Y S Lee

Author of Young Adult, Historical and Mystery Novels

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    • A Spy in the House
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    • The Body at the Tower
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    • The Traitor in the Tunnel
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Short Stories

 

“IN PLAIN SIGHT”

My new short story, “In Plain Sight”, takes place in chilly, drafty, verminous Kingston Penitentiary in the 1880s. (I know. Irresistible, right?)

Kirkus calls it “particularly noteworthy, tackling as it does female agency”. It’s also my first work set in my adoptive hometown, and lots of its little details are from <ahem> first-hand research. So to speak.

“In Plain Sight” is published in the Mystery Writers of America’s anthology, Life is Short and Then You Die (Macmillan), edited by Kelley Armstrong (yes, that Kelley Armstrong!).

Click here to read an exclusive excerpt.

 

“TWELVE SISTERS”

A dozen years ago, a random soldier solved the mystery of the Twelve Dancing Princesses’ nightly adventures, married the eldest princess, and became heir to the kingdom. The problem? He turned out to be a complete bastard.

This is the story of what happened next, complete with meddling hedge-witches, sisterly solidarity, and justice finally served.

“Twelve Sisters” is a sequel to the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale, “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” (aka “The Worn-Out Dancing Shoes” or “The Shoes that Were Danced to Pieces”). The story stands on its own but you may want to read the original fairy tale first.

“Twelve Sisters” is now available as an e-book on Smashwords and Kobo. Because we’re living in such stressful times, I’ve made it free to download as a comfort read. (The opening is dark, but things get better.)

Here’s an excerpt from the story.

 

“THE LEGENDARY GARRETT GIRLS”

“The Legendary Garrett Girls” is about a pair of barkeep sisters scrambling to outwit legendary real-life conman Soapy Smith in Gold Rush Alaska.

It’s published in Jessica Spotswood’s anthology, A Tyranny of Petticoats: 15 Stories of Belles, Bank Robbers and Other Badass Girls (Candlewick Press). The collection features short stories from major YA authors including Elizabeth Wein, Marie Lu, Marissa Meyer, Kekla Magoon and Beth Revis.

Click here to read an excerpt from “The Legendary Garrett Girls”.

And here’s the story behind my research for “The Legendary Garrett Girls”, complete with bibliography.

 

***

Below is partial list of things I’ve written elsewhere. Some pieces are attempts to think through writerly questions; others are packed with fun facts about the Victorian era; the rest is frivolity (but no less interesting to me).

On Writing

“A History of Violence”, or why I embrace violence in historical fiction

“Writing Diversity in Dialogue”

“Ahistorical Fiction” (that’s not a typo!)

“The E Word” (The dirty word is “exotic”, if you were wondering.)

As one of the History Girls

As a former member of The History Girls, I collected my past posts here.

Holocaust Literature for Younger Children

An interview with debut author Mackenzi Lee (no relation to me)

Literary-historical dogs I have known

Memoir vs. fiction

Meeting Mr. Punch – an encounter with Punch and Judy in North Wales

Review: The Chinese Love Pavilion – review of the 1960 novel by Paul “Raj Quartet” Scott

Nona Baker – a vicar’s daughter survives WWII by hiding in the Malayan jungle with Communist guerrillas

The Victorian Tattoo – no, really!

Author Math – plotting the details of historical travel

“Set Europe Ablaze” – amateur spies in the Second World War

Bikes, Bars & Bloomers – fashion, cycling, and cultural revolution in the 1880s

Freddy Spencer Chapman – my historical boyfriend

The King’s Evil – mmm, scrofula!

Kingston Penitentiary

Victoriana

To celebrate the publications of the first three Agency novels, I wrote a bunch of blog posts on Victorian themes. They’re collected here, for you.

Victorian Obsessions: Death, Drugs, and We’re Afraid of Our Food (or plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose)

Notorious Victorians: a wild collection of firebrands, reluctant revolutionaries, celebrities and rebels

8 Things You (Probably) Didn’t Know About the Victorians

 

 

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