Ep #128 – LUST & FOUND

“QUEER WOMEN IN HISTORY”

This week Sarah Jean hosts the podcast with guest Margrethe as we conclude our March “unlikeable” MCs theme with an exploration of women in Queer Romance

EP 128 HOST

> SARAH JEAN (she/her) From the woods of Massachusetts, Sarah Jean has been reading queer romance for 12 years. She runs a queer book club called Rainbow Readers of Massachusetts (https://www.facebook.com/rainbowreadersmass/) that celebrates queer lives, joy, and empowerment through genre fiction. When not reading or listening to books Sarah is plotting her queer historical romances, cuddling with her cats, and planning her next adventure. Follow Sarah on Twitter @queer_reader

EP 128 GUESTS

> MARGRETHE MARTIN (she/her) is a reviewer for Love in Panels. Her favorite romance subgenre is historical romance and her favorite subgenre to complain about is historical romance. She is also obsessed with her dog. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @MargretheMartin

EP 128 DISCUSSION

> Title: Mrs. Martin’s Incomparable Adventure

Author: Courtney Milan

Relation to theme: Female MCs Bertrice & Violetta

Representation: Asian-American author, queer MCs

Content Warnings: sexism, ageism

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44084867-mrs-martin-s-incomparable-adventure

> Title: A Delicate Deception (Regency Imposters #3)

Author: Cat Sebastian

Relation to theme: Female MC Amelia

Representation: White author, queer MCs

Content Warnings: none identified

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39735911-a-delicate-deception

NOTE: This book was also discussed in RBP episode #tbd

> Title: A Duke in Disguise (Regency Imposters #2)

Author: Cat Sebastian

Relation to theme: Female MC Verity

Representation: White author, queer MCs

Content Warnings: none identified

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36501794-a-duke-in-disguise

NOTE: This book was also discussed in RBP episode #tbd

> Title: Gilded Cage (Lilywhite Boys #2)

Author: K.J. Charles

Relation to theme: Female MC Susan

Representation: White author, queer MCs

Content Warnings: none identified

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52314497-gilded-cage

NOTE: This book was also discussed in RBP episode #tbd

> Title: A Lady’s Desire (The Townsends #2.5)

Author: Lily Maxton

Relation to theme: Female MCs Sarah & Winifred

Representation: White author, queer MCs

Content Warnings: death of a spouse (off page)

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42627239-a-lady-s-desire

NOTE: This book was also discussed in RBP episode #tbd

> Title: The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics (The Feminine Pursuits #1)

Author: Olivia Waite

Relation to theme: Female MCs Lucy & Catherine

Representation: White author, queer MCs

Content Warnings: death of a spouse (off page), sexism, gaslighting, infertility

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42117380-the-lady-s-guide-to-celestial-mechanics

NOTE: This book was also discussed in RBP episode #tbd

> Title: The Rat-Catcher’s Daughter (Lilywhite Boys #0.5)

Author: K.J. Charles

Relation to theme: Trans MC Christiana

Representation: White author, trans/asexual/queer MCs

Content Warnings: misgendering/transphobia and threat of violence

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50054274-the-rat-catcher-s-daughter

NOTE: This book was also discussed in RBP episode #tbd

> Title: The Craft of Love

Author: E.E. Ottoman

Relation to theme: Female MC Remembrance

Representation: Trans author, trans MC, queer MC

Content Warnings: misgendering/transphobia

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42096849-the-craft-of-love

NOTE: This book was also discussed in RBP episode #tbd

> Title: That Could Be Enough

Author: Alyssa Cole

Relation to theme: Female MCs Mercy & Andromeda

Representation: Black author, queer MCs

Content Warnings: none identified

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40524331-that-could-be-enough

NOTE: This book was also discussed in RBP episode #tbd

>> Alyssa Cole’s other queer books include:

>>> Signal Boost (Off the Grid #2)

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24845577-signal-boost

>>> Once Ghosted, Twice Shy (Reluctant Royals #2.5)

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42128976-once-ghosted-twice-shy

>>> A Prince On Paper (Reluctant Royals #3)

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38622940-a-prince-on-paper

> Margrethe refers to the pilot episode of the HBO show The Watchmen which depicted the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, an event many people don’t know about or have forgotten

Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7049682/

Link: https://slate.com/culture/2019/10/watchmen-tulsa-massacre-history-tv.html

Link: https://www.pajiba.com/tv_reviews/watchmen-and-the-1921-tulsa-race-massacre-that-no-one-remembers.php

> Sarah Jean mentions the HBO miniseries Gentleman Jack about Anne Lister

Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7211618/

Link: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/stuff-you-missed-in-history-cl-21124503/episode/anne-lister-30207684/

> Queer women we’d like to see depicted in romance include:

>> Sarah Ponsonby and Lady Eleanor Butler aka the Ladies of Llangollen

Link: https://longreads.com/2018/04/17/the-ladies-who-were-famous-for-wanting-to-be-left-alone/

Link: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/desire-love-and-identity/ladies-llangollen

>> Elisa Sánchez Loriga and Marcela Gracia Ibeas (the Spanish couple Margrethe refers to)

Link: https://www.makingqueerhistory.com/articles/2019/8/18/elisa-and-marcela-the-first-same-sex-marriage-in-spain

Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6704898/ (NOTE: no HEA)

>>> Sarah Jean mentions the 2019 film Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8613070/ (NOTE: no HEA)

>>> The French movie Margrethe mentions is Mystère à la Tour Eiffel aka The Eiffel Tower Mystery

Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4471456/ (NOTE: yes HEA)

Link: https://www.themarysue.com/victorian-lesbian-murder-mystery/

>> Charity Bryant and Sylvia Drake

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18695384-charity-and-sylvia

Link: https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/08/13/charity-and-sylvia-marriage/

>>> Margrethe mentions the classic lesbian novel Patience & Sarah by Isabel Miller

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31186.Patience_Sarah

>>> Sarah Jean mentions another classic lesbian novel Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25104465-tipping-the-velvet

>> Elisabeth Irwin and Katherine Anthony

Link: https://www.nyclgbtsites.org/site/little-red-school-house/

Link: https://365daysoflesbians.tumblr.com/post/167957264377/november-27-katharine-anthony-1877-1965

>> Natalie Clifford Barney

Link: https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/dinner_party/place_settings/natalie_barney

>> Jane Addams

Link: https://www.hullhousemuseum.org/about-jane-addams

Link: https://www.makingqueerhistory.com/articles/2018/11/30/jane-addams

>> Eleanor Roosevelt

Link: https://yourqueerstory.com/podcast/eleanor-roosevelt/

Link: https://www.nps.gov/elro/index.htm

Link: https://www.autostraddle.com/24-very-gay-excerpts-from-eleanor-roosevelts-love-letters-with-lorena-hickok-346115/

> TBR

>> Margrethe is looking forward to Olivia Waite’s new book The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows due July 2020

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46041449-the-care-and-feeding-of-waspish-widows

>> Sarah Jean mentions Robin Talley’s Music from Another World due March 2020

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44786181-music-from-another-world

> Jane Eyre retellings come up again and we know of two: Rose Lerner’s upcoming retelling The Sea May Burn, due sometime in 2020, and L.L. McKinney’s Escaping Mr. Rochester due in 2022

Link: http://www.roselerner.com/coming-soon/

Link: http://thebookvoyagers.blogspot.com/2019/07/cover-the-sea-may-burn-rose-lerner.html

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48760736-escaping-mr-rochester

>> JUSTICE FOR BERTHA!

> Sarah Jean refers to multiple history books about queer community:

>> BOSTON: Improper Bostonians: Lesbian and Gay History from the Puritans to Playland

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/194550.Improper_Bostonians

>> NEW YORK: Gay New York as well as When Brooklyn Was Queer

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/108295.Gay_New_York

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39863463-when-brooklyn-was-queer

> Sarah Jean mentions multiple queer history podcasts:

>> HISTORY IS GAY