Femina Potens

The Lesbian Genre Fiction Bay Area Tour (LGFBAT) had its first event at Swizzle! This monthly open mic event is held at gallery Femina Potens in the Castro.

The turnout was standing room only, and our group was preceded by several great readings by local writers.

It was a chilly night for the Bay Area, and fellow Bella author Ursula Steck and I were bundled up against the cold. Other readers were:

JLee Meyer
Diane & Jacob Anderson-Minshall
Anna Furtado

Click here for photos from the event.


Followup note: The tour group's photo was featured on page 11 of the March 08 issue of Curve Magazine. Me and k.d. lang, almost nearly sorta kinda...together.

Women's Week 2007

It happens every fall. Women leave the last remnants of summer for the chance of a nor'easter to go to Provincetown for Women's Week. Why? Well, if you have to ask, you haven't been.

I've got photos from the week at Flickr with some captions, but they don't begin to capture the fun. My favorite online community of friends was well-represented at a sunset bonfire on the beach. I brought chocolate; I've found no one will turn me away with chocolate in my hand. Someone else shared a very fine whiskey and the laughter was spread far and wide by a sharp October wind. To the left is a photo from the signings fiesta at Now Voyager books: left to right, KG MacGregor, me, Cindy Cresap and Diana Tremaine Braund.

While I was in Provincetown I participated in a panel to benefit Helping Our Women, a very local charity. It was such fun and I want to thank the NINETY women who bought tickets. KG has photos up at her web site (including the Blues Women). The other panelists were Kim Baldwin and JLee Meyer with Radclyffe moderating (or trying to moderate us...it wasn't easy with KG involved). Between the five of us we've written and/or edited 70+ books of lesbian fiction. It was an honor to share a stage with this group!

A reader and friend sent me a recording of my portion of the event and I've posted the video in three parts on YouTube. The visual is dark, but the audio sounds great and I read from All the Wrong Places and In Deep Waters; both passages feature the musings of Brandy Monsoon. First I read the passage from the novel where she realizes her feelings for Tess aren't exactly what she thought. Then, in the follow-up short story, I read her decided opinion on the necessity of an extension cord when one is far away from one's beloved. The last video is my response to the question about what it's like to work with Radclyffe. (Short answer is, um, YES!)

Golden Crown 2007

The Golden Crown Literary Society's annual conventions are still the best events I attend all year. My main blog has several articles about the events and society. Look for keyword GCLS.

This year in Altanta, the third annual convention featured three days of workshops and opportunities to meet and chat with readers. The synergy of the event makes for energizing, informative and flat-out fun! It's all about lesbian fiction.

This year I got to meet one of my sheroes, Lee Lynch, and teach a class with Lori Lake on writing fabulous story people. Ellen Hart was a fabulous keynote speaker, and I was also honored to win a Goldie for 18th & Castro!

There are photos from several attendees on Flickr. Here's the link to mine.

The GCLS is open to all lovers of lesbian fiction, but you don't have to be a member to attend the convention. Next year: Phoenix.