tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54182569075894896612024-03-05T09:25:01.890-07:00MJ's BookshelfMJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-82818522380109181362012-08-29T22:03:00.000-06:002012-08-29T22:03:20.767-06:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Hide and Snake Murder: A Shay O'Hanlon Caper</span></i></b><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Jessie Chandler</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Midnight Ink</span><br />
<a href="http://www.midnightinkbooks.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">http://www.midnightinkbooks.com/</span></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">978-0738725970</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Trade paperback, $14.95, 261p</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Life has a way of getting complicated for
Shay O'Hanlon. A thirty-something lesbian, Shay is co-owner of the Rabbit Hole,
a coffee shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota, her hometown. Shay has had a
reputation for being the "Tenacious Protector" of her family and
friends, standing up to bullies since grade school. When she was ten years old,
Shay was in a car accident that killed her mother and the son of Edwina
Quartermain, her mother's best friend. Edwina became a de facto mother for
Shay. Intensely loyal to her family of blood and choice and still haunted
by the accident, Shay is the smart-mouthed, first person narrator of Jessie
Chandler’s <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hide and Snake Murder: A Shay O'Hanlon Caper</i></b>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Basil Lazowski, an old schoolmate and ne'er do well, better known
as Baz the Spaz, has called Shay for help and she finds herself drawn into a
series of bizarre and often confusing events that will take her to the other
end of the Mississippi and back. Baz needs to find a stuffed snake that he
might have "borrowed" from a house where he was cleaning duct-work
for "Ducky Ducts Duct Cleaning: we clean your pipes slick as a whistle,
guaranteed." (4) Some very scary men want the stuffed reptile returned. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hide
and Snake Murder</i></b> is the second installment of Chandler's series that
started with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bingo Barge Murder</i></b> and it continues the fast paced hilarity of
the first novel.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Shay, with one of her best friends, Nicholas Cooper -- better
known as Coop, a member of the local environmental activist group the
"Green Beans" and makes his living as a computer geek-- and Baz fly
to New Orleans in search of said fuzzy serpent which is currently believed to
be in the hands of Baz's aunt, Agnes. With other members of a group of
crafty poker players known as the Mad Knitters, Agnes has gone to the Big Easy
for a holiday of gambling, live music, food and drink. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Shortly after Shay et al arrive in New
Orleans, they find that Baz's "big scary men" are real and chasing
them. Their initial escape turns into a strange and funny series of
events and re-acquaints Shay with an old friend who is currently one of a group
of buskers working Jackson Square. The bad guys are hot on their heels,
and it's only by luck that the entire group returns to Minneapolis.
Various twists and chase scenes follow and Shay's gang of amateur
detectives stumble into more trouble before they are out of it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">“Caper” is a good subtitle for this series. Not a
traditional mystery, the plot of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hide and Snake Murder</i></b> has a certain
Keystone Cops element. The gang tends toward breaking and entering, with
varying degrees of competence and legality, to uncover answers. No one is
entirely who they seem in this romping story and the reader must be willing to
suspend belief in the more serious and technical law enforcement procedures and
processes.</span><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The
characters of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hide and Snake Murde</i></b>r are the real gems of the story. They are
richly faceted with distinct flaws. Chandler’s respect and affection for them
shows through the novel. She allows the reader to laugh with them. For example,
Rocky, another classmate of Shay and Nick, struggles with developmental issues,
has a charming tendency to address people by their full name as well as providing
unusually detailed bits of information as, “You must put pressure on the wound
for it to stop bleeding. If it doesn’t stop after twenty minutes of firm,
direct pressure, we must seek medical attention. “(82) One can’t forget Shay’s
80 pound boxer named Dawg, by the unimaginative previous owner. Dawg adds
a calming effect as well as comic relief which one doesn’t have to be a dog
lover to enjoy. </span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Hide and Snake Murder</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> is fast paced and witty.
It is peopled with wonderfully colorful characters, making it a strong
second novel in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shay O’Hanlan Capers</i>
series. I look forward to more stories from Jessie Chandler.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-66739314196579163032009-02-05T10:58:00.020-07:002011-08-07T19:10:11.471-06:00Calorie-free, Wither-proof Books for Valentine's Day<div style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCnnwQAoc32WXPIJ_3U4xYHGVeOK91U5VgSaBhC3yLhc0yIWQXqZPLfIckrx2LpxD5IQuimjn8fKcraOINeNMFrcaUycf10zG_Jr5InKe0B6C403r1R-u_toCZAE9vS-cy-XrxdxpQ2Y/s1600-h/stvalentineicon.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299455404517352322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCnnwQAoc32WXPIJ_3U4xYHGVeOK91U5VgSaBhC3yLhc0yIWQXqZPLfIckrx2LpxD5IQuimjn8fKcraOINeNMFrcaUycf10zG_Jr5InKe0B6C403r1R-u_toCZAE9vS-cy-XrxdxpQ2Y/s200/stvalentineicon.jpg" style="float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 156px;" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;">Recently I've read some "clever, cynical" comments by folks who assume that Valentine's Day is a "commercial, materialistic, manufactured, unrealistic view of romance." I understand some of the sentiment. It can be argued that equating being alone with not being romantic, and lack of diamonds and roses making one a bad partner is simple commercialism. However, the idea of seeking to validate both the hormonal desire for intimacy (which drives us all on some level, regardless of how we express it) and to invest in the hope of spring is not exactly an invention of Hallmark. I'm old enough (just barely, thank you) to remember that Valentine's Day used to be "St. Valentine's Day" before the Catholic church cleaned out saints they considered apocryphal, rather than real, like St. Christopher et al in Vatican II. In the case of Valentine there is a question of which of the identified three early Christians martyrs actually deserve sainthood (which simply means that the Catholic Church knows their souls are already in Heaven, as proven by a long complicated process that is irrelevant to this little introduction).<br />
<br />
However, one could easily suggest that our current view of Valentine's day is actually a long historic parade of co-options of which Hallmark and Zales are merely the most recent on the bandwagon. Current theory is that St. Valentine was set up to replace the Roman Lupercalia. Celebrated Feb 13-15th, <i>Lupercalia </i>was a fertility, purification and health festival dedicated to the Roman interpretation of the Greek god Pan (the original "horny devil" as it were). It also honored <i>Lupa</i>, the she-wolf who suckled the twins Romulus and Remus. Part of the festival events included young men (think cabin-fevered, adolescent males who had eaten well and drunk a lot of wine) dressed in naught but goatskin and some sacrificial blood, running aroun</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8OvQ5k2yNc5dxfVuubeQ3ufODJrN-JWVl3-LsasLkEng6Qoljv0WGPtZutZr-9PzDwUHN6I5IAC5PFuDtvfDe3JNlvFWBajtDenD-VCbXgxzeUhX57OuB1IcgpcQdODtdzZXsENaxEg/s1600-h/heartdiagram.jpg"></a><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;">d the city, and striking with thongs clusters of young women, waiting just for their arrival, all to ensure their fertility. Remnants of this festival continued through the 5th Century, but by then Valentine had also arrived and his feast day was the 14th. By no coincidence, he blessed young lovers. St. V admonished lovers to exchange tokens and it is possible that the young men began wearing their beloveds' tokens on their sleeves at this time. Or that might have come later with the rise of chivalric love, but you get the idea.<br />
<br />
And let's talk about those tokens. The Romans were not shy about their fertility </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9-IPvYxfF5s0_9DPLWu59xcEL2xef1u48yaMdm-XUaAgEQQf-op9BBgCnjjpu70bqzLuEPvC0JUBHa1eeQS_29tyob205qRy9oe2oWioBicTT6bjNmZ1SfHrgZqrwAqKN5I3TaK1ebE/s1600-h/valentineheart.jpg"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299445437010359378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9-IPvYxfF5s0_9DPLWu59xcEL2xef1u48yaMdm-XUaAgEQQf-op9BBgCnjjpu70bqzLuEPvC0JUBHa1eeQS_29tyob205qRy9oe2oWioBicTT6bjNmZ1SfHrgZqrwAqKN5I3TaK1ebE/s200/valentineheart.jpg" style="float: right; height: 158px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 160px;" /></span></a><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;">symbols, which included imagery of erect phalli entering vulvae. This oh-so-subtle image was morphed into a much more palatable one for the libido-suppressed fathers of the Catholic Church. It's everywhere this time of year: The "heart" being pierced by an "arrow." I mean really, does a "heart" look anything like the images you've seen of real animal hearts or does it look like a stylized female genitalia? Think about it -- you may never look at a Hallmark card quite the same way again! </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;">Further, when Christianity crossed the Channel, it has been suggested that Valentine festivities combined some elements of the Celtic cross quarter celebration of the goddess Brigid known as Imbolc. Fire and light, female fertility and love are all part of Brigid's domain. (Although we also have a remnant of Imbolc in Groundhog day, but that's another story.)<br />
<br />
To all of this I would add that February is a hard month in the Northern Hemisphere. We are weeks beyond Yule/Solstice/Hanukkah/Christmas. The sun light is returning but the snow is still falling. It's cold and the hope of spring is still mostly just that, hope. Thus is it any wonder that cultures for generations have tried to find SOMETHING to hang on to as they looked toward spring? Toward the quickening green, toward returning life -- and what is life without love?<br />
<br />
There, having said my piece about Valentine, I would point out a favorite genre of lesbian fiction. It's lesbian romance. If as a genre, romance is "women's stories" then, in my not the least bit shy opinion, lesbian romance is the epitome of all romance. There are more writers of lesbian romance today than at any time in our cultural history. A fact to revel in! Thus, I'm taking a few moments to point out some recent titles and some old favorites (with titles linked to the full reviews). Some, I meant to review more fully, and haven't yet, nevertheless, I certainly suggest you consider them, for yourself and your girlfriend. What could be a more lasting and romantic statement? As Rayann in Karin Kallmaker's <b><i>Touchwood </i></b>suggests, the perfect Valentine gift is "calorie-free, wither-proof books."<br />
<br />
<b>MJ's box of assorted calorie-free, wither-proof books for your Valentine reading:</b><br />
<br />
Some</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfU0WLoXJvQUAj53KmieKOZ7DXIBLchnwJ1r3Bz9V81Vk57xPnZme1JFVpFh9fLIZCKgiWDmfWyhpiSkUFlEawV-ElQUDP-hJuk3jrFh3JFADLjHAA8p_X28CPm1BzV8ELf7ja__i7t0/s1600-h/eurocurious.jpg"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299446423224654466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfU0WLoXJvQUAj53KmieKOZ7DXIBLchnwJ1r3Bz9V81Vk57xPnZme1JFVpFh9fLIZCKgiWDmfWyhpiSkUFlEawV-ElQUDP-hJuk3jrFh3JFADLjHAA8p_X28CPm1BzV8ELf7ja__i7t0/s200/eurocurious.jpg" style="float: left; height: 151px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 101px;" /></span></a><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;"> elements of <i><b>Curious Wine</b></i>, by Katherine V. Forrest, primarily to do with it's 1978 setting, may seem a bit dated. However, it is THE place to start to exploring lesbian romances in the last 25 yrs. This highly sensual, although not explicit, story is very romantic. Lane and Diane will steal into your heart and you might find that like me, the ticking sound that an electric heater makes will never be the same again. If you need another reason, <i><b>Curious Wine</b></i> is also makes a good compliment if you've recently seen the bio-pic, <i>Milk</i>, because these are the times.<br />
<br />
If you like your romance liberally laced with laughter, then Saxon Bennett's </span><a href="http://mjsbookshelf.blogspot.com/2008/03/date-night-club.html"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #660000;"><i><b>Date Night Club</b></i> </span></span></a><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;">is an excellent choice. Her best work to-date, in the opinion of this long time fan, Bennett creates a funny, charming and very human ensemble cast of lesbians, all looking for love, then carries her readers through an arc of challenge and growth with them. I laughed out loud several times, you might too. It's a delightful story.<br />
<br />
<b><i><a href="http://mjsbookshelf.blogspot.com/2002/04/loves-melody-lost.html">Love's Melody Lost</a></i></b> is Radclyffe's tribute to the classic Gothic romances with an unabashed lesbian twist and is still my favorite of her stand alone romances. Graham is a concert pianist and composer who has gone into seclusion since losing her sight ten years ago in an auto accident. A graduate student in Landscape Design, Anna is the woman in transition who embraces life and possibility of love. The music these women finally create is rich and erotic. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_w1GCSDf2EtT7Ti4vLHySEIvJdB1CNTEnnHIIM7l4BDxGiSajz2CyEFIccxLe8Qz5yCPmBnRoxRSQYYH-wcOEmLl7-wdYTu832t3khLK64N6YVLfSXf1mYweA3T35GeDa7BgShprg0zk/s1600-h/sugar.jpg"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299447818491198274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_w1GCSDf2EtT7Ti4vLHySEIvJdB1CNTEnnHIIM7l4BDxGiSajz2CyEFIccxLe8Qz5yCPmBnRoxRSQYYH-wcOEmLl7-wdYTu832t3khLK64N6YVLfSXf1mYweA3T35GeDa7BgShprg0zk/s200/sugar.jpg" style="float: right; height: 160px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 102px;" /></span></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;">What could be more perfect than a romantic confection from the Queen of Lesbian Ro</span><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;">mance, Karin Kallmaker? <b><i><a href="http://mjsbookshelf.blogspot.com/2005/04/sugar.html">Sugar</a></i></b> is that yummy treat! After months of no social life Sugar Sorenson suddenly finds herself under the romantic notices of not one, but three attractive, dynamic women. She is also temporarily without a home and under deadline to enter a cook-off contest that could make or break her nascent speciality bakery. With ingredients like that classically Kallmaker witty dialog, thoughtful insights and erotic moments make<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> Sugar</span> is mixed to be an excellent sweet.<br />
<br />
<i><b><a href="http://mjsbookshelf.blogspot.com/2008/04/landing.html">Landing</a></b></i> by Emma Donoghue juggles a long-distance relationship between women who couldn't be less alike. Jude is a 25-year-old archivist and self-proclaimed Luddite from rural Ontario, Canada. Síle is a globetrotting, biracial, tech-hound, cosmopolitan woman in her 40s. Unusual happenings have their flight paths cross, develop friendship, and slowly fall in love. But a Long Distance Relationship can be a flight fraught with turbulence.<b><i> Landing</i></b> is a lovely contemporary romance. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;">Last year's Lambda award-winning romance was <b><i>Out of Love</i></b>, by KG MacGregor. If you haven't tasted MacGregor's writing, this is a brillant place to start. <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Out of Love</span> introduces two intelligent, career-focused women who fall fast and then struggle with the long distance relationship and a range of complications, personal and professional. MacGregor's wry wit shines. You won't want to fall <i><b>Out of Love</b></i>.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;">Lambda winning romance writer Georgia Beers is one of the rising stars in the lesbian romance genres</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ApPcmZINfE6GgNfcxYkd-wyHlz_NjaXWmfzj-YQ8tF4eGxtlHIyMq1SQ_xQgvAmCctrZYNJ5vdumMik2SdjQKZhUjH19Vh8D_Z-h7UEVGM2GV3ygXTJdXxAVbWLFN72Ly4CLjmeS9pc/s1600-h/turningpage.jpg"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299448556091483874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ApPcmZINfE6GgNfcxYkd-wyHlz_NjaXWmfzj-YQ8tF4eGxtlHIyMq1SQ_xQgvAmCctrZYNJ5vdumMik2SdjQKZhUjH19Vh8D_Z-h7UEVGM2GV3ygXTJdXxAVbWLFN72Ly4CLjmeS9pc/s200/turningpage.jpg" style="float: left; height: 158px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 94px;" /></span></a><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;">ince her debut novel, <i><b><a href="http://mjsbookshelf.blogspot.com/2001/11/turning-page.html">Turning the Page</a></b></i>. First released in 2000, <i><b>Turning the Page</b></i> is a charming romance with interesting, intelligent, funny women, a richly detailed setting, and lots of captivating chemistry. Melanie and Taylor's falling in love also marks a period in the history (or herstory) of fan-doms, as Xenite Taylor introduces Mel to the Warrior Princess and her Bard. Mel's new career choices soon have her owning a women's bookstore and as Mel's coming out process evolves there is a respectful nod to <b><i>Curious Wine</i></b> among the lesbian cultural references. While not as polished as Beers' more recent works, <b><i>Turning the Page</i></b> is still a fine Valentine treat.<br />
<br />
From the pen of the venerable Lee Lynch is a dyke hybrid of Keillor's Lake Wobegon stories and Maupin's Tales of the City. <b><i><a href="http://mjsbookshelf.blogspot.com/2008/03/sweet-creek.html">Sweet Creek</a></i></b> aka "the poor dyke's Palm Springs" is a small town in the Northwest where an assortment of quirky (mostly queer) characters provide insight and entertainment to each other and to readers. Some characters find love, some find themselves, and others find peace in <b><i>Sweet Creek</i></b>.<br />
<br />
Okay, the truth be told, Ruth Perkinson's <i><b>Piper's Someday</b></i> is not really a lesbian romance story but it is a kind of love story. <i><b>Piper's Someday</b></i> is the heartwarming story of Piper, a young girl who survives the deaths of her parents and sibling and the neglect of her grandfather through the love of her dog, Someday, and the help of some wonderful, strong lesbian role models. This touching, funny, grounded tale of the Southland is on my list of favorite young adult titles. Perkinson's literary nods to Harper Lee's <i><b>To Kill a Mockingbird</b></i> are thoughtful and evocative. If you've ever had a furry friend who held a part of your heart in those liquid love puppy eyes, you'll enjoy reading </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9M-yXcw5Ym9ZZZpAqk7g_Zq4I-b52vlPhZK8G7Ps96tyFypUmy-QSy_1vA0fZRx6AgjwAU2zXWaKm7PLWJZYD_LGR_AqMZCq7ijNTe20vrZpx3c8FyzIL3AYpOZLsb7WCY7T0hCFSIU/s1600-h/rocketheart.gif"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299449980082266818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9M-yXcw5Ym9ZZZpAqk7g_Zq4I-b52vlPhZK8G7Ps96tyFypUmy-QSy_1vA0fZRx6AgjwAU2zXWaKm7PLWJZYD_LGR_AqMZCq7ijNTe20vrZpx3c8FyzIL3AYpOZLsb7WCY7T0hCFSIU/s200/rocketheart.gif" style="float: right; height: 134px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 154px;" /></span></a><span style="color: #660000; font-size: 85%;">Piper's story.<br />
<br />
There you have it: A lovely box of assorted tales of lesbian love and romance for you and yours to explore for Valentine's Day. Calorie-free, wither-proof books, as good as falling in love.<br />
<br />
Happy Valentine's Day<br />
<br />
MJ, not your average Cupid</span> </div>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-30364639716009338152008-10-11T23:30:00.018-06:002008-10-14T18:15:13.792-06:00Add a touch of lavender with your orange and black<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6NpNXJJSX6I6OSIbIKHdbge0g1T9nGoqPPhOrhz78QvQKal7oeP237XudEi2AXibvVBwjNbgKvaX7NrFk_0i-LP0pW-RukVp6tWGUbqRXgTA8KdSQIDVz4TYWMbmDcc8JeWujFdHIrE/s1600-h/queerdevil2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256317628972810546" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 79px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 115px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6NpNXJJSX6I6OSIbIKHdbge0g1T9nGoqPPhOrhz78QvQKal7oeP237XudEi2AXibvVBwjNbgKvaX7NrFk_0i-LP0pW-RukVp6tWGUbqRXgTA8KdSQIDVz4TYWMbmDcc8JeWujFdHIrE/s200/queerdevil2.jpg" border="0" /></a>It's October and perhaps you, like myself, enjoy some seasonal stories that also feature lesbians. Add a little touch of lavender with your orange and black, if you will. Here is a list of some of my favorite otherworldly stories featuring lesbians. Not a list for fans of serious horror stories, many of these books are more lesbian fantasy romance with a supernatural twist. The short story anthologies are more mixed both with gay men as well as lesbians and by degree from little spooky to downright horror. For the most part these lavender pumpkins fall into three broad themes: Stories featuring goddess-worshipping women, stories with preternatural creatures, and stories haunted by ghosts. Then a few anthologies that mix these elements. Over all, it’s a kind of “Caldrons and Critters and Haints, Oh My!” collection.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Caldron</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">s</span><br />There are a number of stories that make reference to witches, especially in regard to Wicca/Pagan traditions. Laura Adams (a pen name for Karin Kallmaker aka "the Queen<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxLzFcPKJ3zEjx9MS4toehXcqwaG13ubjec2DBk7MRBCt_ecn24quzmA-ZhdZ_Q_xLOdOQSOe2fhxJHyjwPvtzYNXVMW9pdboZtWbjQlpWHCtmyavlBtXJxjveVGPvQtc0SoqayLiwzM/s1600-h/christabel_cover2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256121370846573122" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 93px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 144px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxLzFcPKJ3zEjx9MS4toehXcqwaG13ubjec2DBk7MRBCt_ecn24quzmA-ZhdZ_Q_xLOdOQSOe2fhxJHyjwPvtzYNXVMW9pdboZtWbjQlpWHCtmyavlBtXJxjveVGPvQtc0SoqayLiwzM/s200/christabel_cover2.jpg" border="0" /></a> of Lesbian Romance") has some wonderful "witchy" romances. Foremost are the first two titles in her "Tunnel of Light Trilogy." The hauntingly powerful story of Ursula and Autumn touches on Goddess worship of the pre-Christian era, its survival in generations since the fall of Rome. Kallmaker weaves a haunting cycle of magic and reincarnation beginning with <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Sleight of Hand</span> and followed by <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Seeds of Fire</span>. Powerful, mythic and erotic, we are still waiting for the conclusion. The finale, "Forge of Virgins" has yet to be released. However, in 2008, Kallmaker released an edited and expanded version of <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Christabel</span>, her retelling of the Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem, which weaves historic and contemporary lives together with two very touching love stories. This title is well worth a Halloween purchase.<br /><br />Jean Stewart's Isis Series begins with <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Return to Isis</span> and is set in a futurist, post-pandemic world. Several of the women of Freeland have worked to develop their psychic gifts and many self identify as witches or wiccan. Stewart's characters are three dimensional and engaging, her plots will have you on the edge of your seat. The most recent entry is <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Wizard of Isis</span> but you'll want to read them in order.<br /><br />A wit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9gZR5WcStodzLowFpE7W1xyqBFQsIc8pHp1dhfqVLooCjb3iMvL8D3pf2FAFFrdHdEd2588QY10YAcgiWtxqx2jofMdXi3ufxBkKBxcEa5sh3041QtmzcUx8sUoIIZWRhQ6dGmgBXEI/s1600-h/b's+charge.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256125227762793954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 108px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 164px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9gZR5WcStodzLowFpE7W1xyqBFQsIc8pHp1dhfqVLooCjb3iMvL8D3pf2FAFFrdHdEd2588QY10YAcgiWtxqx2jofMdXi3ufxBkKBxcEa5sh3041QtmzcUx8sUoIIZWRhQ6dGmgBXEI/s200/b's+charge.gif" border="0" /></a>ch and her talking dog are prominent in Karen William's <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Nightshade</span>. Her second novel, <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Nig</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">h</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">ts</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">hade </span>is peopled with several enticing women and she deals with her characters a bit more complexly than her first novel (see below). Alex's healing is an important element of her finding love in this delightful romance. Cynthia Lamb's <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Brigid’s Charge</span> is a well-researched and entertainingly crafted story of Deborah Leeds, a woman who immigrates to colonial America and brings her carefully hidden Irish Celtic wiccan faith. Readers who prefer a little more history and a little less magic will enjoy <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Brigi</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">d’s </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Charge</span>. The title may be difficult to track down, but is very worth the effort.<br /><br />Ellen Galford brings a goddess-centric island off the Scottish coast to life in <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">The Fires of </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Bride: A Novel</span>. Maria Milleny, an unemployed London artist is drawn to the enigmatic Dr. Catriona MacEochan and the generations of mysteries of the island people. Out of print, this charming, witty novel lingers like the ghost hidden in its pages.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Critter</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">s</span><br />Monsters are slightly less popular in gothic lesbian lit, although vampires tend to be the exception to the rule. However, there a few titles that can be considered “critter-filled.” Chris Anne Wolfe's <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Roses an</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">d Thorns</span> is a retelling of the "Beauty and the Beast" romantic fairy tale that questions the definition of “monster” and crosses over with witchcraft playing a role as well. Ellen Galford’s award winning <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Dyke and the Dybbuk </span>has an ancient demon trying to haunt a very modern dyke. The results are a riotous mix of humor. Great fun for those who like their spooks to be more droll than troll.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrrsMMV4PLmwnJGqC6NubgVuKXG9V8YPlDi6ao8r10sGc6N5zpZHU4z6ac6_TqDrA57scDMDsyk86ybiysT39Mg3Hfolmbt-6sA3Oqk49QeizzvQrqkLd8NHwbAV-5Qo1pcHQFLYTseYE/s1600-h/lovespell.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256308894425916562" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 164px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrrsMMV4PLmwnJGqC6NubgVuKXG9V8YPlDi6ao8r10sGc6N5zpZHU4z6ac6_TqDrA57scDMDsyk86ybiysT39Mg3Hfolmbt-6sA3Oqk49QeizzvQrqkLd8NHwbAV-5Qo1pcHQFLYTseYE/s200/lovespell.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Karen William's <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Love Spell</span> is a charming little romance that deals with stereotypes of monsters, witches, magic and love between the local vet, Kate and the mysterious Allegra. Kate struggles to understand all of these issues after she experiences the most erotic night of her life. Gomez’s <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">The Gilda Stories: A Novel</span> introduces a lesbian vampire with a strong morale sense and weaves through history into the future. Ouida Crozier suggests vampires are not undead, but beings from an alternative reality in <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Shadows After Dark</span> and they need not just human blood, but our help.</div><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Haints</span><br />Gothic tales of lesbian ghosts weave their way through a number of novels. Rebecca Montague’s <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">A W</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">ild Sea</span> has Katherine dealing with the ghost of loss in more ways than one. In Zanger’s <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Gardenias Where There Are None</span> the computer becomes a conduit for a different kind of communication for Melanie.<br /><br />The communication is not merely a metaphor in W<span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">hen the Dead Speak: The Second Brett Higgins Mystery</span>, as Allie and Brett find themselves experiencing strange happenings in their old house. The will of the spirit is overwhelming in <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">House at Pelham Falls</span> by Brenda Weathers. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNw4SLDfQZ38jPZTUtd5cERadVgl_tOyQkMXqS_pO9w_hwGaeHtrOqs0zziasjvklhmpmhNBsQCNn_5CajQ1IPQV4hyphenhyphenM5bFTLMEQ_npH9cbMuK1IqaL-T_N_wXC2-8UdxOg2mFUOwpCg/s1600-h/darkdreamer.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256307281416171138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 149px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 149px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNw4SLDfQZ38jPZTUtd5cERadVgl_tOyQkMXqS_pO9w_hwGaeHtrOqs0zziasjvklhmpmhNBsQCNn_5CajQ1IPQV4hyphenhyphenM5bFTLMEQ_npH9cbMuK1IqaL-T_N_wXC2-8UdxOg2mFUOwpCg/s200/darkdreamer.jpg" border="0" /></a>Long out of print, this ghostly story of lesbian love holds classic gothic elements and was the first preternatural lesbian story I ever read. Blayne Cooper’s <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Cobb Island </span>is a love story that echoes doomed relationship for the past. Uncovering the echo of that relationship, and finding love is the theme of this tale. While Cooper & Novan’s <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">The Road to Glor</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">y </span>is a different, but very touching kind of ghost story. On a bit spookier note is <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Dark Dreamer: a Dark Vista Paranormal Romance</span> by Jennifer Fulton. Rowe Devlin is having a rough patch in her life and falling for a woman who sees ghosts doesn't seem to be the answer. This is the first of a series of preternatural novels from Fulton.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Oh My! </span><br />As a fourth category, let’s look at anthologies that feature any and all variations on the Caldrons, Critters and Haints themes. Three Bella After Dark titles are well worth a reading. The first is <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Bell, Book and Dyke: New Exploits of Magical Lesbians</span>, a quartet of novellas by Karin Kallmaker, Julia Watts (both of whom also edited the stories), Barbara Johnson and Therese Szymanski. All the novellas feature "witches" and range from the wry and ironic "Skyclad" to the touching and powerful "Unbeliever." This is the best overall title of the "New Exploits" collections as all the stories in this one are worth your while. The second Bella After Dark to consider is <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Call Of The Dark: Erotic Lesbian Tales Of The Supernatural.</span> <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Call of the Dark</span> lives up to its title with erotic stories that will also send shivers of another kind down your spine. Edited by Szymanski, the collection is varied and well paced for readers with a mix of arousal, humor, and fear. There is also <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">New Exploits 3: Stake through the Heart</span> which features vampire stories from the four authors of the series.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1iwfWVhw1rGc528VeK0WeL_C4L_2vhOWeoPkgKx2gs_fYLnxsXPx8NQQ2JmaSsRV6ORYWBKfLHTaS0p7rWiBLo-fxYZVvbjlS6CNngbETh9hb5NT0ESTBufiStA9bjWww85N6lV1uTU/s1600-h/carmen.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256125989978828690" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 111px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 173px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1iwfWVhw1rGc528VeK0WeL_C4L_2vhOWeoPkgKx2gs_fYLnxsXPx8NQQ2JmaSsRV6ORYWBKfLHTaS0p7rWiBLo-fxYZVvbjlS6CNngbETh9hb5NT0ESTBufiStA9bjWww85N6lV1uTU/s200/carmen.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Shadows of the Night: Queer Tales of the Uncanny and Unusual</span> is a mixed anthology of stories by and featuring gay men and lesbians. It reads like a season from the Twilight Zone, and the stories here go from the odd to the down right scary, with some new twists on old ghost tales thrown into the mix. Out of Print and difficult to track down, <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">The Ghost of Carmen Miranda: and Other Spooky Gay and Lesbian Tales</span> is a fun mix of ghost stories. As with the title story, humor plays a role in some of the stories. Yet there are some very creepy entries here as well.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Night Shade: Gothic Tales by Women </span>is a mix of supernatural stories, not all of which are queer. However, Jean Stewart’s story of the avenging hounds of the goddess, “Feeding the Dark” has stayed with me for years. Similarly, and also edited by Brownworth, <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Night Bites: Vampire Stories by Women</span> is more feminist focused than “queer.” It also contains some memorable gems from the vampire theme.<br /><br />Two of the best (and the first) anthologies to focus with lesbian vampires were edited by Pam Keesey, <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Daughters of Darkness: Lesbian Vampire Tales</span> and <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Dark Angels: Lesbian Vampire Erotica</span>. Both titles have been rereleased. Gomez’s Gilda makes an appearance and from Katherine Forrest, we have Drake in “Oh Captain, my Captain.” Keesey's introductions include an interesting evaluation on the history of the lesbian vamp in literature.<br /><br />Without doubt, my favorite lesbian Halloween anthology is Kallmaker's <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">18th and Castro</span>. The 13 stories relate to the residents of a mythic apartment building at 18th & Castro on Halloween night. It’s an address where you'll find intelligent, witty stories that are well-written and charming, and peopled with interesting characters. The preternatural makes at least two appearances. Readers will find something good to eat in this bag of treats!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8IFzxkPqu8Gy5ugS1qfUaTLPxJgiMn9cFdZ-Jd-_x0dllcaUA5cLlryKNCL5C2TekSFTI8kpZmPwdzSEtdnzL8c-gotz0nxLdpx988DN9UKHwq5tMr57wNKTJvLd0NNidTEi-1YhwKNA/s1600-h/oscar.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256130254172585762" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 92px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 162px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8IFzxkPqu8Gy5ugS1qfUaTLPxJgiMn9cFdZ-Jd-_x0dllcaUA5cLlryKNCL5C2TekSFTI8kpZmPwdzSEtdnzL8c-gotz0nxLdpx988DN9UKHwq5tMr57wNKTJvLd0NNidTEi-1YhwKNA/s200/oscar.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Let's end this little Halloween reading list off with a tribute to the great lavender literary queen, Oscar Wilde with <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">The Canterville Ghost.</span> While there is very little lavender subtext in this charming little short story, it has Wilde’s trademark wit and wry observations about American and English cultures. And includes touching comments on the nature of love and the world. If you can find it, the Candlewick Treasures hardcover imprint (ISBN-13: 978-0763601324) is a delightful little book for ghostly Halloween gifting.<br /></div><br /><br />There you have it, a fine assortment of lavender Halloween treats for your reading pleasure.<br /><br />Happy Haunted Reading!<br />-MJ, a queer little devil<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="COLOR: rgb(153,51,153);font-family:georgia;" >BN: I'm not able to list all the authors and editors mentioned above in the labels, please look to the left to see full reviews of the titles mentioned, or reviews of other titles by those authors under the author's name.</span></span> </div>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-62481373912023822112008-05-23T22:03:00.004-06:002008-05-23T23:02:26.164-06:00Fool on the HillMorgan Hunt<br />2008<br />$14.95, trade paperback, 190 pages<br />ISBN-13: 978-1593500276<br />Alyson Books<br /><a href="http://www.alyson.com/">www.alyson.com</a><br /><br />Morga<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" jpg=""><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 92px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFRFw5A4LTq6uwJui5WYxP3ES4KKnlUBXWhtSvWJJwzTrXxl9imFwA2yfPsRoy7h34p6O7xMM8UqqXrfcjgUuOY3lag3tCKgCXT6-fFC6Jnea7vcI1ASBDJ4SPm5UfLIUN6yd7xVx1aJM/s200/foolcover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203798412913375714" border="0" /></a>n Hunt's second mystery, <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Fool on the Hill </span>brings back Tess Camillo, a smart-mouth lesbian with a varied and colorful past. Tess is a 40-something computer nerd and breast cancer survivor. Her original love was actually mathematics, and computer programming was more palatable than accounting or teaching math. Hunt has created a strong, quirky voice in Tess. Her whimsical associations, internal musical sound-tracks, and slightly skewed world view are charmingly idiosyncratic.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Fool on the Hill</span> opens as Tess and her housemate, Lana, attend a rock concert of Gabrielle Letheross with Cody Crowne as the opening act. Cody had been a chart topper in the 1980s but is fading in his late middle years. Lana, president of the local Cody Crowne fan club, has been waiting for years to see him in concert. Both women have a fantastic time. The next day brings a shock when his murdered body is discovered by Tess out walking in Open Space. Particularly shocking is the extremely brutal method of his murder. His teeth were removed, his finger tips were cut off, and he was crucified.<br /><br />The traumatic discovery piques Tess's curiosity. Prompting her to this: "I wondered if [Lana]'d remember to separate the whites for bleaching, but didn't want to nag her. I wondered what Thomas Paine would have thought of our current electoral process. I wondered how many IQ points we lose for each hour of reality TV we watch. I wondered if I should take a personal interest in tracking down Cody's murderers. I wondered a lot of things, then helped Lana with the laundry. Even after your own personal Calvary, you need clean underwear. " (24)<br /><br />Tess is assisted in her amateur sleuthing by a range of folks. Lana uses her new age touch to help question suspects and acts as look out. Tess's "husband" Roark Jurist -- they met over 20 years ago while both were struggling to survive in that closet called the US Navy, married for cover, divorced after they both left the service, and have remained friends -- now works with the "Immensely Powerful Government Spooks or IPoGS" (34) and provides Tess with an amazing array of valuable information via his connections. Kari, a detective with the SDPD whom Tess dated briefly, provides more official assistance. Hunt has created a fairly traditional mystery in that the clues are apparent to the reader as Tess finds them. The story is fast paced and fun. As secrets are uncovered, another murder occurs, bring the case even closer to home for Tess and Lana.<br /><br />Tess's San Diego and its surroundings add color and character to Fool on the Hill with various locales playing roles in the plot. Carousel rides, trips to Legoland, Balboa Park, and the historic district give texture to the story, including a charming scene at the Chicken Pot Pie Shop, a San Diego landmark diner. Or as Tess describes, "The decor was Green Acres kitsch. .... A high shelf along the far wall held ceramic poultry of every sort. Rhode Island red knickknacks could be found behind the cash register; macaroni art of leghorns and bantams hung on the dinning area walls. Not exactly Martha Stewart, but with food this good, who gives a cluck?" (159)<br /><br />Tess's voice is distinct and amusing, although sometimes her over-the-top metaphors are distracting. Occasionally Tess's powerful narrative voice becomes expository, not quite successfully taking the place of dialogue and action, from which some scenes might have benefited. This kind of "telling" of the story has a "thinning" effect to the novel overall. Hunt is a talented writer who has created a cast of quirky characters. Additional constructive editing could help Hunt develop a more robust mystery to better showcase her vivid characterization. She has great promise for future mysteries. This reader certainly looks forward to more of Tess.<br /><br />The prime example of a metaphor that did not work, for this reader, was Tess's analogy for oral sex. "When we changed positions, her softest layers became the rink in an Olympic competition; my tongue, the skates. I played with figure eight's [sic], smooth glides, and occasional double Axels. Encouraged by her moans, I won the Gold with a triple loop." (143) Ice and blades, even attached to skates, just aren't on my mind regardless of the grace involved. If Hunt needed a sports analogy, synchronized swimming might have worked better.<br /><br />Perhaps more importantly, the love scene, which was Tess's first sexual encounter since her surgery, seemed anticlimactic, as it were. Certainly the scene failed, for this reader, to resolve in a clear way the anxiety that Tess had previously expressed while anticipating the event, baring her surgery scars to a lover for the first time. It seemed a disservice to Nova's character for her not to be shown reassuring and satisfying Tess's needs. Yet Tess seems much less introspective about the relationship than she is about other aspects of her life. Since Tess's romantic life is the second most important thread to the novel, its light treatment is unsatisfying.<br /><br />Overall,<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> Fool on the Hill </span>is fast paced, engaging and fun. The characters are interesting and compelling. Tess Camillo is a welcome addition to the cast of amateur sleuths that mystery readers can enjoy. Pick up a copy, Tess is sure to have you humming along with a world spinning round.MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-9372456523373882982008-05-05T11:40:00.007-06:002008-05-06T15:31:00.563-06:00Winners vs. Classics<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hDQ4QQ4H6iAIWEh8DmPHbUYG7Tuxhy19HW1-Ltf0ybxTIAsZlck5JccI_-qgHsB3G7_ttOAnrUwV2FABmtGCjLgpsx6tdeGJeca1tTzK9mrDFtJ6SPn3buEzJ4fRGMXK2gixh61_cSU/s1600-h/envelope.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196966465157728466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 120px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 120px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hDQ4QQ4H6iAIWEh8DmPHbUYG7Tuxhy19HW1-Ltf0ybxTIAsZlck5JccI_-qgHsB3G7_ttOAnrUwV2FABmtGCjLgpsx6tdeGJeca1tTzK9mrDFtJ6SPn3buEzJ4fRGMXK2gixh61_cSU/s200/envelope.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Award season has started. Nominations have closed, short lists are being announced, and excitement and anticipation are building.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Every year, looking at the various lists of winners, I find myself with mixed feelings. The American Library Association's GLBT awards, now known as the Stonewall Book Award and Barbara Gittings Literature Award are the earliest GLBT book awards, dating back to 1971. The Lambda Literary Awards and Publishing Triangle Awards both began in 1988; while the Golden Crown Literary Society is still the new kid on the block founded in 2004. I am proud </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">that in my lifetime, organizations have been founded to honor books that reflect and validate</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> the lesbian experience. However, invariably there are titles that I would have liked to have seen honored that weren't short listed, let alone granted an award.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This year, </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">that thought prompted me to consider books that never won an award but have the publishing version of "living well is the best revenge." The titles listed below are now considered classics. All pre-date most s</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">uch awards. However, as part of that "classic" characteristic, they are still in print, or so frequently so as to be readily available in the secondary market, and they have touched untold lives since their first appearance. </span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >The Price </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYTwe7EvBP-mwlicIOxDEqA7nxVgl6zXHG_OZKDOfEy_07ZUX-YNeBV3N2UiVVpOovKlpU4EEkkjw4GHPoDdPk9RPnSMYm_lcMROunP6QxEWeme31vCOA705SdGZpArRWB_7nGFU5tXg/s1600-h/salt.htm"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196960989074426002" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 96px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 158px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYTwe7EvBP-mwlicIOxDEqA7nxVgl6zXHG_OZKDOfEy_07ZUX-YNeBV3N2UiVVpOovKlpU4EEkkjw4GHPoDdPk9RPnSMYm_lcMROunP6QxEWeme31vCOA705SdGZpArRWB_7nGFU5tXg/s200/salt.htm" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >of Salt</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, Claire Morgan (aka Patricia Highsmith) 1951. Originally produced in hardcover, </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >The Price of Salt</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> a</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">p</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">peared shortly after Highsmith’s success,</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Strangers on a Train</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. Yet due to the controversial, not to mention </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">illegal subject matter, it was released under a pseudonym. </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >The Price of Salt</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> was the first novel in English (I don’t know about other languages) that ended with the two female leads surviving to love each other. No murde</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">r. No suicide. No jail time. </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">No one married the Y-type ... or more correctly, Carol got divorced and went after the girl. Wow.<br /></span><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Spring Fire</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: trebuchet ms" href="http://www.mekerr.com/">Vin Packer (aka Marijane Meaker) </a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">1952. Now credited with launching the lesbian themed pulp genre, </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Spring Fire</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> was the first of some 20 titles written by Ms. Meaker before Stonewall. As Ann Aldrich, she wrote a series of non-fiction (and controv</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ersial) titles printed in from 19</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">55 to 1972. In 1970, Gene Damon (Barbara Grier, co-founder of Naiad Press) in </span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: trebuchet ms" href="http://lesbianlife.about.com/od/herstory/p/DOB.htm"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">The Ladder</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> (Daughters of Bilitis newsletter) referred to Ms. Meaker as "the evil genius" for her excellent writing about unpleasant and unsatisfactory lesbian themes. Ms. Meaker has written award winning teen novels under the name, M.E. Kerr and in 2003 released a memoir of her two y</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ear relationship with Highsmith. </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Spring Fire</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> has been re-released by Cleis Press in 2004 and is now available in ebook formats. </span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Odd Girl Out,</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: trebuchet ms" href="http://www.annbannon.com/">Ann Bannon</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, 1957. The first of five novels in the "Beebo Brinker Chronicles" was <strong><em>Odd Girl Out </em></strong>and while the Beebo books have a certain campy quality of the time; they were a relatively positive depiction of lesbians. They granted women an alternative to heterosexual “Susie Homemaker” in the years before Stonewall. Ms. Bannon has said that Vin Packer's novels were an inspiration to her.<br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Desert of the Heart</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, Jane Rule, 1964. Perhaps better known for being the inspiration behind the movie, Desert Hearts, Jane Rule's work was groundbreaking in the matter of fact quality of the lesbian relationship. After several rejections as not negative enough toward lesbianism, it was originally released in hardcover. The relationship is touching and thoughtful, but it's not the focus of the novel which has much to say about gambling and capitalism as well as loneliness.<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3yMle3BU-H0ZS8hH-UUcJgHnat8qoc0Vo0LWIiDI0AqmakjwmPFsfUPUTvZlMjnrmauR_YJNXAoaBAFCbmknhilmUO5Jw2GppCP3hY4oMcYjZNFBOL8AWBVcthm8sbZANqKaiRqYYs0/s1600-h/RubyfruitJungle.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196961684859127970" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 111px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 167px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3yMle3BU-H0ZS8hH-UUcJgHnat8qoc0Vo0LWIiDI0AqmakjwmPFsfUPUTvZlMjnrmauR_YJNXAoaBAFCbmknhilmUO5Jw2GppCP3hY4oMcYjZNFBOL8AWBVcthm8sbZANqKaiRqYYs0/s200/RubyfruitJungle.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Ruby Fruit Jungle</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, <a href="http://www.ritamaebrown.com/">Rita Mae Brown</a>, 1973. Ms. Brown is better known today for her anthropomorphizing m</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ysteries, the Mrs. Murphy series and Master of the Hunt Sister Jane series. However, </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Ruby Fruit Jungle</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> is arguab</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ly the best selling lesbian novel. First released by Daughters Inc (a now defunct feminist press), it went through numerous editions before </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Ruby Fruit Jungle</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> was sold to Bantam. With her humor and outrageous adventures Molly Bolt has seen unknown thousands of women out of the closet with a new defiant joy and affection. Reading Ms. Brown’s </span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: trebuchet ms" href="http://www.ritamaebrown.com/content/index.asp">bio</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> on her website is rather fun.<br /></span><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Annie on My Mind</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: trebuchet ms" href="http://www.nancygarden.com/">Nancy Garden</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, 1982. One of the most banned books in America, Garden dared to te</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">l</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">l the charming, confusing, touching story of two high school girls falling in love and coming out. </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Garden has written dozens of books f</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">or children and teens and others since <strong><em>Annie</em></strong> have dealt with lesbian and gay themes, most notably </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >The Year They Burned the Books, </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">1999 and <em><strong>Endgame,</strong></em> 2006. The former was inspired by the controversy around <strong><em>Annie </em></strong>while the latter deals with the violent response of youth to repeatedly hostile bullying. My personal favorite of Garden's lesbian themed books is </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Good Moon Rising, </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">1996. However, Annie and Liza’s story (which has even been adapted into a play) still reigns for its groundbreaking.<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDZtOQjdLGAWLg-xA91AuVDHKr-f1xxSkkifU0uC_kHUlahlNsWg6hJdctdlkB88yjkwubD0_k_9WPvLuZrLUCYI22rcyPHbqRu8Jel7v6drea1UligmfAw7ililZifKMlw72HkbXuxY/s1600-h/curious.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196962135830694066" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 98px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 149px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDZtOQjdLGAWLg-xA91AuVDHKr-f1xxSkkifU0uC_kHUlahlNsWg6hJdctdlkB88yjkwubD0_k_9WPvLuZrLUCYI22rcyPHbqRu8Jel7v6drea1UligmfAw7ililZifKMlw72HkbXuxY/s200/curious.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Curious </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Wine</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: trebuchet ms" href="http://www.kvforrest.com/">Katherine V. Forrest</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, 1983. Forrest didn't just raise the bar for lesbian romance with Curious Wine, she bu</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">i</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">l</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">t</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> a whole new jump course. The story of Lane and Diana is romantic, erotic and quintessentially female and feminist</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> in ways that nothing had been before i</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">t. Further, </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Amateur City</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> (1984) was the first mystery to feature a detective who was a lesbian, Kate Delafield. Ms. Forrest is now the Supervising Editor of Spinsters Ink.<br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Mists of A</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >valon</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: trebuchet ms" href="http://mzbworks.home.att.net/">Marion Zimmer Bradley</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, 1983. MZB re-set the standard in how women might look at our cultural mythos, giving a new life to the divine female. Under the name Miriam Gardn</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">er, she wrote lesbian themed pulp novels and contributed to </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >The Ladder</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. None of MZB's Darkover novels we</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">re honored by GLBT awards, nor was </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >The Catch Trap</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, 1979, which featured two men who starred in the flying trapeze in the circus world and struggled with their love during the 1940s and 1950s.<br /></span><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Toothpick House</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: trebuchet ms" href="http://leelynch6.tripod.com/">Lee Lynch</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, 1983. This was the first title of a dozen that Ms. Lynch has written, including Dusty's Queen of Hearts Diner, the first of the Morton River Valley trilogy. There is a review for her most recent title, </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Sweet Creek</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: trebuchet ms" href="http://mjsbookshelf.blogspot.com/2008/03/sweet-creek.html">here</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. She is perhaps best known for her for her column the </span><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Amazon Trail</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, which appears </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">in GLBT periodicals across the country. In the 1960s, Ms. Lynch also wrote for </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >The Ladder</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">.</span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi394ohR4dA1eXdHBJ6kbNOQC2lCwbk09DVl5X-E_BZJG8jVqZpZBHaitjDTNzZ4fltg98TMXJwJ7OTUYpwGiP2HcbxJdPZ2aQ9s7E3cOKSi6y5PY_4RFqt3ZIY0MRrkyLt9nrLKNKDJTA/s1600-h/other-women-first.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196963265407092930" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 110px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 161px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi394ohR4dA1eXdHBJ6kbNOQC2lCwbk09DVl5X-E_BZJG8jVqZpZBHaitjDTNzZ4fltg98TMXJwJ7OTUYpwGiP2HcbxJdPZ2aQ9s7E3cOKSi6y5PY_4RFqt3ZIY0MRrkyLt9nrLKNKDJTA/s200/other-women-first.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Other Women</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, </span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: trebuchet ms" href="http://www.lisaalther.com/index.html">Lisa Alther</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, 1984. Some folks might rather </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Kinflicks</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> which was released in 1976 or </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >O</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >riginal Sins</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, 1981, but I have a soft spot for </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:trebuchet ms;" >Other Women</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, as it were, which focused more on lesbians, in my opinion. And therapy, a favorite pasttime for lesbians. All three books were best sellers and book club selections, which resulted in putting stories about lesbians in the hands of lots of closeted women who might not have found them otherwise.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yes, many of these authors have been honored with other accolades and successes and obviously, they could not be honored by organizations that didn't yet exist at the time these</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> titles were originally released. Indeed the existence of these titles without a doubt served to prompt the creation of various GLBT literature award programs. This list is by no means complete and I welcome additional suggestions via comments. Nevertheless, it reminds one that books might not win awards, and can still win the hearts and minds of readers.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">-MJ Lowe</span></span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-44018132504786421612008-04-23T21:39:00.008-06:002008-04-26T12:32:47.641-06:00Landing<img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qolZVCxD4Ib0yP1nKh-ehOeJxLLsEekwzN-nYYtB9FS-b4NIjNRVLuSud2C3GKwA3Bw2FDmHiv99EnBIY7pEKxAIL_iojln8x9bZldZkgNaKm4CvtspKcx_Tru6fQVYnw2_JROEF534/s200/landing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192658887837747330" border="0" /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Emma Donoghue </span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" id="j.:n" > <p id="uj3-">Harcourt Books<br /></p></span> <p id="uj3-" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a id="p:xr" href="http://www.harcourtbooks.com/"><u id="yhm."><span id="ysal" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">www.HarcourtBooks.com</span></u></a></span></p><span id="k2gp" style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" > <p style="font-family: georgia;" id="gtqf">May 7, 2007</p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" id="ovls">ISBN-10: 0151012970 </p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" id="fq:.">Life is about to change for Jude Turner in Emma Donoghue's novel, <b id="h586"><i id="n-7o">Landing</i></b>. The 25 year old archivist/curator of a one-room schoolhouse museum in her very small town of Ireland, Ontario, Canada, is "celebrating" New Years Eve by flying to the United Kingdom to see her mother, who has been visiting her sister, Jude's aunt. This mysterious request from Jude's aunt heralds illness and loss for Jude. Thus for the first time Jude, the self-proclaimed Luddite, is on a plane. It will be one of many firsts as an unusual incident during the flight prompts her meeting Síle O'Shaughnessy, a meeting that will have long term effects on both women. Síle is a 39-year-old flight attendant of Indo-Celtic heritage with nearly 20 years of experience in her career. A resident of Dublin, Ireland, Síle is a cosmopolitan, high-tech, and high energy lesbian whose fast-paced vagabond life suits her. She was born, after all, at 40,000 feet. </p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" id="puuw">The "LDR" --long distance romance-- that slowly takes off between the two women is witty and charming, though sometimes rocked by the bad weather of miscommunication and time zones, it is carried up like the magic of flight. Themes of distance, travel, and change are woven throughout the novel as the women re-prioritize their lives with each other. <b id="ifaf"><i id="g9xt">Landing</i></b> is a romance filled with the ache of distance and longing, and Donoghue is wonderfully skilled in her quiet little illustrations of it as when "She conjured up Jude, or rather her absence, a hot ghost for Síle to wrap her body around." (151) </p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" id="fa1h">The charm of love's preoccupation is reflected as Jude confesses to a friend, "Daily life becomes this sort of epic: The First Time I Saw Her Face, Our First Walk by the Lake, The First Phone Call, The Night I Stayed Up Making Anagrams of Her Name ..."</p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" id="qibv">Gwen stared. "Anagrams?"</p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" id="qq40">"When I can't sleep ...," admitted Jude. (159)</p> <p id="qnkr" style="font-family:georgia;">Donoghue reminds us that life can be messy yet interesting in this story peopled with vivid and surprising individuals struggling to deal with the limitations of their communities, families and careers. Wry observations of the practical, political and legal realities for international relationships, as well as the internal conflicts of national identity and individuality, prejudice and labels, self-worth and love, commitment and independence, are deftly charted and <span id="mqm1" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">navig</span><span id="se.m" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">ated</span> throughout <span id="ai9k" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">t</span>he story. For example, there's Jude's view of history and her efforts at her museum "Uncutesy, I guess," she said, after a second. "In North America we tend to Disneyfy the past into this sugar-coated nostalgia product, all bonnets and merry sleigh rides--" (24) Or Síle's friend, Jael's struggle with herself as a "hasbian" now married with a child and revealing that she's also seeing a woman, "Without it, I swear I couldn't hold it together: the <span style="font-family:georgia;">house, the husband, the job, the child. Maybe I need a secret." (298)</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" id="wzk_" face="georgia"> Would that most plane flights were as pleasantly distracting, charmingly complicated, and warmly engaging as<b id="ox6v"><i id="pv4f"> Landing</i></b>. Donoghue's writing is a pleasure to read, so much so that pulling quotes, for this reviewer, became a difficult choice. Frankly, I recommend reading the whole book. Please fasten your seat belt and enjoy.</p><p style="font-family: georgia;" id="wzk_" face="georgia">-MJ Lowe</p><p id="wzk_" style="font-family:georgia;">BN: BBC Audiobooks America has produced an unabridged audio version of<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> Landing,</span> skillfully narrated by Laura Hicks. You might check to see if your local library has or can get a copy, it's fun to listen to as well.<br /></p><p id="wzk_"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">ISBN: 9780792748410</span> </span> </p></span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-73276921376690253402008-04-13T10:28:00.012-06:002008-05-06T09:05:22.510-06:00Getting "those books" into your local library<div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">National Library Week is April 13-19, 2008. I'm posting a presentation I made at GCLS 2007 concerning getting queer books into your local public library's collection.<br /><br />Good luck!<br />-MJ</span></span></span></div><div align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,153)">"I may not be an explorer, or an adventurer, or a treasure-seeker, or a gunfighter, Mr. O'Connell, but I am proud of what I am...<br />I, am a librarian!" From the movie,<em> The Mummy</em></span></span></span></span></div><p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Why your local public library?<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">1. Increases Visibility. </span>Your interest in books with les/bi women’s lives illuminated, increases the public library's interest in books with les/bi women's lives and that increases visibility for les/bi women's lives. Further having "those books" in the public library provides visibility/preservation of the literature in the larger literary world.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">2. Increases Availability. </span>A library is a wonderful place to reach folks who might not buy, either because they can't afford to, or because they don't feel comfortable doing so.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">3. Increases Validation. </span>The collection of a public library should reflect the community it serves. You are a patron of your local library and have a right to expect positive depictions of les/bi women in the library's collection. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">What books are already there?</span><br />First, find out what your library has. If you don't have one, Get a library card! Check the catalog. Your local library very likely has a website that allows online searching. --It's fairly rare to find those cute little drawers anymore.-- </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">For a subject search try: <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Lesbians -- fiction</span>.<br /><br />You might also need to do a keyword search. This is because a book ends up with more specific subject headings like: <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Lesbians -- Scotland -- Glasgow -- Fiction</span> or <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Lesbians -- United States -- Fiction</span> but not have the primary subject of <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Lesbians -- fiction</span>. The basic idea is that the catalog is designed to find the most specific item, not result in a "big net" of results. Part of the issue has to do with changes in cataloging over time. Systems rarely, if ever, go back and change previous cataloging. There are places where one will still find: <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">homosexuals -- fiction</span> rather than <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">gay men -- fiction.</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Those are the issues to be aware of when you're looking in your local catalog. And that's the best way I know to explain the quirks you might find. Frankly, I'm a Reference Librarian, not a Cataloger. If you're really interested in a more technical answer, I can find out for you. Just send me an email.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">You might also try a title or author search. And then check the subjects. If you're using a web-based catalog, you can usually click on the subject headings at the bottom of the title or author page to find similar titles. So try<span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"> Brown, Rita Mae </span>or <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Garden, Nancy </span>and see if you have <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Bingo </span>or <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Annie on my Mind</span>. I mention these titles because they were released by main stream presses and thus are a little more likely to be in any given collection.<br /><br />Now that you know what's there, ask yourself:<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">What books would you like to see there?</span><br /><br />Draft a list of titles you would like to see and include:<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">title</span><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">author</span><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">publisher</span><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">copyright year</span><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">ISBN</span><br /><br />Certainly include one or two of your favorite authors, however, also consider including bestselling les/bi fiction titles from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Award-winning titles: </span><a href="http://www.gclscon.com/PastGCLSAwards.html"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">GCLS Literary Awards</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">, </span><a href="http://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/previous_winners/paw_2004_2006.html"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Lambda Literary Awards</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">, </span><a href="http://www.publishingtriangle.org/awards.asp"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Publishing Triangle Awards</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">, American Library Association’s </span><a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/glbtrt/stonewall/stonewallbook.cfm"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Stonewall Book Award/Barbara Gitting Literature Awards</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">. Include any titles that are set locally or written by local authors. By local, I mean state. This is a common subject heading, i.e., <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Colorado -- fiction</span>. And many library systems collect local authors and might have a special local subject for this, i.e., <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Tennessee authors.</span> You'll want to make a note of this information on your list. If the title has been reviewed somewhere, you might print or copy that review for inclusion as well. Be aware that if a title is not readily available at Amazon or your local bookstore, the library might not be able to get a copy via their distributor. (See note about donations below.)<br /><br />I would not go in with more than five titles at a time. However, it is not unreasonable to ask how many titles would be considered at a given time and whether there is a better time to request titles (first of the year, monthly, etc).<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Next find out, how does your library work?</span><br />Speak to the reference or information services staff and ask how they go about their collection development. Explain why you're asking: "I'd like to request some titles for inclusion in the collection. What's the best way to do that?" Some systems may have a handout or a link on their web page about their collection development policy. Ask, "Is there someone I may speak to directly?"<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Ask these kinds of questions:</span> </span></p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><ul><li></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Is it centralized? Or done locally? (If you are going to a one location, say a city library, just ask who does the collection development ordering.) </span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">May you request titles?</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">How likely are they to order requested titles?</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">How long before you'll know if the title has been ordered? (Ask to place a hold on the title, this way, it will appear on your record and you'll know when it has been added to the collection.) </span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Do they accept donations for inclusion into the collection?</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">It's worth asking. However, be aware that it is not uncommon for donations of books to go directly into the Friends of the Library book sale and thus generate money for the library. This is because the cost of cataloging a title must be weighed against the cost of purchasing partially processed books from the distributor. It is often more cost efficient to order a new copy than to have a cataloger process a title.<br /><br />They MIGHT accept a donation of a title that they are unable to access via their distributor, if you make a case for its inclusion. If you provide a hard copy donation, be aware that a large library system might gladly accept two copies, and ask how many they'd like. (If you provide more than one copy, make sure it is the same edition -- the same ISBN -- to facilitate their unique cataloging.)</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Final option:</span><br />Most libraries will allow you to purchase a "memorial" book via a monetary donation and designate a title. Thus you may be able to give a donation to purchase a book in memory of L. J. Maas, Tee Corinne, that high school gym teacher, etc. Check to make sure the library is willing to purchase the title you're requesting. Make sure it's readily available, etc.<br /><br />It is possible that you'll run into some hesitation. Ask why. After all, you are a patron and you are asking for these titles. Within reason, the library should reflect your interests and needs.<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Follow up.<br /><br />Wait a month and check the catalog.</span><br /><br />Check out the titles, even if you've already read them. One of the standards for maintaining a title in a library collection is circulation. Are people reading it? If a title sits on a shelf for two years, and hasn't been checked out, then staff may consider removing it. Shelf space is a premium. Having said that, one of the things about GLBT titles is that they might be read at the library. Some patrons might feel uncomfortable checking the title out, such as a 14-year old who might not feel safe taking a title home, or a heterosexually married person who might not be ready to out their les/bi-sexual identity to their spouse.<br /><br />If you do develop a comfortable rapport with someone on staff, you might point this out -- That titles might not circulate, but if they look "read" then they are being used in the library and should be kept in the system, regardless of their check out history. It is possible that this is more true of non-fiction titles, however, it should be remembered in general.</span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">There you have it. Go forth and request books! </span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">-MJ Lowe</span></span></span> </p><p align="right"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#333399;">When I got [my] library card, that was when my life began.</span></p><p align="right"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#333399;">--Rita Mae Brown</span></p>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-91303774402021685662007-11-21T18:23:00.002-07:002008-03-28T21:51:14.822-06:00Gift of Time<span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Robin Alexander</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Intaglio Publications</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >9781933113821, $16.95<br /></span><a href="http://www.intagliopub.com/"><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >www.intagliopub.com</span></a><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >For practical, grounded, thirty-something CPA Leah Marks, time is about to become far more complicated than she ever imagined possible. A chance stop into a local antique shop introduces her to Reagan Montgomery, a woman that Leah feels very attracted to and results in her acquiring an unusual, lovely, antique snow globe. The globe is one of a pair created by a local craftsman nearly 100 years ago. No ordinary globe, it would seem, as Leah discovers that its image changes while she watches it. A tiny woman who looks very much like Reagan appears from within the elegantly wrought Victorian house in the globe. Investigation of the artifact reveals they once belonged to two women who bear a striking resemblance to Leah and Reagan.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >The story takes a remarkable and fanciful turn when Leah is propelled back in time to 1907 via the globe. In 1907 Leah becomes Leanne, a young woman who is in love with Elizabeth, who looks like a younger Reagan. Returning to 2004, Leah finds herself compelled to discover all that she can about the women, who for some magical and unknown reason, appear to be herself and Reagan in another lifetime. Leah decides the only way to understand the full story is to return to 1907. When Reagan joins Leah in the past, the women find they have set in motion a complex set of events. When Elizabeth's mother discovers the young lovers in a compromising position, they both experience the horrifically violent attitude toward lesbianism at the time. The situation looks dire. Still, Leah's humor is engaging, as she recalls, "I had been clawed, dragged, slapped and choked in less than twenty-four hours. This was the most action I'd seen since I tried to put the neighbor's cat in a grocery sack as a child" (110).</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><em><strong>Gift of Time</strong></em> evolves from a "simple" time-traveling romance to a complicated, layered tale with several plot twists. The women struggle to minimize the impact of their actions on the future--and still win a life together in the 21st century. As Leah observes of the early timeline, "There was no central heat, the cold chilled me to the bone, no Internet, and heaven help me, no Mountain Dew, the main staple of my diet" (110).</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Alexander has given readers a charming romance with some fast-paced action. Leah's internal voice is often funny and self-effacing; the romantic interludes are sweet and sexy. The first portion of the story was not quite as engaging to this reader, however, perhaps because some of the characterization seemed unsettled and forced. Within a few chapters the characterization improves as the action picks up and the surprises unfold. The result was engrossing and enjoyable. Alexander makes observations about racism and human relationships in the South, then and now, which are thoughtful, hopeful, and earnest. The settings of historic and pre-Katrina Gulfport are carefully realized. Give yourself a <strong><em>Gift of Time</em></strong> and enjoy every minute.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">-MJ Lowe</span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-19608681866620599132007-09-06T16:33:00.001-06:002011-08-07T17:37:51.664-06:00Date Night Club<em><strong></strong></em><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Saxon Bennett<br />Bella Books<br />9781594930942 $13.95<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://www.bellabooks.com/">www.bellabooks.com</a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br />Meet Chris McCoy, a charming, neurotic lesbian mail carrier living in Albuquerque, N.M., and member of a group of middle-aged lesbian friends who find themselves single, AGAIN. They decide to commit themselves to finding not just a lover-for-the-moment but a "perfect mate." Thus they form the "Date Night Club" where "Instead of letting love fall to chance, they would research it, explore all the places where it might lurk or frolic and nail it to the wall of each of their futures" (40).<br /><br />The club members are an eccentric mix of women who provide a great deal of heart and humor on their "quest" for love. There is Bernadette Chevez Maestas, known as B., a high-energy and highly successful realtor with a physique akin to Dolly Parton's. Sarah K. Roswell is the pastry chef/business woman behind a well known line of creme puffs available in upscale groceries. Sarah calls herself "Midge" because as a Little Person, she feels she might as well control and embrace her identity with disarming, self affirming humor. Luce is the resident bohemian-earth-mother-artist-type who works in large scale stained glass and may still be grieving her late lover. And Amadeus, a tall, blue-eyed, red-haired German Amazon, runs The Zoo, a hip restaurant that's popular with "club members."<br /><br />The group makes monthly forays dubbed "date night" that include volunteering at the local pride-fest picnic and attending a book group sponsored by the local women's bookstore. In the latter scene, Alex Taylor, the author of the month's selection, is in attendance because she hopes for feedback from readers. (Her book, titled "The Heiress," bears a striking resemblance to the story line of Bennett's book <strong><em>Talk Back</em></strong>.) Particularly amusing is the hot seat on which the author finds herself when her literary use of pickles is criticized by two very uptight feminist readers. The discussion that results is bizarre and hilarious. While no reader should assume an autobiographical origin to any novel, one can not help but wonder if Bennett is exorcising some particular experience with this wickedly funny scene. Alex Taylor's rather plaintively confused comment, "The pickle heiress was meant to be funny," (75), says it all.<br /><br /><strong><em>Date Night Club</em></strong> is a very fine example of what Saxon Bennett does best: She creates a funny, charming and very human ensemble cast of lesbians, then carries her readers through an arc of challenge and growth with them. I laughed out loud several times, especially in regard to B.'s type A dominating, if well meaning, approach to orchestrating not only her own life but those of her good friends. The scene with the duct tape still gets me to smile.Dog people will love The Pipster, who makes Lassie look ill-trained, and the flyball games. <strong><em>Date Night Club</em></strong> is one of the funniest books I've read in a very long time, and is in my opinion the best of Bennett's many charming novels, in that her characters are so clearly defined and articulated from the very beginning, making the story a pleasure to follow. Give <em><strong>Date Night Club</strong></em> a try, you might not find your true love, but you're sure to enjoy the evening.<br /><br />-MJ Lowe</span> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-56626872753086646722007-04-11T18:50:00.001-06:002008-03-28T21:51:14.825-06:00Running with the Wind<span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Nell Stark<br />Bold Strokes Books<br />1933110708, $15.95<br /></span><a href="http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com/"><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >www.boldstrokesbooks.com</span></a><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Sail away in Promising First Novel.<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><strong><em>Running with the Wind</em></strong> is an engaging engrossing debut novel by Nell Stark. Corrie Marston, a graduate student in engineering, spends her summer teaching sailing in Rhode Island. Corrie is talented, intelligent, fit, good looking and very good at sailing--Olympic-class good. Denise Lewis was Corrie's crew for the Olympic trials. Their relationship was intense, exciting and closeted, as Denise wasn't ready to come out. Before long, Denise left Corrie for the security and validation of a heterosexual relationship with William, Corrie's brother. The siblings have always had a competitive streak but this blow created a rift between them. Since Denise and William's engagement, Corrie has shut off a great deal of her pain, anger and her capacity for love. She has "made a point to hook up with friends--not random, but no strings attached"(47).<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Corrie is one of the most thoughtful and articulate depictions of a bisexual woman this reviewer can recall. As a friend of Corrie comments, "I get the feeling that gender doesn't really matter to her. That it's just another physical characteristic like body type or something"(48). Still, Corrie admits to herself that "seducing men made her feel powerful, somehow. Whereas women just felt good" (49). Some elements of Corrie's view might make readers uncomfortable. She has not dealt with the emotional scars from Denise's rejection and that has pushed Corrie into a patch of windless water where she is foundering.<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Quinn Davies, an intelligent, shy, 27 year-old woman in vet school has been convinced by an old friend, Drew, to take sailing lessons this summer. Quinn's gift with animals results in her helping Corrie's dog, Frog when she has an accident. The event places the two women in more intimate surroundings than the marina. Aware of Corrie's approach to sex, Quinn, despite her attraction to Corrie, is careful. For Quinn, "The entire idea of casual sex-- even between friends--made her uncomfortable. Sex meant losing control, and losing control meant whoever you were with could really, truly see you. Not just physically because you were naked, but emotionally--and what if they didn't like what they saw? Even if they did, you could never take it back. Sex wasn't like blurting out a confession by accident that you could then pretend was a joke. It was permanent"(48). With this thoughtful self awareness, Quinn refuses Corrie's causal overtures.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br />When Corrie realizes that William and Denise will be sailing in the annual Regatta, she decides to court Quinn in a face-saving plan to prove that she can get a girlfriend. Despite her sexual experience, Corrie is the naive one in many ways and the leaks in this boat appear quickly as Corrie, whose observing ego is not very strong, begins to fall for Quinn. Yet the more "innocent" Quinn understands more of herself, Corrie, and the nature of love and loyalty. The two women will have to find winds of trust and love for the relationship to sail.<br /><br />Appropriately, sailing is one of the characters of <strong><em>Running with the Wind.</em></strong> How Corrie, Quinn, William, and other characters approach and relate to the sport is fascinating and revealing. The race scenes, both impromptu and formal, kept this reviewer turning pages. Further, Stark uses the various characters' understanding of sailing to explain sailing elements without distracting the reader with details. Corrie's frame of reference for a great deal of life is sailing and her analogies are nautical. She understands the boats, the sails, the wind, the sea and her role as a sailor. Corrie finds solace in the power and non-judging challenge of the wind and the water.<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><strong><em>Running with the Wind</em></strong> is a fast-paced read. Stark's characters are richly drawn and interesting. The dialog can be lively and wry and elicited several laughs from this reader. Like Kallmaker's <strong><em>All the Wrong Places</em></strong>, the discussions of the nature of sex, love, power, and sexuality are insightful and represent a welcome voice from the view of late-20-something characters today. Stark also captures lovely, intimate, and vivid moments such as, "Corrie remembered how smooth and soft [Denise's] eyebrows had felt as she traced them with one forefinger in the aftermath of their lovemaking" (14). The love scenes between Corrie and Quinn are erotically charged and sweet.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><em>Running with the Wind</em></strong> is a wonderful debut novel which holds great promise. It's a touching romance with lively, realistic characters in an interesting setting. This reviewer looks forward to reading Stark's future stories and in the meanwhile, recommends readers pick up a copy and set sail.<br /></span></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" > </span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >-MJ Lowe</span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-86812871729210752842007-03-29T19:14:00.001-06:002008-03-28T21:51:14.827-06:00Finders Keepers<span style="font-size:85%;">Karin Kallmaker<br />978-1594930720, $13.95<br /></span><a href="http://www.bellabooks.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">www.bellabooks.com</span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">In her latest romance, <strong><em>Finders Keepers</em></strong>, Kallmaker has once again turned the genre on its ear. She has given readers a hot, romantic story that bookends two complex journeys her lovers take in order to become and find the "keepers" they desire. In the course of the lead characters' struggles Kallmaker prompts readers to seriously consider two questions at the heart of romantic love in general and the romance novel genre in particular. She asks us to consider: what is beautiful? And what makes a perfect match? </span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />Linda Bartok and Marissa Chabot meet in a lifeboat when the cruise ship they are on sinks. The vacation is saved when they find an island. Romance blooms in the languid and lush tropical resort. Both women find in the other someone who sees parts of them that most people never notice. In Marissa's case, Linda sees not only her intelligence and wit but past the excess pounds to the strong, attractive, and desirable woman. In the Linda's case, Marissa sees beyond the highly cultivated gorgeous exterior to the strong, capable, and intelligent woman. In the physical expression of their love, they find new aspects of themselves. The sweetly romantic week is a watershed for both women and a delight for readers. When their vacation ends, Linda and Marissa each begin a struggle to better integrate their exteriors and interiors and to fulfill the potential they glimpsed via the other's eyes. Both woman will deal with their past and discover their own strength and beauty. </span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />Linda, frequently mistaken for a popular, beautiful actress, has been running to various far-flung and out-of-the-way locales to avoid the demons of her childhood and her mother's irrational expectations for an acceptable daughter. Hiding behind what she thinks of as her façade of beauty, Linda has engaged in empty sexual encounters but no one really saw her, none of the women really touched her. At the outset of one of these meaningless encounters Linda thinks, "What piece of me do you want? You have to pick because you don't get the whole me. There is no whole me anymore." (86) Until Linda finds Marissa. Time spent with Marissa allows Linda to see that she has to face and make peace with her past in order to heal and to find a future. </span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />A computer geek with a wry sense of humor, Marissa has hidden herself in her work, oversized clothes and the all-too-easily acquired extra pounds of a sedentary job and a lonely personal life. Falling for Linda has been a wake-up call to for Marissa to stop the spiral and reclaim her body as part of herself. Since adolescence Marissa has been hiding her sexual attractiveness behind the protection of her size. Yet Linda's impression of Marissa is that she "had a passion for living and it had shown in the way she'd attacked the cliff. It showed in the way she made love. Even in the way she enjoyed water, sand and new experiences ..." (81) </span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><strong><em>Finders Keepers</em></strong> is not a light read, if you'll pardon the pun. It is a complex story with many layers. Marissa's struggle with weight-loss and fitness illustrates the "get thin quick without work" claims most American weight loss companies tout. (An attractive promise Americans are all too happy to buy.) Kallmaker provides insights into evaluating programs and understanding reasonable goals without being pedantic and Marissa's hard-won success is inspiring. Readers glimpse relatively small portions of Linda's childhood and the frightful and bizarre trauma at the hand of her mother. It reminds us that monetary success is no guarantee of love, health, happiness, or sanity. Yet the roots of her mother's obsessions are a dark reflection of American views toward perfect beauty, particularly epitomized by the beauty pageant circuit. </span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />Further, Marissa is one of the owners of "Finders Keepers" a dating service that uses computer analysis of a complex and detailed questionnaire to match hopeful singles with their perfect partner. Thus the question of what makes a good match and, perhaps most interesting, what threatens to break even the best match, is an engaging thread through the story. </span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />Despite the heavy topics and the "anti-romance" elements, <strong><em>Finders Keepers</em></strong> is a touching, powerful, sensual romance. In her trademark style, the author has breathed life into interesting, multi-faceted characters; she handles intense issues with care and insight; and perhaps most importantly, she uses humor and wit to keep the story from being too heavy. Marissa's tendency to write "letters" that she will never send to her mother, deceased father, or Linda are charmingly wry observations and the delightful scene wherein Marissa's mother announces her acceptance of her daughter's lesbianism is one that will stay with this reader. Indeed, her success in weaving all these themes into a moving romance makes Finders Keepers one of Kallmaker's best novels. Readers should make a date with <strong><em>Finders Keepers</em></strong>. You are likely to find it is a perfect and beautiful match.</span><br /></span><br />-MJ LoweMJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-15240070471529313342006-07-27T20:02:00.002-06:002008-03-28T21:46:56.518-06:00Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic<span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Alison Bechdel</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Houghton Mifflin</span><br /><a href="http://www.hmco.com/"><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >www.hmco.com</span></a><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >0618477942, $19.95</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><strong><em>Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic</em></strong> is the latest work from the highly skilled, insightful, neurotic and wry-humored pen of Alison Bechdel, best known for her "Dykes to Watch Out For" comic strip. (One of the longest-running queer comic strips, "Dykes to Watch Out For" is over 20 years old, has been syndicated in hundreds of papers, released in over 10 books, and is available online via the author's website.) <strong>Fun Home</strong> is Bechdel's graphically rendered account of growing up in rural Pennsylvania in the 1960s and 70s with a particular focus on influences of her father's life and death.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Beginning with some of Bechdel's earliest memories of her father, readers meet a man who was an intelligent, emotionally distant yet volatile, narcissistic perfectionist who struggled with secrets. Trapped in the town not only of his youth but that of his ancestors for several generations, Bechdel's father worked in the family business, a funeral home (known in the family as the "Fun Home") established by her great-grandfather in the 19th century. In addition to his interest in local history and historic preservation, Bechdel's father was a closeted gay (or bisexual) man who had a string of affairs, primarily with younger men, throughout his life.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Divided into seven chapters, each of which deals with particular themes in her childhood, <strong><em>Fun Home</em></strong> contains a strong emphasis on literary references. Chapters weave back and forth in time, revealing aspects of Bechdel's childhood and details of her father's death. Books and literature were an important influence in Bechdel's life growing up. Her father taught English Literature at the local high school while her mother studied theater and performed in community plays. The gothic revival home the family lived in (and which her father had restored) boasted a library. At one point Bechdel admits, "I employ these [literary] allusions … not only as descriptive devices, but because my parents are most real to me in fictional terms" (66). It becomes apparent that literary discussion was one of the primary modes of communication between herself and her father.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Bechdel came out to her parents via a letter in the spring of 1980. Her declaration prompted her mother to point out to Bechdel that her father had been having affairs with men for years. Initially, this information appears to have been news to Bechdel, who reflects, "I'd been upstaged, demoted from protagonist in my own drama to comic relief in my parents' tragedy" (58). This "upstaging" is revealed as a theme in Bechdel's life as childhood milestones, such as her menarche, were overshadowed by the family preoccupation with and response to her father facing charges of "contributing to the delinquency of a minor." Apparently, her father's extramarital activities added strain to the family. Her coming out was further upstaged when her father died in a questionable "accident" (it may have been suicide) just four months after her letter.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Bechdel spent years feeling shut down yet very guilty regarding her coming out and how it may have influenced her father's death. Fun Home details the results of Bechdel's intellectual and emotional processing of her father's death, and her relationship with this complex, intelligent, conflicted, and often remote man. A powerful example of her self awareness includes her admission, "[evidence that he was considering suicide months before Bechdel came out] would only confirm that his death was not my fault. That, in fact, it had nothing to do with me at all. And I'm reluctant to let go of that last, tenuous bond" (86).</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Book-length graphic stories are not a mainstay of this reviewer's reading. However, Bechdel's clean, distinctive illustration style with its wry observations and amusing details is fun to read and examine, and drew this reader into her story quickly. Indeed, it's regrettable that this review can only include quotations and not excerpts of Bechdel's drawings. Several delightful and revealing images are included, such as her grandmother chasing a "piss-ant," her early identification with Wednesday Addams, the summer of the locusts, her teenaged diary entries, and several aspects of her own adolescent self-discoveries. One cannot help but identify with Bechdel. However, despite the pain and struggle Bechdel has had facing her father's life and death, the book is neither morose nor depressing. The author has found peace with herself in regard to her father, her childhood, and who she is today. As she says in the dedication (to her mother and brothers) " We did have a lot of fun, in spite of everything.</span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >"</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><strong><em>Fun Home</em></strong> is a wonderful graphic memoir that is engaging, heartrending, funny, and thoughtful. Readers will definitely want to stop by the <em><strong>Fun Home</strong></em> for this viewing.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">-MJ Lowe</span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-89306181355377380312006-07-19T20:26:00.002-06:002008-03-28T21:45:15.898-06:00Queer Quotes: On Coming Out and Culture, Love and Lust, Politics and Pride, and Much More<span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >edited by Teresa Theophano</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Beacon Press</span><br /><a href="http://www.beacon.org/"><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >www.beacon.org</span></a><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >0807079065 (cloth) $15.00</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><strong><em>Queer Quotes: On Coming Out and Culture, Love and Lust, Politics and Pride, and Much More</em></strong>, edited by Teresa Theophano, is a delightful collection of GLBT-related quotations. Divided into 16 topics, including "All Things Queer," "Naming Ourselves," and "Queer History," with quotes range from the touching to the bitingly funny, with some healthy stops along that way that prompt a reader to think. However, all the quotes have a positive slant. Theophano in her introduction explains that she has "avoided including sound bites from homophobes. We already know what the Trent Lotts, Jerry Falwells, and Fred Phelps of the world think of GLBT issues. …Let's be utterly, joyously, and quotably queer!" (10).</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >On the currently timely topic of "Love and (Gay) Marriage," Liz Langley states "Gay marriage should be legal if just to raise the standard of dancing at receptions" (29).</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Political issues are the focus of "Out of the Closets, Into the Streets" with this from Barbara Grier: "It is the closet that is our sin and our shame." (81) And a chilling quote from Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in the US, reads, "If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door" (77). Milk was assassinated in 1978.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >In "the Arts" there are a number of humorous entries as well as two quotes for the queer bibliophiles from Dorothy Allison and Nancy Garden, respectively:</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >"If I'd taken up with a gospel band or rock and roll, I'd make a whole lot more sense to my family. But to write books. …I'd come home with books and they'd stare at me like I was crazy. That was the thing most queer about me" (37).</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >"[Radclyffe Hall's The Well of Loneliness] became my bible. I read it and reread it over and over again. And I vowed at that point that I was going to write a gay book that ended happily, a book about my people" (40). The author of dozens of award-winning children's and teens' books, Garden wrote Annie on my Mind, originally released in 1982, a groundbreaking novel concerning love been between two high school girls.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Theophano has included a biography section for the over 270 speakers quoted. This handy appendix provides brief biographical summaries, frequently listing best known titles if the person is an author, and an explanation of their notability. This section is particularly useful given the broad range of personalities quoted -- from Sophocles and Oscar Wilde to Melissa Etheridge and Calpernia Addams. Regretfully, not all these entries include a year of birth (or death). There appeared to be a few minor errors and the reader should cross-check the biographic information if using it for more than casual reference. (For example Rita Mae Brown's groundbreaking novel, Rubyfruit Jungle, is listed as originally released in 1983 rather than 1973). This reviewer would have liked the biographical data to have included the names of some long-term relationships, especially when the partners also appear in the volume as with Kate Clinton and Urvashi Vaid.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >However, these shortcomings pale compared to the value of the section. Further, the editor has provided an index to the hundreds of quotes allowing the reader to find all quotes by a particular person. These last two sections result in a collection that is valuable to researchers as well as fun for the casual reader.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >A well-organized, thoughtful, and fun little book, <strong><em>Queer Quotes</em></strong> is the most comprehensive title of its kind and would be useful for libraries and others who might use quote books, as well as being a size and format that make it a charming gift book.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >-MJ Lowe</span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-58005491917035303502006-07-02T20:50:00.001-06:002008-03-29T00:13:15.856-06:0018th & Castro<span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Karin Kallmaker<br />Bella Books<br /></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.bellabooks.com"><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >www.bellabooks.com</span></a><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >159493066X, $13.95</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Karin Kallmaker's <strong><em>18th & Castro</em></strong> is a trick-or-treat bag filled with yummy goodies for her readers. This charmingly romantic collection of erotic short stories is set on a Halloween night in the Castro District. It opens with Suze and Amy, two baby dykes in their early 20s, who have found a building rooftop from which to watch the night's festivities. The girls serve as the framework of the book, with their story broken into three parts throughout the night. They have a perfect view of a mythical three-story apartment building across the street. All of its residents are women-loving-women and a whole lot of fun is goin' on! As the two women watch the revelers, 13 stories unfold with most relating to one of the building's residents or an apartment at 18th & Castro, hence the numbers.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br />New love, or at least a fine start on healthy lust, unfolds in "Borrowed Plumage 1C" when a femme, Carmen, borrows her best friend's old leathers for a costume and meets a woman who finds those leathers very inspiring. In "Please 2A" "Chosen 1B," and "From Behind you Looked Like 1D" Kallmaker allows the fates (and a few resident matchmakers) to nudge long term friendships toward a path to something more intimate.<br /><br />Several of the stories include long term couples who are nurturing a romantic sex life in the midst of day-to-day logistics and life pressures. These stories range from the tentatively sweet and hot to the amusing and power charged. In the "Brand New Woman 2C," a couple are alone for the first time since their eldest child was born. Brenda spends time exploring the woman that her partner and co-parent of two children, Nancy, has become in the years they've shared.<br /><br />In "Human Female Pon Farr 3B," Jax is suffering a very bad day of hormones. Her partner, Tate, sets out help scratch that itch, but events take a farcical turn when a handcuff key goes missing. That comic tone carries across the hall to handcuff key provider and artist, Jonny, and her Aria, a highly demanded and overworked surgeon. Aria is in need of some in "Down Time 3A" but the two initially find it difficult to focus with the interruptions.<br /><br />In "Avast! 3C" readers are treated to a bit of Halloween role playing as Renee and Jane indulge a fantasy on the high seas. The teasing negotiation and the grounding late night snack that open and close this story puts a loving face on a highly charged scene.<br /><br />Kallmaker provides a touching glimpse at how one couple strives to maintain a mutually satisfying sexual expression of their relationship despite chronic health issues. In "Nine-Inch Nails 3D," the years of communication, caring affection and heated desire between Pete and Keri allow them to cultivate new expressions for their love that are arousing and validating. In "For the Last Time 2B" Terra and Jeneen invite the latter woman's ex-lover, Claire, over for a little sex demonstration. This bittersweet three-way provides a complex lesson for all involved.<br /><br />The stories in <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">18th & Castro</span> interweave as various characters interact with others, several women are going to the party hosted by Neenah and Ace in1A. Some conversations are repeated from different points of view. Others merely pass one another in the hall. All of which gives the reader the impression of a complex set of happenings occurring in a relatively short period of time. All the stories are erotic and include an intensity likely to keep the reader's interest; however, the details of encounters are as varied as the women who populate the stories. Some are earthy and urgent. Others are sweet and hazy. Many are also touching and romantic.<br /><br />As already suggested, Kallmaker's signature humor is sprinkled throughout the stories, but it is especially present in the setting. Halloween in the heart of San Francisco has to be one of the country's biggest, gayest party events outside of Pride, and adds outrageous color and humor. Glimpses of the costumed crowd include not only Xenas and Gabs, Vampire Slayers, Pirates, Flappers with Gangsters, and Batmans and Robins but "Diana Ross and the Supremes, the secretary of state, flaky first daughters, Ethel Merman and Sweet Potato Queens --it was all [there] in the Castro"(116). There are impromptu chorus lines of Dorothys kicking up their ruby slippers, a quartet of Veronica Lakes, and Satanic Leprechauns. (This last group is a corps of dark cloaked mysterious figures wearing prominent, green dildos and marching in cadence.)<br /><br />Likewise, the characters represent a range of ages, ethnicity and self-awareness from the spectator baby dykes on the roof to the elegant older lesbians of "Please." The preternatural even makes a couple of appearances. Perhaps the collection's most touching story is "Tick Tock 2D" wherein a woman finds solace and protection in her memories of love and perhaps an eerie little something more …<br /><br />Readers can depend on Kallmaker for intelligent, witty stories that are well-written and charming, and peopled with interesting characters. She gives us books that are just down-right fun to read. A "Bella After Dark" title <em><strong>18th & Castro</strong></em> is highly-charged, accessorized erotic fun, in the same vein as her <strong><em>All the Wrong Places.</em></strong> A few quirky surprises are there as well as one or two stories that prompted this reviewer to pause and think about the nature of power and love. In <strong><em>18th & Castro</em></strong>, readers will find the mass-market candy of their treat bags has been replaced by fine handmade truffles. Pick up a copy of this bag of goodies because there is something "good to eat" here.<br /><br />-MJ Lowe</span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-47914181483612199912006-06-23T20:44:00.000-06:002011-08-07T17:37:51.669-06:00Back Talk<span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Saxon Bennett<br />Bella Books<br /></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.bellabooks.com"><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >www.bellabooks.com</span></a><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br />1594930287, $13.95</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br />"WKRP" comes out with some queerly quirky fun!<br /><br />Intelligent, witty, and classy -- not to mention beautiful -- Anne Counterman, a successful talk show host in Seattle, is facing her 40th birthday with trepidation. Over a year ago, her husband Gerald left her for a man, an event that still hurts and haunts her. Further and more currently troublesome, Anne has become bored with her radio work. In an effort to improve her show and rekindle her own interest in work, Anne finds a new web wizard to revamp her website. Enter Hilton Withers.<br /><br />Hilton Withers is also at a turning point. Reared by her grandmother after the death of her mother when she was six, Hilton is "Senator Percy Withers' estranged lesbian … daughter." (15) For the last few years Hilton has been trying to decide what she'll do with her life. Her grandmother's death has made her heiress to a pickle company fortune and she has fulfilled the estate requirement that she graduate college. Currently Hilton lives in a small garden cottage behind the Victorian house she shared with her grandmother. She moved there because of the perpetual parties hosted by her two roommates and her girlfriend, Nat.<br /><br />Natalie was Hilton's first love, but it is a rocky, complicated, and increasingly disconnected relationship. In truth it's time they broke up but confronting issues is not Hilton's best skill. However, at the radio station Hilton finds that she enjoys her work, begins to think of herself as more accomplished and "adult" and finds that she cares about her coworkers, one in particular.<br /><br />Add to this possible romance a group of quirky characters like: Veronica, the control freak show's producer who, it turns out, could give Martha Stewart a run for her homemaker money and is a "fourth-generation lesbian" (143); Lillian, the show's septuagenarian, hard-of-hearing, call-screener; Hilton's lesbian roommates, Jessie the "irresponsible" one who is looking for her future; and Liz the grad student who is dating a woman who carries around a teddy bear named Amelia Bearhart; and Shannon, Hilton's Great Pyrenees dog, who accompanies her everywhere and is remarkably clear at expressing her opinions. (She's been known to pee on people who are upsetting Hilton.)<br /><br /><strong><em>Back Talk</em></strong> is an example of what Saxon Bennett does best; She gives readers a fast-paced, funny novel that is delightful to read. She creates the lesbian-centered sit-com that you WISH were on TV, a queer WKRP if you will. Her characterization, especially early in the story, is a little weak and can make differentiating some women confusing. However, the dialogue is quick and witty. The situations range from the outrageous and bawdy -- as when Shannon acquires a large purple silicon pleasure item as a chew toy -- to the touching -- as Amelia Bearhart gets lost (of course), found, and a woman grows as a result. Add a charming romance with some satisfyingly heated exchanges and you too will want to tune in to <strong><em>Back Talk</em></strong>.<br /><br />-MJ Lowe</span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-78954938499549646402006-05-27T16:52:00.001-06:002008-03-28T21:51:14.833-06:00Dark Dreamer<span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Jennifer Fulton<br />Yellow Rose Books<br /></span><a href="http://www.regalcrest.biz/"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">http://www.regalcrest.biz/</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"><br />1932300465, $16.95<br /><br />Rowe Devlin is a best selling horror novelist and attractive butch who has hit a rough patch in her life. She's recently moved from the Manhattan scene to make a break from a fruitless relationship in the hope that she will be able to meet her next deadline. The move is not going well. Or, as she claims, she is "a washed up writer living in a haunted house in Maine in the middle of winter. She now had exchanged a hopeless passion for someone's wife for a doomed crush on her neighbors. Plural. And instead of finishing the piece of crap novel her agent was hounding her for, she was on some wild ghost chase with two young males who thought the government was spying on them." (68). Needless to say, this is not a high point in her career.<br /><br />The neighbors in question, Phoebe and Cara Temple are identical twins and unusual women in their own right. Orphaned at age seven and reared by their grandmother, the Temple twins have a highly symbiotic relationship. Cara is the grounded, no-nonsense woman who works in the music industry. Phoebe is a more ethereal of the sisters. A few years ago Phoebe was in a car accident that left her in a coma. After she woke, she began having compelling dreams of women who had met with violent deaths. These women talked to Phoebe, asked her to send their love to their parents or spouses, and told her where to find their bodies. Recently Phoebe has begun using these communications to assist the FBI in tracking down serial killers.<br /><br />Meanwhile Rowe's dogs will not enter her kitchen and the knives have a nasty habit of refusing to stay in their drawers. The writer begins to research former inhabitants of the house and in the process finds a tragic story with a possible connection with the Temple sisters. This revelation prompts more interactions with her neighbors and an offer to help with the ghost from Phoebe.<br /><br />When the attraction between Phoebe and Rowe heats up, Cara becomes jealous, angry and conflicted. She'd been interested in Rowe herself and dreads what she sees as Phoebe's inevitable disenchantment with Rowe. -- Phoebe has a history of falling in love and failing to end relationships when she was ready to leave. More than once, Phoebe has convinced Cara to impersonate Phoebe for the needed break up. -- Venting about the relationship with Rowe, Cara decides "she'd been Phoebe's minder and interface with the world for twenty years. Twenty years! Enough was enough. She wanted a life of her own. Let Phoebe find out the hard way that the world was not her oyster just because she was sweet and sensitive and beautiful. In fact, the world chewed up women like her and spat them out. And let Rowe find out that Phoebe didn't just have issues, she had a subscription." (133)<br /><br />However, other elements of Homeland Security discover that Phoebe's gift is "the real deal" and the plot takes an ominous turn. Fast-paced with an engaging and suspenseful mix of spooky -- the supernatural and the political variety -- happenings, <strong><em>Dark Dreamer</em></strong> is peopled with intelligent, witty, complex characters. The romance between Rowe and Phoebe is sweet with some fine lusty moments. <strong><em>Dark Dreamer</em></strong> is a highly enjoyable story that lives up to its series title of "A Heartstoppers Thriller Romance." This reviewer hopefully foretells that there could be future stories featuring Rowe and the Temple sisters and would look forward to them.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">-MJ Lowe</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">BN: <strong><em>Dark Dreamer</em></strong> was re-released by Bold Strokes Books </span><a href="http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com/"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">www.boldstrokesbooks.com</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"> in May 2007, ISBN 978-1933110745 , $15.95 as "A Dark Vista Paranormal Romance."</span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-69486375688534931072006-05-25T11:16:00.000-06:002011-08-07T17:37:51.673-06:00Sweet Creek<span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Lee Lynch</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Bold Strokes Books</span><br /><a href="http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com/"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">www.boldstrokesbooks.com</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">1933110295, $15.95</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Drop a line in the waters of Sweet Creek! From the pen of the venerable lesbian author Lee Lynch comes a novel set in the small rural community of Waterfall Falls, Oregon, at the turn of the millennium and populated by an amusingly high volume of lesbians. One character suggests an inverted energy draws women to the community.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">"A dyke vortex. I like it." Chick made a mental note to suggest it to the sheriff, a native who was completely baffled, and not particularly pleased, at the disproportionate numbers of lesbians in Elk County</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">.... [Jeep responds] "Cool beans! I moved to the poor dyke's Palm Springs."</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">"Yeah," added Donny. "We don't golf, we fish." (60)</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">The heart of the area's queer community rests in Natural Woman Foods, a small organic general store and cafe run by ex-hippie, earth-mother dyke, Chick, and her tough but mellowing, working-class, former player, butch partner Donny. Together nearly a decade, the two are struggling with the changes of advancing crone-hood. Chick has a family history of mental illness and worries her current struggle with depression might be symptomatic of something worse. Meanwhile men from their pasts are stirring trouble for both women.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">If Natural Woman Foods is the heart of the community, Chick is its reigning queen, er, "femme in charge." (34) She looks after several women in this role, and has many amused, often indulgently affectionate observations about butches, the butch/femme dance in general, and the changes she's seen in community politics (gay and straight).</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Up and coming television reporter, Katie, with her flame of the moment, Jeep, arrives looking for something new for her life. She finds herself quickly enamored with the leader of the women's land, a fierce, enigmatic woman named Rattlesnake, or R for short. Katie consequently develops an interest in documenting the struggles the local separatist commune has with the traditional logging industry.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Soon, Jeep, (a melding of "G. P." for Gina Pauline) who appeared in Waterfall Falls sporting a city-styled buzz haircut and a restless attitude, finds herself nursing a broken heart, looking for a new place to live, scrambling to make a living, and trying to sort out what she wants to do with her life. Jeep's coming of age is one of the themes of <strong><em>Sweet Creek</em></strong> and several of the story threads depict transitional life periods.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">As is frequently the case with small communities, everyone seems to know everyone else's business. Still, a few surprises arise over the course of the book. Lynch portrays this ensemble cast of charming and interesting characters with humor and insight. <strong><em>Sweet Creek</em></strong> originally appeared as a series of short-short stories in <strong><em>Girlfriends</em></strong> Magazine and the brief episodic structure has been retained in the chapters. This allows for bite-sized consumption of the various storylines that struck this reader as a dyke hybrid of Keillor's Lake Wobegon stories and Maupin's Tales of the City series. While this format makes for easy episodic reading, it sometimes results in meandering plotlines that might distract some readers and could have benefited from some tighter editing. Nevertheless, Sweet Creek is filled with engaging life stories and charming snapshots of the locale. Fans of Lynch are bound to enjoy <strong><em>Sweet Creek</em></strong>, and hopefully new readers will discover her work as well.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">-MJ Lowe</span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-61354450006317870572005-11-19T14:24:00.001-07:002008-03-28T21:51:14.837-06:00Just Like That<span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Karin Kallmaker</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Bella Books</span><br /><a href="http://www.bellabooks.com/"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">www.bellabooks.com</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">1594930252, $12.95</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">"Everybody knows that a single woman with good money is in want of a wife (1)." English Lit majors and fans of Jane Austen will recognize this paraphrase from the opening of <strong><em>Pride and Prejudice</em></strong>. Karin Kallmaker's latest romance, <em><strong>Just Like That</strong></em> -- set in the wine country of Northern California -- is a very modern, decidedly lavender, adaptation of <strong><em>Pride and Prejudice</em></strong>.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Syrah Ardani is 30, recently returned from years studying Oenology in France. The only daughter of the widowed Anthony Ardani, the owner of Ardani Vineyards, Syrah lives and breathes the vines like her father and is comfortably settling into life at home. Yet clearly something with the family business is… off.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Jane Lucas, Syrah's long time friend, struggling artist and former heart-breaker-butch, is about to fall hard for the new, very eligible dyke in the area, Missy Bingley. Initially Jane, who has decided to "settle down", appears to be on the calculating side about Missy with comments like, "... Definitely a dyke. And femme, so, hey, I'm thinking she needs a wife like me. I've got all the qualifications. I can fix stuff, dance, like to talk and think sex is really fun. My only strike against me is the money thing (3)."</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">However, Jane is thunderstruck when she meets Missy. Missy Bingley, forty-something, successful businesswoman retiring to rehabilitate her newly acquired historic Netherfield estate, appears equally smitten with Jane. Does love at first sight exist?</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Before long, Syrah realizes that her gentle, intuitive, wine-knowledgeable father is the definition of naive with what has to be the antithesis of a head for business. While she was gone, he has incorporated the vineyards, over-extended his capital and been unable to cover his debt. The future of the Ardani Vineyards is in danger and the creditors have gone to court. An "axe man" is being sent to take stock of the situation.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Toni Blanchard is that "axe man." She is also very attractive. Syrah first sees a photograph of her from a Fortune magazine article and describes her thus: "Dark hair twisted at the neck and East Coast stylish, Toni Blanchard gazed out from the page with an expression Syrah could only describe as haughty. If the toes on her shoes had been any longer they'd have curled like some court jester's. Everything about her dripped wealth and superiority(12)."</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">An intelligent, thoughtful, skilled woman, Toni's job is to make difficult recommendations for companies that are in receivership, and she is well respected in her field. She is also the daughter of Anthony's old college friend. This connection encourages Anthony to believe that Toni will "fix" the situation. The vintner never seems to understand that Toni's role is to represent the court and creditors.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Toni arrives in the area emotionally shell-shocked. Her lover of several years, Mira, has dumped her for another woman, moved out and taken possession of funds that are not hers. Staying with her old friend Missy Bingley while reviewing the Ardani accounts, Toni begins to find some peace in the green hills of northern California.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">She realizes that she had not been in love the last several years and that Mira's actions -- while unethical and unpleasant -- hurt her pride more than her heart. Still, Toni is jaded and that makes her doubt the sincerity of the woman who is courting Missy. Furthermore, falling in love is the last thing Toni needs right now; yet there is Syrah, a lovely, radiant, spirited earth goddess seeming to draw Toni to her.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Needless to say, several complications ensue. The future of the Ardani Vineyards hangs precariously. Both Toni and Syrah must deal with their preconceived notions of the other and their stubborn egos in order to have a chance at following their hearts. They must also contend with the nefarious manipulations of Mira and Caroline.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Indeed, Kallmaker has created a decidedly nasty nemesis in Lady Mira Wickham. Even after an unpleasant break up, Toni -- and this reader -- was surprised at how spiteful and meddlesome Mira could be. Missy's snarky nickname for Mira is "reech beech" and that seems mild by the end of the story. For that matter, Caroline, Missy's sister, runs a close second for the title.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Austen fans will recognize several familiar names in Just Like that. Bennett, Netherfield, Jane, and Bingley are among the names and characters borrowed from <strong><em>Pride and Prejudice</em></strong> and some of the structure of the story is similar to Austen's. However, there should be no question in readers' minds but that Kallmaker has written a contemporary novel, with complex realistic characters set in an engaging region. She also provides interesting viniculture background. This is a lively romance with hot sex. The lead characters are sometimes frustratingly stubborn, yet this reader found them compelling and was curious to discover out how Kallmaker would solve the problems they faced.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Austen has been called the mother of the romance novel and there is a nice symmetry to Kallmaker, today's best-selling writer of lesbian romances, paying tribute to the roots of the genre with <strong><em>Just Like That</em></strong>. She has given us a new look at prejudice and a different view of pride all painted with the dark purple of a fruity Shiraz. Kallmaker has bottled a wonderful year for her readers, Just Like That. Decant it and enjoy.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">-MJ Lowe</span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-75778310594196474262005-09-29T14:39:00.000-06:002008-03-29T00:13:15.858-06:00Call of the Dark: Erotic Lesbian Tales of the Supernatural<span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Therese Szymanski (Editor)</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Bella Books </span><br /><a href="http://www.bellabooks.com/"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">www.bellabooks.com</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">1594930406, $14.95</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Just in time for your spooky autumn reading, the latest Bella Books anthology, <em><strong>Call of the Dark</strong></em>, has arrived. The 23 stories represent the work of well-known authors as well as new writers. Selected and arranged by Therese Szymanski, this collection is thoughtful and entertaining, sometimes witty and touching, often creepy and always arousing. The focus of the collection is "erotic" and it is not surprising that most of the stories fall into two categories: possession by or seduction at the hands of a vampire or a spirit. Nevertheless the stories are neither repetitive nor entirely predictable.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">The vampires range from the dashing, charismatic Daron in Szymanski's "Dream Lover" to the horrific entity in Patty G. Henderson's "In the Blood." Henderson's tale questions the price of life, the cost of loyalty and the pain of survival. Victoria A. Brownworth's "The Feast of St. Lucy" is an aching little tale of loneliness and survival filled with vivid images of the ancient and ageless New Orlean's French Quarter and the scent of bergamot. Perhaps one of the most interesting twists is Ariel Graham's "Games of Love" wherein she illustrates how a really long-term couple keeps the relationship … fresh, and answers that nagging question of what is the appropriate gift for your 500+ anniversary.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">The spirits (formerly human, and now ghosts or demon) who haunt these pages are equally varied. An ultimate surrender overwhelms the lead in Radclyffe's "By the Light of the Moon." In Heather Osborne's "That which Alters," the succubus finds herself falling in love with her victim in a fascinating role reversal. "Specter of Sin" allows Kristina Wright to provide a new variation on a traditional kind of ghost story set in the lonely despair of the Texas desert. The switch in perspective is explored by several writers, as when Rachel Kramer Bussel (a contributing editor at Penthouse) opens the door to "The Haunted, Haunted House." There, a ghost provides a heated coming out for a lovely young visitor.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Without question, the most amusing entry of the collection is "Lilith" by Karin Kallmaker. In this wry tale of a queer succubus who outlives her creator and is left to drift through the dreams and fantasies of humans without intent to consume them, Kallmaker opens the anthology and a discussion of the nature of fantasy, focus, and consent.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Szymanski's skillful selection and arrangement of the stories provides valuable contrasts and flow for the reader. Thus, Julia Watt's charming "Visitation" is followed by Barbara Johnson's "Loving Ophelia." The former provides the reader with a satisfying "all is right" even in the "other world" with a psychic who helps a wronged spirit, and has several of her own questions answered in the process. In the latter, Johnson pens a creepy little story worthy of the Twilight Zone.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">This placing and pacing of stories allows the reader to read several stories in a row, moving between the touching, humorous, and thoughtful, to the downright creepy, then back again. The lighter entries, like those sunny days or well-lit rooms in a horror movie, serve to lure the readers into letting down their guard for that unexpected twist or nerve-jolting revelation of the next story. And while readers might not find all the stories entirely to their taste, it is not from lack of imagination or skill of writing. None of the stories failed to elicit a response in this reader.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Kallmaker's Lilith laments at one point, "I gathered ever more fantasies and yet had no witch with whom to share them. Truly, to have tales and no one to tell -- is there anything sadder?" (7)</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Thankfully, Kallmaker and the other writers in this collection have lots of readers with whom to share their fantasies and we are all the richer for the experience. Pick up a copy of <strong><em>Call of the Dark</em></strong>, light a candle, pour yourself a glass of rich, red wine, and enjoy.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">-MJ Lowe</span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-12384153085190435272005-08-29T14:46:00.000-06:002008-03-28T21:51:14.840-06:00The Unknown Mile<span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Jamie Clevenger</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Bella Books</span><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.bellabooks.com"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">www.bellabooks.com</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">1931513570, $12.95</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Life is in turmoil for Kelly Haldon, the protagonist of Jamie Clevenger's <em><strong>The Unknown Mile</strong></em>. A college student who plans to spend the summer earning her senior year tuition, she returns to her home town of Ashton, less than an hour from San Francisco, and experiences that odd "out of place" quality of a young adult in the midst of transitions. Traveling that "unknown mile" without a map, Kelly isn't sure what she wants to do after she graduates college. She can't decide on graduate schools or a profession. Compounding this confusion, within days of her arrival Kelly finds herself involved in love affairs with two women: Shannon has recently finished her Army enlistment and is in the Reserves, while Gina is an SFPD rookie officer. Neither woman has been able to let go of their last relationship and thus both are sending Kelly mixed messages.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">Realizing that her job as an instructor at the local karate dojo will not provide enough money, Kelly begins looking for additional work. Very soon, however, the work comes to her. Rick, the enigmatic silent investor in the dojo, offers her to pay her to deliver mysterious packages late at night. Retired from the FBI, Rick runs his own investigative service and, strangely, he seems to be aware of Kelly's involvement with Shannon.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">The coincidences compound when Kelly literally runs into a woman in the BART station who has a photo of Shannon's ex-girlfriend, apparently as part of a report of some kind. How can this woman be connected to Shannon? Before long Kelly's Don't Tell" policy for lesbians serving in the military comes to the forefront as it appears that Shannon and some of her friends are being investigated. Somehow Rick seems to be involved as well. Kelly finds herself trying to sort out everyone's secrets while she juggles a few of her own.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"><strong><em>The Unknown Mile</em></strong> is Clevenger's first novel. She manages to capture the feel of that unsettled time of one's early 20s and her characters are intelligently drawn and interesting. This is particularly true of Kelly; even when (or perhaps because) she can be annoying in her indecision, she is also often quite endearing. There are insightful and touching little side stories with Kelly's students at the dojo, engaging sparring matches in Kelly's own study of the martial art, and some fast moving, suspenseful scenes in Kelly's "jobs" for Rick. Meanwhile, the sexual energy between Kelly and her girlfriends is electric.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">In many ways, <strong><em>The Unknown Mile</em></strong> raises more questions than it answers. And indeed, the next book in what looks to be a promising new series has already been announced. However, the novel is not just a "series teaser" as Kelly does seem to have a little more direction for her drive through life and her growth is satisfying for readers. Like the sporty fun of a little ride in Kelly's Volkswagen Bug (chapter titles are actually the odometer readings from Kelly's car), <strong><em>The Unknown Mile</em></strong> is worth the purchase price of that tank of gasoline. This reviewer will be looking to catch Clevenger's next vehicle as well. </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">-MJ Lowe</span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-73819171214832078752005-07-07T19:49:00.000-06:002008-03-28T21:51:14.841-06:00Walls of Westernfort<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jane Fletcher</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Bold Strokes Books</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">www.boldstrokesbooks.com </span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">1933110244, $15.95</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">For Natasha Ionadis, the rules of life are as clear as her reflection on the breast plate of her Temple Guard uniform. For the last few of her 22 years, her mantra has been the Guard maxim, "when in doubt, polish it." In </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;">Walls of Westernfort</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">, this devout young woman is offered an opportunity by the Temple hierarchy to be part of a covert mission and she leaps at the chance to offer her life to her goddess, Celaeno. She is to be part of a team of three women who are to infiltrate a group of evil heretics, journey to their stronghold known as Westernfort, and assassinate their leaders. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Natasha's commanders doubt any of the women will survive their mission. Posing as a family interested in joining the heretics, the intelligence agents' journey will challenge the beliefs that Natasha has sworn herself to defend, force her to face her own internal crisis, and define the nature of loyalty and faith. Along the way, she also struggles with her definition of family, and finally, love. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Walls of Westernfort is a recent release from Jane Fletcher and part of her growing Celaeno fantasy series. Celaeno is an all-female society in a pre-industrial, pre-Enlightenment setting ruled by a strict theocracy. The idea of a female-centric, goddess-worshipping world is often symbolic of a utopian culture in lesbian-feminist founded speculative fantasy and science fiction. And a new reader to the Celaeno series might be tempted to adopt this view initially, especially as she travels with the naive and earnest Natasha on her coming-of-age quest. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">However, it soon becomes apparent that not all is as it may appear in Natasha's world. The Temple authorities who oversee the worship of Celaeno, with its complex undercurrents of science cloaked in religion, will tolerate no deviance from its established policies and will stop at nothing to ensure compliance with temple law. Thus issues involving the nature of religion, particularly that of a fundamentalist view, and the dangers it can impose in politics is a primary theme of Fletcher's Celaeno world. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">As a result, Walls of Westernfort, is not only a highly engaging and fast-paced adventure novel, it provides the reader with an interesting framework for examining the same questions of loyalty, faith, family and love that Natasha must face.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Refreshing in its original twists on old themes, the Walls of Westernfort is well conceived and Fletcher's characters are multifaceted and interesting. Through Natasha's eyes the reader is treated to layered discoveries of the complexities of these women. Indeed, it is through familiarity that the "evil heretics" are revealed to be intelligent, equally determined women struggling to survive within their own conscience. This humanization of the evil enemy creates increasingly difficult internal conflicts for Natasha, forcing her to think for herself rather than accept established doctrine. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">It is unnecessary to have read any other Celaeno novels to follow the action and the unfolding culture. While some of the characters in Walls will be familiar to readers of other Celaeno titles, the series is not designed to be strictly chronological. Rather, it appears to be theme-based on the institutions of that world, with stories focusing on the ruling Sisters of the Temple, the Temple Guard, the Rangers, the Militia, the psychically skilled healers known as Imprinters and, perhaps most importantly, the heretics. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">In </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;">Walls of Westernfort</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">, we see the Temple Guard, inside and out. We learn of their strict code of discipline and life, including abstinence from alcohol and sex, and with Natasha we learn of the harsh, cruel methods the Guard employs to deal with heretics in the name of Celaeno. Natasha finds herself struggling with age-old conflicts faced by military personnel. Is it lawful to complete a mission that is morally wrong? Is it insubordination to refuse? Who gets to decide? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Related to Natasha's self-questioning is her growing attraction to Dani, one of the heretics assigned to guide the "family" to Westernfort. A potter by trade, Dani's short life is marked by scars from a great deal of loss and pain, courtesy of the Guards. And as the attraction and affection between the two women grows, it will become apparent that before Dani can allow herself the hope of loving Natasha, she will have to deal with those scars. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">In Walls, Fletcher brings this chapter of Natasha's life to a satisfying conclusion. However, it is clear that many stories of Celaeno remain to be explored. This reviewer will be looking for other titles set in Celaeno and hopes that Fletcher continues with her storytelling. </span></span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-2049485295927159752005-04-15T20:01:00.000-06:002011-08-07T17:37:51.678-06:00Sugar<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Karin Kallmaker</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Bella Books </span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">www.bellabooks.com </span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">1594930015, $12.95</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">"She'd read a romantic book and thought maybe someday life would be like that, but it never seemed like women in books had jobs and families and worries -- things that made it hard to look around for somebody who might be fun, might want to see if where they were headed in life was the same destination." (79) </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">This passage defines a theme in Karin Kallmaker's newest romance, </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;">Sugar</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">. Kallmaker, arguably the best-selling writer of lesbian romances, contrasts images of a "traditional romance" (if such a thing can be said to be portrayed in lesbian writing) with the realities of love as it exists in everyday life. The lead character, Sugar Sorenson, is a talented, intelligent woman in her thirties struggling to establish her own specialty bakery business in Seattle's post-Dotcom-boom. The action opens when Sugar's home is destroyed by fire and her plans for competing in a city-wide "Cook Off" contest, with its related monetary prize and boost in notoriety, are seriously threatened. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">After months of no social life, Sugar suddenly finds herself under the romantic notice of not one, but three attractive, dynamic women. There is a gentle but strong social worker named "Tree," a tall, dark and handsome firefighter named "Charlie" Bronson, and the elegant and vivacious television producer named Emily. Their combined energy is almost more than Sugar can juggle after her long, self-imposed solitude, not to mention the stress of the fire. For a time, Sugar is confused because her apartment is not the only fire she is feeling. The sexual tension is palpable and Kallmaker serves readers a few deliciously hot scenes. Sugar tries to decide which woman really attracts her -- and, more importantly she realizes -- which woman's life is headed in the same direction as Sugar's. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">With nowhere to go Sugar finds herself returning to her maternal grandmother's house and braces for the onslaught of judging, preaching and meddling that characterized her grandmother while she was growing up. But something has changed dramatically and Sugar discovers that she perhaps didn't know her grandmother as well as she thought. There are assorted complications and mis-communications to occur in the weeks following the fire and Sugar's life does not turn out as she'd expected. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Food and baking flow through the novel in many ways. Descriptions of complex baking projects occur through much of Sugar's day as well as the steady, comfort baking of Sugar's grandmother. Further, Sugar's world view is often cooking related with Emily's eyes being "the blue of four drops of food coloring into a quarter-cup of sugar" (p7) and a woman is "hotter than Tabasco." (132) </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sugar is a kind of "every lesbian" and the issues she and her friends deal with are those that most of us face in our day-to-day lives. Kallmaker's Sugar does not follow the "story book romance" formula; however, she plays with its themes. Even the cover art, which is reminiscent of a 1950s "happy home maker" image, tweaks at this "ideal." </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Kallmaker's writing is charming entertainment. Her wry wit and gentle humor prompt smiles and quiet chuckles, as when Sugar dresses for her first date in months to discover "Good God in heaven, how long had that enormous black hair been growing out of her chin?" (p63) Or when Sugar mentions that she'd heard Charlie and Tree had dated for a time, and is told "We did not. We met at agreed upon places and argued." (p182) </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">In many ways, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; font-family: georgia;">Sugar</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> is a return to some of Kallmaker's earlier romances, like </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Painted Moon</span> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">or </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; font-family: georgia;">Making up for Lost Time</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">. However, if it is a return, it is not without the maturity that her writing continues to develop. Peopled with real women who are grounded in the realities of life and willing to accept the risk of love, Kallmaker's "romance" provides readers with simple, touching moments. As Sugar reflects, "The world seemed peacefully asleep. It was just her and the moon and the scent of Emily on her fingertips." (111) Sugar is a lovely dessert of a book made with real eggs, butter, and no doubt, chocolate. Light and fun it is, yet it's not an artificial confection. Readers of the lesbian romance genre will want to lick the spoon.</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">-MJ</span></span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-27376670698603884372005-01-14T20:33:00.002-07:002008-03-28T21:51:14.844-06:00All the Wrong Places<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Karin Kallmaker</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Bella Books</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">www.bellabooks.com</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">1931513767, $12.95</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">At 26, Brandy Monsoon is about to "grow up." In one week she will: face the ghost of her father and the pain of her childhood; realize that while she might not "know" that she can have "forever after" with one woman, she wants to try; and discover that a family of choice and community are options even for a dyke on an isolated resort island in the Southland.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Employed as a fitness instructor and staff member for Club Sandzibel, Brandy finds a ready supply of casual lovers among the resort's female guests but none of them are interested in more than their holiday fling. Meanwhile, her best friend Tess, though willing to share a more-han-friendly-night occasionally, is supposed to be straight ... a point that confuses both women.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Brandy is the wholesome, girl-next-door, phys-ed major. She clearly enjoys working at the resort, including her shifts teaching children tumbling and various team sports. In a charming scene from the end-of-the-week, Brandy observes, "I was set upon by the toddlers again, and this time I gave chase. We'd had a running battle all week and it was time to show these desperadoes who was the law. That would be me, Sheriff Monsoon.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I hadn't quite proven my superiority when their parents came to claim them for a last good-bye. One protested it wasn't Saturday yet, while the other said I was the best playmate ever. ... I have to say that part of the job is pretty cool. Kids give great hugs." (33-34)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">When an all-lesbian tour group arrives for the week, Brandy finds the acceptance and validation that she has rarely enjoyed. Furthermore, the famous lesbian entertainer, Celine Griffin shows clear interest in some after-dinner Brandy. Meanwhile Tess' behavior is becoming less and less straight.</span><br /><br /></span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >All the Wrong Places</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"> is the first erotic novel-length title released by the "Bella After Dark" imprint and there is truth in advertising here. Brandy's sexual encounters are explicit. Kallmaker does not shy away from earthy language during sweaty encounters and she opens the "toy chest" and lets her characters explore "accessories." There is a forthright and evocative negotiation of adult consent as well as a subtle but highly charged power exchange between Brandy and Celine.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Some Kallmaker fans may find themselves challenged by this bolder approach. Hopefully they will also find the story to be arousing entertainment. They can be reassured that All the Wrong Places is also one of the sweetest little romances that Kallmaker has written. For example: "Our bodies were suffused with the golden light that seemed to radiate from her eyes and smile. We were falling together, mouths feathering kisses on any skin we could reach. Touching her anywhere felt like touching sunshine. Her shoulders were as warm as her mouth and we were in danger of losing our edges, our form, as we melted together." p 139</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Given the length and focus of the story, Kallmaker's characters show depth, humor, and heart with a willingness to grow. Thus All the Wrong Places has a number of elements readers have come to expect from Kallmaker; in addition to hot sex and sweet romance, there are touching side stories and delightful wit. Indeed the humor is bubbles throughout the story. And in a laugh-out-loud moment for this reviewer, Kallmaker tosses in what has to be the funniest variation on the classic "U-Haul joke" in years.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Brandy is the youngest lead character that Kallmaker has explored in her novels since Reese in </span></span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italicfont-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Watermark</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">. Hopefully a new generation of readers will find Brandy's voice familiar to their own experience and will consider Kallmaker's other novels as a result. Long time fans can enjoy All the Wrong Places as another example of Kallmaker's willingness to explore new elements in her classic story telling style. All readers can enjoy the affection, validation and respect that she gives her characters and by extension her readers. This erotic romance is a like a lovely slice of the chocolate bread that appears on the resort dessert menu; and like that confection, you'll want to savor it slowly and very likely go back for more</span></span>.<br />-MJ LoweMJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-79968322001302671682004-10-07T21:51:00.001-06:002008-03-28T21:51:14.845-06:00Dreams FoundLyn Denison<br />Bella Books<br />www.bellabooks.com<br />1931513589, $12.95<br /><br />"Wait on." Cathy held up her hand. "Maggie Easton and Jayne Easton?" She slapped the side of her head and her graying curls bounced. "Jayne's Maggie's daughter and your sister?"<br /><br />"Ah, no. Jayne's Maggie's husband's daughter from his previous marriage," Riley explained.<br /><br />"You mean your boss is your mother's stepdaughter?" Lisa laughed. "That makes you stepsisters."<br /><br />"I think the butler did it," Brenna said dryly and they all laughed. (81)<br /><br />In <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Dreams Found</span>, the latest romance from Lyn Denison, an out lesbian and skilled carpenter, Riley has known she was adopted for years. However, Riley recently has taken steps to locate her birth parents. She finds Maggie living in Brisbane with a husband and three stepchildren. Imagine Riley's surprise when she also finds herself attracted to Jayne, a woman who, while not blood related, is her stepsister! The required misunderstandings abound, particularly in regard to secrets. Kept secrets are justified because Maggie wants to tell her husband first about Riley before her stepchildren learn of her. With the convolutions and secrets, the plot could have been for a bit more humorously treated without losing its serious quality. Instead Denison goes for the angst in a way that is not particularly engaging to this reader.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Dreams Found</span> is one of Denison's shortest works and in this reader's mind something is missing. Perhaps it's the way the author deals with family issues. This is a primary issue to the story. Riley is depicted as a woman for whom family is an important support system. It is perhaps for this reason that she decides to reach out to her birth parents. The two negative, if not just dislikable characters in the book, Darren, Jayne's business partner and apparent love interest, as well as Lisa, a lesbian who is attracted to Riley, both belittle family relations. Darren could almost be tossed off as the self-centered, thoughtless male whose disrespectful treatment pushes Jayne to reevaluate her life. (Darren's stereotypically negative male qualities are acceptable in that several other male characters, family members and friends are depicted as caring, intelligent humans.)<br /><br />However, the author seems to skim over the fact that neither character seems to have enjoyed the family support that Riley or Jayne do. This is particularly troubling of Lisa. Of her family, we're told that her "parents had been through a messy divorce, and Lisa and her three siblings had spent their childhood years swinging between an alcoholic father and his latest partner and their manic-depressive mother. Lisa left home as soon as she was able and she'd never gone back. She hadn't seen either of her parents for years and was happy to maintain that particular status quo." (9) The portrayal of Lisa's inability to bond with family is seen as a serious character flaw for the unsympathetically portrayed Lisa, but with a family like Lisa's, who can blame her?<br /><br />Lisa's family of origin is almost implied as an excuse for some of her behavior: that of being tactless, blunt to the point of pushiness, and unwilling to accept Riley's declination that their casual relationship be explored in a more serious way. We're told, "Riley's sense of family had been a source of tension between them on a couple of occasions. Lisa couldn't or wouldn't recognize Riley's closeness to her family, the respect and love she had for her parents and older brother." (9)<br /><br />This simplistic portrayal is particularly annoying when in reality many lesbians, gays and bisexuals have found their families of origin unsupportive in the face of their queerness and have as a consequence worked hard to develop support systems that are based on the love and respect of friends, i.e. "families of choice." A point that is itself personified when Riley hesitates for weeks to tell her newly found birth mother that she is a lesbian. This somehow suggests it is more difficult for Riley to risk Maggie's rejection because family is important to her. Further that Lisa, who did not enjoy that kind of relationship with her family, had it easy and shouldn't be so brusque about the importance of family to Riley. Lisa's point of view does not excuse her rudeness. However, it is Riley's inability to "get" Lisa's issues with family that made Riley, not Lisa, the one needing to work on her compassion. It is possible that Denison did not intend for this presentation. Indeed, given her other works, it is even likely that she did not. However, the impression left a bad taste with this reader.<br /><br />Lesbian romances are not merely the idealized tales of love that heterosexual romances can be. Lesbian romances hold a much more complex role. They serve as a validating mirror for lesbians and our community. Hot sex is rarely enough for a lesbian romance to be a success. It can be, as it is in classics like Forrest's <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Curious Wine</span>. While the erotic moments in <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Dreams Found</span> will hold most reader's attention, they are not enough to be the primary focus. Denison has put the definition of "family" on the table for this novel and since she has only validated families of origin, those readers who have created families of choice may feel left out in the cold.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Dreams Found</span> is a pleasant enough, albeit brief, read for a slow evening. However, overall the novel is predictable, and not particularly interesting, nor funny. <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Dreams Found </span>does not hold up to the quality of Denison's earlier novels. Hopefully, this is not a trend. In the meantime, <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Dream Lover</span>, <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Wild One</span>, and <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Gold Fever</span> are all better reading in this reviewer's opinion.MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5418256907589489661.post-39099136175031252472004-10-06T21:43:00.001-06:002008-03-28T21:51:14.847-06:00Caught in the Net<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Jessica Thomas</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Bella Books</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">www.bellabooks.com </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">1931513546, $12.95 </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">A new dyke detective for the armchair mystery fan has arrived! <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Caught in the Net </span>is a first novel from Jessica Thomas and introduces Alex Peres. Alex is a thirty-something dyke who lives (and grew up) in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Arguably, one of the country's most famous resort towns for gays and lesbians, Provincetown is "that strange and beautiful place, where the men are pretty and the women are tough." (1) With its seasonal population tide of tourists Provincetown plays as much of a role in Caught in the Net as many of the characters and Thomas brings the town's New England quirkiness and its queer color to life for her readers. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">A thoughtful, self-sufficient, and independent woman, Alex Peres is a wry observer of nature (human and otherwise) who uses that skill to support herself. On the creative side her perceptive eye is expressed by her photography. She creates artistic impressions of the Cape and Provincetown area that are sold at local galleries. Alex's more analytical observation skills go into her work as a private detective. A job, which she explains, is filled with interesting but sometimes tedious work like following a wayward husband. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Fargo, the detective's 90-pound, black lab is as much a star of <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Caught in the Net </span>as Alex. The details of Alex and Fargo's relationship will bring smiles, chuckles, tail wags, and warm fuzzy feelings, especially to readers with a canine love. Indeed Fargo's companionship is primary to Alex who has had rather bad luck in the love department. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">That bad luck has held until a new woman appears in town. Janet Meacham, a beautiful, intelligent, young woman has moved to P'town to start a new chapter in her life. Alex finds herself quite taken with Janet and the attraction appears to be mutual. Alex thinks that this is a relationship that could build in a more positive direction. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Meanwhile the severed human foot that Alex, or rather Fargo, found on the beach during a daily walk is the foundation (as it were) of a series of crimes in the area. Alex's brother, a local cop is looking for a young man who may have known the owner of the foot. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">This first novel from Thomas is filled with witty insights regarding human foibles with Alex personifying several endearing qualities. Of herself, Alex claims, "Frankly, I am not a great admirer of children as a species -- the younger ones smell funny and the older ones look as if they know something you don't-- but even I didn't want two young kids stumbling on this piece of flotsam or jetsam or whatever you called a lost/discarded body part". (10) Or regarding her personal habits, "I sat behind the wheel and took a pack of cigarettes off the dashboard and lit one of the five I allow myself each day. I allow myself five. The other eight or ten I smoke are not allowed." (11) </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Although an engaging character, Alex does not quite ring true as a typical Gen-Xer, which might annoy some readers. The mystery is a little thin with a plot that is probably predictable for most fans of the genre and a tad irritating in that Alex did not seem to see it coming. However, the lovely writing, quirky characters, charming setting, and wry observations provide a great deal of promise for future Alex Peres mysteries. Many readers will find themselves caught in this net for pleasant evening's reading. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">-MJ</span></span>MJ Lowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493716621923709317noreply@blogger.com0