You did it! We figured this one out! It is a truth universally acknowledged (by me for certain) that the Bitchery pretty much knows everything, and really, it's true. Scroll down to see the solution for this HaBO - and many thanks!
This HaBO request is from Rachel, who is looking for a book she used to sneakily read during Catholic school:
I’m hoping to find the book that contained my first naughty scene, read while I hid in the back of my Catholic school classroom, ahhh memories. That was 1988, but the book could’ve been a few years old. Here’s what I remember:
There’s a grand mansion on a hill in the 1910s or 20s (maybe 1900). The man who owns it is throwing a huge costume party. It might be New Year’s Eve. He throws the switch on a giant machine and the mansion, guests included, disappears forever.
Present day. Our hero decides to go hiking up the hill where the mansion used to be. He’s the descendant of the owner (he might not know this). Strange animals have been sighted on the hill, but he doesn’t care. He gets close to the top and meets a girl with butterfly wings instead of arms. She was an Irish maid in the household and slipped on the butterfly wing costume piece just for a second. That was when the machine started, and she became the costume. So did everyone else. They’re the crazy animals on the hill. She tells him all this while making soup, holding the spoon with her toes (as you do when you have butterfly wings for arms). There are sexy times and her wings fold around him like a tent.
Eventually our hero makes it to the top of the hill where the machine is making the mansion and the people/animals flickering in and out of time. He has to turn the machine off. He does and then…. I can’t remember if the butterfly girl maid gets to stay in his time or has to go back. I’d love to revisit this literary jewel, can anyone help me out?
Please, please, please?
Someone has to remember a woman with butterfly wings! What do you think? Can we help her out?
Waaahhhhhhh?
Holy cow! I want to read this! Wow, I hope someone knows what this book is!
I’m in, someone has to know this.
I don’t know this book, but it sounds like someone had a really weird acid trip while writing it. (Also, it reminds me of a plot point in the 2nd Halloweentown movie–Kalabar’s son turns everyone into their Halloween costumes as a way to get even with mortals for making his people go to another realm.)
I have no idea what this book is, but I must read it now!
Gimme gimme gimme!
Someone please, PLEASE, solve this one!
So nobody? The more I think about it, it may have been fantasy with a lot of romance and sexy times. Still, I was hoping somebody had an idea…
I want to read this book too! As soon as we all figure out what it is. I did my librarian search thing and come up with the 2001 item “Across A Moonswept Moor” by Julie Moffett. Is this it or even close?
http://www.juliemoffett.com/TTRomPage.html
Seems like a good book regardless of the actual item you are trying to find. I have gotten a sudden eye problem that has me squinting and seasick; hoping doctor can figure it out or it just goes away after I overdraw my bank account to pay for tests not covered by insurance. Meantime I got “Across A Moonswept Moor” in audio format and will give it a listen.
Just wondering if “irish” might actually be “scottish” because many Gaelic time travel them books are all about men in kilts. Or out of of them 😉 Anyhow, the way this HABO is described really makes me want to read it. Or hear it if my future says my sudden rotten eyesight is here to stay.
People, keep looking for this please!
Thanks, Smoeky
Hi Smokey, Thanks for searching but “Across A Moonswept Moor” doesn’t look like it. This was in the woods, on a mountainside, with time controlling machine at the top of the mountain. But hey, thanks for the new book to add to my TBR list!
I’m running as many search types as I can and am running up short every time. Sorry guys. We have got to solve this one!!
I WANT I NEED
The girl turning into a butterfly reminds me of the Irish myth of Etain. Was that the character’s name, perchance?
It looks like this person is looking for a similar (or same?) book. More details:
https://www.sffchronicles.com/threads/551266/
I have been searching in vain for this novel for years. Vague memories: Paperback, thick, about a family (searching, lost, transported?) I remember the father and son sighted a girl in the forest who had no arms, but instead had wings. The father explained that you cannot touch a butterfly wing and disturb the dust on it. Somehow people were being changed so that animal or insect features were incorporated in a sinister fashion. I remember a dome with glass or crystal ceiling, and I want to say that a giant turbine or mention of Tesla was involved. I think the family might have been from the future, because I believe the mother taught the children to use thread as dental floss. Any help would be most appreciated!
Just an addition to Regina’s post – the person asking at ssfchronicles states that she’s been looking for the book since the Fifties – so it’s a fairly old book – which might help any searches.
I definitely want to read this book now.
It sounds kind of like, but is definitely not, The Things With Wings, which is a kids book that confused the hell out of me because I was a dedicated rule follower and the message of that book seemed to be “if you ignore you’re parents you will LITERALLY BE ABLE TO FLY.”
Sorry for the derail, but once I thought of that book I had to vent. Carry on!
In reference to Regina’s post, I can’t say I identify any of the bizarrely amazing animal people details, but a mother teaching the children to floss with thread is very definitely mentioned, using almost those exact words, in the accidental time travel novel The Mirror by Marlys Millhiser. It’s not from the fifties (Google says 1978), but the flossing thing is so similar I had to say something.
I read it on holiday when I was about 19 and I remember the book as one of the best things I’ve ever read. I’m a bit scared to reread it now, so I think I’ll just let it simmer happily on the back hob of my memories.
I read this book too. I’m searching for it every where. If I’m not mistaken it is called Wildwood. I can’t seem to find it under that name. It was written around the 70’s. The only thing I can find for Wildwood is a children’s book series, bit this was no children’s book. I wish I could just remember who wrote it.
Yes! Yes yes yes yes, yes! That’s it Jboz. Wildwood by John Farris. No mentions of the butterfly girl on the Amazon reviews but the house blinking in and out of existence is there. Apparently it was horror and I missed giant parts of the story. Can’t wait to read it again!
http://www.amazon.com/Wildwood-John-Farris-ebook/dp/B00AXOQIZO/
Look horribly dated book trailer:
Awesome! I’m so glad you found it. I searched amazon too, but apparently I was looking in the wrong place. I read that book probably 3 times. The last time was about 15 years ago. It’s a great story and I’m happy to help.
To everyone who wants to read it, I promise you won’t regret it.