In this episode we review one of the first queer books, Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu as edited and introduced by Carmen Maria Machado. We talk queer coding and blood sucking and female sexuality. While vampires are a fun distraction, we'd like our listeners to know about some changes coming to our line up. This episode was recorded before the death of George Floyd and the nationwide protests that followed. Though we started this podcast with the intent to diversify our own reading lists, we recognize how little representation of BIPOC we have included. We took a break from posting in order to figure out how we are going to do better to honor and make space for the voices of Queer BIPOC. We are committed to featuring BIPOC authors much more in our coming episodes and to continuing to do the work we need to do behind the scenes to learn from Black leaders and shed our own biases. We look forward to growing with you. 

Ocean Vuong's debut, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, is a complicated novel tackling themes of trauma, poverty, homophobia, and death. We discuss language, what is accessible and not, but also the beauty of poetry and how Vuong's themes carry from his poetry into his prose. 

In this episode we discuss the parody/fanfiction/spinoff thing that is Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. This is a silly and queer alternative perspective on the Chosen One trope we all already love reading, and we dig into what that means and if it reaches it's queer potential.

In our second poetry minisode, we read and discuss five of our favorite queer poems. "Come slowly--Eden" by Emily Dickensen, "After God Herself" by Justice Ameer, "Hubble Photographs: After Sappho" by Adrienne Rich, "Tonight in Oakland" by Danez Smith, and "Ardent" by Jill McDonough.

In this episode we get wild and rowdy with Tom Spanbauer's gay western The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon. A problematic fave, for sure, this novel is a trip right from page one. We follow a Two-Spirit Native American named Shed as he reclaims his life and tells his mythic tale of love and loss, hurt and shame, and fighting the powers that be. Possibly the gayest book we've ever read, The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon is certainly one of our top favorites. 

In our sixth episode we look at The House of Impossible Beauties by Joseph Cassara, a fictionalized biographical novel which depicts the lives of various members of the House of Xtravaganza. Made famous in the documentary Paris is Burning, The House of Xtravaganza resides in the middle of late 80s New York where the ballroom scene is exploding with life. The book takes a dive into the chosen family and the struggles of its members through poverty, racism, and gender discrimination, while also showing in heartbreaking detail, the impact of the AIDS epidemic on this queer community. An intimate look at queer history, The House of Impossible Beauties is an enjoyable read serving some really important truths along the way.

In the fifth episode of Lavender Lit Club we review a collection of speculative fiction by Carmen Maria Machado, Her Body and Other Parties. The stories in this collection blend well genre fiction and queer themes, and stand out against toxic masculinity, gender inequality, that long standing oppressive trope of the mad woman in the attic. The science fiction and horror elements make these stories a fun read, and the female characters make them powerful. We really enjoyed this collection and hope you do too.

In our first poetry minisode, we read and discuss four of our favorite queer poems. "On nights when I am your husband" by Meg Day, "Recreation" by Audre Lorde, "Because it's summer" by Ocean Vuong, and "Feast green and stained" by Paul Cunningham. 

In the third episode of Lavender Lit Club we review the cult classic Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown. Despite this novel being one of the first of it's kind, a landmark lesbian coming of age novel, it is full of touchy topics and difficult to accept racist and TERF sentiments. We follow a judgmental Molly Bolt through her youth, the discovery of her sexuality, and her struggle to make it as a filmmaker in New York City. Full of promise and possibility, Rubyfruit Jungle let us down, but we found a lot to chew on with this one and enjoyed diving into it all with this review.

In our second episode we discuss the memoir Tomboy Survival Guide by storyteller, author, and musician Ivan Coyote. A moving collection of stories from childhood paired with affirming discussion of defying gender stereotypes, Tomboy Survival Guide is first a well-crafted autobiography, and second a warm and inviting space to explore identity and how it fits in society.