# Good LGBT novels with a lesbian MC???!



## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

Preferably one where something happens OTHER than a middle-aged woman suddenly discovering that she is a lesbian (a theme I found stale when _Curious Wine_ came out years ago and hasn't gotten any better since!)

I admit this is a pet peeve of mine. No lesbians in the closet please (Forrest I mean you) either. Sheesh. Finding good novels with strong, fun lesbian MCs who are out DOING something and the lesbian thing is just part of who she is shouldn't be that impossible to find.

*grumble grumble*

Anyone have any suggestions? Then I'll be in a much better mood. 

Sorry to be grumpy.


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## Krista D. Ball (Mar 8, 2011)

JRTomlin said:


> Preferably one where something happens OTHER than a middle-aged woman suddenly discovering that she is a lesbian


I had to giggle because this was a Twitter discussion about two months ago. No one could think of a current, published novel outside of this theme that was not an erotica*.

Kinda sad, really.

*I don't mean romance, I mean erotica. We couldn't even think of a _romance_ suggestion.


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## Shayne Parkinson (Mar 19, 2010)

JR, I haven't read these myself, but I've seen enthusiastic reviews for Val McDermid's Lindsay Gordon series. Gordon is a journalist who happens to be a lesbian. McDermid herself is lesbian, and describes what she writes as "Tartan Noir". Rather graphic, I believe.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Kate Martinelli in the series by Laurie R. King is a lesbian. She's a police detective in the San Francisco area. The first one is A Grave Talent.


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

Thanks for those suggestions. I love Tartan Noir so I don't know how I have missed McDermid. I'll try out the King series too. I'm not crazy about police procedurals but listen, if it's good I'll consider it.

This seriously is one of my pet peeves. And the "why don't you do something about it" does nag at me. *eye roll*


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## GerrieFerrisFinger (Jun 1, 2011)

Shayne Parkinson said:


> JR, I haven't read these myself, but I've seen enthusiastic reviews for Val McDermid's Lindsay Gordon series. Gordon is a journalist who happens to be a lesbian. McDermid herself is lesbian, and describes what she writes as "Tartan Noir". Rather graphic, I believe.


Val McDermid is a favorite writer. I know she's lesbian, but I didn't know she referred to herself as Tartan Noir. Interesting.


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## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

ASH by Malinda Lo. It's a retelling of Cinderella, obviously with a bit of a twist on the whole prince charming theme. It is young adult, but lots of adults enjoy YA too.

http://www.amazon.com/Ash-Malinda-Lo/dp/031604010X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1315970426&sr=8-2


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## kurzon (Feb 26, 2011)

Have you tried Nicola Griffith?  It sounds like "Ammonite" or "Slow River" would fit your criteria.


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## merryshannon (Sep 14, 2011)

Bold Strokes Books has a whole catalog of great lesbian reads for just about every taste, and not just erotica; there's lots of romance, fantasy, adventure, mystery, even some YA. I highly recommend Nell Stark & Trinity Tam's _everafter_ trilogy, for starters. Love Gill McKnight's Garoul series too, and anything by Jane Fletcher or Cate Culpepper!!


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## leadbelly (Aug 27, 2011)

And Merry Shannon isn't so bad either. 

There's a fantasy series by J.A. Pitts that I really like. It has a lesbian MC who is a blacksmith who finds out that there really is magic in the world after she reforges a broken blade. It's big on Norse mythology if you like that sort of thing. 

I'm also a big Carsen Taite fan and I really liked Jean Stewart's Isis series. Oh and L-J Baker is pretty darn good too.


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

merryshannon said:


> Bold Strokes Books has a whole catalog of great lesbian reads for just about every taste, and not just erotica; there's lots of romance, fantasy, adventure, mystery, even some YA. I highly recommend Nell Stark & Trinity Tam's _everafter_ trilogy, for starters. Love Gill McKnight's Garoul series too, and anything by Jane Fletcher or Cate Culpepper!!


I'll even consider reading a vampire novel for a good lesbian MC. 

That's pushing it for my taste but I'm willing to give anything a try. The others look like pure romance novels and I just can't go there. However, they are great to see because lesbian novels of *all* genres are MUCH needed.

I enjoy Norse mythology so the Pitts novel is certainly a possibility.

I'm glad I asked. Sounds like there are novels out there. Keep them coming please because ones that don't suit my taste will suit other people who are looking.


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## mattposner (Oct 28, 2010)

My former professor Sheila Ortiz Taylor is a sensational writer who includes Lesbian themes in her writing.


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## evie_d (Sep 13, 2011)

If you're open to fantasy, Sarah Diemer has some lovely novels with lesbian MCs. The Dark Wife is wonderful.


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## SuziJay (Sep 13, 2011)

Hi I'm new to the site and am glad I've stumbled across this thread, I've been looking for other books in this genre too!


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## leadbelly (Aug 27, 2011)

I know I already mentioned L-J Baker but this book is too good to pass up by her, so I had to recommend it specifically. It pokes at all the fantasy, fairy tale cliches as well as some of the lesbian romance cliches. I laughed often throughout the book.

_*Promises, Promises: A Romp with Plenty of *****, a Unicorn, an Ogre, an Oracle, a Quest, a Princess, and True Love with a Happily Ever After*_

Blurb:


> _A talking pearl earring. A gleaming white unicorn. A flower from an ogre. _
> 
> Sandy Blunt, witch, has big dreams but C-average magic skills. Her only noteworthy talent is for paying extravagant compliments to women. Trouble is, when she uses that gift, she unwittingly foretells the future for a pretty princess. The punishment for prophesying about one of royal blood is death. With the help of ill-assorted companions, including a self-proclaimed princess in disguise with a wild imagination, a self-absorbed member of the royal guard, and the not-so-average girl next door, Sandy has a year and a day to travel to far-flung places--encountering such dangerous creatures as a dragon who writes awful poetry, slovenly elves, and boarding house landladies--to collect the weird and magical items needed to turn her prophecies into promises and so evade the executioner.


http://tinyurl.com/6xlv6sv

Also, another series I can't believe I forgot to mention is 'The Lesbian Adventure Club' by Rosalyn Wraight.

From Book 1: Scavengers
The Lesbian Adventure Club, aka ***** Who Dare, Scavenger Hunt

5 Couples
8 Clues
24 Hours
1 Pants-Pissing Good Time

The rules of the game are simple: trust no one, steamroll if you have to.
In the end, it matters if you win and how you play.

SERIES INTRODUCTION: The ongoing Lesbian Adventure Club series revolves around five lesbian couples-from a variety of careers and at different stages in their relationships-who spend a weekend per month immersed in an adventure concocted by one of the couples. While the stories center upon the adventure, the foundation of each is built upon the gritty issues of friendship and trust between women. Told in first-person by character Kate Sutter, a newspaper reporter, the writing is crisp, and yet, it utilizes her unique perspective and peculiar sense of humor, sending it between the extremes of sentimentality and outright hilarity.


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

leadbelly said:


> I know I already mentioned L-J Baker but this book is too good to pass up by her, so I had to recommend it specifically. It pokes at all the fantasy, fairy tale cliches as well as some of the lesbian romance cliches. I laughed often throughout the book.
> 
> _*Promises, Promises: A Romp with Plenty of *****, a Unicorn, an Ogre, an Oracle, a Quest, a Princess, and True Love with a Happily Ever After*_
> 
> ...


I think any novel that refers to lesbians as ***** isn't one I'll read, I don't care if it is written by a lesbian.

I know some consider it "in" to use that word. For me, it's still hate speech.


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## Ann Chambers (Apr 24, 2011)

Had to add a comment about Laurie King's Kate Martinelli books. Martinelli is a police officer but I don't think of them as police procedurals at all. They include her work and cases, but are much more about her life and events outside of her job, including other characters in her community. They are really good books. 
I actually found the Martinelli books after I stumbled upon King's books about the adventures of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes. Those books are wonderful and I recommend them highly - although they don't meet the criteria of the original request.


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

Ann Chambers said:


> Had to add a comment about Laurie King's Kate Martinelli books. Martinelli is a police officer but I don't think of them as police procedurals at all. They include her work and cases, but are much more about her life and events outside of her job, including other characters in her community. They are really good books.
> I actually found the Martinelli books after I stumbled upon King's books about the adventures of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes. Those books are wonderful and I recommend them highly - although they don't meet the criteria of the original request.


I'm curious how they don't meet the requirement of the original request.


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## Kristan Hoffman (Aug 6, 2009)

Okay, these books aren't out YET, but a blog-friend of mine recently signed with Bella Books, a small press publisher of lesbian literature, for her romantic detective series. I've read the manuscripts (3 so far) and they are hilarious, arousing, clever, and emotionally engaging, regardless of your sexuality -- at least in the humble opinion of this straight woman.

I know she delivered the first manuscript to Bella Books already, but I don't know when it's coming out (no pun intended). For anyone who's interested, her site is http://www.sonjejones.com and I'll try to remember to post the Amazon link when it's available!

Another idea would be to look up Bella Books and see what else they've published.

Also, through Sonje I started reading this great blog about pop culture from a lesbian POV: http://dorothysurrenders.blogspot.com. Anyone else read Dorothy Snarker?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

JRTomlin said:


> I'm curious how they don't meet the requirement of the original request.


The Sherlock Holmes/Mary Russell series don't meet the requirement of the OP. . . . though I do think there are lesbian and gay characters that flit in and out. Just not the main characters.

But Laurie King's other series, Kate Martinelli, does. . . there was a bit of a change of topic in there somewhere.


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## lib2b (Apr 6, 2010)

KateEllison said:


> ASH by Malinda Lo. It's a retelling of Cinderella, obviously with a bit of a twist on the whole prince charming theme. It is young adult, but lots of adults enjoy YA too.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Ash-Malinda-Lo/dp/031604010X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1315970426&sr=8-2


I love _Ash_! She also came out with a prequel type book, Huntress, with a lesbian MC.

Staying in the YA fantasy realm, Tamora Pierce has a series about 4 young mages, one of whom is a lesbian, and two of their main teachers are a lesbian couple. They start out young in the beginning series, so romance isn't really in the series until the last couple books, and I don't think we as readers learn that Daja is a lesbian until she gets a love interest in the most recent book, The Will of the Empress (Circle Continues).


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## CollinKelley (Sep 1, 2011)

Kate Evans' "Complementary Colors" is a great story about a woman coming to terms with her sexuality and embarking on her first relationship with a woman.


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## Vanessa Wu (Sep 5, 2011)

I recommend the books of Sarah Waters. Affinity is brilliant. She specialised in Victorian historical fiction originally since she was an expert in that era but she has now moved forward to the 1940s.

Women of the Mean Streets is a good Lesbian Noir anthology though not all the stories feature lesbians.

For more recommendations you should go to http://lesbrary.wordpress.com/ which is a lesbian book blog and very comprehensive.


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## CollinKelley (Sep 1, 2011)

Oh, and Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson is a masterpiece, but it's not on Kindle yet.


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

Ann in Arlington said:


> The Sherlock Holmes/Mary Russell series don't meet the requirement of the OP. . . . though I do think there are lesbian and gay characters that flit in and out. Just not the main characters.
> 
> But Laurie King's other series, Kate Martinelli, does. . . there was a bit of a change of topic in there somewhere.


Ok, I was confused. I knew the Mary Russell series didn't, but I thought someone had said the Kate Martinelli series did. 

That sounds like something I would enjoy.


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

CollinKelley said:


> Kate Evans' "Complementary Colors" is a great story about a woman coming to terms with her sexuality and embarking on her first relationship with a woman.


*cough* You might read my original post.


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## CollinKelley (Sep 1, 2011)

I still think you'd like it. Not the typical coming out of the closet story. But, hey, if that's not what you're looking for....  

If you haven't read Written  on the Body by Jeanette Winterson, it's worth picking up the paperback. I hope she'll eventually allow the ebooks to be uploaded.


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

CollinKelley said:


> I still think you'd like it. Not the typical coming out of the closet story. But, hey, if that's not what you're looking for....
> 
> If you haven't read Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson, it's worth picking up the paperback. I hope she'll eventually allow the ebooks to be uploaded.


It's just me. I don't like "coming of of the closet" stories, never did, but there are other people posting on this thread who may so I really was kidding. Feel free to make recommendations like that. 

I must admit I consider "coming of age" stories to be different from "coming of the closet" stories. I just don't buy the whole "I'm forty (or whatever) and never noticed that I'm gay" meme. Yes, it happens but maybe it steps on my own issues. Who knows? 

I'll check out the Jeanette Winterson story for sure.


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