I’ve recently started querying a novel that’s a bit of a departure for me. It’s a fantasy romance, but instead of being set in the Regency-but-with-magic world I used for The Solitary Rose, the Queen’s Forest world is an alternate universe. Although this world shares some similarities with nineteenth-century Britain, there are also differences that affect history, politics, etc. If you’re familiar with the work of Stephanie Burgis, I’d say that Hold me Fast, Fear Me Not is to The Solitary Rose as The Hardwood Spellbook series is to the Regency Dragons series. I wouldn’t call it “historical fantasy,” but it falls into the category of fantasy of manners. Sometimes I refer to the Queen’s Forest setting as “historical-ish.”
Most importantly, the Queen’s Forest world of Hold Me Fast contains magical beings: werewolves, the fae, unicorns, etc. (I haven’t discussed vampires, but I know they exist in this world!) Janet’s witchcraft is in some ways similar to the magic used by witches and wizards in my Regency fantasy novels, but Linton. . . well, Linton’s abilities are quite different. Let’s leave it at that!
The Queen’s Forest world is also more strongly grounded in British faery tales. Hold Me Fast, Fear Me Not is a “Tam Lin” retelling with some “Little Red Riding Hood” elements. Any future work set in this world will also be based on ballads, faery tales, or folk stories. For example, one of my works on hold is a novella based on “The Tale of Cupid and Psyche.”
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