Sunday, April 21, 2013

Rebellion in Ulster by Angela Koenig



Publisher:                   Blue Feather Books

To those who say lesbian novels don’t deal with serious or topical issues, that they don’t present sophisticated or well developed characters or plots, that they’re basically erotica disguised as romances, the answer is, sure, some of them are.  The answer is also that, if you want something different, you’re not reading the right books.

Rebellion in Ulster by Angela Koenig is a very intense book from a different perspective.  Jeri O’Donnell is a Rhodes Scholar from the US who decides to use her time in Britain to meet her extended family in Ireland.  Unfortunately, Jeri’s cousin Fiona is a gun runner for the Provisional IRA and uses Jeri’s rental car for her work.  A shoot out with British soldiers ends with Fiona dead and Jeri in the infamous Armagh Women’s Prison.  While there Jeri transforms from an American who understands very little of “The Troubles” between Britain and Ireland into a loyal soldier for the IRA.

What is the difference between a terrorist and a freedom fighter?  The answer usually depends on which side of an issue you stand on.  Koenig presents this story with a slight bias for the Irish, but there is some sympathy for the British standpoint also.  Jeri feels she owes her life to the Irish cause as a replacement for Fiona and she becomes an expert at what she does - killing, gun running and bombing.  Occasionally however she wonders if she is doing the right thing.  As the book progresses the reader is able to see her internal struggle with what she believes and what she questions.  Along the way she meets a host of friends and lovers who shape the person she becomes and a crisis at the end will force her to make an important evaluation of her life.

Rebellion in Ulster is about a lesbian, but not lesbianism.  Jeri could just have easily been straight.  That might turn some readers away from the book, but it shouldn’t because it’s a very strong story with a complex and interesting central character.  There is also a bonus to this book, unlike anything this reviewer has experienced.  Holding the book provides a sensual experience not usual with a paperback cover.  It almost feels like suede.  Holding that book awakens your fingertips before the words reach your eyes.  It's not only a good story, but will remind you of why you like to hold a book in your hands.


Sunday, April 14, 2013

Graceful Waters by BL Miller

I just read a post on Facebook that B.L. Miller is almost ready to put out the ebook of Graceful Waters.  This is an old story, from before I started writing book reviews or I'd put mine on here now.  It's a terrific book though.  Terrific in the sense that I remember it despite the thousands of books I've read since.  If you haven't ever read this book, let me recommend that you get a copy when you can.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Awards Finalists for the Golden Crown Literary Society

These are the finalists for the GCLS awards.  The winners will be announced at the conference in June.

Ann Bannon Popular Choice
Title
Author
Publisher
A Kiss Before Dawn
Laurie Salzler
Blue Feather Books
A Very Public Eye: Book 2, Public Eye Mystery Series
Lori L. Lake
Regal Crest Enterprises
Above Reproach
Lynn Ames
Phoenix Rising Press
Aftermath
Ann McMan
Bedazzled Ink Pub. Co.
Crossroads
Radclyffe
Bold Strokes Books
Heart Block
Melissa Brayden
Bold Strokes Books
Molly:  House on Fire
R.E. Bradshaw
R.E. Bradshaw Books
Rhapsody
KG MacGregor
Bella Books
Survived By Her Longtime Companion
Chris Paynter
Blue Feather Books

Anthology (Non-Erotica)

Title
Author
Publisher
Heiresses of Russ 2012: The Year's Best Lesbian Speculative Fiction
Connie Wilkins and Steve Berman, Co-Editors
Lethe Press
Here Come the Brides! Reflections on Lesbian Love and Marriage
Audrey Bilger and Michele Kort, Editors
Seal Press
OMG Queer
Radclyffe and Katherine E. Lynch
Bold Strokes Books
Without Apology: Old Lesbian Life Stories
Arden Eversmeyer and Margaret Purcell
Self Published under OLOHP Press Imprint
Women of the Dark Streets
Radclyffe and Stacia Seaman, Editors
Bold Strokes Books

Debut Author

Title
Author
Publisher
 Art On Fire
 Hilary Sloin
 Bywater Books
 Everything Pales in Comparison
 Rebecca Swartz
 Bella Books
 Fragmentary Blue
 Erica Abbott
 Bella Books
 Lemon Reef
 Robin Silverman
 Bold Strokes Books
 Riding Fury Home, A Memoir
 Chana Wilson
 Seal Press
 Sometime Yesterday
 Yvonne Heidt
 Bold Strokes Books
 The Furthest City Light
 Jeanne Winer
 Bella Books
 Writing On The Wall
 Jenna Rae
 Bella Books

Dramatic/General Fiction

Title
Author
Publisher
Aftermath
Ann McMan
Bedazzled Ink Pub. Co.
Art on Fire
Hilary Sloin
Bywater Books
Being Emily
Rachel Gold
Bella Books
Growing Up Delicious
Marianne Banks
Bella Books
Out on the Panhandle
R.E. Bradshaw
R.E. Bradshaw Books
Spanish Heart
Rachel Spangler
Bold Strokes Books
The Raid
Lee Lynch
Bold Strokes Books
The Raven's Heart
Jesse Blackadder
Bywater Books
Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright
Justine Saracen
Bold Strokes Books

Historical Fiction

Title
Author
Publisher
Awake Unto Me
Kathleen Knowles
Bold Strokes Books
Castle of Dark Shadows
Patty G. Henderson
Blanca Rose Publishing
One Saved to the Sea
Catt Kingsgrave
Circlet Press Inc.
The Blondness of Honey
T.T. Thomas
Bon View Publishing
The Last Nude
Ellis Avery
Riverhead Books
The Storm
Shelley Thrasher
Bold Strokes Books

Lesbian Erotica

Title
Author
Publisher
Affinity and Friends Put the X Back in Xmas
Compiled by Irish Eyes
Written by: Stein Willard, Liz Bradbury, Nat Burns, Susan X Meagher, Del Robertson, Syd Parker, Ruth Gogoll, Kiki Archer, JM Dragon, and Irish Eyes
Affinity eBook Press NZ Ltd.
Best Lesbian Erotica 2013
Kathleen Warnock
Cleis Press
Girl Fever: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex for Lesbians
Sacchi Green, Editor
Cleis Press
Girls Who Score: Hot Lesbian Erotica
Ily Goyanes
Cleis Press
Initiation By Desire
M.J. Williamz
Bold Strokes Books
Sapphic Planet
Edited by Kissa Starling and Beth Wylde  (stories by the lesbian writer's group Sapphic Planet)
Create Space (Sapphic Planet Self Published)
The Harder She Comes: Butch/Femme Erotica
D.L. King
Cleis Press
The Night Off
Meghan O'Brien
Bold Strokes Books

Mystery/Thriller

Title
Author
Publisher
A Very Public Eye: Book 2, Public Eye Mystery Series
Lori L. Lake
Regal Crest Enterprises
Above Reproach
Lynn Ames
Phoenix Rising Press
Being the Steel Drummer
Liz Bradbury
Boudica Publishing Inc.
Certain Dark Things
Erica Abbott
Bella Books
Hide and Snake Murder
Jessie Chandler
Midnight Ink
Keepers of the Cave
Gerri Hill
Bella Books
Rest for the Wicked
Ellen Hart
Minotaur Books
Runaway
Anne Laughlin
Bold Strokes Books

Paranormal

Title
Author
Publisher
A Question of Ghosts
Cate Culpepper
Bold Strokes Books
Sometime Yesterday
Yvonne Heidt
Bold Strokes Books
Summoning Shadows
Winter Pennington
Bold Strokes Books
Sunfall
Nell Stark and Trinity Tam
Bold Strokes Books
The Book of Eleanor
Nat Burns
Bella Books
The Pyramid Waltz
Barbara Ann Wright
Bold Strokes Books
Third
Q. Kelly
Ride the Rainbow Books
Touch Me Gently
D. Jackson Leigh
Bold Strokes Books

Poetry

Title
Author
Publisher
Heart Prints
Bettina Morello
Boudica Publishing Inc.
Journey to Her Heart
Karen Belmar
Affinity eBook Press Ltd.
Secession
Amy Sara Carroll
Hyperbole Books (Imprint of San Diego State University Press)
The Other Side of Joy
April Joy Bowden
AuthorHouse
to go without blinking
Aimee Herman
BlazeVOX (books)
Wet Violets: Sappho's Corner Poetry Series, Volume 2
Beth Mitchum (editor)
UltraVioletLove Publishing
Worlds of Love, Loss, and Longing
Beth Mitchum
UltraVioletLove Publishing

Romantic Suspense/Intrigue

Title
Author
Publisher
After Mrs. Hamilton
Clare Ashton
Self Published
Beyond Innocence
Carsen Taite
Bold Strokes Books
Demons are Forever
Kim Baldwin & Xenia Alexiou
Bold Strokes Books
Everything Pales in Comparison
Rebecca Swartz
Bella Books
Oath of Honor
Radclyffe
Bold Strokes Books
Playing with Fuego
KG MacGregor
Bella Books
She Left Me Breathless
Trin Denise
Ragz Books USA
Tactical Pursuit
Lynette Mae
Regal Crest Enterprises

Short Stories/Collection

Title
Author
Publisher
Door Shaker and Other Stories
Nann Dunne
CreateSpace
Homesteading: Essays on Life, Death, Sex and Liberation
Julie R. Enszer
One Spirit Press
I'll Call It Like I See It: A Lesbian Speaks Out
Sheila Morris
Purple Books Publishing
In Remembrance and Other Stories
ML Skinner
CreateSpace
Riding Fury Home A Memoir
Chana Wilson
Seal Press
Sidecar
Ann McMan
Bedazzled Ink Pub. Co.
Slices of Life
Georgia Beers
Brisk Press
Tea Leaves
Janet Mason
Bella Books

Speculative Fiction

Title
Author
Publisher
A Guardian's Love
Stein WIllard
Affinity eBook Press NZ Ltd.
Beloved Lady Mistress
D. Jordan Redhawk
Bella Books
Deerhaven Pines
Diana McRae
Bella Books
In The Now
Kelly Sinclair
Blue Feather Books
Just Killing Time
Linda Kay Silva
Spinsters Ink
Silver Moon
Catherine Lundoff
Lethe Press
Soulwalker
Erica Lawson
Blue Feather Books
The Smuggler, the Spy and the Spider
Diana Rivers
Bella Books

Traditional Romance

Title
Author
Publisher
Almost Heaven
Susan X Meagher
Brisk Press
Heart Block
Melissa Brayden
Bold Strokes Books
Love Match
Ali Vali
Bold Strokes Books
Rhapsody
KG MacGregor
Bella Books
Snow Falls
Gerri Hill
Bella Books
Something in the Wine
Jae
Ylva Publishing
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
Maria V. Ciletti
Intaglio Publications
Worth the Risk
Karis Walsh
Bold Strokes Books