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history

ANNOUNCEMENT – Lancelot: Her Story, by Carol Anne Douglas

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Lancelot: Her Story

QSFer Carol Anne Douglas has a new Lesbian Historical Fantasy out: A young girl sees a man rape and murder her mother. She grabs a stick and puts out his eye. Her father raises her as a boy so she will be safe from men’s attacks. She practices and practices until she becomes a great fighter – Lancelot. She wants to protect women, and she does. Lancelot hears about King Arthur, a just king across the sea, and journeys to earn a place at Camelot. She vows to serve him, but fears that Arthur and his men will discover that … Read more

Egypt’s Secret Gay History

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Seth Horus gay Egypt

As Egypt prepares to criminalize homosexuality, it’s worth looking back at the country’s history: Ancient Egypt was a historic civilization, dating all the way back to 3100 BC. Sex was seen as a healthy part of existence, with even the likes of Gods getting down and dirty. There was no taboo around the act of sex. They even had Gods of sex, sexual pleasure and sexuality. The term ‘homosexuality’ is relatively modern and so that makes it harder for historians to look for examples of LGBT in Ancient Egypt. Historians explain: ‘Representational evidence for ancient sexualities is ambiguous.’ Regardless, there … Read more

HISTORY: There Really Were Gay Pirates

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pirate - pixabay

The lesbian and gay pirates of the 17th century lived a strangely egalitarian life, with health insurance and even same-sex civil partnerships. Piracy was a world apart, and one where homosexual couples may have been the norm, not the exception. So to celebrate Talk Like A Pirate Day (19 September) here’s our queer history of piracy. Same-sex action and the sea have long gone together. Captains on navy and merchant ships must have accepted, if not engaged in, gay sex. It may even have been useful to them, reducing tensions and resentment and increasing the bond between men. But technically … Read more

Out of the Past – LGBTQ Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror in the 1970s

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Hello! Welcome to the second installment of my series of columns on the history of LGBTQ science fiction, fantasy and horror. As I noted in my previous post, things had begun to improve slightly for SF/F/H readers looking for more positive portrayals of LGBT characters and complex perspectives on sexuality and gender in the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s. That trend accelerated after the events of June of 1969 when the police raided a gay bar called the Stonewall Inn in New York City. The raid triggered several days of rioting by bar patrons and other LGBT people. These … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT: Patron, by C.B. Lewis

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Patron

QSFer C.B. Lewis has a new alternate history MM tale out: Theodore Wentworth, who possesses little more than a sharp and well-educated mind, is trying to solicit a sponsor for his studies of Greek antiquity by performing recitations at gatherings of collectors. Desperate for luck and better skills in oratory, in jest, he places a coin at the feet of a statue of Hermes. It seems like coincidence when his fortune turns and a gentleman calling himself Alexander becomes his benefactor. Despite his friend John teasing him about it, Theodore continues to offer tokens to Hermes and sinks himself into … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT: The Rake, The Rogue and the Roué, by Eric Alan Westfall

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The Rake, The Rogue and the Roué

QSFer Eric Alan Westfall has a new alternate history MM book out: It’s an alternate history England. When the monarchy was restored in 1660, Charles II rewarded the lovers who saved his life at the Battle of Worcester by repealing not only the death penalty for sodomy, but the laws themselves. It’s now 1815, and our first hero, British blond and blue-eyed rake, Peregrine, Viscount Somerville, has two problems. First, he’s having glorious sex with our second hero, Rory, the brawny, red-headed, hairy Scottish rogue who’s Master of Strathairn. Second, he’s having glorious sex with our third hero, the languid … Read more

Announcement: The Marquess and the Millennial, by Viola Ain

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The Marquess and the Millennial

QSFer Viola Ain has a new erotic time travel book out: When spoiled college girl Meg Wilson grows tired of pre-med classes that are ruining her social life, she makes a fateful wish. To her shock, she gets what she asked for–though not in the way she would have hoped–and is thrown back in time and into the life of another woman, the new bride of an aristocrat in Victorian-era England. It doesn’t take long for Cyril Heathgrove–the man who is Meg’s husband in this very different reality–to tire of her rude, unladylike behavior and insistence that she is not … Read more

For Writers: There’s History in My Worldbuilding

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Worldbuilding

FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Kari Trenten: “History and how it interacts with world building also interests me.” Yes, no man is an island, and very few worlds are built without at least a little history. Think of Guy Gavriel Kay, who builds fantasy worlds heavily dependent on existing (often European) countries and history. So how much history goes into your own worldbuilding, and where do you get it? Join the chat

Announcement: The Black Swan, by Tinnean

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The Black Swan

QSFer Tinnean has a new MM historical paranormal book out: Gabe Granger gathers intelligence for George Washington, even after he’s bitten by a vampyre in the service of the British. Remember Littlebury, his longtime friend, stays with him as his black swan, keeping him safe from sunlight and getting messages to General Washington. After the war ends, they continue working for the fledgling government through one conflict after another. When Gabe loses Remember at the Battle of Gettysburg, he’s ready to give up, but his country still needs his services. And there are many black swans for him to choose … Read more

When We Knew Wonder Woman Was Queer

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Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman might be now officially queer, but fans have known this for a very long time. DC Comics writer Greg Rucka confirmed Diana Prince has had relationships with men and women. He also revealed how her homeland, an island of only Amazon woman, is a ‘queer culture’. But if you look back from the decades, even in 1941, Diana was very clearly intended to be an LGBTI icon (and is arguably pretty kinky). By Joe Morgan – Full Story at Gay Star News