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TB & Clare start the episode by chatting about their weeks. TB had a nightmare of a week getting her village romance book ready for a proofread, and she’s now realizing the July 8th release date is quickly approaching, causing some panic. She also had a migraine from hell. The big news is her Cotswolds novel has a title: A Shot at Love. Woot!
Clare’s week was the exact opposite of her previous week. Just seven days ago she was pleased with the second draft of A Taste of Love, while this week she started second-guessing everything. There was a lot of groaning. But she pulled a lot of long days to tame the third draft, and it’s with the editor. Double woot!
After discussing the latest Women’s World Cup results (they are lesbians after all), the duo turns their focus to the question of the week: Are You an Out and Proud Lesbian Fiction Author?
Clare is an advocate of being out, and her wife teases Clare for always saying, “Hello, I’m gay.” Although, Clare claims she doesn’t always say it quite like that. Also, she is amused by people’s reactions when they find out she writes lesbian romance. Sometimes, though, even in safe places, Clare has found not everyone is supportive.
TB, who is out and attends many writing conferences as a lesfic author and runs a website promoting lesbian fiction (https://iheartlesfic.com/) is a bit more reticent talking about being a lesbian fiction author among the masses. It’s not because of the L-word, though. She gets tired of people asking her questions about being an author, the most popular being, “How much do you make?”
Clare has an award dilemma, which she finds a bit awkward after the LWW episode on awards (https://lesbianswhowrite.com/lww-7-what-do-we-think-of-literary-events-awards/), but TB encourages her to enter her book as a way of promoting lesbian romance.
The big takeaway this week is Clare and TB believe it’s important to write and promote lesbian fiction because it’s important to have positive representation.
Stop back next week for another lively conversation about the writing life. If you’d like to leave a comment on the episode, head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com. They’d love to hear from you. Or you can email them at: lesbianswhowrite@gmail.com.
Happy listening!
Clare and TB
Well, after this week’s episode, it’s clear that the show has its new marketing tagline… “cooler than cider makers”. 🙂
As a cider fan, I’m quite chuffed by this comment and tagline. Even before hopping across the pond, I loved cider and when I moved to London I felt like I was always meant to live in a country that has cider on tap in the majority of the pubs. But, now I need to head to Ptown and sample this cider. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.
Thanks so much for listening and commenting!
TB
Thank you for welcoming me, you lovelies! I’m so glad Miira mentioned to me about this podcast. It’s super interesting to hear you discuss about the different aspects of writer’s life. I’m a journalist and at some point would love to be also an author, but we’ll see how that goes. Lots of hard work ahead but hey, why should one live an easy life anyway. 😀
Hi Saara! We truly appreciate you listening to the podcast and I’m thrilled to hear it’s interesting. Clare was a journalist first, so it can be done. The world needs more stories. I won’t lie, it is hard work, but it’s also rewarding. Wishing you the best of luck and please keep us in the loop of how it’s going. And, I hope you keep commenting. Hearing from listeners is one of the best parts of doing the podcast.
TB
Hey ladies, you two have now made me look forward to Monday’s. Keep up the great work and the eff bomb’s. =D
Glad we can do our part to make Mondays better. Not sure I can stop dropping eff bombs. Half the time, I don’t know I’m doing it and then I listen to the episode and I’m like, oops.
Thanks so much for listening!
TB
Please don’t stop the eff bombs! They lighten my day hearing them!
🙂
Wonderful ep as always! I look forward to having lunch with the podcast once a week! I’m with you TB, I came out when I was 16ish, in the late 90’s, and in the first years I got A LOT of personal questions. I had your same reaction… like really your imagination can’t explain “what lesbians do” … that’s troubling lol. In all the years since, I’ve never been asked anything like that again. So either people get it, or now they’ve got Google.
I wanted to add that even though I’m super out in every possible arena of my life, I’m not out as a lesfic author! But I think it’s more because of my day job and if I were writing fulltime that would probably change.
Keep up the great work! I look forward to all the future eps!
Cheers!
JJ Arias (also just if you wanted to know how to pronounce the last name it sounds like: “Ahh-re-yas” like the plural of a musical aria lol but no worries!)
All of the super personal questions were really baffling to me. I would never think to ask someone I didn’t know about their sex life. I mean, who does that? But it does make sense that they probably consult Google now.
I’ll do my best with the pronunciation, but my brain and mouth are never on the same page. My French and Spanish classes were not a fun time for me. I simply can’t repeat pronunciations no matter how slowly someone says them for me. It doesn’t stop them from trying to get me to follow their lead. Even after I explain I’m not being rude, I just don’t get it.
Thanks so much for listening!
TB
No worries about the pronunciation at all! It was just a little FYI, but absolutely no offense taken.
I meant to add that my wife and I do share a closet and the clothes inside lol though not the shoes. She’s the only partner I’ve ever done that with, but people (I think exclusively women), often make a comment about “oh, double the clothes!” as if we were having an endless BFF slumber party, ha!
Shoes are even harder to borrow, even with the same size. Once you break in a pair, they really only fit your feet.
Ah, yes, the endless BFF slumber party. Doesn’t that sound nice instead of reality. No chores, bickering, or worries.
Awesome as always! Loved the topic! Not only you make Mondays bearable , but also Clare’s plethora of adjectives introducing TB improves my vocabulary! 😉 (English is not my first language)
See you (or listen to you) next week!
Glad we help make Mondays bearable and I also look forward to Clare’s introduction each week since I have no idea what she’ll say.
Thanks so much for listening!
TB
This session was an eye-opener for me. TB your decision to pick & choose the time you are an out author was understandable. Clare’s response was more my style; the I don’t care what people think. It’s also important to be out & proud about what you write and about how you live your life; being true to oneself is a must. It’s important to me that both of you are open about your sexuality and have a podcast that encourages me to move towards writing my own book.
Hey there! Clare is a role model, for sure. I’ve seen her in action at several book conferences now, and she’s out and proud.
Great to hear the podcast is encouraging you to write your own book. We’re cheering you on!
Thanks so much for listening and commenting. It’s always a pleasure to hear your thoughts.
TB
Another great episode!
I look forward to this every Monday and it really brightens up my day! 🙂
Thanks for all the giggles, and can’t wait to hear what new Ice Cream flavours Clare has in store for us. I liked this week’s, sounded amazing.
And as much as I love Mint Choc Chip (Love how this comes up every episode) I have to say I really like Coconut Ice Cream too. (p.s. we do have cookie dough in the UK, but we have to buy it from an American Section and it costs a fortune, and only in certain shops – very difficult to find)
On the whole Hamilton tickets thing, maybe we should help you out Clare. Enlighten us, can we enter to get tickets and if we win give them to you????
I’m really curious about the ice cream flavors. I’ve heard from some Americans who weren’t very excited about mango and ginger. I’m wondering it this is another difference between Brits and Americans. Sweet ice cream v savory (right word?) ice cream. Might need to do a poll.
The American section in UK stores always amused me. It was just filled with sweet stuff, but going back to the great ice cream debate, maybe they were on trend and I was just in denial.
I’ll have to ask Clare about the Hamilton ticket situation.
Thanks so much for listening!
TB