Lesbian literature
Encyclopedia
This is a list of books portraying sexual relations between female characters, who may include lesbians, bisexuals and WSW
s.
Modern fiction (post-Stonewall
, Georgia Beers, Ellen Dean
, Radclyffe
, and Marianne K. Martin.
Gay male author Geoff Ryman
's Arthur C. Clarke Award
-winning The Child Garden
features a lesbian protagonist.
, manga
or comic books) are paired in romantic, spiritual, or sexual relationships. The genre is known by a variety of terms, including femslash
, saffic, yuri and f/f slash. Lesbian content in fanfiction dates at least to 1977, but has become more popular during the 1990s and 2000s.
Women who have sex with women
Women who have sex with women is a term used to identify women who engage in sexual activities with other women, whether or not they identify themselves as lesbian or bisexual...
s.
Classic fiction and drama
- The Bachelor Girl – Victor MargueritteVictor MargueritteVictor Margueritte and his brother Paul Margueritte, , French novelists, both born in Algeria, were the sons of General Jean Auguste Margueritte , who after an honorable career in Algeria was mortally wounded in the great cavalry charge at Sedan, and died in Belgium, on September 6, 1870...
– (1922) - The Well of LonelinessThe Well of LonelinessThe Well of Loneliness is a 1928 lesbian novel by the British author Radclyffe Hall. It follows the life of Stephen Gordon, an Englishwoman from an upper-class family whose "sexual inversion" is apparent from an early age...
– Radclyffe HallRadclyffe HallRadclyffe Hall was an English poet and author, best known for the lesbian classic The Well of Loneliness.- Life :...
– (1928) – subject of an obscenity trial that banished the book in the United Kingdom until 1949, though "there are no descriptions of sex in it, no rude words, and the lesbian lovers do not live happily ever after." - Ladies AlmanackLadies AlmanackLadies Almanack, or Ladies Almanack: showing their Signs and their Tides; their Moons and their Changes; the Seasons as it is with them; their Eclipses and Equinoxes; as well as a full Record of diurnal and nocturnal Distempers, written & illustrated by a lady of fashion, written by Djuna Barnes in...
– Djuna BarnesDjuna BarnesDjuna Barnes was an American writer who played an important part in the development of 20th century English language modernist writing and was one of the key figures in 1920s and '30s bohemian Paris after filling a similar role in the Greenwich Village of the teens...
– (1928) - Orlando: A BiographyOrlando: A BiographyOrlando: A Biography is an influential novel by Virginia Woolf, first published on 11 October 1928. A semi-biographical novel based in part on the life of Woolf's lover Vita Sackville-West, it is generally considered one of Woolf's most accessible novels...
– Virginia WoolfVirginia WoolfAdeline Virginia Woolf was an English author, essayist, publisher, and writer of short stories, regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century....
– (1928) - The Autobiography of Alice B. ToklasThe Autobiography of Alice B. ToklasThe Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas is a 1933 book by Gertrude Stein, written in the guise of an autobiography authored by Alice B. Toklas, who was her lover.-Summary:-Before I came to Paris:...
– Gertrude SteinGertrude SteinGertrude Stein was an American writer, poet and art collector who spent most of her life in France.-Early life:...
– (1933) – one of Stein's more accessible works. Others, whose lesbian content may not be apparent to the uninformed reader, include As a Wife Has a Cow: A Love Story, Lifting Belly, and Miss Furr and Miss Skeene. - The Children's HourThe Children's Hour (play)The Children's Hour is a 1934 stage play written by Lillian Hellman. It is a drama set in an all-girls boarding school run by two women, Karen Wright and Martha Dobie. An angry student, Mary Tilford, runs away from the school and to avoid being sent back she tells her grandmother that the two...
– Lillian HellmanLillian HellmanLillian Florence "Lily" Hellman was an American playwright, linked throughout her life with many left-wing causes...
– (1934) - NightwoodNightwoodNightwood is a 1936 novel by Djuna Barnes first published in London by Faber and Faber. An edition published in the United States in 1937 by Harcourt, Brace included an introduction by T. S. Eliot.....
– Djuna BarnesDjuna BarnesDjuna Barnes was an American writer who played an important part in the development of 20th century English language modernist writing and was one of the key figures in 1920s and '30s bohemian Paris after filling a similar role in the Greenwich Village of the teens...
– (1936) - Torchlight to ValhallaTorchlight to ValhallaTorchlight to Valhalla is a lesbian-themed novel published by Random House in 1938, written by Gale Wilhelm. The novel is considered a classic in lesbian fiction, being one of the few hardbound novels with lesbian content to be published in the early 20th century. Quite rare for lesbian fiction in...
– Gale Wilhelm – (1938) - Spring FireSpring FireSpring Fire, is a 1952 paperback novel written by Marijane Meaker, under the pseudonym "Vin Packer". It is often considered to be the first lesbian pulp novel, although it also addresses issues of conformity in 1950s American society...
– Marijane Meaker (as Vin Packer) (1952) - Le Rempart des Béguines – Françoise Mallet-JorisFrançoise Mallet-JorisFrançoise Mallet-Joris is the nom de plume of Françoise Lilar.She was born in Antwerp, the daughter of the writer Suzanne Lilar and the Belgian Minister of Justice and Minister of State Albert Lilar, and the sister of the 18th century art historian Marie Fredericq-Lilar...
(1952) – Helene, a 15 year old schoolgirl, is seduced by her father's mistress, Tamara. - The Price of SaltThe Price of SaltThe Price of Salt is a romance novel by Patricia Highsmith, written under the pseudonym Claire Morgan. The author – known as a suspense writer following the publication of her previous book, Strangers on a Train – became notorious due to the story's latent lesbian content and happy...
– Patricia HighsmithPatricia HighsmithPatricia Highsmith was an American novelist and short-story writer most widely known for her psychological thrillers, which led to more than two dozen film adaptations. Her first novel, Strangers on a Train, has been adapted for stage and screen numerous times, notably by Alfred Hitchcock in 1951...
(as Clare Morgan) – (1952) - Chocolates for Breakfast – Pamela MoorePamela Moore (author)Pamela Moore was an American writer educated at Rosemary Hall and Barnard College. Her first book, Chocolates for Breakfast, was published when she was 18 and became an international best seller...
(1956)– portrays the bond between the protagonist Courtney Farrell and her boarding school teacher Miss Rosen, and the backlash against them from other teachers and students. - Odd Girl OutOdd Girl Out (novel)Odd Girl Out is a lesbian pulp fiction novel written in 1957 by Ann Bannon . It is the first in a series of pulp fiction novels that eventually came to be known as The Beebo Brinker Chronicles. It was originally published in 1957 by Gold Medal Books, again in 1983 by Naiad Press, and again in 2001...
, I Am a WomanI Am a WomanI Am A Woman is a lesbian pulp fiction novel written in 1959 by Ann Bannon . It is the second in a series of pulp fiction novels that eventually came to be known as The Beebo Brinker Chronicles. It was originally published in 1959 by Gold Medal Books, again in 1983 by Naiad Press, and again in 2002...
, Women in the ShadowsWomen in the ShadowsWomen In The Shadows is a lesbian pulp fiction novel written in 1959 by Ann Bannon . It is the third in a series of pulp fiction novels that eventually came to be known as The Beebo Brinker Chronicles. It was originally published in 1959 by Gold Medal Books, again in 1983 by Naiad Press, and again...
, Journey to a WomanJourney to a WomanJourney to a Woman is a lesbian pulp fiction novel written in 1960 by Ann Bannon . It is the fifth in a series of pulp fiction novels that eventually came to be known as The Beebo Brinker Chronicles. It was originally published in 1960 by Gold Medal Books, again in 1983 by Naiad Press, and again in...
, and Beebo BrinkerBeebo Brinker (novel)Beebo Brinker is a lesbian pulp fiction novel written in 1962 by Ann Bannon . It is the last in a series of pulp fiction novels that eventually came to be known as The Beebo Brinker Chronicles. It was originally published in 1962 by Gold Medal Books, again in 1983 by Naiad Press, and again in 2001...
a.k.a. the "Beebo Brinker Chronicles" – Ann BannonAnn BannonAnn Bannon is an American author who, from 1957 to 1962, wrote six lesbian pulp fiction novels known as The Beebo Brinker Chronicles. The books' enduring popularity and impact on lesbian identity has earned her the title "Queen of Lesbian Pulp Fiction"...
(1957–1962) - The GroupThe Group (novel)The Group is a 1963 novel by American writer Mary McCarthy. It made the New York Times Best Seller list in 1963.- Content :In 1933, eight young female friends graduate from Vassar College. The book describes these women’s lives post-graduation, beginning with the marriage of one of the friends,...
– Mary McCarthyMary McCarthy (author)Mary Therese McCarthy was an American author, critic and political activist.- Early life :Born in Seattle, Washington, to Roy Winfield McCarthy and his wife, the former Therese Preston, McCarthy was orphaned at the age of six when both her parents died in the great flu epidemic of 1918...
(1962) - The Killing of Sister GeorgeThe Killing of Sister GeorgeThe Killing of Sister George is a 1964 play by Frank Marcus that was adapted as a 1968 film directed by Robert Aldrich.- Stage version :Sister George is a beloved character in the popular radio series Applehurst, a nurse who ministers to the medical needs and personal problems of the local villagers...
– Frank MarcusFrank MarcusFrank Marcus was a British playwright, best known for The Killing of Sister George.-Life:Frank Ulrich Marcus was born 30 June 1928 into a Jewish family in Breslau . They came to England as refugees in 1939...
– (1963) - Desert of the HeartDesert of the HeartDesert of the Heart is a 1964 lesbian-themed novel written by Jane Rule. The story was adapted loosely into the 1985 film Desert Hearts, directed by Donna Deitch. The book was originally published in hardback by Macmillan Canada...
– Jane RuleJane RuleJane Vance Rule, CM, OBC was a Canadian writer of lesbian-themed novels and non-fiction.-Biography:Born in Plainfield, New Jersey, Jane Vance Rule was the oldest daughter of Carlotta Jane and Arthur Richards Rule. She claimed she was a tomboy growing up and felt like an outsider for reaching six...
– (1964) (basis for the 1985 film Desert HeartsDesert HeartsDesert Hearts is a 1985 lesbian-themed romantic drama film loosely based on the Jane Rule novel Desert of the Heart. Directed by Donna Deitch, the film stars Helen Shaver and Patricia Charbonneau with a supporting performance by Audra Lindley....
) - Patience and SarahPatience and SarahPatience and Sarah is a 1969 historical fiction novel with strong lesbian themes by Alma Routsong, using the pen name Isabel Miller. It was originally self-published under the title A Place For Us and eventually found a publisher as Patience and Sarah in 1971.Routsong's novel is based on a...
– Isabel Miller (1969) - A Compass Error – Sybille BedfordSybille BedfordSybille Bedford, OBE was a German-born English writer. Many of her works are partly autobiographical. Julia Neuberger proclaimed her "the finest woman writer of the 20th century" while Bruce Chatwin saw her as "one of the most dazzling practitioners of modern English prose".-Early life:She was...
(1968)
Modern fiction (post-StonewallStonewall riotsThe Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City...
)
- Rubyfruit JungleRubyfruit JungleRubyfruit Jungle is the first novel by Rita Mae Brown, remarkable, in its day, for its explicit lesbianism. The novel is a bildungsroman/autobiographical account of Brown's youth and emergence as a lesbian author...
, (1973), Rita Mae BrownRita Mae BrownRita Mae Brown is an American writer. She is best known for her first novel Rubyfruit Jungle. Published in 1973, it dealt with lesbian themes in an explicit manner unusual for the time... - LoverLover (novel)Lover is a lesbian feminist novel by Bertha Harris, published in 1976 by Daughters, Inc., a small press dedicated to women's fiction. It is considered Harris's most ambitious work, and has been compared to Djuna Barnes's Nightwood and the stories of Jane Bowles...
(1976), Bertha HarrisBertha HarrisBertha Harris was an American lesbian novelist. Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, she moved to New York City in the 1960s. She is highly regarded by critics and admirers, but her novels are less familiar to the broader public.-Career and published works:She is best known for her stylistically... - The Color PurpleThe Color PurpleThe Color Purple is an acclaimed 1982 epistolary novel by American author Alice Walker. It received the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction...
(1982), Alice WalkerAlice WalkerAlice Malsenior Walker is an American author, poet, and activist. She has written both fiction and essays about race and gender... - Toothpick House (1983), Lee Lynch
- Mousson de femmes (Monsoon of women) (1985), Elula PerrinElula PerrinElula Perrin was a French-Vietnamese writer.In 1969, she and Aimée Mori founded the Katmandou, the first nightclub for women in Paris...
- The Swashbuckler (1985), Lee Lynch
- Lesbian Body (1986), Monique WittigMonique WittigMonique Wittig was a French author and feminist theorist who wrote about overcoming socially enforced gender roles and who coined the phrase "heterosexual contract". She published her first novel, L'Opoponax, in 1964...
- Say Jesus and Come to Me (1986), Ann Allen Shockley
- Memory Board (1987), Jane RuleJane RuleJane Vance Rule, CM, OBC was a Canadian writer of lesbian-themed novels and non-fiction.-Biography:Born in Plainfield, New Jersey, Jane Vance Rule was the oldest daughter of Carlotta Jane and Arthur Richards Rule. She claimed she was a tomboy growing up and felt like an outsider for reaching six...
- Six of One (1991), Rita Mae BrownRita Mae BrownRita Mae Brown is an American writer. She is best known for her first novel Rubyfruit Jungle. Published in 1973, it dealt with lesbian themes in an explicit manner unusual for the time...
- Aquamarine (1993), Carol AnshawCarol AnshawCarol Anshaw is an American novelist and short story writer. Her books include Lucky in the Corner, Seven Moves and Aquamarine. Her stories have been anthologized in The Best American Short Stories in 1994 and 1998. She acquired her MFA at Vermont College of Fine Arts...
- Bastard Out of CarolinaBastard Out of Carolina (novel)Bastard Out of Carolina was the first novel published by author Dorothy Allison. The book, which is semi-autobiographical in nature, is set in Allison's hometown of Greenville, South Carolina...
(1993), Dorothy AllisonDorothy AllisonDorothy Allison is an American writer, speaker, and member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers.-Early life:Dorothy E. Allison was born on April 11, 1949 in Greenville, South Carolina to Ruth Gibson Allison, who was fifteen at the time. Ruth was a poor and unmarried mother who worked as a... - Stone Butch BluesStone Butch BluesStone Butch Blues is a novel written by transgender activist Leslie Feinberg. The novel won the 1994 Stonewall Book Award. It tells the story of the life of a butch named Jess Goldberg and the trials and tribulations she faces growing up in the pre-Stonewall era. Published in 1993, the novel...
(1993), Leslie FeinbergLeslie FeinbergLeslie Feinberg is a transgender queer and communist activist, speaker, and author. Feinberg's first novel Stone Butch Blues is widely considered a groundbreaking work about gender.- Career :... - Chelsea GirlsChelsea GirlsChelsea Girls is a 1966 experimental underground film directed by Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey. The film was Warhol's first major commercial success after a long line of avant-garde art films...
(1994), Eileen MylesEileen MylesEileen Myles is an American poet who has also worked in fiction, non-fiction, and theater.She won a 2010 Shelley Memorial Award.-Early life and career:... - Empire of DreamsEmpire of DreamsEmpire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy is a 2004 documentary film directed by Kevin Burns and narrated by Robert Clotworthy. It documents the making of the original Star Wars trilogy: Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back , and Star Wars...
(1994), Giannina BraschiGiannina BraschiGiannina Braschi is a Puerto Rican writer. She is credited with writing the first Spanglish novel YO-YO BOING! and the poetry trilogy Empire of Dreams , which chronicles the Latin American immigrant's experiences in the United States... - Written on the Body (1994), Jeanette WintersonJeanette WintersonJeanette Winterson OBE is a British novelist.-Early years:Winterson was born in Manchester and adopted on 21 January 1960. She was raised in Accrington, Lancashire, by Constance and John William Winterson...
- Flashpoint (1995), Katherine V. ForrestKatherine V. ForrestKatherine V. Forrest is an American writer.Forrest is best known for her eight novels about lesbian police detective Kate Delafield. The character was the very first lesbian police detective in the American lesbian mystery genre and is described as "Miss Marple with k.d...
- Fall on Your KneesFall on Your KneesFall on Your Knees is a novel by Canadian playwright, actor and novelist Ann-Marie MacDonald. The novel takes place in late 19th and early 20th centuries and chronicles four generations of the complex Piper Family. It is a story of "inescapable family bonds, terrible secrets, and of miracles"...
(1996), Ann-Marie MacDonaldAnn-Marie MacDonaldAnn-Marie MacDonald is a Canadian playwright, novelist, actor and broadcast journalist who lives in Toronto, Ontario. The daughter of a member of Canada's military, she was born at an air force base near Baden-Baden, West Germany.... - Sweet Bitter Love (1997), Rita SchianoRita SchianoRita Schiano is an American writer of Italian descent. In 1997, Schiano's first novel, Sweet Bitter Love, was published by Rising Tide Press ....
- Loving Her (1997), Ann Allen Shockley
- Oranges Are Not the Only FruitOranges Are Not the Only FruitOranges Are Not the Only Fruit is a novel by Jeanette Winterson published in 1985, which she subsequently adapted into a BBC television drama...
(1997), Jeanette WintersonJeanette WintersonJeanette Winterson OBE is a British novelist.-Early years:Winterson was born in Manchester and adopted on 21 January 1960. She was raised in Accrington, Lancashire, by Constance and John William Winterson... - The Passion (1997), Jeanette WintersonJeanette WintersonJeanette Winterson OBE is a British novelist.-Early years:Winterson was born in Manchester and adopted on 21 January 1960. She was raised in Accrington, Lancashire, by Constance and John William Winterson...
- Working Parts (1997), Lucy Jane BledsoeLucy Jane BledsoeLucy Jane Bledsoe is a novelist and science writer, who writes both fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults...
- HoodHood (novel)Hood is a novel written by Irish author Emma Donoghue in 1995. The book was the recipient of the 1997 Stonewall Book Award and is heavily influenced by James Joyce's Ulysses....
(1998), Emma DonoghueEmma DonoghueEmma Donoghue is an Irish-born playwright, literary historian and novelist now living in Canada. Her 2010 novel Room was a finalist for the Man Booker Prize and an international bestseller. Donoghue's 1995 novel Hood won the Stonewall Book Award and Slammerkin won the Ferro-Grumley Award for... - LikeLike (novel)Like is the debut novel by Scottish author Ali Smith, first published in 1997 in the UK by Virago and in the following year in the US by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, it draws much from Ali Smith's own life growing up Inverness and then moving to Cambridge as a student.-Plot introduction:The novel is...
(1998), Ali SmithAli SmithAli Smith is a British writer.She was born to working-class parents, raised in a council house in Inverness and now lives in Cambridge. She studied at the University of Aberdeen and then at Newnham College, Cambridge, for a PhD that was never finished. She worked as a lecturer at University of... - Yo-Yo Boing! (1998), Giannina BraschiGiannina BraschiGiannina Braschi is a Puerto Rican writer. She is credited with writing the first Spanglish novel YO-YO BOING! and the poetry trilogy Empire of Dreams , which chronicles the Latin American immigrant's experiences in the United States...
- Kissing the Witch (1999), Emma DonoghueEmma DonoghueEmma Donoghue is an Irish-born playwright, literary historian and novelist now living in Canada. Her 2010 novel Room was a finalist for the Man Booker Prize and an international bestseller. Donoghue's 1995 novel Hood won the Stonewall Book Award and Slammerkin won the Ferro-Grumley Award for...
- Sita (2000), Kate Millet
- Stirfry (2000), Emma DonoghueEmma DonoghueEmma Donoghue is an Irish-born playwright, literary historian and novelist now living in Canada. Her 2010 novel Room was a finalist for the Man Booker Prize and an international bestseller. Donoghue's 1995 novel Hood won the Stonewall Book Award and Slammerkin won the Ferro-Grumley Award for...
- Tipping the VelvetTipping the VelvetTipping the Velvet is an historical novel written by Sarah Waters published in 1998. Set in Victorian England during the 1890s, it tells a coming of age story about a young woman named Nan who falls in love with a male impersonator, follows her to London, and finds various ways to support herself...
(2000), Sarah WatersSarah WatersSarah Waters is a British novelist. She is best known for her novels set in Victorian society, such as Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith.-Childhood:Sarah Waters was born in Neyland, Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1966.... - Gun Shy (2001), Lori L. LakeLori L. LakeLori L. Lake is an Oregon writer, teacher, speaker, and author of mystery, drama, romance, and general fiction, most of which is about lesbian protagonists...
- FingersmithFingersmith (novel)Fingersmith is a 2002 Victorian-inspired crime fiction novel by Sarah Waters.-Part one:Sue Trinder, an orphan raised in 'a Fagin-like den of thieves' by her adoptive mother, Mrs. Sucksby, is sent to help Richard 'Gentleman' Rivers seduce a wealthy heiress. Posing as a maid, Sue is to gain the trust...
(2002), Sarah WatersSarah WatersSarah Waters is a British novelist. She is best known for her novels set in Victorian society, such as Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith.-Childhood:Sarah Waters was born in Neyland, Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1966.... - AffinityAffinity (novel)Affinity is a 1999 historical fiction novel by Sarah Waters. It is the author's second novel, following Tipping the Velvet, and followed by Fingersmith.-Plot summary:...
(2002), Sarah WatersSarah WatersSarah Waters is a British novelist. She is best known for her novels set in Victorian society, such as Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith.-Childhood:Sarah Waters was born in Neyland, Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1966.... - Hotel WorldHotel WorldHotel World is a postmodern novel with influences from modernist novel written by Ali Smith portraying the stages of grief in relation to the passage of time. It won both the Scottish Arts Council Book Award and the Encore Award ....
(2002), Ali SmithAli SmithAli Smith is a British writer.She was born to working-class parents, raised in a council house in Inverness and now lives in Cambridge. She studied at the University of Aberdeen and then at Newnham College, Cambridge, for a PhD that was never finished. She worked as a lecturer at University of... - Love Ruins Everything (2002), Karen X. TulchinskyKaren X. TulchinskyKaren X. Tulchinsky is a Canadian novelist, short story writer, anthologist and screenwriter from Vancouver, British Columbia. She is openly lesbian.- Literary/ Film Television Career :...
- The Wanderground (2002), Sally Miller GearhartSally Miller GearhartSally Miller Gearhart is an American teacher, feminist, science fiction writer, and political activist. In 1973 she became the first open lesbian to obtain a tenure-track faculty position when she was hired by San Francisco State University, where she helped establish one of the first women and...
- Garis Tepi Seorang Lesbian (2003), HerlinatiensHerlinatiensHerlinatiens is an author from Indonesia.-Biography:Herlinatiens' first novel, Garis Tepi Seorang Lesbian, is about a lesbian who is discriminated against by her culture and family. The book's first run sold out quickly and the publisher started a second run two weeks later...
- Love and Other Ruins (2003), Karen X. TulchinskyKaren X. TulchinskyKaren X. Tulchinsky is a Canadian novelist, short story writer, anthologist and screenwriter from Vancouver, British Columbia. She is openly lesbian.- Literary/ Film Television Career :...
- Maybe Next Time (2003), Karin KallmakerKarin KallmakerKarin Kallmaker is the prolific American author of lesbian fiction whose works also include those originally written under the name Laura Adams. Her writings span lesbian romance, lesbian erotica, and lesbian science-fiction/fantasy...
- Crybaby Butch (2004), Judith Frank
- Love's Masquerade (2004), RadclyffeRadclyffeRadclyffe is an American author of numerous lesbian romances. A 2003/04 recipient of the Alice B. award for her body of work as well as a member of the Golden Crown Literary Society, Pink Ink, and the Romance Writers of America, she lives with her partner Lee in Upstate New York...
- Under the Witness Tree (2004), Marianne K. Martin
- Bliss (2005), Fiona ZeddeFiona ZeddeFiona Zedde is the pseudonym of Jamaican-born fiction writer, Fiona Valerie Lewis now living in the United States. Her 2005 novel, Bliss, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for debut Lesbian Fiction.-Personal Data:...
- The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky (2005), Karen X. TulchinskyKaren X. TulchinskyKaren X. Tulchinsky is a Canadian novelist, short story writer, anthologist and screenwriter from Vancouver, British Columbia. She is openly lesbian.- Literary/ Film Television Career :...
- Life Mask (2005), Emma DonoghueEmma DonoghueEmma Donoghue is an Irish-born playwright, literary historian and novelist now living in Canada. Her 2010 novel Room was a finalist for the Man Booker Prize and an international bestseller. Donoghue's 1995 novel Hood won the Stonewall Book Award and Slammerkin won the Ferro-Grumley Award for...
- Back Talk (2006), Saxon Bennett
- French Postcards (2006), Jane Merchant
- Fresh TracksFresh tracksFresh Tracks, is a training and events business based in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. The company delivers programmes worldwide with particular emphasis on United Kingdom, mainland Europe and the United Arab Emirates.-History:...
(2006), Georgia Beers - Idaho Code (2006), Joan Opyr
- Of Drag Kings and the Wheel of FateOf Drag Kings and the Wheel of FateOf Drag Kings and the Wheel of Fate is a published book of fiction in the genre of Lesbian literature set in Buffalo, New York. It was written by Susan Smith, who often goes by Smitty...
(2006), Susan "Smitty" Smith - Punk Like Me (2006), JD Glass
- The Night Watch (2006), Sarah WatersSarah WatersSarah Waters is a British novelist. She is best known for her novels set in Victorian society, such as Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith.-Childhood:Sarah Waters was born in Neyland, Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1966....
- A Taste of Sin (2006), Fiona ZeddeFiona ZeddeFiona Zedde is the pseudonym of Jamaican-born fiction writer, Fiona Valerie Lewis now living in the United States. Her 2005 novel, Bliss, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for debut Lesbian Fiction.-Personal Data:...
- Every Dark Desire (2007), Fiona ZeddeFiona ZeddeFiona Zedde is the pseudonym of Jamaican-born fiction writer, Fiona Valerie Lewis now living in the United States. Her 2005 novel, Bliss, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for debut Lesbian Fiction.-Personal Data:...
- Flight Risk (2007), Kim Baldwin
- A Girl Named Charlie Lester (2007), Carissa Halston
- Such A Pretty Face (2007), Gabrielle Goldsby
- The Teahouse FireThe Teahouse FireThe Teahouse Fire is a novel by Ellis Avery set in late nineteenth century Japan published by Riverhead in the US in 2006 and to be published by Random House in the UK as a paperback original.-Plot summary:...
(2007), Ellis Avery - Among Other Things, I’ve Taken Up Smoking (2008), Aoibheann SweeneyAoibheann Sweeney-Biography:She was raised in Massachusetts and attended Harvard University and the University of Virginia’s MFA Program, where she was a Henry Hoyns Fellow....
- Beyond the Pale (2008), Elana DykewomonElana DykewomonElana Dykewomon is a Jewish lesbian activist, award-winning author, editor and teacher.- Childhood :...
- Hungry for It (2008), Fiona ZeddeFiona ZeddeFiona Zedde is the pseudonym of Jamaican-born fiction writer, Fiona Valerie Lewis now living in the United States. Her 2005 novel, Bliss, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for debut Lesbian Fiction.-Personal Data:...
- Landing (2008), Emma DonoghueEmma DonoghueEmma Donoghue is an Irish-born playwright, literary historian and novelist now living in Canada. Her 2010 novel Room was a finalist for the Man Booker Prize and an international bestseller. Donoghue's 1995 novel Hood won the Stonewall Book Award and Slammerkin won the Ferro-Grumley Award for...
- Relief (2008), L.E. Butler
- Your Sad Eyes and Unforgettable Mouth (2008), Edeet RavelEdeet RavelEdeet Ravel is an Israeli-Canadian novelist born in Israel and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She currently lives in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.-Background:...
- Beautiful Strangers (2009), Ellen DeanEllen DeanEllen Dean is a novelist, screenwriter and journalist from County Durham, England.Before she published her first novel, Beautiful Strangers in 2009, Dean wrote features for national magazines and regional newspapers...
- Cat Rising (2009), Cynn Chadwick
- Girl Meets BoyGirl Meets BoyGirl Meets Boy is a 2007 novel by Scottish author Ali Smith and published by Canongate in the Canongate Myth Series. It was one of the 'best books of 2007' according to critics at The Independent.-Plot introduction:...
(2009), Ali SmithAli SmithAli Smith is a British writer.She was born to working-class parents, raised in a council house in Inverness and now lives in Cambridge. She studied at the University of Aberdeen and then at Newnham College, Cambridge, for a PhD that was never finished. She worked as a lecturer at University of... - Lesbians Roaring Like A Tsunami (2010), by Mikhail Volokhov
- The Girl Back Home (2010), R.E. Bradshaw
- Sweet Carolina Girls (2010), R.E. Bradshaw
- To Lie as One's Self (2010), Brendon Mustaciola
- 96 Hours (2011), Georgia Beers
- The Slayer (2011), Nadine LaPierre
Mystery novels
- Armchair DetectiveArmchair detectiveArmchair detective is a term used for a fictional investigator who does not personally visit a crime scene or interview witnesses; instead, he or she either reads the story of the crime in a newspaper, or has it recounted to him by another person. As the armchair detective never sees any of the...
, AKA Investigations Series, Book 1, lesbian sleuth-romance-erotica-adventure-mystery by Kelli Jae Baeli - Also Known as DNA, AKA Investigations Series, Book 2, lesbian sleuth-romance-erotica-adventure-mystery by Kelli Jae Baeli
- As You WereAs You WereAs You Were may refer to:* As You Were , a 2005 folk album* "As You Were" , a 2002 television episode* "As You Were" , a 1974 television episode...
, romantic suspense & mystery by Kelli Jae Baeli - Alison Kaine, a lesbian Denver, ColoradoDenver, ColoradoThe City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
police officer in mysteries by Kate AllanKate AllanKate Allan is British historical romance novelist.Allan was educated at the all-girls' Bedford High School and Repton School where she was a contemporary of actors Tom Chambers and Nicholas Burns. In 1997 she graduated from the University of York with a BA in history... - Allison O'Neill, a lesbian in mysteries by Lauren Wright Douglas
- Amanda Valentine, a lesbian detective inspector in Wellington, New Zealand by Rose Beecham
- Wilhelmina "Bil" Hardy, an amateur lesbian detective in Idaho Code and From Hell to Breakfast by Joan Opyr
- Brenda Strange, a private investigator of the weird in Tampa, FloridaTampa, FloridaTampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
by Patty Henderson - Brett Higgins, a gangster/private investigator in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, MichiganDetroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
by Therese Szymanski - Caitlin Reece, a lesbian in mysteries by Lauren Wright Douglas
- Carmen Ramirez, a 24-year-old Irish-Puerto Rican lesbian copy editor at her hometown newspaper in Frontier City, Oklahoma by Lisa Haddock
- Carol Ashton, a lesbian detective inspector in Sydney, Australia in mysteries by Claire McNabClaire McNabClaire McNab is the pseudonym of Claire Carmichael. She was born in Melbourne, Australia. While pursuing a career as a high school teacher in Sydney, she began her writing career with comedy plays and textbooks. She left teaching in the mid-eighties to become a full-time writer...
- Cassandra Reilly, a widely travelled lesbian translator in mysteries by Barbara WilsonBarbara WilsonBarbara Wilson is an African American singer, she is considered a "Hook Singer", singing the hooks on several classic West Coast hip hop songs. She was born in Hawthorne, California August 8, 1973. She is known best for her sensual soulful voice, most notably on the classic 1995 Dr.Dre song "Keep...
- Cassidy James, a lesbian private investigator based in Portland, OregonPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
in mysteries by Kate Calloway - Colleen Fitzgerald, a lesbian insurance investigator in mysteries by Barbara Johnson
- Danielle Renaud, a lesbian French-Canadian RCMP officer in mysteries by Nadine LaPierre
- Desiree "Dez" Reilly, a lesbian policewoman in St. Paul, Minnesota in mysteries by Lori L. Lake
- Emma Victor, a lesbian private investigator in San Francisco in mysteries by Mary WingsMary WingsMary Wings is an American writer, artist, and musician.In 1973 Mary Wings made history by releasing Come Out Comix, the first lesbian underground comic book. She may be best known for her series of detective novels featuring lesbian heroine Emma Victor...
- Gianna Maglione, lesbian police lieutenant in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in mysteries by Penny MickelburyPenny MickelburyPenny Mickelbury is an African-American playwright and mystery novelist who worked as a print and television journalist for ten years before concentrating on fiction writing. After leaving journalism, she taught fiction and script writing in Los Angeles and saw two of her plays produced there... - Hilary Tamar(?), an androgynous lawyer in mysteries by Sarah CaudwellSarah CaudwellSarah Caudwell was the pseudonym of Sarah Cockburn , a British barrister and writer of detective stories.She is best known for a series of four murder stories written between 1980 and 1999, centred around the lives of a group of young barristers practicing in Lincoln’s Inn and narrated by a Hilary...
. In fact, Caudwell never specified Tamar's sex. - Hyacinth Dickinson a lesbian gynaecologist and diamond smuggler in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England by Ellen DeanEllen DeanEllen Dean is a novelist, screenwriter and journalist from County Durham, England.Before she published her first novel, Beautiful Strangers in 2009, Dean wrote features for national magazines and regional newspapers...
- Jane Lawless, a lesbian restaurant owner and private investigator in Minneapolis in mysteries by Ellen HartEllen HartEllen Hart is the award-winning mystery author of the Jane Lawless and Sophie Greenaway series. She was born in Minneapolis, MN in August 1949. A professional chef for 14 years, Hart's mysteries include culinary elements similar to those of Diane Mott Davidson.The author says of her work, "I don't...
- Jet Butler, a lesbian college professor in mysteries by B. Reese Johnson
- Jo Jacuzzo, a charismatic lesbian in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New YorkBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
in mysteries by Anne Seale - Jude Devine, a lesbian sheriff's detective in Montezuma County, ColoradoMontezuma County, ColoradoMontezuma County is the southwesternmost of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 23,830 at U.S. Census 2000...
in mysteries by Rose Beecham - Kate Delafield, a lesbian LAPD homicide detective and former Marine in mysteries by Katherine V. ForrestKatherine V. ForrestKatherine V. Forrest is an American writer.Forrest is best known for her eight novels about lesbian police detective Kate Delafield. The character was the very first lesbian police detective in the American lesbian mystery genre and is described as "Miss Marple with k.d...
- Kate Martinelli, a lesbian San Francisco homicide detective in mysteries by Laurie R. KingLaurie R. KingLaurie R. King is an American author best known for her detective fiction. Among her books are the Mary Russell series of historical mysteries, featuring Sherlock Holmes as her mentor and later partner, and a series featuring Kate Martinelli, a fictional lesbian San Francisco, California, police...
- Kristin Ashe, a lesbian private investigator in mysteries by Jennifer L. Jordan
- Kellen Stewart, a therapist and a lesbian in Great Britain by Manda ScottManda ScottManda Scott is a veterinary surgeon and writer. Born and educated in Glasgow, Scotland, she trained at the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine and now lives and works in Shropshire, sharing her life with her partner, Inca the lurcher and other assorted wildlife. She is known...
- Kylie Kendall, the lesbian manager of a pub in tiny Wollegudgerie, Australia who inherits 51% of her father's private detective agency in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in mysteries by Claire McNabClaire McNabClaire McNab is the pseudonym of Claire Carmichael. She was born in Melbourne, Australia. While pursuing a career as a high school teacher in Sydney, she began her writing career with comedy plays and textbooks. She left teaching in the mid-eighties to become a full-time writer... - Lauren Laurano, a lesbian private investigator in ManhattanManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, in mysteries by Sandra ScoppettoneSandra ScoppettoneSandra Scoppettone is an American author whose career spans the 1960s through the 2000s. She is known for her mystery and young adult books.She also wrote Suzuki Beane... - Lexy Hyatt, a lesbian crime reporter in FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in mysteries by Carlene Miller - Lindsay Gordon, a lesbian journalist & socialist in Glasgow, Scotland in mysteries by Val McDermidVal McDermidVal McDermid is a Scottish crime writer, best known for a series of suspense novels starring her most famous creation, Dr. Tony Hill.-Biography:...
- Maggie Garrett, a young, lesbian private investigator in San Francisco, California in mysteries by Jean Taylor
- Maris Middleton, a lesbian chemist with a specialization in forensics in mysteries by Kaye Davis
- Meg Lacey, a lesbian private investigator based in Canada in mysteries by Elizabeth Bowers
- Rainey Blue Bell, an FBI agent on medical leave and a bail bonds business owner, meets her first lesbian lover in Rainey Days, the first novel in the Rainey Bell mystery series by R.E. Bradshaw
- Micky Knight, a lesbian New Orleans private investigator in mysteries by J.M. Redmann
- Monette O'Reilley, towering lesbian and star player of the Leaping Lesbians of Park Slope soccer team and graphic artist in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in mysteries by David Stukas - Nea Fox, a lesbian private investigator in London, England in mysteries by Amelia EllisAmelia EllisAmelia Ellis is a British-German novelist and photographer best known for her mystery series featuring London private investigator Nea Fox....
- Nickel (Nicole) Smith, a lesbian small-town newspaper editor in Runnymeade by Rita Mae BrownRita Mae BrownRita Mae Brown is an American writer. She is best known for her first novel Rubyfruit Jungle. Published in 1973, it dealt with lesbian themes in an explicit manner unusual for the time...
- Pam Nilsen, lesbian printing company owner in Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, WashingtonSeattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
by Barbara WilsonBarbara WilsonBarbara Wilson is an African American singer, she is considered a "Hook Singer", singing the hooks on several classic West Coast hip hop songs. She was born in Hawthorne, California August 8, 1973. She is known best for her sensual soulful voice, most notably on the classic 1995 Dr.Dre song "Keep... - Saz Martin, a lesbian private investigator in London by Stella DuffyStella DuffyStella Duffy is a writer and performer born in London who spent her childhood in New Zealand before returning to the UK.-Biography:Born to a New Zealander father and an English mother, Duffy is the youngest in a family of seven children. The family moved to New Zealand when Duffy was five, and...
- Shay O'Hanlon, a lesbian coffee store owner in the humorous caper/mysteries by Jessie ChandlerJessie ChandlerJessie Chandler is an American author of mystery and humorous caper fiction, most of which is about lesbian protagonists. Her work includes Bingo Barge Murder: A Shay O'Hanlon Caper and the forthcoming Hide 'N' Snake...
- Stoner McTavish, a lesbian travel agent in Boston, Massachusetts by Sarah DreherSarah DreherSarah Dreher is an American lesbian novelist and playwright, and best known for her award-winning lesbian mystery series featuring amateur sleuth Stoner McTavish. Dreher was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania in 1937, and resides in Amherst, Massachusetts....
- Sydney Sloan, a lesbian private investigator in New York, New York, in the Stonewall Inn mysteries by Randye Lordon
- Toni Barston, a lesbian district attorney specializing in borderline personalities in mysteries by Terri Breneman
- Tru North, a lesbian police detective in Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
in mysteries by Janet McClellan - Virginia Kelly, a lesbian investment advisor in mysteries by Nikki Baker
Romance novels
Contemporary Lesbian Romances are typified by the novels from Karin KallmakerKarin Kallmaker
Karin Kallmaker is the prolific American author of lesbian fiction whose works also include those originally written under the name Laura Adams. Her writings span lesbian romance, lesbian erotica, and lesbian science-fiction/fantasy...
, Georgia Beers, Ellen Dean
Ellen Dean
Ellen Dean is a novelist, screenwriter and journalist from County Durham, England.Before she published her first novel, Beautiful Strangers in 2009, Dean wrote features for national magazines and regional newspapers...
, Radclyffe
Radclyffe
Radclyffe is an American author of numerous lesbian romances. A 2003/04 recipient of the Alice B. award for her body of work as well as a member of the Golden Crown Literary Society, Pink Ink, and the Romance Writers of America, she lives with her partner Lee in Upstate New York...
, and Marianne K. Martin.
- As You Were, - Kelli Jae Baeli
- Curious Wine, Emergence of Green – Katherine V. ForrestKatherine V. ForrestKatherine V. Forrest is an American writer.Forrest is best known for her eight novels about lesbian police detective Kate Delafield. The character was the very first lesbian police detective in the American lesbian mystery genre and is described as "Miss Marple with k.d...
- All True Lovers, Cytherea's Breath, Amantha – Sarah AldridgeSarah AldridgeSarah Aldridge was the pen name of Anyda Marchant , who was a founding partner for Naiad Press 1973 and A&M Books in 1995, and a writer of primarily lesbian popular fiction....
- Legacy of Love, Love in the Balance, Dawn of the Dance, Never Ending, Mirrors, Under the Witness Tree, Dance in the Key of Love – Marianne K. Martin
- Mulligan, House on Sandstone, Just this Once, Secrets So Deep, Out of Love – KG MacGregor
- Beautiful Strangers - Ellen DeanEllen DeanEllen Dean is a novelist, screenwriter and journalist from County Durham, England.Before she published her first novel, Beautiful Strangers in 2009, Dean wrote features for national magazines and regional newspapers...
- Honor Series, Justice Series, Provincetown series – RadclyffeRadclyffeRadclyffe is an American author of numerous lesbian romances. A 2003/04 recipient of the Alice B. award for her body of work as well as a member of the Golden Crown Literary Society, Pink Ink, and the Romance Writers of America, she lives with her partner Lee in Upstate New York...
- All the Wrong Places, Car Pool, Embrace in Motion, Finders Keepers, In Every Port, Just LIke That, The Kiss that Counted, One Degree of Separation, Painted Moon, Sugar, Unforgettable, Making Up For Lost Time, Substitute for Love, Touchwood, Wild Things, Watermark (sequel to Touchwood) – Karin KallmakerKarin KallmakerKarin Kallmaker is the prolific American author of lesbian fiction whose works also include those originally written under the name Laura Adams. Her writings span lesbian romance, lesbian erotica, and lesbian science-fiction/fantasy...
- Course of Action, Coffee Sonata, Sheridan's Fate, September canvass – Gun Brooke
- Define Destiny JM Dragon
- First Instinct, Forever Found, Rising Storm, Hotel Liaison – v
- More Than Paradise, the Moon Island Series: Passion Bay, Saving Grace, The Sacred Shore, A Guarded Heart, and the Dark Vista series: Dark Dreamer, Dark Valentine – Jennifer Fulton
- I Found My Heart In San Francisco Series, Arbor Vitae – SX Meagher
- Sweet Bitter Love – Rita SchianoRita SchianoRita Schiano is an American writer of Italian descent. In 1997, Schiano's first novel, Sweet Bitter Love, was published by Rising Tide Press ....
- Sierra City, Gulf Breeze, Hunter's Way, Behind the Pine Curtain, Coyote Sky, Dawn of Change, The Rainbow Cedar, One Summer Night – Gerri Hill
- The Light Fantastic – L A Tucker
- Never Say Never, Class Reunion – Linda Hill
- None So Blind, Prairie Fire, Tumbleweed Fever – LJ Maas
- Galveston 1900: Swept Away, The Bluest Eyes in Texas, and Borderline – Linda Crist
- The Price of Fame, The Cost of Commitment, The Value of Valor – Lynn Ames
- Infinite Loop – Meghan O'Brien
- Innocent Hearts, Love's Melody Lost, Love's Tender Warriors, Tomorrow's Promise, Passion's Bright Fury, Love's Masquerade – RadclyffeRadclyffeRadclyffe is an American author of numerous lesbian romances. A 2003/04 recipient of the Alice B. award for her body of work as well as a member of the Golden Crown Literary Society, Pink Ink, and the Romance Writers of America, she lives with her partner Lee in Upstate New York...
- Hunter's Pursuit, Force of Nature, Whitewater Rendezvous, Focus of Desire – Kim Baldwin
- A Gift of Time, Gloria's Inn – Robin Alexander
- Private Dancer – TJ Vertigo
- Turning the Page, Thy Neighbor's Wife, Too Close to Touch, Fresh Tracks, Mine, Starting from Scratch --- Georgia Beers
- Turning Point – Lara Zielinsky
- Such A Pretty Face – Gabrielle Goldsby
- Trails Merge, Learning Curve – Rachel Spangler
- On the Air - Geonn Cannon
- Gemini - Geonn Cannon
- Out on the Sound, The Girl Back Home, Sweet Carolina Girls - R.E. Bradshaw
- Zen and Tonic (novel), Kris Howard (author), jms-books.com (2011)
- Like Lovers Do, Different Dress, Ricochet in Time - Lori L. LakeLori L. LakeLori L. Lake is an Oregon writer, teacher, speaker, and author of mystery, drama, romance, and general fiction, most of which is about lesbian protagonists...
Historical Novels
- Vulture's Kiss, Sistine Heresy, Mephisto Aria – Justine Saracen
- Miss McGhee – Bett Norris
- The Seahawk – Brenda Adcock
- Snow Moon Rising – Lori L. LakeLori L. LakeLori L. Lake is an Oregon writer, teacher, speaker, and author of mystery, drama, romance, and general fiction, most of which is about lesbian protagonists...
- What's Best for Jane – Bett Norris
- When Women Were Warriors – Catherine M. Wilson
Science fiction, fantasy, and horror
These science fiction works frequently address the issue of feminist/lesbian separatist communities. See Lesbian science fiction for a more detailed review.- Joanna RussJoanna RussJoanna Russ was an American writer, academic and feminist. She is the author of a number of works of science fiction, fantasy and feminist literary criticism such as How to Suppress Women's Writing, as well as a contemporary novel, On Strike Against God, and one children's book, Kittatinny...
's The Female ManThe Female ManThe Female Man is a feminist science fiction novel written by Joanna Russ. It was originally written in 1970 and first published in 1975. Russ was an avid feminist and challenged sexist views during the 1970s with her novels, short stories, and nonfiction works... - Marion Zimmer BradleyMarion Zimmer BradleyMarion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley was an American author of fantasy novels such as The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series. Many critics have noted a feminist perspective in her writing. Her first child, David R...
's Renunciate series - Jane Fletcher's Celano series
- Katherine V. ForrestKatherine V. ForrestKatherine V. Forrest is an American writer.Forrest is best known for her eight novels about lesbian police detective Kate Delafield. The character was the very first lesbian police detective in the American lesbian mystery genre and is described as "Miss Marple with k.d...
's Daughters of a Coral Dawn, Daughters of an Amber Noon, Daughters of an Emerald Dusk, Dreams and Swords anthology with novella O Captain, My Captain - Jewelle GomezJewelle GomezJewelle Gomez is an American author, poet, critic and playwright. She lived and worked in New York City for twenty-two years working in public television, theatre as well as philanthropy before relocating to the West Coast...
's The Gilda Stories, Don't Explain - Nicola GriffithNicola GriffithNicola Griffith is a British science fiction author, editor and essayist. Griffith is a 1988 alumnus of the Michigan State University Clarion science fiction writing workshop and has won a Nebula Award, the James Tiptree, Jr Award, the World Fantasy Award and six Lambda Literary Awards. She also...
's Ammonite, Slow River - Patrick CalifiaPatrick CalifiaPatrick Califia , born 1954 near Corpus Christi, Texas is a writer of nonfiction essays about sexuality and of erotic fiction and poetry. Califia is a bisexual trans man.-Biography:...
's Doc and Fluff - Therese Szymanski's Call of the Dark anthology
- Karin KallmakerKarin KallmakerKarin Kallmaker is the prolific American author of lesbian fiction whose works also include those originally written under the name Laura Adams. Her writings span lesbian romance, lesbian erotica, and lesbian science-fiction/fantasy...
, Barbara Johnson, Julia WattsJulia WattsJulia Watts is an American author of novels, short stories, etc., especially in the genres of young adult fiction and lesbian fiction/erotica....
and Therese Szymanski's New Exploits books, including Once Upon a Dyke, Bell, Book & Dyke, Stake Through the Heart, and Tall in the Saddle - Diana River's Hadra series
- Laurie J. MarksLaurie J. Marks- Life :In 2003, her novel Fire Logic, the first in her Elemental Logic series, won the Gaylactic Spectrum Award for "best novel"; in 2005 Earth Logic, the second in the series, won the same award. She teaches writing at the University of Massachusetts Boston and lives with Deb Mensinger...
's Dancing Jack, Elemental series (Fire Logic, Earth Logic, Water Logic) - Meghan O'Brien's The Three
- Pam Keesey's Daughters of Darkness and Dark Angels
- Gun Brooke's Supreme Constellations series
- Moondancer Drake's Ancestral Magic
- Justine Saracen's The 100th Generation and Vulture's Kiss
- Libba BrayLibba BrayLibba Bray is an author of young adult novels, including the books A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, The Sweet Far Thing and Going Bovine....
's characters Felicity Worthington and Pippa Cross in her Gemma Doyle trilogy (A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and The Sweet Far Thing) are at first thought to be very close friends, almost sisters, until it is revealed they are harbouring a secret love for one another. - Catherine M. Wilson's "When Women were Warriors series" book 1: The Warriors Path, 2: A Journey of the Heart, and 3: A Hero's Tale
- Malinda Lo "Ash" and "Huntress"
- "Women on the Edge of Space," a space-opera anthology published by Circlet PressCirclet PressCirclet Press is a Cambridge, Massachusetts publishing house founded and managed by Cecilia Tan. It specializes in science fiction erotica, a once uncommon genre, and its publications often feature BDSM themes....
Gay male author Geoff Ryman
Geoff Ryman
Geoffrey Charles Ryman is a writer of science fiction, fantasy and surrealistic or "slipstream" fiction.Ryman currently lectures in Creative Writing for University of Manchester's English Department. His most recent full-length novel, The King's Last Song, is set in Cambodia, both at the time of...
's Arthur C. Clarke Award
Arthur C. Clarke Award
The Arthur C. Clarke Award is a British award given for the best science fiction novel first published in the United Kingdom during the previous year. The award was established with a grant from Arthur C. Clarke and the first prize was awarded in 1987...
-winning The Child Garden
The Child Garden
The Child Garden is a 1989 science fiction novel by Geoff Ryman. It won both the Arthur C. Clarke Award and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award in 1990....
features a lesbian protagonist.
- Sarah Diemer "The Dark Wife"
- Raven c.s. McCracken's It's Always Spring Break Somewhere in the Galaxy
Young adult fiction
- Ruby (1976), Rosa GuyRosa GuyRosa Cuthbert Guy is an American writer.-Biography:Rosa Guy was raised in Harlem from the age of seven and now lives in New York. She immigrated to Harlem, New York in 1932. Soon after her parents, Henry and Audrey Cuthbert, died, she and her sister went to many foster homes...
- Happy Endings Are All Alike (1978), Sandra ScoppettoneSandra ScoppettoneSandra Scoppettone is an American author whose career spans the 1960s through the 2000s. She is known for her mystery and young adult books.She also wrote Suzuki Beane...
- The Last of Eden (1980), Stephanie Tolan
- Crush (1981), Jane Futcher
- Annie on My MindAnnie on My MindAnnie On My Mind is a 1982 novel by Nancy Garden about the romantic relationship between two 17-year-old New York City girls, Annie and Liza.-Characters:...
(1982), Nancy GardenNancy GardenNancy Garden is an American author of children's and young adult literature.- Biography :She is best known for her novel, Annie on My Mind , which was critically acclaimed but attracted controversy because of its lesbian characters, Annie and Liza who fall in love... - Good Moon Rising (1996), Nancy GardenNancy GardenNancy Garden is an American author of children's and young adult literature.- Biography :She is best known for her novel, Annie on My Mind , which was critically acclaimed but attracted controversy because of its lesbian characters, Annie and Liza who fall in love...
- The House You Pass on the Way (1997), Jacqueline WoodsonJacqueline WoodsonJacqueline Woodson is an American author who writes books targeted at children and adolescents. She is best known for 'Miracle's Boys' which won the Coretta Scott King Award in 2001 and her Newbery Honor titles 'After Tupac & D Foster', 'Feathers' and 'Show Way'...
- The Year of Freaking OutThe Year of Freaking OutThe Year of Freaking Out is a 1997 Australian young adult novel by Sarah Walker about 17-year-old Kim, her relationship with her childhood friend Matthew and her passionate friendship with the new girl at school, Rachel....
(1997), Sarah WalkerSarah Walker (Australian author)Sarah Walker is an Australian author and screenwriter, best known for writing and script producing episodes of Home and Away and All Saints. She has also written novels, including The Year of Freaking Out, and worked as a journalist and actor.... - Truth Dare or Promise (1997), Paula Broock
- Allison (1998), Tatiana Strelkoff
- Girl Walking Backwards (1998), Bett Williams
- Summer SistersSummer SistersSummer Sisters is a 1998 novel by Judy Blume. It focuses on the life of two fictional characters, the girls Victoria Leonard and Caitlin Somers....
(1998), Judy BlumeJudy BlumeJudy Blume is an American author. She has written many novels for children and young adults which have exceeded sales of 80 million and been translated into 31 languages... - Tomorrow WendyTomorrow WendyFor the song of the same name written by Andy Prieboy, see ...Upon My Wicked Son Tomorrow Wendy: A Love Story is a teen novel by Shelley Stoehr published in 1998 and republished in 2003...
(1998), Shelley Stoehr - Dare Truth or Promise (1999), Paula Boock
- Out of the Shadows (2000), Sue Hines
- A Year of Full Moons (2000), Madelyn Arnold
- Empress of the WorldEmpress of the WorldEmpress of the World is a young adult novel by Sara Ryan. It was published in 2001. Its sequel, The Rules for Hearts, was published in April 2007...
(2001), Sara RyanSara RyanSara Ryan is an American writer and librarian living in Oregon.-Biography:Ryan was raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she graduated from Pioneer High School in 1989. Her first novel, Empress of the World, was published in 2001 and is an ALA Best Book for Young Adults... - Finding H.F.Finding H.F.Finding H.F. is a 2001 young adult novel by Julia Watts, published by Alyson Books. It won the Lambda Literary Award for Children's/Young Adult fiction that same year...
(2001), Julia WattsJulia WattsJulia Watts is an American author of novels, short stories, etc., especially in the genres of young adult fiction and lesbian fiction/erotica.... - Gravel Queen (2003), Tea Benduhn
- I've Known Since I Was Eight (2003), Sophie Glasser
- Keeping You a SecretKeeping You a SecretKeeping You a Secret is a young adult novel by Julie Anne Peters. It was first published in hardback in 2003. The paperback edition was released in 2005 and deals with mature themes. This novel is about a young girl discovering her sexuality and what it is like to experience homophobia...
(2003), Julie Anne PetersJulie Anne Peters-Personal life:Julie Anne Peters was born in Jamestown, New York, on 16 January 1952. When she was five, her family moved to the Denver suburbs in Colorado. Her parents divorced when she was in high school... - Kissing Kate (2003), Lauren MyracleLauren MyracleLauren Myracle is an American author of young adult books. She is the oldest of three sisters and has three older brothers. She grew up in Atlanta, Georgia where she attended Trinity School and The Westminster Schools...
- The Bermudez Triangle (2004), Maureen JohnsonMaureen JohnsonMaureen Johnson is an American author of young adult fiction. She has published eight young adult novels to date, including the Suite Scarlett series and The Last Little Blue Envelope. Johnson is also the founder of the political networking site .-Early life:Maureen Johnson is a graduate of the...
- Good Girls Don't (2004), Claire HennessyClaire HennessyClaire Hennessy is the Irish author of several young adult novels. She was born in Dublin on 24 February 1986 and attended Trinity College Dublin. She teaches creative writing workshops...
- Heart (2004), Lexi Harris
- Orphea Proud (2004), Sharon Dennis Wyeth
- Rosemary and Juliet (2004), Judy MacLean
- Sugar RushSugar RushSugar Rush is Julie Burchill's first novel aimed at teenagers, published in 2004. It charts the progress of Kim Lewis as she is forced to leave her posh high school and attend the infamous local comprehensive, Ravendene. This coincides with a fight with her best friend, Zoe "Saint" Clements,...
(2004), Julie BurchillJulie BurchillJulie Burchill is an English writer and journalist. Beginning as a writer for the New Musical Express at the age of 17, she has written for newspapers such as The Sunday Times and The Guardian. She is a self-declared "militant feminist". She has several times been involved in legal action... - Far from Xanadu (2005), Julie Anne PetersJulie Anne Peters-Personal life:Julie Anne Peters was born in Jamestown, New York, on 16 January 1952. When she was five, her family moved to the Denver suburbs in Colorado. Her parents divorced when she was in high school...
- The Will of the EmpressThe Will of the EmpressThe Will of the Empress, previously titled The Circle Reforged, is a standalone fantasy novel by Tamora Pierce, a continuation of the story of the quartets Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens.-Empress Berenene:...
(2005), Tamora PierceTamora PierceTamora Pierce is an author of fantasy literature for young adults. She is an alumna of the University of Pennsylvania. Best known for writing stories involving young heroines, she made a name for herself with her first quartet The Song of the Lioness, which followed the main character Alanna... - grl2grl (2007), Julie Anne PetersJulie Anne Peters-Personal life:Julie Anne Peters was born in Jamestown, New York, on 16 January 1952. When she was five, her family moved to the Denver suburbs in Colorado. Her parents divorced when she was in high school...
- The Rules for Hearts (2007), Sara RyanSara RyanSara Ryan is an American writer and librarian living in Oregon.-Biography:Ryan was raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she graduated from Pioneer High School in 1989. Her first novel, Empress of the World, was published in 2001 and is an ALA Best Book for Young Adults...
- Split Screen (2007), Brent HartingerBrent HartingerBrent Hartinger is an American author and playwright, best known for his novels about gay teenagers.-Early life:Hartinger was born in Washington State. His family moved to Fircrest, Washington when he was an infant. He attended a Catholic grade school and middle school, and a Catholic high...
- Down to the Bone (2008), Mayra Lazara Dole
- M+O 4Ever (2008), Tonya Cherie Hegamin
- My Tiki Girl (2008), Jennifer McMahonJennifer McMahonJennifer McMahon is a novelist living in Barre , Vermont. She has a civil union with her partner, and one child. She is a graduate of Goddard College, and studied poetry at Vermont College....
- The Girl from Mars (Marsmädchen) (2008), Tamara BachTamara BachTamara Bach is a German writer.-Life:Tamara Bach was born in 1976 in Limburg an der Lahn and grew up in Ludwigshöhe, Rhineland-Palatinate. She was encouraged in her writing by her former German teacher, Peter Grosz. 1993 and 1995 she took part in the prestigious meeting of young writers to whom...
- The Questions Within (2008), Teresa Shaeffer
- Rage: A Love StoryRage: A Love StoryRage: A Love Story is a young adult novel by Julie Anne Peters. It was first published in hardback in 2009. The story follows Johanna who falls in love with Reeve who has suffered much abuse in her life...
(2009), Julie Anne PetersJulie Anne Peters-Personal life:Julie Anne Peters was born in Jamestown, New York, on 16 January 1952. When she was five, her family moved to the Denver suburbs in Colorado. Her parents divorced when she was in high school... - AshAsh (novel)Ash is a young adult novel fantasy gay novel by Malinda Lo first published in 2009. The novel is about an abused teenage girl who longs for fairies to take her away from her terrible life. A seemly gentle and protective fairy promises to do so as payment, but shortly thereafter the girl falls in...
(2009), Malinda Lo - I Kiss Girls (2007), Gina Harris
- Torn (2009), Amber Lehman
- The Dark Wife (2011), Sarah Diemer
Fan fiction
Fanfiction writers have produced many works in which female characters from fictional sources (such as television shows, movies, video games, animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
or comic books) are paired in romantic, spiritual, or sexual relationships. The genre is known by a variety of terms, including femslash
Femslash
Femslash is a subgenre of slash fan fiction which focuses on romantic and/or sexual relationships between female fictional characters. Typically, characters featured in femslash are heterosexual in the canon universe; however, similar fan fiction about lesbian characters is commonly labeled as...
, saffic, yuri and f/f slash. Lesbian content in fanfiction dates at least to 1977, but has become more popular during the 1990s and 2000s.
Lesbian & Feminist Publishing Houses
- Alyson Books
- Aunt Lute BooksAunt Lute BooksAunt Lute Books is a multicultural feminist press whose mission is to "publish literature by women whose voices have been traditionally under-represented in mainstream and small press publishing" and "distribute literature that expresses the true complexity of women’s lives and the possibilities...
- Bella BooksBella BooksBella Books is a small press publisher of lesbian literature that is based in Tallahassee, Florida. The chief executive officer is Linda Hill, who is also the chief executive officer of Spinsters Ink and BeanPole Books....
- Blue Feather Books
- Bold Strokes BooksBold Strokes BooksBold Strokes Books is a United States publisher headquartered in Johnsonville, New York that specializes in lesbian-themed fiction, covering a variety of genres including action/adventure, erotica, mystery, romance and science fiction/horror, as well as general fiction...
- Bywater Books
- Colbere Publishing
- Crossing Press
- Firebrand BooksFirebrand BooksFirebrand Books, was established in the early 1980s by Nancy K. Bereano---a lesbian/feminist activist in Ithaca, NY. It is a feminist and lesbian publishing house and among the many which grew out of the Women's Press Movement. Other presses of that period include Naiad Books, Persephone and...
- Intaglio Publications
- Kitchen Table: Women of Color PressKitchen Table: Women of Color PressKitchen Table: Women of Color Press was an activist feminist press started in 1980 by author Barbara Smith at the suggestion of her friend, poet Audre Lorde.-Beginnings:...
- Onlywomen Press
- P.D. Publishing, Inc.
- Press Gang PublishersPress Gang PublishersPress Gang Publishing was a [feminist]] printing and publishing collective active in [Vancouver, BC, Canada between the early 1970s and 2002.-Early history:...
- Regal Crest EnterprisesRegal Crest EnterprisesRegal Crest Enterprises, established 1999, is the third largest small press publisher of lesbian literature in the world. RCE is based in Port Arthur, Texas. The chief executive officer is C. LeNoir....
- Spinsters Ink
- Virago PressVirago PressVirago is a British publishing company founded in 1973 by Carmen Callil to publish books by women writers. Both new works and reissued books by neglected authors have featured on the imprint's list....
Further reading
- The Lesbian in Literature by Gene Damon (Barbara GrierBarbara GrierBarbara Grier was an American writer and publisher most widely known for co-founding Naiad Press and writing and editing The Ladder under the pseudonym Gene Damon.-Early life:...
). Bibliography of any title with lesbian content through 1969. - Chloe plus Olivia – An Anthology of Lesbian Literature from the Seventeenth Century to the Present, ed. Lillian FadermanLillian FadermanLillian Faderman is a scholar whose books on lesbian relationships and romantic friendship in history have earned critical praise and awards. Faderman is a professor of English at California State University in Fresno, California.-Early life:...
, Penguin Books 1995
See also
- FemslashFemslashFemslash is a subgenre of slash fan fiction which focuses on romantic and/or sexual relationships between female fictional characters. Typically, characters featured in femslash are heterosexual in the canon universe; however, similar fan fiction about lesbian characters is commonly labeled as...
- Lesbian fictionLesbian fictionLesbian fiction is a subgenre of fiction that involves one or more primary female homosexual character and lesbian themes. Novels that fall into this category may be of any genres, such as, but not limited to, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and romance.-History:The first...
- Lesbian pulp fictionLesbian pulp fictionLesbian pulp fiction refers to any mid-20th century paperback novel with overtly lesbian themes and content. Lesbian pulp fiction was published in the 1950s and 60s by many of the same paperback publishing houses that other genres of fiction including Westerns, Romances, and Detective Fiction...
- Lesbian teen fiction
- LGBT literatureLGBT literatureGay literature is a collective term for literature produced by or for the LGBT community, or which involves characters, plot lines or themes portraying male homosexual behavior.-Subgenres:...
- List of genres
- List of nonfiction books about homosexuality
- List of poetry portraying sexual relations between women
- Yuri (genre)
External links
- Feminist SFF & Utopia: Dyke Protagonists
- Science Fiction for Lesbians
- GLBT Fantasy Reviews
- Books To Watch Out For publishes a monthly newsletter about lesbian books
- GLBTQ – Novel: Lesbian
- GLBTQ – American Literature: Lesbian, Post-Stonewall
- QueerTheory – Contemporary Lesbian Writers of the USA
- Isle of Lesbos Poetry
- Lesbian Mysteries features Lesbian Mystery Novels