LAB links July 21

Here's all the book and author news from around the 'net for listeners of "Readings LAB" radio. 


Don't miss today's show guest: JE Knowles, author of the Lammy finalist (2010) Arusha and the forthcoming Trees in the Field (August 2011). ~ LZ

Author Interviews & Blogs

• The Virtual Living Room is beginning a new events on the weekends, "Spot On" will feature interactive opportunities to discuss books with one or more authors in their email group. The series begins with a discussion of Survived By Her Longtime Companion (Chris Paynter) the weekend of August 3-6 and Q Kelly discusses her many writings the weekend of August 17-20. You have to join the email group to participate. The VLR is a great group of women interested in kicking back and discussing lesbian fiction. Join the conversation.
• Clare Ashton, author of Pennance, blogged at The Henderson Files on Seasonal Writing.
• This is not written literature, but it is a great article on the power of words. Queer Poetry takes the spotlight in Jade Foster's review of The Revival, a salon-styled tour of queer women spoken-word artists.
• FlavorWire posted a list of the greatest women sci-fi/fantasy authors of all time in honor of Octavia Butler's birthday.
• Author Jae blogs on 15 ways to find a beta or critique partner.

Book Releases

• Regal Crest announces the e-book of A Long Time Coming (Cate Swannell)
• Author Helen Dunn announces the availability of The Fate of Four Hearts (lesbian western historical romance).

Book Reviews

• Carsen Taite highly recommends Lemon Reef (Robin Silverman) at Women and Words. Also recommended by Henrietta (Bookgeek).
• JE Knowles highly recommends Rose's Will (Denise DeSio) over at the Lesbrary.
• Over at Lesfic Reviews, Terry has posted reviews for For Now, Forever (Trin Denise), Intrigued by First Sight (Erin Miller), and Castle of Dark Shadows (Patty G Henderson).
• Sistahs on the Shelf posted recommendations for Midtown (Alix B Golden) and Nightshade (Fiona Zedde).
• Piercing Fiction posted reviews of A Poem for What's Her Name (Dani O'Connor),  Runaway (Anne Laughlin), Blue Skies (Ali Vali), Remember Tomorrow (Gabrielle Goldsby), Jukebox (Noelle Daggett), and The Sea Captain and the Lady (Vada Foster).
• C-Spot Reviews spotlighted Infinite Loop (Meghan O'Brien).
• At the Lesbrary, you'll find a review of the classic The Price of Salt (Patricia Highsmith).

In other LGBTQ news...

• Episcopal Church passes resolution authorizing blessing of same-gender relationships, as reported by the BBC.
• Lesbian Super PAC (political action committee) established.
• CAMP Rehoboth is seeking sponsors for its Sundance Festival. Sundance is a two-night event at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center Labor Day Weekend. It attracts nearly 1,000 participants and is heavily promoted during the height of the tourist season through posters, which list the names of the sponsors.  Details on support levels and benefits.
• Plunge Magazine is now open for submissions. The first issue's theme is "Queer Women in Mythology." Plunge accepts short fiction, short nonfiction, and poetry. The submission window will end the first week of November. The first issue will go up February 2013. Submission Guidelines are on the website.

~ LZ

Events Calendar July 14

Live / In-Person Fan & Author Events Calendar

Fans of Rizzoli & Isles rejoice. The inaugural RizzlesCon 2012 event has been scheduled for July 20 through July 22 at the Clarion Hotel, Anaheim, CA. For more information visit: http://www.rizzlescon.net

July 25, 5-8 pm, Radclyffe and Kim Baldwin will be among those autographing books at the RWA 2012 “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing session in Anaheim at the Convention Center next to the Anaheim Marriott. http://www.rwa.org/cs/literacy_autographing

September 14th - 16th 2012 will see the third annual UK Meet for readers/writers/reviewers/fans of GLBTQ fiction. There will be a full day of programmed events on Saturday the 15th, plus optional social events on Friday evening and Sunday morning. Convention site is the elegant Mercure Brighton Seafront hotel. For full programme see http://ukglbtfictionmeet.co.uk/ukmeet2012details/

The 2012 South Georgia Pride festival will be held September 15, 2012 from 12pm-6pm in Valdosta, GA. This year the theme is  “Serving with Pride” to honor our LGBT Veterans, servicemen and women. Visit: http://www.southgapride.org/ for more information. Booksellers, authors, and other vendors should contact Raynae Williams.

Golden Crown Literary Society is coordinating a co-op of indie author readings and a fan meet and greet in Provincetown during Women's Week. They've booked The Sage Inn, 336 Commercial St (formerly Vixens) on October 12th from 11am to 3pm. There are still reading slots open. Contact Mary Lou Heintz  who is organizing all the details.

That's all for this show. If you have an event you'd like me to share, send the info to me at lzielinsky08@gmail.com or invite Readings Host to your event on Facebook.  You have been listening to "Readings in Lesbian & Bisexual Women's Fiction." Archived interviews are always available from http://blogtalkradio.com/readingslab Have a great weekend!

news and links for week of July 8

Lots of great things to check out. See you Monday! ~ LZ

GCLS Conference

Golden Crown Literary Society has posted photos of the GCLS 2012 conference in Minneapolis to its Facebook page. and author Melissa Brayden blogged about her conference experience here.

Book Reviews

• Book review of short story collection Pool-Hopping (Anne Fleming).
• Carleen Spry posted a review of Roller Coaster (Karin Kallmaker), Open Water (Pol Robinson), and Rhapsody (KG MacGregor).
• Baxter Trautman recommended Afterimage (Helen Humphreys).
• Terry's Lesfic Reviews updated with one big review and six mini-reviews: Castle of the Dark Shadows (Patty Henderson), Veiled Conspiracy (Michelle Coffman), Trust Our Tomorrows (Carrie Carr), The Secret of St Claire (Robin Alexander), The Quality of Blue (Nat Burns), Hearts            Resolve (Carrie Carr), Identity (Nat Burns), LoveLife (Rachel Spangler), and Touch Me Gently (D Jackson Leigh).
• Piercing Fiction posted several new reviews: On the Air (Geonn Cannon), Agape (Maytee Aspuro y Gonzalez), Wind and Bones (Kristin Marra), Appointment with a Smile (Kieran York), and Scapegoat (Amy Dawson Robertson).
• Book review for OMG Queer - stories from LGBTQI youth.
• Lesbrary's Casey reviewed The Miseducation of Cameron Post (Emily Danforth) and Danika reviews When We Were Outlaws (Jeanne Cordova).
• Q Kelly reviews The Lifeboat (Charlotte Rogan).
• Read a great LGBTQ book you would highly recommend? Best reader review sent in by July 18 will go on the front page of Pink Pen.
• Review of Huntress (Malindo Lo).
• Missed this the first time it was released, but check out this list of fabulous and fearless true LGBT stories.

Book Releases

• Bywater Books announces lesbian historical fiction The Raven's Heart (Jesse Blackadder). and reprint of classic Legacy of Love (Marianne K Martin), and finally short stories from award-winning author Georgia Beers.
• Patty G Henderson's new Gothic lesbian romance Castle of the Dark Shadows is available for nookor kindle.
• Now available: Living With Three Strikes Against Me: Life Through My Eyes as Black, Female, and Gay.
• Dreaming of Her (Maggie Morton) available for pre-order from Bold Strokes Books.

Publisher news and newsletters:

• July 2012 releases for Bold Strokes Books are included in the newsletter.
• Lesbian publisher Regal Crest Enterprises is open once again to submissions in all genres. Guidelines.
• Affinity Press July 2012 news and new releases.
• Lambda Literary's July 2012 newsletter.

Interviews and blogs:

• Author Janet Mason blogs at The Huffington Post about her book Tea Leaves and reform in the medical system.
• Baxter Trautman posts from the soul here.
• Cocktail Hour inaugurates "Conversations at the Bar" with author JL Nicky dropping in for a chat with the barkeep. And this week's Bar Rag is from Colette Moody.
• Fever Pitch in Out magazine profiles U.S. Women's Soccer player Megan Rapinoe.
• Bett Norris (Bywater Books) profiles Marianne K Martin, 2012 GCLS Trailblazer.
• Jamaican singer Diana King comes out as a lesbian.
• A sketch of the suspect shooter in the death of lesbian couple in Texas.
• Tammy Baldwin wins international human rights award.
• Bev Prescott blogs about life at the edge of a meadow.
• KI Thompson blogged on LGBT still fighting for freedom on the BSB Authors Blog.
• Lee Lynch blogs on Dyke Caves in The Amazon Trail. 
• Catherine Lundoff is working on a wolf conservation charity fundraiser in conjunction with the release of her latest novel, Silver Moon.
• 50 Comics with LGBT sensibilities.
• Summertime cocktails inspired by lesbian characters (AfterEllen).
• At Women and Words, Andi Marquette posted a nice roundup of submission opportunities and RG Emanuelle posted several inspirational quotes about writing.
• TT Jax posted an interview with Michelle Tea at Lambda Literary.

LGBT News

• Obama administration seeks SCOTUS ruling on DOMA.
• New documentary on "third gender" looking for kickstarter supporters.
• Gay Star News reporting Google to launch 'legalize love' for gays globally.

And finally, some advice for the writers struggling to touch the page, "The Ultimate Guide to Writing Better Than You Normally Do"

~ LZ
Next "Readings in Lesbian & Bisexual Women's Fiction" interview: Monday, July 9 at 6 pm EDT, author HT Phair.

les and bi links

Show planned for 4 pm ET today. Guest is Denise DeSio (Rose's Will) an LGBT story of survival and empowerment after abuse. ~ LZ

Book Reviews

• Sistahs on the Shelf reviews Jazzy Ladies Productions (Ericka Simpson) 
• Lesbrary reviews Sapphistries (Leila J Rupp)
• C-Spot reviews Snowbound (Cari Hunter)
• G/L Fiction Book Reviews checks out Letter Q: Queer Writers' Notes to their Younger Selves.
• Camptown Ladies (Mari SanGiovanni) and Silver Moon (Catherine Lundoff) reviewed by Out in Print Queer Book Reviews.
• Falling Colours (RJ Samuel) reviewed at Terry's Lesfic Reviews 
• Elisa Rolle reviewed Lunatic Fringe (Allison Moon) 
• Lambda reviews Trick of the Dark (Val McDermid) 
• Lynne Pierce (Piercing Fiction Reviews) posted reviews for The Gilda Stories (Jewelle Gomez), and What Happened in Malinmore (Kate Sweeney).
• Terry (Terry's Lesfic Reviews) posted reviews for Falling Colours (RJ Samuel), Gay Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen & Kate Christie).
• New reviewer Carleen Spry offered up reviews of Waiting in the Wings (Melissa Brayden), Being Emily (Rachel Gold), 96 Hours (Georgia Beers), and Fragmentary Blue (Erica Abbott).

Book Releases

• Bella Books is now offering single eStories for 99 cents. They also announced the new Kylie Kendall mystery, The Wombat Strategy (Claire McNab), the release of Nightshade (Karen Williams), Keepers of the Cave (Gerri Hill), Beloved Lady Mistress (D Jordan Redhawk), Players (Robbi Summers), and Third Degree (Kate Calloway).

Author Blogs and Interviews

• Author MJ Williamz writes about all she still has to learn about writing in "Learning to Write."
• Barrett write about the long journey.
• Bywater Books: Georgia Beers offers up a "Sunday Sermon" discussing her novel 96 Hours, and Bywater Books author Z Egloff and her partner Melissa got married! 
• On the BSB Author blog: Barbara Ann Wright ponders lesbian fantasy writing and being bisexual in the shower.
• BSB Author Justine Saracen won Honorable Mention in G/L Adult Fiction for Sarah, Son of God in ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Awards!
• Radclyffe won the Silver Medal in ForeWord mag's BOTYA for Romance. 
• Bywater Books is also pleased to announced ForeWord Book of the Year Award winners in G/L Adult Fiction Gold: Georgia Beers (96 Hours), and Bronze: Joan Opyr (Shaken and Stirred), and Mystery Gold: Val McDermid (Trick of the Dark). Congratulations, ladies!
• Cocktail Hour talks with author Kim Baldwin.
• Author Geonn Cannon offers up thoughts "Of e-books and real books."
• Malinda Lo talks LGBT YA by the numbers.
• LGBT@NYPL (NY Public Library) posted a suggestions list of LGBT books for teens.
• NY Times article "From This Day Forward: Marriage in Gay and Lesbian Fiction"
• Elora Bishop blogs "Once Upon A Lesbian, Or: On the Reclaiming of Fairy Tales"
• A lengthy discussion on availability versus demand/need for books featuring older lesbians on lesfic_unbound prompted this blog by Regal Crest's Renee Bess.
• Author Joan Opyr forwarded this article about a pair of centegenarians.

General Writing Blogs

• DIYMFA talks 3 Things to Look for in a Writing Community and asks what kind of feedback do you want in Critique vs. Discussion.
• AfterEllen talks the best women authors of Sci Fi and Fantasy.
• The Outer Alliance podcast broadcast a panel discussion from WisCon about the heteronormativity present in YA dystopian books.

Call for Submissions

• New quarterly magazine, United Coasts, looking for contributors.
• And don't forget to check out qlitt on twitter for other LGBT calls.

~ Readings Host
Archived interviews are always available.