audiobooks at Authors Direct.

Lost in Time, Shadows on the Border, The Hunted and the Hind by A. L. Lester. Narrated by Callum Hale.

Interview: Change of Plans by Addison Albright

Addison Albright is visiting today to talk about her new release, please give her a warm welcome!

Addison Albright's extremely spiffy rainbow logo!

Thank you so much, Ally, for having me here on your wonderful blog today! (Hello Addison, thank you so much for visiting!) Hello, Ally’s lovely readers! I’ve got a new release out—my first in over a year—and I appreciate the opportunity to share a little bit about my story.

First of all, I should point out that this story completes a trilogy. I carefully inserted enough background information so that a random reader picking it up would not be completely lost, so the story can stand alone, but it is definitely not written as a standalone.

Since my new novella, Change of Plans, contains a few of my favorite tropes, I’ve written a trio of guest posts for fellow JMS Books writer-friend’s blogs, each highlighting one of those tropes. Today let’s discuss Arranged Marriage.

Hard to say why I love the Arranged Marriage trope in stories when the idea horrifies me in real life. I suppose it’s because, at least in romance stories, it’s pretty much guaranteed to work out. It’s often paired with enemies-to-lovers, which can also be fun, although I’ve yet to dabble in that trope myself.

In the Plans Trilogy, the arranged marriage between naïve young Prince Marcelo of Sheburat and Efren, the crown prince of Zioneven is only enemies-to-lovers in a very superficial way. The two of them were unacquainted before their unexpected and sudden wedding ceremony in book one. Their marriage took place only because The Contingency Plan was activated in a treaty between realms that were former enemies. So they had no personal enmity for each other.

After getting over his initial shock and accepting that his life is about to be turned upside down, Marcelo is reasonable, responsible, and hopeful of a happy future. So the story avoids the oft-seen MC running from his marriage (or even sabotaging or otherwise fighting it), and instead we have our MC working through his doubts and fears in what is ultimately a meet-cute novelette that spawned a trilogy.

Our heroes run into danger on their way to Efren’s homeland in the novella, The Best-Laid Plans, then the Arranged Marriage trope comes into play again in my new novella, Change of Plans, when the princes are dosed with a mind-wiping toxin and Marcelo must once again come to terms with the fact he’s already established in an arranged marriage that he’s forgotten, while at the same time solving the mystery of what’s behind this fresh attack as well as the drama in the earlier stories.

What are some of your favorite Arranged Marriage stories? Why do you enjoy them?

Look for my discussion on the Hurt/Comfort trope on Nell Iris’s blog back on July 17, and look for my upcoming discussion on the Memory Loss trope on Ofelia Grand’s blog on August 13.

Once upon a time, two handsome young princes fell in love, faced down adversity and lived happily ever after... until one romantic evening they unwittingly ate a confection laced with a mind-wiping toxin. Change of Plans by Addison Albright.
Excerpt

(From Chapter 8)

Marcelo, present day

Why, oh why, with all that was going on, was Marcelo finding it so difficult to focus on anything other than Efren’s fingers as he manipulated his utensils? And Efren’s mouth as he opened it to take bites then slowly chew?

Deliberately slowly chew his food, if Marcelo wasn’t mistaken.

Had Marcelo been obvious in his observations? Were Efren’s actions in response to Marcelo’s interest? Or had Efren purposely drawn Marcelo’s attention in the first place?

Or was Marcelo reading too much into Efren’s simple movements?

Marcelo swallowed a bite of his own and told himself the reason he was so distracted was because the royal family had ceased to talk about the drama going on in the castle since it was their policy not to discuss politics at the table, and there was nothing more to do other than baselessly speculate until they gained more intelligence from the people out making inquiries anyway. Attending to the everyday chitchat between Rolland, Merewina, and Tristan as they attempted to maintain a sense of normalcy didn’t take too much concentration.

Sure, that was all it was. Marcelo’s newfound obsession with another man’s hands and eating process had nothing at all to do with memory flashes of Efren’s unshaven skin rasping tantalizingly around Marcelo’s mouth when they’d kissed in the not-dream. Marcelo stilled his hand that had started toward his mouth to rub a phantom tingle and suppressed a self-depreciating snort.

“You are each enamored with the other.” Once again, Erich’s words echoed through Marcelo’s mind, and despite everyone’s assurances that Marcelo had previously conducted himself in some kind of brave, heroic manner, regret churned in his belly that he hadn’t had the courage to open his eyes during that kiss.

Or better, to have tossed caution to the wind and embraced the moment…and Efren.

But to be fair to himself, not being able to ascertain how he’d come to be in a stranger’s arms in an unknown place was what had been so terrifying, rather than the situation itself. Surely thinking one had somehow lost their mind would be spine-chilling to most.

When Merewina’s ill-disguised snicker broke his reverie, Marcelo’s fork slipped from his fingers and landed with a clink that seemed unnaturally loud.

“Really, Efren,” she said, “it’s all I can do not to break all semblance of decorum to toss a sticky bun at you.”

“Do I want to know why?” The deepening lines around Efren’s eyes answered his own question. If Marcelo was reading his husband correctly, he already knew why, yet had no objection to hearing his sister’s explanation.

Marcelo turned his gaze to Merewina.

Her eyes narrowed at her brother. “You are utterly merciless.”

Efren’s eyes widened theatrically. “Me?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. You are shameless, teasing poor Marcelo like that.”

Marcelo’s face warmed. Yet a thrill coursed through his veins. He’d been right about Efren’s actions, and just as Erich had said, this handsome and powerful man was also drawn to him.

Efren’s lips quirked into a smile that curled Marcelo’s toes. “Dear sister, I assure you”—he winked at Marcelo—“I’m detecting no displeasure from my lovely young husband.”

Marcelo’s cheeks had to be flaming red, they felt so hot, but he held Efren’s gaze, and his own lips twitched into a sheepish grin.

Change of Plans
Addison Albright, Change of Plans, cover.

Fantasy Romance, 32,026-word (108 page) novella

Once upon a time, two handsome young princes fell in love, faced down adversity, and lived happily-ever-after … until one romantic evening, they unwittingly ate a confection laced with a mind-wiping toxin.

Crown Prince Efren of Zioneven blindsided Prince Marcelo of Sheburat when he used The Contingency Plan embedded in a peace treaty to marry the naïve young prince. Now, Marcelo is shocked again when he awakens in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar land, in the arms of a stranger who’s taking such liberties!

Will that ignominious new beginning to their relationship doom their chances at rekindling their love? Or will Efren’s giddiness and the less formal surroundings of Zioneven propel them toward a more teasingly fun rapport?

Marcelo and Efren have forgotten more than their love. On their journey home to Zioneven, their Best-Laid Plans went awry when Marcelo was abducted. Now, neither remembers the unexpected strength of character and ingenuity Marcelo manifested to survive his harrowing ordeal, or Efren’s frantic search for his new husband.

Were Marcelo and Efren specifically targeted for the Forget-Me-Not poisoning, or were they the victims of a random assault? Is this new attack related to Marcelo’s abduction and his sister’s death? Will Marcelo revert to his old mild-mannered, unassuming self, or will he step up to prove he’s the same brave man his new family claims he is amid the fresh danger swirling around them?

Buy the series! : Book 1: The Contingency Plan : Book 2: The Best-Laid Plans : Book 3: Change of Plans
About Addison

Addison Albright is a writer living in the middle of the USA. Her stories are gay romance in contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, and science fiction genres. She generally adds a subtle touch of humor, a dash of drama/angst, and a sprinkle of slice-of-life to her stories. Her education includes a BS in Education with a major in mathematics and a minor in chemistry. Addison loves spending time with her family, reading, popcorn, boating, French fries, “open window weather,” cats, math, and anything chocolate. She loves to read pretty much anything and everything, anytime and anywhere.

Website : Facebook Page : Facebook Profile : Twitter (@AddisonAlbright) : BookBub : Amazon