the Dalaverse

I completely forgot to describe the book I got at the Baltimore Book Festival. Y'all will appreciate it, I think.

It's a reasonably-sized YA novel by local author Kate Dolan (autographed, actually). There's a clipper ship against a sunset on the frong cover, and it's called Langley's Choice, which hee because of Dr. L. That caught my attention, but the blurb on the back ensured I was not walking out of that city without this book. I shall transcribe it for you now.

"A privateer kidnaps the bored daughter of a Maryland planter...

It's 1713, and Caroline Carter yearns for a taste of adventure. Tired of the secluded life on her father's tobacco plantation... less than thrilled with her engagement to the diffident, awkward Josiah Throckmorton... Caroline decides to masquerade as a boy and sneak into a tavern displaying a sailor's treasures from ancient Greece.

But the adventure proves to be more than she bargained for when Caroline awakens the next day as a prisoner aboard the 'Osprey,' a privateer headed south to capture pirates. While Josiah reluctantly joins her brother on a rescue mission, Caroline starts to wonder if she really wants to be caught - that is, by anyone other than her captain, Edward Talbot. And Josiah wonders just what he will do when he catches the blackguard and the woman who is ruining his life."

Seriously. Does that not give (the general) you as a fan fiction writer warm fuzzy feelings?? This shit is published! I'm so tickled. I've read a few pages and it's not that bad -- the prose is a little self-conscious, but it shouldn't be so noticeable once the plot picks up (haven't met Captain Edward Talbot yet, although I have totally cast Jamie Bamber as Josiah). The author wrote another historical fiction novel, set just prior to the Revolution in Annapolis (because, in case you didn't know? HISTORICAL MARYLAND IS SO COOL!), and Gina bought that so we can trade later on.

Oh, there's gonna be another one! From the website (www.katedolan.com):

"SHADOW OF THE BLACK FLAG
Pirate Henry Avery disappeared with one of the largest fortunes ever taken on the high seas, but he's afraid to spend it for fear of attracting too much attention. Tired of living like a pauper, his daughter sets sail with Captain Charles Vane to follow a map to the hidden treasure. Missionary Charles Carter, and sometime pirate Edward Talbot (from Langley's Choice follow her and the map for their own reasons. This story follows the accounts of real pirates including Avery, Vane, Calico Jack Rackam and even Blackbeard."

AWESOME.