Lucy Jane Bledsoe
Encyclopedia
Lucy Jane Bledsoe is a novel
ist and science writer, who writes both fiction
and non-fiction
books for children and adults. She focuses on LGBT literature
and has received several awards for her fictional and non-fictional writings, establishing herself as a Stonewall Book Award
winner and four-time Lambda Literary Award
finalist.
, USA, where she grew up. Bledsoe stated in an interview that she started writing stories when she was young and had always wanted to become a writer. She was inspired to write by her high school teacher. From 1975 to 1977, Bledsoe attended Williams College
. She earned a B.A. at University of California at Berkeley in 1979. Bledsoe is openly
lesbian
.
, Willa Cather
, Adrienne Rich
, Barbara Kingsolver
. While her writings primarily focus LGBT literature, Bledsoe also writes about family relationships and adventures in the wild.
In 1985, she received the PEN Syndicated Fiction Award. In 1995, Bledsoe published Sweat: Stories and a Novella, which helped her garner her first Lambda Literary Award
finalist title for Lesbian Fiction. In 1997, she wrote her first adult novel Working Parts, for which she received the 1998 Stonewall Book Award
- the American Library Association
Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Award for Literature.
In 1998, Lesbian Travels: A Literary Companion, Whereabout Books, which she worked on as the editor, garnered her a second Lambda Literary Award
finalist title, this time for Anthologies
/Non-Fiction. In 2002, Bledsoe was awarded a California Arts Council
fellowship in literature.
Bledsoe's 2002 children book Hoop Girlz, which is about a ten-year-old girl who loves playing basketball but, due to being rejected to play in a basketball camp tournament, she decides to form her own team. Hoop Girlz was selected as one of Booklist
's Top 10 Sports Books for Youth of the year and featured among Core Collection: Sports Fiction for Girls. Her second Lambda Literary Award
finalist title for Lesbian Fiction (third Lambda Literary Award finalist title when counting all categories) came in 2003 with the publication of her second adult novel This Wild Silence.
Bledsoe has travelled to Antarctica three times and written three books about Antarctica, How to Survive in Antarctica, The Ice Cave: A Woman's Adventures from the Mojave to the Antarctic, and The Big Bang Symphony. Her newest novel Biting the Apple was published in 2007 and is currently a finalist for the 20th Annual Lambda Literary Awards in the category Women's fiction.
Besides writing, Bledsoe is a CD-ROM script writer for National Geographic and several other educational organizations, e.g. George Lucas Educational Foundation. From 1997 to 2003, she taught scriptwriting in the Masters of Creative Writing Graduate Program at the University of San Francisco
. Bledsoe contributes to several magazines, including Newsday
, Conditions
, Ms., Fiction International
, and Frontiers.
Bledsoe is a member of Media Alliance
and National Writers Union
. Her books have been translated into Japanese
, Chinese
, Spanish
, German
, and Dutch
. Bledsoe has been given two National Science Foundation
artist and writers in Antarctica fellowships.
As author
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
ist and science writer, who writes both fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
and non-fiction
Non-fiction
Non-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...
books for children and adults. She focuses on LGBT literature
LGBT literature
Gay 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:...
and has received several awards for her fictional and non-fictional writings, establishing herself as a Stonewall Book Award
Stonewall Book Award
Sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table of the American Library Association , the Stonewall Book Award is for LGBT books...
winner and four-time Lambda Literary Award
Lambda Literary Award
Lambda Literary Awards are awarded yearly by the US-based Lambda Literary Foundation to published works which celebrate or explore LGBT themes. Categories include Humor, Romance and Biography. To qualify, a book must have been published in the United States in the year current to the award...
finalist.
Biography
Bledsoe was born into a family of many members in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland 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...
, USA, where she grew up. Bledsoe stated in an interview that she started writing stories when she was young and had always wanted to become a writer. She was inspired to write by her high school teacher. From 1975 to 1977, Bledsoe attended Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
. She earned a B.A. at University of California at Berkeley in 1979. Bledsoe is openly
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
.
Career and honors
Bledsoe writes both fiction and non-fiction books, though to her contemporary fiction is most interesting to write, as she loves "exploring [her] imagination". Bledsoe has said that her works are influenced by many authors, among them are James BaldwinJames Baldwin (writer)
James Arthur Baldwin was an American novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic.Baldwin's essays, for instance "Notes of a Native Son" , explore palpable yet unspoken intricacies of racial, sexual, and class distinctions in Western societies, most notably in mid-20th century America,...
, Willa Cather
Willa Cather
Willa Seibert Cather was an American author who achieved recognition for her novels of frontier life on the Great Plains, in works such as O Pioneers!, My Ántonia, and The Song of the Lark. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for One of Ours , a novel set during World War I...
, Adrienne Rich
Adrienne Rich
Adrienne Cecile Rich is an American poet, essayist and feminist. She has been called "one of the most widely read and influential poets of the second half of the 20th century."-Early life:...
, Barbara Kingsolver
Barbara Kingsolver
Barbara Kingsolver is an American novelist, essayist and poet. She was raised in rural Kentucky and lived briefly in the former Republic of Congo in her early childhood. Kingsolver earned degrees in biology at DePauw University and the University of Arizona and worked as a freelance writer before...
. While her writings primarily focus LGBT literature, Bledsoe also writes about family relationships and adventures in the wild.
In 1985, she received the PEN Syndicated Fiction Award. In 1995, Bledsoe published Sweat: Stories and a Novella, which helped her garner her first Lambda Literary Award
Lambda Literary Award
Lambda Literary Awards are awarded yearly by the US-based Lambda Literary Foundation to published works which celebrate or explore LGBT themes. Categories include Humor, Romance and Biography. To qualify, a book must have been published in the United States in the year current to the award...
finalist title for Lesbian Fiction. In 1997, she wrote her first adult novel Working Parts, for which she received the 1998 Stonewall Book Award
Stonewall Book Award
Sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table of the American Library Association , the Stonewall Book Award is for LGBT books...
- the American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Award for Literature.
In 1998, Lesbian Travels: A Literary Companion, Whereabout Books, which she worked on as the editor, garnered her a second Lambda Literary Award
Lambda Literary Award
Lambda Literary Awards are awarded yearly by the US-based Lambda Literary Foundation to published works which celebrate or explore LGBT themes. Categories include Humor, Romance and Biography. To qualify, a book must have been published in the United States in the year current to the award...
finalist title, this time for Anthologies
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
/Non-Fiction. In 2002, Bledsoe was awarded a California Arts Council
California Arts Council
The California Arts Council is a state agency based in Sacramento. Its eleven council members are appointed by the Governor and the state Legislature...
fellowship in literature.
Bledsoe's 2002 children book Hoop Girlz, which is about a ten-year-old girl who loves playing basketball but, due to being rejected to play in a basketball camp tournament, she decides to form her own team. Hoop Girlz was selected as one of Booklist
Booklist
Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online...
's Top 10 Sports Books for Youth of the year and featured among Core Collection: Sports Fiction for Girls. Her second Lambda Literary Award
Lambda Literary Award
Lambda Literary Awards are awarded yearly by the US-based Lambda Literary Foundation to published works which celebrate or explore LGBT themes. Categories include Humor, Romance and Biography. To qualify, a book must have been published in the United States in the year current to the award...
finalist title for Lesbian Fiction (third Lambda Literary Award finalist title when counting all categories) came in 2003 with the publication of her second adult novel This Wild Silence.
Bledsoe has travelled to Antarctica three times and written three books about Antarctica, How to Survive in Antarctica, The Ice Cave: A Woman's Adventures from the Mojave to the Antarctic, and The Big Bang Symphony. Her newest novel Biting the Apple was published in 2007 and is currently a finalist for the 20th Annual Lambda Literary Awards in the category Women's fiction.
Besides writing, Bledsoe is a CD-ROM script writer for National Geographic and several other educational organizations, e.g. George Lucas Educational Foundation. From 1997 to 2003, she taught scriptwriting in the Masters of Creative Writing Graduate Program at the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
. Bledsoe contributes to several magazines, including Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
, Conditions
Conditions (magazine)
Conditions was a lesbian feminist literary annual founded in 1976 in Brooklyn, New York by Elly Bulkin, Jan Clausen, Irena Klepfisz and Rima Shore.-Publishing Collective:Conditions was a magazine which emphasised the lives and writings of lesbians, and, throughout its...
, Ms., Fiction International
Fiction International
Fiction International is a literary magazine devoted to innovative forms of fiction and non-fiction which addresses progressive political ideals. Founded in New York by Joe David Bellamyin 1973, the magazine moved to San Diego State University in 1983, where it has been "edited by Harold Jaffe and...
, and Frontiers.
Bledsoe is a member of Media Alliance
Media Alliance
Media Alliance is a 34 year-old American media resource and advocacy center for media workers, non-profit organizations, and social justice activists. Its mission is excellence, ethics, diversity, and accountability in all aspects of the media in the interests of peace, justice, and social...
and National Writers Union
National Writers Union
National Writers Union , founded on November 19, 1981, is the trade union in the United States for freelance and contract writers: journalists, book and short fiction authors, business and technical writers, web content providers, and poets...
. Her books have been translated into Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, and Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
. Bledsoe has been given two National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
artist and writers in Antarctica fellowships.
Books for adults
As editor- Goddesses We Ain't: Tenderloin Women Writers, Freedom Voices Publications 1992.
- Let the Spirit Flow: Writings on Communications and Freedom 1994.
- Heatwave: Women in Love and Lust (anthology) 1995.
- Leaping Fifty Stories High 1995.
- Lesbian Travels: A Literary Companion, Whereabout Books 1998.
- Gay Travels: A Literary Companion, Whereabouts Press 1998.
As author
- Sweat: Stories and a Novella 1995.
- Working Parts (novel) 1997.
- This Wild Silence (novel) 2003.
- The Ice Cave: A Woman's Adventures from the Mojave to the Antarctic (nonfiction) 2006.
- Biting the Apple (Anthologies) 2007.
- The Big Bang Symphony (novel) 2010.
Books for children
- The Big Bike Race 1995.
- Tracks in the Snow 1997.
- Cougar Canyon 2001.
- Hoop Girlz, 2002.
- The Antarctic Scoop 2003.
- How to Survive in Antarctica (nonfiction) 2005.