Post details: I Do!: An Anthology in Support of Marriage Equality

04/07/09

I Do!: An Anthology in Support of Marriage Equality

I Do!: An Anthology in Support of Marriage Equality. Kris Jacen, ed. Albion, NY: ManLoveRomance Press, 2009. paperback. 289 pp. $13.49. ISBN: 9781934531709.

I Do! is a new collection of twenty GLBT fantasy, historical fiction, and contemporary short stories. All proceeds from this book’s sale go to the Lambda Legal Fund’s fight against Proposition 8 in California. The table of contents identifies both the sexual orientation of the story and its “heat rating,” a scale of explicit sexual content ranging from “sweet” to “spicy” to “scorching.”

A number of stories in this anthology truly excel. Clare London’s “Outed” is a brief, humorous story about a British family’s birthday party that goes awry when Rob is “outed” by his Auntie Queenie. Lisabet Sarai’s “Making Memory” is a touching story of a chance encounter between Nicole and Maggie (women haunted by memories and loss) and the moment of “summer,” intimacy, and comfort they share.

Tracey Pennington’s “The Lindorm’s Twin” and Alex Beecroft’s “Desire and Disguise” each have narrative and structural faults. “The Lindorm’s Twin” is an intriguing twist on the familiar tale of The Prince and the Pauper but fails to achieve its potential with its abrupt shifts and poor foundation. Beecroft’s “Desire and Disguise” is historical fiction, told through the perspective of a desperate straight man who unintentionally receives sexual release from a gay man in drag, or so it initially seems. This narrative perspective is cumbersome and difficult to follow but eventually offers unique insights into these types of encounters and what it means to be transgendered.

This anthology offers everything from warm, thought-provoking stories to erotica. The result is a varied mixture of mostly quality work, and the TOC guide can direct readers toward their personal literary preferences. This anthology would make an excellent addition to any established GLBT fiction collection.

Reviewed by Jason D. Phillips
Government Documents & United Nations
Reference Librarian
Mitchell Memorial Library
Mississippi State University

Permalink . Tracy . 09:22:02 am . 325 Words . Book and DVD Reviews from our Newsletter, Fiction . Email . 177 views . 4 comments

Comments:

Comment from: Lee Rowan [Visitor] Email · http://www.lee-rowan.net
Thanks for the review! According to royalty reports, I Do has already made about $1000 for Lambda Legal!

Slight correction: Pennington's story is a retelling of the fairytale, "The Swan Princes." "The Prince and the Pauper" is a novel by Mark Twain.
PermalinkPermalink 04/22/09 @ 20:21
Comment from: Clare London [Visitor] Email · http://www.clarelondon.co.uk
Many thanks for the review, and I'm glad you enjoyed 'Outed'! I could be accused of being biased - being one of the authors - but I genuinely think this anthology is one of the best I've ever read, either in or out of the genre, for the range and quality of fiction included. And we're all thrilled at the level of response so far.
PermalinkPermalink 04/23/09 @ 03:47
Comment from: Tracey [Visitor] Email
Hello! Thank you for the review. One thing--"The Lindorm's Twin" is a retelling of two tales. One is Andersen's "The Six Swans", which is where Andor, his sister Elsie, his brother Hans-Otto and the sorceress wife of the lindorm come from. The lindorm himself comes from a relatively obscure Swedish tale called "King Lindorm," which can be found here: http://www.mythfolklore.net/andrewlang/432.htm. And Stefan himself is an example of the Youngest Child Wins trope so common in fairy tales.
PermalinkPermalink 04/27/09 @ 15:59
Comment from: Tracy [Member] Email
Thank you to everyone for these fantastic comments. And thank you so much, Tracey, for the explanation on your story.

I don't know if any of you have seen this, but here are some results from your generous donations to Lambda Legal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc2m7yWQsQA

You're heroes.
PermalinkPermalink 04/28/09 @ 15:25

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