01 Aug 4 Reasons I Love Lesbian Books Even Though I’m A “Supposedly” Straight Woman
I found a book by Sarah Waters in a free book bin once and scanned through the pages out of simple curiosity. Two hours later, I was still reading. That was mostly due to Ms. Waters’ gift for transporting the reader into an entirely different time and place with the expert use of elegant prose. All I know was, I was hooked. Since then, I have sought out all of her books, and many other books featuring lesbians or bicurious women.
My husband, who I consider a secure man once asked about my tendency to read some of these books and I couldn’t quite give him one simple answer. It was a good question, and I began to wonder, if perhaps my love for these books were a sign for something deeper. Was this simple curiosity or a desire unrealized? I also wondered, if there were other straight girls getting satisfaction from lez fiction.
These were some of the questions I sifted through and truth is, it’s a little complicated. And anyone who knows me will agree that complicated is my comfort zone. So for any of you straight gals who have a penchant for stories featuring female on female love, from romance to raunch, here are four simple reasons, I read lesbian books.
1. It’a whole new world
Not all of us have the luxury, opportunity or freedom to experiment or experience the world as others do. As it pertains to this subject, even when I had the opportunity to kiss a girl and like it, it was simply not in the cards.
Add that to the fact that I had already met the man I was planning to be with for the rest of my life, there wasn’t too much incentive to travel down that road.
As a result, I find myself enamored with the idea of lesbian relationships, and my fascination isn’t unlike the way I’d feel walking into a Jewish synagogue during Rosh Hashanah. It’s something new, different, other worldly and tickles that part of my brain that seeks out new ideas, experiences and points of views. I love stories that are unlike my own and les love is just one of those things that turns me on in more ways than one.
I can read a book, be immersed in a world and experience what the characters experience without ever disrupting my life in way or the other. That is the magic of a good book.
2. Fodder for Fantasies
The truth is, when I read my first les-centric book, Sarah Waters’ Tipping the Velvet, I felt as though I were getting a peak into the bedroom of two women in a truly intimate situation. Sure, I have seen many pornos with two women sticking out their tongues, cavorting on top of each other and using plastic prosthetics on each other, but like all other porn movies, I knew this wasn’t the full the story or even a realistic one. Even with never having been with a woman, I could imagine it would be very different experience and I felt that some of the best written books give a true depiction of what its like to be with a woman.
Now that I’m married, my husband and I have discussed my fantasies about a threesome, which we often go back and forth about. As of now, it simply remains as one of my top fantasies, though I haven’t decided whether or not it’s one I want to fulfill. I get the feeling that the real thing may never hold up to the fantasy in my head and considering I have a very vivid imagination, I’m content with simply imagining all of the possibilities, some of which I put into my short stories and working novels.
I have since read all of Sarah’s books including the works of other authors such as:
Fiona Zedde: Femme Like Her/Stud Like Her
Ava Freeman: Love’s Divine
Tuesday Harper: Alone For Christmas
Nancy Garden, Annie on My Mind
Julie Anne Peters, Keeping You A Secret
Kristen Zimmer, The Gravity Between Us
Jodi Piccoult, Sing You Home…
When All Else Fails, Nicole Y. Williams (one of my faves)
3. Not Enough of The Good Stuff
The truth is, there aren’t very many books written in this genre that I LOVE, although if you trudge down the virtual aisles of Amazon’s erotica section, you’ll find thousands of titles written by men who have probably never seen a vagina in real life.
It’s partly why I decided to start writing in this genre. Perhaps I’m a unicorn and there is no one else who would like great stories about two women where the sex is simply just a part of the whole rather than all about it, but I’m creating books I would love to see more of.
Now, you might be one of those people who feel that a book about lesbians can’t possibly be good if it’s written by a straight girl, at least one that’s never been with a woman, to which I say, Nonsense! None of us were born in the 18th Century, or had show downs in the wild west, or met a billionaire who wants to tie us up, but there are plenty of these kinds of books flooding the market.
A good story, is a good story, is a good story, and as long as it moves the reader in any direction, it is worth writing and reading.
4. Exposure To All Love Creates Love
We naturally fear those things we do not understand or are unfamiliar with. Even today with so many people feeling free enough to be themselves, the powers that be are fighting back to keep things as status quo. Many place their behavior based on their belief systems whether religious or societal, yet anyone whose truly had to deal with people or things they once feared come to realize that they have the same hopes, fears and dreams as they do and they aren’t so different after all. The more types of humans we encounter and learn about, the more humane we become.
I fundamentally believe, if more of us would open up ourselves to stories that aren’t necessarily our own, there would be more love in the world and definitely more books featuring all types of love written by the best writers, which can only be a positive step towards tolerance and understanding.
These are just four simple reasons why I love to read lesbian fiction. Honestly, the only reason I’m calling it lesbian fiction is for SEO purposes, but I just like a good book with strong characters with diverse backgrounds and life experiences. I may be just bi-curious and that’s probably where I’ll stay. I hear it’s a valid identity. Either way, I’m just a chick who loves stories about other chicks falling in love. Period.
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