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Gay/Lesbian Characters in Fiction. Part 2 (by category)
Return to Fiction_L Booklists Menu
May 1999
Compiled by Martin Garnar
of Dayton Memorial Library (Regis University, CO), from contributions by the members of Fiction_L.
(To use this list in your library, book club, etc., please include the following credit line: "Compiled by the subscribers of the Fiction_L mailing list." This list may not be used for commercial purposes.)
The list is broken down by the following categories (some crossover):
Young Adult
Lesbian Characters
Gay Male Characters
Bisexual Characters
Transgendered Characters
Ethnic Characters
Mysteries
Adventure/Espionage
Science Fiction
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Humorous
These categories are based on annotations and what I personally know of the books, so don't take this as gospel.
Young adult titles:
Bauer, Marion Dane (comp.) Am I Blue? An anthology of short stories
Block, Francesca Lia.
Block's young adult books portray gay characters in a very positive light. Her books seem to involve a variety of alternative-lifestyle love stories, and there are usually young gay couples involved who are very much a part of things and are, in fact, some of her strongest and most interesting characters. Her books are extremely popular with the 12-15-year-olds (the only ones reading fiction, it seems) at our library--okay, so these are for the most part 12-15-year old girls, and Ms. Block's gay characters tend to be male, but it's a start.
Duane, Diane. So You Want to Be a Wizard.
The modern day wizards who are recurring supporting characters in this series are a gay couple.
Ecker, B.A. Independence Day. (a great book for teens)
Garden, Nancy. Annie on My Mind.
One of the best books that I have read, regardless of sexual orientation. Marketed as young adult, but still an excellent choice.
Holland, Isabelle. The Man Without a Face.
Homes, A.M. Jack.
A teen boy learns his dad is gay
Kerr, M.E. Deliver Us From Evie.
Farm boy's sister comes out.
Hello, I Lied.
Gay teen coming to terms with own sexuality.
Koertge, Ron. The Arizona Kid.
Boy spends summer with his gay uncle.
Mowry, Jess. Babylon Boyz.
One of 4 main characters is a gay, black Oakland teen who wants to be a doctor.
Van Dijk, Lutz, Damned Strong Love.
Gay Polish teen falls for German soldier.
Walker, Kate. Peter.
Australian teen falls for older brother's gay friend.
Woodson, Jacqueline. From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun.
Black teen's mom has relationship w/ white lesbian.
Lesbian characters:
Block, Lawrence.
"Burglar" series character Bernie Rhodenbarr (sp?) has a best friend Caroline who's a lesbian.
Bradley, Marion Zimmer. Darkover series: (2 opposing comments)
(1) Thendara House, City of Sorcery are good for lesbians.
(2) However, I find sci fi Darkover novels that concentrate on the Renunciates (or Free Amazons), several of whom are lesbian, to be a bit strident. The Renunciate thread that runs through many of her novels is very good, but when they are the focus, it's different.
Cornwell, Patricia.
Scarpetta series features Lucy, a lesbian FBI and ATF agent. Lucy's coming out happens in The Body Farm.
Flagg, Fannie. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.
Forrest, Katherine.
Series of detective novels which feature a lesbian investigator. There is some romantic/sexual content, but nothing
different from most modern fiction. Flashpoint is one. Apparition Alley, Liberty Square, and Murder by Tradition are all, I think, part of the same series. The one I read was great.
Galford, Ellen (Fantasy elements) Fires of Bride. (Celtic,lesbians, also quite funny) The dyke and the dybbuk. (Jewish, lesbians, London, also funny)
Hart, Ellen.
Series featuring Jane Lawless, restaurant owner and amateur detective in Minneapolis. The presentation is more clearly as a detective story but the positive examples of lesbians are outstanding.
Hayes, Penny. Kathleen O'Donald.
Quite serious. It is historical--set in New York around 1909 about an English immigrant woman who works at
the Triangle Shirtwaist factory and befriends a fellow worker, a woman from Ireland. Moral issues are involved
because Kathleen, the main character, is Catholic, as well as some history involving the forming of trade unions. There are some passionate sex scenes.
Kantner, Lynn. Mayor of Heaven.
A wonderful story of a lesbian relationship and how it affects the partners and their community of straight friends.
King, Laurie. Mystery series featuring Kate Martinelli. A Grave Talent. To Play the Fool. With Child.
MacDonald, Ann-Marie. Fall On Your Knees.
A Canadian bestseller published in 1997 includes a main character who has a lesbian relationship portrayed in a loving, positive way, though it is not a major theme of the novel. It's a wonderful book.
Maney, Mabel. Cherry Aimless Series. The Case Of The Not-So-Nice-Nurse. The Good For Nothing Girl Friend. Ghost In The Closet.
Miller, Isabel. Patience & Sarah.
Lesbian classic, some sexual allusions but very gentle.
Obejas, Achy. Memory mambo: a novel. (Hispanic, lesbian)
Padgett, Abigail. Blue.
(seems to be a new series featuring Dr. Blue McCarron, lesbian psychologist)
Sarton, May. The Fur Person.
Told in the voice of a cat who lives with a lesbian couple; lesbianism very veiled.
Scoppettone, Sandra. Mystery series featuring detective Lauren Laurano.
Warren, Patricia Nell. The Front Runner.
(Note: another contributor noted that The Front Runner contains at least one highly eroticized and explicit sex scene between the two main characters.)
Willis, Julie. Reel Time.
(Cambridge, old movies, lesbians)
Winterson, Jeanette. Oranges are not the Only Fruit.
Very wry, yet very sympathetic to the heronine's situation.
Lesbian Detectives (large update pending):
http://www.bookbrowser.com/Diverse/Lesbian.html
Gay male characters:
Baxt, George. A Queer Kind of Death.
First book in a mystery series that features a gay, black detective Pharoah Love. Besides the who dunnit plot, it depicts gay life in the 60's. Other titles begin with A Queer Kind of _______.
Cashorali, Peter. Fairy Tales: Traditional Stories Retold for Gay Men.
Forster, E.M. Maurice.
Kellerman, Jonathan.
Character Alex Delaware has a best friend who's a gay LAPD detective named Milo. Milo's significant other is also a
wonderfully sympathetic character named Rick who's an M.D.
Lackey, Mercedes. Mage Winds and Mage Storms trilogies have gay characters.
MacCauley, Stephen. Object of my affection
(great book, lousy movie). Main characters are gay men but sexual matters are treated very tactfully.
McKevett, G.A. (mystery)
In Savannah Reid series, main character is close friends with a gay couple
Quinn, Eric Shaw. Say Uncle.
A gay version of Auntie Mame--very funny and quite tame, sexually speaking.
Raphael, Lev. Dancing on Tisha b'Av.
(stories, Jewish & Gay); mystery series with a gay couple as the central characters.
Renault, Mary. Fire From Heaven, The Persian Boy, & Funeral Games (Alexander the Great)
Stevenson, Richard. The Donald Strachey mystery series (too numerous to list)
White, Edmund. A Boy's Own Story. The Beautiful Room is Empty. A Farewell Symphony.
(Note: another contributor mentioned that White tends towards erotica)
Gay Detectives: http://www.bookbrowser.com/Diverse/Gay.html
Bisexual characters:
Brown, Rita Mae. Bingo.
Main character is bi and marries (I think?) a gay man.
Harris, Lynn E.
Writes good stories with gay and bisexual and straight characters, usually young and black, trying to figure it all out.
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Transgendered characters:
Irving, John. The World According to Garp.
A transsexual character (Roberta) is one of the most sympathetic and likeable characters in the book.
Ethnic characters:
Baxt, George. A Queer Kind of Death.
First book in a mystery series that features a gay, black detective Pharoah Love. Besides the who dunnit plot, it depicts gay life in the 60's. Other titles begin with A Queer Kind of _______.
Ciresi, Rita. Pink slip.
(Italian-American, one of main characters is gay)
Galford, Ellen (Fantasy elements) Fires of Bride. (Celtic,lesbians, also quite funny)
The dyke and the dybbuk. (Jewish, lesbians, London, also funny)
Harris, Lynn E.
Writes good stories with gay and bisexual and straight characters, usually young and black, trying to figure it all out.
Mowry, Jess. Babylon Boyz. (YA)
One of 4 main characters is a gay, black Oakland teen who wants to be a doctor.
Nava, Michael. Henry Rios mystery series (Mexican-American)
Raphael, Lev. Dancing on Tisha b'Av.
(stories, Jewish & Gay); mystery series with a gay couple as the central characters.
Obejas, Achy. Memory mambo: a novel. (Hispanic, lesbian)
We came all the way from Cuba so you could dress like this? (stories, Hispanic, gay & lesbian)
Van Dijk, Lutz, Damned Strong Love. (YA)
Gay Polish teen falls for German soldier.
Woodson, Jacqueline. From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun. (YA)
Black teen's mom has relationship w/ white lesbian.
Mysteries:
Baxt, George. A Queer Kind of Death.
First book in a mystery series that features a gay, black detective Pharoah Love. Besides the who dunnit plot, it depicts gay life in the 60's. Other titles begin with A Queer Kind of _______.
Cornwell, Patricia.
Scarpetta series features Lucy, a lesbian FBI and ATF agent. Lucy's coming out happens in The Body Farm.
Forrest, Katherine.
Series of detective novels which feature a lesbian investigator. There is some romantic/sexual content, but nothing
different from most modern fiction. Flashpoint is one. Apparition Alley, Liberty Square, and Murder by Tradition are all, I think, part of the same series. The one I read was great.
Griffith, Nicola. The Blue Place. (mystery/thriller)
Hansen, Joseph. Fadeout.
Mystery featuring an insurance investigator--it's a large series, I think, and he's been doing them since either the 70s or 80s.
Hart, Ellen.
Series featuring Jane Lawless, restaurant owner and amateur detective in Minneapolis. The presentation is more clearly as a detective story but the positive examples of lesbians are outstanding.
Kellerman, Jonathan.
Character Alex Delaware has a best friend who's a gay LAPD detective named Milo. Milo's significant other is also a
wonderfully sympathetic character named Rick who's an M.D.
King, Laurie. Mystery series featuring Kate Martinelli. A Grave Talent. To Play the Fool. With Child.
Maney, Mabel. Cherry Aimless Series. The Case Of The Not-So-Nice-Nurse. The Good For Nothing Girl Friend. Ghost In The Closet.
McKevett, G.A. (mystery)
In Savannah Reid series, main character is close friends with a gay couple
Nava, Michael. Henry Rios mystery series (Mexican-American)
Padgett, Abigail. Blue.
(seems to be a new series featuring Dr. Blue McCarron, lesbian psychologist)
Scoppettone, Sandra. Mystery series featuring detective Lauren Laurano.
Stevenson, Richard. The Donald Strachey mystery series (too numerous to list)
Wilson, Barbara. (Mysteries) The Dog Collar Mystery. Gaudi Afternoon. Trouble in Transylvania. (also quite amusing)
Zubro, Mark Richard. Mystery novels
Gay Detectives:
http://www.bookbrowser.com/Diverse/Gay.html
Lesbian Detectives (large update pending):
http://www.bookbrowser.com/Diverse/Lesbian.html
Adventure/Espionage:
Banville, John. The Untouchable.
Protagonist is a spy and gay. Takes place during WW2. I thought the author did a great job with all the double life stuff.
Science fiction:
Bujold, Lois McMaster. Ethan of Athos.
An entire planet of men being visited by a woman.
Gerrold, David. The War Against the Chtorr series (books I-IV)
Griffith, Nicola. Ammonite. (science fiction) Slow River. (science fiction)
Garber, Eric, and Paleo, Lyn. Uranian worlds : a guide to alternative sexuality in science fiction, fantasy and horror. 2nd ed. Boston, Mass. : G.K. Hall, 1990.
Keegan, Mel. (science fiction) Death's head. Equinox.
LeGuin, Ursula. Left Hand of Darkness.
Lambda science fiction page:
http://www.lambdasf.org/lsf/books/index.html
A long list of GLBT-positive sf and fantasy, erotic or (mostly) otherwise, and include a list of links to other useful sites.
Fantasy:
Dreher, Sarah. (Fantasy elements) Stoner McTavish. Otherworld. Captive in Time.
Duane, Diane. So You Want to Be a Wizard. (YA)
The modern day wizards who are recurring supporting characters in this series are a gay couple.
Duane, Diane. Door Into Fire.
The first in an unfinished fantasy quintet, Tale of the Five, features a wonderfully well drawn gay relationship - in a society of interesting sexual mores.
Galford, Ellen (Fantasy elements) Fires of Bride. (Celtic,lesbians, also quite funny)
The dyke and the dybbuk. (Jewish, lesbians, London, also funny)
Garber, Eric, and Paleo, Lyn. Uranian worlds : a guide to alternative sexuality in science fiction, fantasy and horror. 2nd ed. Boston, Mass. : G.K. Hall, 1990.
Lackey, Mercedes.
Mage Winds and Mage Storms trilogies have gay characters.
Lynn, Elizabeth. Watchtower.
The first book in the fantasy trilogy, Chronicles of Tornor, has several gay and lesbian protagonists, both as
main characters and in supporting roles.
Pollack, Rachael. (Fantasy elements) Temporary Agency.
Lambda science fiction page: http://www.lambdasf.org/lsf/books/index.html
A long list of GLBT-positive sf and fantasy, erotic or (mostly) otherwise, and include a list of links to other useful sites.
Historical Fiction:
Hayes, Penny. Kathleen O'Donald.
Quite serious. It is historical--set in New York around 1909 about an English immigrant woman who works at
the Triangle Shirtwaist factory and befriends a fellow worker, a woman from Ireland. Moral issues are involved because Kathleen, the main character, is Catholic, as well as some history involving the forming of trade unions. There are some passionate sex scenes.
Renault, Mary.Fire From Heaven, The Persian Boy, & Funeral Games (Alexander the Great)
Humorous:
Eighner, Lars. Pawn to Queen four.
(another funny one, but perhaps too much "in humor" for an introductory novel for straights--the rescue by the gay motorcycle gang is a treat, however)
Keenan, Joe. Blue Heaven. Putting on the Ritz.
(very very funny books...Keenan's now a head writer for "Frasier")
O'Donnell, Mark. Getting Over Homer. (funny)
Rodi, Robert. Closet Case. Really funny.
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