A Lesbian - What She Actually Does

I had so much fun with the "What Romance Writers Actually Do" meme that I decided on an analysis of "A Lesbian - What She Actually Does." Reality for other lesbians may vary because we are actually not all the same.

All images are in the public domain (including the fabulous Rosie the Riveter courtesy of the National Archives) or licensed for non-commercial use. Creative Commons Share-Alike with Attribution.

What Romance Writers Actually Do

My take on the "What We Actually Do" meme. The art displayed is either public domain or licensed for non-commercial use. Creative Commons SSA-BY Copyright.

The Heir to the Queendom

I have two children. Kelson is sixteen and a high school junior. Eleanor is thirteen fourteen and a freshman. I share those two facts as background for this conversation, which took place yesterday while my son and I were waiting for Eleanor to be done with her after school improv club activities.

---

Kelson: You have a Wiki.
Me: I do. It's a little over the top. All positive.
Kelson: But that's a good for you, isn't it?
Me: Sure. Why?
Kelson: My friends say that if you're the Queen of Lesbian Literature then I'm the Prince of Lesbian Literature.
Kelson (after I stop laughing loudly): Yeah. So thanks.
Me: It could be worse.
Kelson: Not really.
Me: They could think you were the heir to the throne of the kingdom of idiots.
[silence]
Me: That would be worse. And at least no one will think that if you're the Prince of Lesbian Literature that you must be a lesbian.
Kelson: *snicker*
[Eleanor enters car, immediately begins eating Chipotle burrito because life has its priorities.]
Kelson: It's still not worse.
Eleanor: What are we talking about?
Kelson: Nothing.
Me: If I'm the Queen of Lesbian Literature, that makes Kelson the Prince of Lesbian Literature.
Eleanor: Then I'm the Princess of Lesbian Literature.
Kelson: But who wants to the heir to the Kingdom of Lesbian Literature?
Eleanor: You wouldn't be. The Queendom of Lesbian Literature passes through the matrilinear line.

---

I had no more to add. Neither did Kelson. Eleanor continued to enjoy her burrito.

Roller Coaster's First Review!

Early comments from readers have left me heaving a sigh of relief: there is no worst time in the life of this writer than that between the book's release and the first feedback. It's the time when all the self-doubt has an uninterrupted echo chamber. So far I'm delighted with the comments from readers as they've been nearly all positive.

And I wish I could say that I'm sorry about the lost sleep. I tried to be, really. I failed.

The first written review of Roller Coaster has been released at The Lesbrary. If you don't follow the site, consider it. It's a compendium of just about anything that gets mentioned on the web about lesbian writing. Reviewer Anna has this to say:

As Laura and Helen encounter romantic challenges with other people, Kallmaker quietly but effectively sets the stage for their relationship as they live and work together in a family setting. But there are still several secrets between them–Laura continues to be reluctant about revealing their shared past–and Kallmaker makes her characters work for a satisfying conclusion. Recommended.

Roller Coaster is available at independent bookstores (just ask, they'll order it for you if it's not on the shelf) and online at BellaBooks.com and all the other major online etailers. If you're an eBook fan, BellaBooks.com has formats compatible with just about any reading device you've got.

Roller Coaster Shipping Early + 25% Off Until Dec 31!

Bella Books is shipping out the paperback version of Roller Coaster as an early holiday treat - and they've discounted it 25% through December 31. It won't be shipping from any other retailer until the middle of next month.

I've created an extensive excerpt at my web site of all of the prologue and a good chunk of chapter one to introduce you to two women I love: Helen Baynor and Laura Izmani. Both are accomplished professionals with a driving passion for their respective fields, but neither has found love. Helen hasn't been looking and isn't ready when passion erupts. Laura is willing to let love find her, but she's not looking in the right places.

This is the longest book of my career at over 100,000 words. I hope readers find the involved and detailed lives of these two women as engrossing as I did!

Happy reading and happy holidays to one and all. Your support over the many years means more than I could ever adequately express. So I'll keep it simple: Thank You.

Roller Coaster - Meet Laura and Helen!

With the release of Roller Coaster just a few weeks away, I've created an extensive excerpt featuring the prologue and some of chapter one to introduce you to Laura Izmadi and Helen Baynor -- as they were when they first met and as they are now, twenty-three years later. I hope you'll enjoy the story.

Roller Coaster will be available from BellaBooks.com later this month and at all the usual booksellers for general release in January.

To read the excerpt, just click to go to the book page at my web site, then click "Excerpt from this Book" on the right to open the PDF. 

Enhancements to my web site include a secure shopping cart to order signed books and specific lists to help you find out which of my books have been translated to Spanish, French and German. There are also specific lists to find out which books are available direct to Nook and Kindle. My goals is to help you find what you're looking for and let you know where you can get it.

Any and all "like" buttons you may click along the way will be greatly appreciated! Thank you, readers one and all, for all the support.