I was nine years old in 1959 when Ann Bannon the pen name of Ann Weldy published Women in the Shadows, the third book in what would later be known as the Beebo Brinker Chronicles. Ann Weldy is known as the "queen of lesbian pulp fiction", she wrote in the pre-Stonewall era. It was sixteen years later when I came out. There was no lesbian fiction at the library of the largest city near where I lived. I went there in 1974 trying to find something when I went through the card catalogue for the word lesbian. The only thing I found was the "Well of Loneliness" by Radcliffe Hall. The book was published in 1928 and was banned in England and beyond. I was not the only questioning lesbian who only found this one volume at the library. It may have created scandal and notoriety in the late 20's and early 30's but it was a very dark, somewhat depressing story and portrayal of lesbian life!
In 1983, Naiad Press published the Ann Bannon series, they were definitely "pulp fiction" and they were also "lesbian pulp fiction". I read every one of them, trashy, formulaic, and full of lesbian heartbreak and love.
So what a surprise when on my birthday Nem brings me a first Volute edition of "Women in the Shadows". I haven't opened it up to read yet but I keep picking it up and remembering that young woman searching for anything that would help me to feel like I was not the only one. How that woman, me, has traversed the decades since then. I am not sharing any of my "lesbian pulp fiction" stories and there are a few, but I will share that I am not in the shadows.
I am going to spend Sunday afternoon with a group of lesbians up here in far rural north/east region of the state. We are going to have a little "sisterhood" time and maybe I will bring along "Women in the Shadows" should make for a very good conversation starter.
It is Wednesday. I have nothing on my calendar today. My rainbow flag is soaked from the morning rain and I am moving on with my day, smiling as I think about lesbian pulp fiction. Oh my, I almost forgot Ann Weldy was born in Joliet, IL and so was I - fun fact!
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