Lee Lynch - An American Queer: The Amazon Trail

This collection of Lee Lynch's columns chronicles over a quarter century of queer life in the United States, from the last decades of the twentieth century into the twenty-first.

From the beginning of my writing career, I just wanted to write about lesbian/gay life as I experienced it. Like so many, I came from a place of great isolation. At the same time, being gay filled me with great pride and joy. Writers Jane Rule, Isabelle Miller, Radclyffe Hall, Valerie Taylor, Ann Bannon, and Vin Packer gave me inspiration and even the lesbian companionship I needed as a baby dyke. More than anything, I want to give to gay people what those writers gave me. And I want to do it well enough that my words might someday be considered literature and, as such, might endure because, as open as some societies have become, there are always haters, and cycles of oppression. Our writers strengthen us, offer a sense of solidarity and validation that we are both more than our sexualities and are among the best that humanity offers.

Thank you, Ruth Sternglantz, my friend and editor, who conceived of An American Queer, then selected, ordered, edited, and basically did all the work of fashioning a book from hundreds of columns. Ruth, you are a sterling person.

My deep gratitude goes to Nell Stark and Rachel Spangler for their forewords, to Radclyffe for her bold strokes, and to Gabrielle Pendergrast for the dynamic cover.

Thank you to the innumerable editors and publishers of periodicals on and off line who Ive worked with over the years.

Thank you to the women who have helped create these columns, including Elaine Mulligan Lynch, Nel Ward, Sue Hardesty, Akia Woods, and the late Marcia Santee, Barbara Grier, and Tee Corinne.

Thank you to all the librarians who make lesbian books available, in particular M.J. Lowe.

Thank you, always, to Connie Ward and Shelley Thrasher for leading me to Bold Strokes Books.

And thank you to my readers. I appreciate your continuing responses and support.

An American Queer: The Amazon Trail

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An American Queer: The Amazon Trail

2014 By Lee Lynch. All Rights Reserved.

ISBN 13: 978-1-62639-260-1

This Electronic Book is published by

Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

P.O. Box 249

Valley Falls, New York 12185

First Edition: October 2014

This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

Credits

Editor: Ruth Sternglantz

Production Design: Susan Ramundo

Cover Design By Gabrielle Pendergrast

From Bold Strokes Books

Beggar of Love

Sweet Creek

The Raid

An American Queer: The Amazon Trail

From Naiad Press

Toothpick House

Old Dyke Tales

The Swashbuckler

Home In Your Hands

Dustys Queen of Hearts Diner

The Amazon Trail

Sue Slate, Private Eye

That Old Studebaker

Morton River Valley

Cactus Love

From New Victoria Publishers

Rafferty Street

Off the Rag: Women Write About Menopause, Edited with Akia Woods

From TRP Cookbooks

The Butch Cook Book, Edited with Sue Hardesty and Nel Ward

Lee Lynch has not only created some of the most memorable and treasured characters in all of lesbian literature, shes given us the added pleasure of having them turn up in each others stories. Beggar of Love ranks with Lee Lynchs richest and most candid portrayals of lesbian life.Katherine V. Forrest, Lambda Literary Award-winning author of Curious Wine and the Kate Delafield series

Lee Lynch reads as an old friend, and in a way she is.Joan Nestle, Lambda Literary Award-winning author and co-founder of the Lesbian Herstory Archives

Ive been a fan of Lee Lynch since I read her novel Rafferty Street many years ago. Her booksespecially her deeply human charactersnever disappoint. Beggar of Love is a story not to be missed!Ellen Hart, Lambda Literary Award-winning author of the Jane Lawless Mystery series

Sweet Creek is Lynchs first book in eight years, and one that shows the maturing of her craft. In a time when much of lesbian writing is more about formula than finding the truths of our lives, she has written a breakthrough book that is evidence of her unique gifts as a storyteller and her undeniable talent in creating characters that move us and remain with us long after the final page is turned.Sacred Ground: News and Views on Lesbian Writing

Sweet Creek is a textured read, almost epic in scope but still wonderfully intimate. Lynch, with a dozen novels to her credit dating back to the early days of Naiad Press, has earned her stripes as a writerly eldershe was contributing storiesfour decades ago. But this latest is sublimely in tune with the times.Richard LaBonte, Q Syndicate

the sweeping scope of Lynchs abilitiesThe sheer quality of this work is proof-positivethat writing honestly from a place of authenticity and real experience is what separates literature from books.Lambda Book Report

[Lynchs stories] go right to my heart, then stay and teach meI think these are some of the most important stories in the dykedom.Feminist Bookstore News

Lee Lynch fills her stories with adventure, vision and great courage, but the abiding and overriding concept is love. Her characters love each other and we love them for caring.This Week in Texas

Lee Lynch explores the elements of survival, the complexities of defining community and the power of claiming our placeGay & Lesbian Times

[Lee Lynchs work] is a salute to the literary and bonding traditions of our lesbian past, as well as the acceptance we continue to demand and achieve within a larger society.The Lavender Network

Lee Lynch is a mature novelist who retains the freshness of outlook of a young writer. Her independent, self reliant womenare ever ready to face the challenges that all lesbians meet.Sarah Aldridge

[Lee Lynchs] writing is a delight, full of heart, wisdom and humor.Ann Bannon

The highest recommendation I can give Lee Lynchs writing is that you will not mistake it for anyone elses. Her voice and imagination are uniquely her own. Lynch has been out and proudly writing about it for longer than many of us have been alive.A good book can make the reader laugh, feel desire, and think, sometimes all in the same scene.Queer Magazine Online

For my beloved wife, Lainie Lynch.

And for Radclyffe, lesbian visionary.

Rachel Spangler

Its fitting that this anthology opens with a piece called Provincetown because thats where I first began to think about the true importance of this collection. It was Womens Week, October 2013. I sat on the front steps on a glorious autumn day watching my five-year-old son play. Hes a sort of all-American boy: fair-haired, blue-eyed, and athletic. Hes never met a sport he doesnt love. Hes also good at dragging his favorite adults into his game. The only thing most people would find surprising about this scenario is that my all-American boy idolizes the all-American Queer.