It’s nice that some non-gay writers include us in their stories. I’m thinking of Lawrence Block’s Matt Scudder detective novels in which he has an amusing lesbian friend who is a dog groomer. Very respectful and matter-of-fact that she’s a dyke. But that doesn’t make the novels lesbian any more than the presence of Robert B. Parker’s gay male bartender and strongman in his Spenser series makes the books gay male.

How about Sylvia Plath’s much revered novel The Bell Jar? The writer implies that a secondary character, who typically for that era commits suicide, is gay. Or Mary McCarthy’s The Group, in which one of eight old college friends has a woman lover. Should we consider these lesbian books?

And Mary Oliver, a lesbian, but the reader must hunt for allusions to her affectional orientation, and then be uncertain. Her beloved books are probably included every lesbian library and the poems express the experience of one lesbian. Can they be claimed as our literature? Hardly.

Leonardo Padura Fuentes, novelist, critic and essayist, wrote, “I bury myself in Cuba deeply so that I can express what Cuba is, and have not left Cuba because I am a Cuban writer and I can’t be anything else.”

Padura Fuentes creates Cuban literature. Substitute the word “lesbian” for “Cuba” and his sentence describes an author of lesbian literature. Genre doesn’t matter, nor era, fiction or non-fiction. Truly lesbian writing delves deep into the lesbian psyche, not to the exclusion of the rest of human experience, but through the unique perspective of gay women.

Jeannette Foster’s renowned and lengthy history and analysis of writings which hint of, refer to, or portray lesbians, is titled Sex Variant Women in Literature. Itself decidedly a prime example of what I call lesbian literature, the book does not pretend to examine that subject, but only to identify dykes in writings since the Bible. That is lesbians in literature, not lesbian literature.

Again, when Barbara Grier published her bibliography, she included hundreds of works that may only have brushed against the rare gay female individual. The title she chose was The Lesbian In Literature, not lesbian literature.

Neither author claimed to address actual lesbian literature. There was little of it to examine in any case.

And now the label is being slapped on all sorts of books, and categorized that way by LGBTQ people themselves. This trend is not encouraging queer women to tenaciously explore and document our lesbian experiences. It only encourages the assimilation that manifests in crossover books, books written to appeal to all readers. It only discourages most publishers from accepting submissions whose focus is fully and earnestly lesbian. It only denies lesbian readers works that reflect the reality of our lives.

While it’s true that we can only write that which inspires us, when teachers, editors, agents and awards administrators, among others, hold mainstream writing as the standard, and all but ignore books with an exclusively lesbian focus, they lead us away from serious, in depth examination of our lesbian selves. No matter how popular or literary, including a gay female character or a dalliance between women or a minor character who is questioning—none of those are legitimately part of lesbian literature.

This may smack of separatism and early gay liberation, but we have a right to our own cultures, whatever kind of queer we are. As we focus our words on ourselves, we build a legacy for the future-dykes of two or two hundred years, whether next door to us or in a place where queericide is the norm.

When I see today’s writers of unabashed lesbian stories who show the same spirit as Jane Rule, Isabel Miller, and Radclyffe Hall not getting their due, I wonder how far have we really come? These are the women who are struggling to communicate the essence of who we are by writing from their very lesbian hearts.

Copyright Lee Lynch 2019

March 2019

The post The Amazon Trail: What is lesbian literature? first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Under the Mink – Image via Amazon.com

Sexy, funny, suspenseful, romantic, heartbreaking- Lisa E. Davis’s thriller “Under the Mink” packs a lot of punches into a slim novel. “Under the Mink” takes place in 1949 and stars Blackie Cole – a sexy dapper boi singer/entertainer. Blackie plies her trade at Greenwich Village hotspot “The Candy Box”, which is run by mob boss, Stevie. When Blackie becomes a witness to a violent murder of a gay socialite at The Candy Box, her life is turned upside down.  Blackie, motivated to find the killer, is led down a path that changes the course of her life forever.

Personally, my favorite part of the book was the love triangle between Blackie Cole, her new crush, Didi Fletcher-Payne and her abusive alcoholic ex-girlfriend, Renee. Just because good, old-fashioned dyke drama is always fun. Davis also peppers the book with pictures of dapper butch performers and their dames, and that really helps bring Blackie, Didi and Renee to life.

The mob also plays a large part in this story, as Stevie is both Blackie’s protector and her biggest threat. “Under the Mink” was heavily researched through interviews with performers of the era and Davis perfectly captures the symbiotic but perilous partnership between LGBT performers and the mob. It’s an important piece of LGBT history that is often overlooked. Davis sheds light on it without being heavy handed or melodramatic. She describes Stevie’s frustration over not being able to pimp Blackie out to men after shows, due to her unwillingness to become a prostitute. Davis also details the butch lesbians who gave blowjobs to patrons of the bar after the show and the femmes that were recruited into bordellos. The fictional Candy Box operated much like the non-fictional queer nightclubs at the time gave queer men and women a place to express themselves, earn a living and perform in drag, but Davis doesn’t shy away from the fact that this freedom came at a cost.

Image via Vice.com

Davis’s research also manifests itself in the vivid descriptions of 1949’s New York City. The politics are on point and prejudices intact. The dialogue is snappy and pops with 40s era colloquialisms, which are fun and innocent sounding in 2015. But make no mistake, “Under the Mink” is anything but innocent. Davis takes on homophobia, prostitution, alcoholism, racism and murder- dressing it up in a gay tone and lots of slapstick hijinks…Oh! And a ton of sex. If you’re into that sort of thing.

“Under the Mink” is a great as a summer beach read or morning commute page-turner. Just make sure you don’t miss your subway stop!

Pick up a copy of “Under the Mink” here and stay tuned for our interview with Lisa E. Davis!

The post Review of Lesbian Thriller “Under the Mink” by Lisa E. Davis first appeared on Lesbian.com.

When Christine Svendsen’s first book was turned away by publishers, she launched her own publishing company.

Now, four years later, she’s got a stable full of award-winning lesbian authors and her own award-winning books published under the pseudonym Isabella via Sapphire Books.

“Believe in yourself. Rejection isn’t the end of a story, it can be a beginning,” Svendsen said. “Looking back, I didn’t think in terms of what if this doesn’t work? I only thought of the possibilities.”

Sapphire Books is offering anyone who likes their Facebook page a free book. After you like the page, email to Svendsen.

Svendsen took time out of her busy schedule to share the secrets to Sapphire’s success with us.

What do you do and why?

I’m the publisher and an author at Sapphire Books Publishing. I started Sapphire Books Publishing in 2010. We publish lesbian novels, written by lesbians. Our authors include Linda Kay Silva, Kim Pritekel, Beth Burnett, Karelia Stetz-Waters, Linda North, Lynette Mae, Riley Adair Garret, Lorraine Howell, Rhavensfyre and Stephanie Kusiak.

What did you do before you started your company?

I do the same thing now as I did when I started Sapphire Books, I work as a community college instructor in California. My current job affords me the luxury of working remote for most of my work load. The flexibility allows me to set my own hours, which really helps with the publishing company.

How did you come up with the idea for your company?

I had submitted my first manuscript to two publishers and was rejected by both. One said they weren’t looking for my type of story at that time. The other company wanted me to completely rewrite the story and resubmit. I thought long and hard about rewriting it. After talking to my wife, I decided that I’d try and publish it myself.

I researched self-publishing, looked at all the options and decided to start a publishing company. I’d always thought about growing the company at some point, but that was in the future. When Linda Kay Silva, a popular lesbian author, left her publishing company, I sent her an email. We met and discussed writing, publishing and motorcycles. It clicked for us and the company took off from that point. We’ve signed some really awesome writers. I have to say that I’m thrilled to work with some really talented ladies.

What do you find most rewarding about owning your own business?

I get to work with some amazingly talented women. They write books that blow my socks off.

Where do you see yourself / your company in five years? Hopes / dreams / plans?

Sapphire Books isn’t going anywhere. We’re in it for the long haul and plan on adding to our already growing list of fantastic authors.

What resources would you recommend to someone who is contemplating starting her own business?

Research the industry. Do your homework and ask questions. Learn everything you can and even then there will still be things that surprise you, so plan to be surprised. Roll with it, flexibility is important in today’s business world.

Social media is starting to play a huge role in business and it’s important that you treat social media as a tool in the business tool box.

Go to conferences, meet people in your industry and make sure to check out the competition. See what they are doing right and notice what isn’t working. IBPA and SPAN are great resources, if you really want to get into publishing.

Finally, be persistent.

What’s the process for an aspiring author to get published with Sapphire?

First, write your book. Polish the manuscript. Send the best work possible, you only get one chance to make a first impression. Sapphire isn’t the traditional lesbian publisher. We don’t have a formula. I like to think we publish great books that a lot of other publishers wouldn’t touch. For example, we’ve published books that were over 500 pages, most publishers in lesbian fiction won’t publish long manuscripts. We’ve published some truly scary books about serial killers and fetish killers. We also have published erotic books, Sci Fi, paranormal as well as romance. We just signed an author who writes the Happy Lesbian Housewife blogs and she has been referred to as “the love child of Erma Bombeck and Chelsea Handler,” so we are pretty open as long as they have strong lesbian characters, written by lesbians. Writers can contact me at publisher@sapphirebooks.com.

What would you say is the single most important key to sustaining a business long term?

Have a plan and be flexible. I can’t say that enough. The industry is constantly changing and we need to change with it.

What obstacles did you face in establishing your company and how did you overcome them?

I think the biggest obstacle I faced was being taken serious, both as a writer and as a publisher. I won an award for my first book and that started the ball rolling. When we signed Linda Kay Silva, a lot of people started to take notice.

After that, we signed some pretty awesome talent and our authors started winning awards, which moved Sapphire Books up on the list to be noticed.

Follow Sapphire Books on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Enterprising women: Sapphire Books, Christine Svendsen first appeared on Lesbian.com.

After playing bad cop for two years, award-winning author Linda Kay Silva found her passion in teaching. She started writing as a disgruntled reader, looking for more than the standard coming out fare. That’s why she’s created bad-ass lesbian heroine after bad-ass lesbian herione.

Silva’s best advice for aspiring writers: Write. Don’t find the time, make the time. We’re grateful that she made the time to answer our questions on her way to Palm Springs.

Enjoy an excerpt from Silva’s latest book, “Demon Hunter.”

How did you get started writing?

I’ve always loved words, but I started writing seriously when I threw a famous lesbian writer’s book against the wall because I was so tired of the same drivel, the same tired coming out story. I decided I could do better, so I did. I got rejected over and over again, but I kept plugging away. I believe in myself. I do not suffer false humility. I knew I could write. I knew I needed to be dedicated to it. It paid off, as I have had four publishers at different times in my life.

When I left Bella for a better paycheck (you’d crap if you knew how little money your favorite lesbian authors really make), Isabella at Sapphire contacted me. She said, “We’re new, but I think we can grow with your help.”

I saw sincerity and integrity in her and signed immediately. I’ve never had more freedom or more support, and the best part is, we really are a family. We like each other. We party together. We Skype. It’s wonderful. Being a writer is a solitary endeavor, so to have sisters who are so loving and supportive, is a wonderful addition to our lives. Sapphore is a comer. We are doing a lot of things right.

Prior to being an author (or concurrent with it), what did you do for a living? How has it informed your work?

I was a shitty cop for about 2 years, but that experience gave me the irascible Delta Stevens. Delta is the cop I never could be. It’s a hard job and those who can do it well are priceless. I wasn’t that good.

Then I found my calling and became a teacher, then a professor. I am a literature professor who teaches British, world and American literature, modern epic fantasy, African literature, women’s lit and Asian literature. I love my job and I hope to teach until I no longer breathe. Obviously, reading all of those books has had an enormous impact on me.

What writers inspire you and why?
I grew up reading the Clives — Clive Cussler and Clive Barker. I love the way their stories are never linear. They are complex. I am complex. Women are complex. We need more than a girl-meets-girl story. I read smart writers and, in turn, I try to give my readers a smart read as well. I make no bones about it, I am an intellectual snob. I abhor idiocy, stupidity and pablum. Make readers expand their universe, test the boundaries of what they think they know. To question what is and what could be. That’s what I want from my writers and what I try to give to my readers. I want to crawl under their skin and help change their lives. That’s who I am and why I exist in this world. I am an agent of change. It is what I have been doing as a teacher for 30 years and I have hundreds of students on my FB who will attest to that.

If we woke up every morning saying, “I wonder who’s life I am going to touch today,” we could change the world. I mentor middle school writers, GCLS writers and I rescue reptiles. Every day, we get the opportunity to make positive changes in the world around us. It’s why I write. I know that I touch lives. It’s the greatest feeling in the world. Yvonne Heldt is a writer who won Debut Author at GCLS last year. She emailed me several years ago to tell me that my Echo series resonated with her because she has had paranormal experiences. I suggested she write her story. She did. She won. We’re pals. She is supportive and loving plus I got a good friend out of it. How cool is that?

What are your favorite books and why?
“Fried Green Tomatoes” by Fannie Flagg(“You’re nothin’ but a bee charmer, Iggy Threadgood.”)
“Anything” by Elizabeth Peters (Her heroine is lovely.)

But the ONLY book I’ve read more than once is “Six of One” by Rita Mae Brown. When Celeste Chalfonte tears her lover’s blouse off in a heat of passion, Ramelle wakes up to find a dozen different colored blouses on the bed to make up for it. If that’s not southern manners, I don’t know what is. Perfectly romantic. I wish Rita Mae would get back to that kind of writing and end her obsession with cats. LOL. I miss her.

If you could have a dinner party with anyone, living or dead, who would you invite?
Queen Elizabeth I
Cleopatra
John Adams
Hildegarde Von Bingen
Sigourney Weaver
Katherine De Medici

That would make for a fun crowd.

What’s your writing process like?

I am a rare breed. I write long hand with a fountain pen on binder paper. That way, I am not reliant on batteries or energy, and since I travel so much (I am on my way to Palm Springs as I write this), I can do it anywhere. I write every day, usually in the mornings so that my writing gets my best energy, but I write all throughout the day and night. I think young writers, or those who are seriously wanting to publish, need to make it a priority. When people ask me, “How do you find the time to write, since you work two full-time jobs, mentor, play tennis and ride the Harley?” My answer is simple. I do not find the time. I make the time. Big difference. If you truly want to write, make the time. Otherwise, build a birdhouse.

What’s next for you?

I’ve just started a kick ass-series about a reluctant demon hunter whose lover is a ghost. I am bringing out the Delta Stevens series again and I have a couple of standalones I want to publish. I am definitely a series writer, but I have a few standalones I think are good reads and show a side of me few get to see.

See, I have this Harley riding, demon slaying, zombie killing badder-than-bad ass image to uphold, but the truth of the matter is I am a peace-loving Druid who rarely raises her voice, who likes tranquility over chaos and whose favorite thing is to sit by my pond and just be. Few know or even get to see that side of me, but it’s there. Buried beneath leathers and a hard candy shell.

How has your writing evolved over time?

Oh my, sometimes it is hard to read the earlier stuff. I have become much better at planting seeds for my series. I plan better. I am more descriptive and I can pace a character’s growth better. As I have grown and changed, so have they.

WORKS BY LINDA KAY SILVA
The Demon Hunter Series
– Demon Hunter

Man Eaters Series
– Man Eaters
– The Horde
– Mob Rule

Echo Branson Paranormal Series
– Echo’s Revenge
– Magical Echo
– Frozen Echo
– When an Echo Returns (Golden Literary Award Winner)
– More than an Echo (Golden Literary Award Winner)

Time Travel Series
– In the Nick of Time
– Just Killing Time (Golden Literary Award Winner)
– Third Time’s a Charm
– Second Time Around
– Across Time

Delta Stevens Police Series
– Thunderstorm
– Storm Rising
– Tropical Storm
– Storm Front
– Weathering the Storm
– Storm Shelter
– Taken by Storm (Nominated for a Lambda Literary Award)

Standalones
– Lucky
– Tory’s Tuesday

The post Linda Kay Silva bests fictional zombies, demons first appeared on Lesbian.com.