#Spring Fire

[queerliblib]

Pulp Fiction anyone??!

Here at Queer Liberation Library we’ve got you covered! from Beebo Brinker, to the Gay Detective, this was such a fun collection to put together for our readers

they are flying off our digital shelves though, so get your holds in when you can! 🌈

[cantsayidont]

Barye Phillips cover for the original 1952 edition of SPRING FIRE, a lesbian novel by Marijane Meaker. ("Vin Packer" was one of several noms de plume she used throughout her career, which also included "Ann Aldrich" and "M.E. Kerr.")

[uwmspeccoll]

Steamy Saturday

Spring Fire by Vin Packer, the pen name of American writer Marijane Meaker (1927-2022), was the first lesbian paperback novel and was published in New York by Gold Medal Books in 1952. It was an instant bestseller, outselling other popular titles of that year, including James M. Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice and Daphne du Maurier's  My Cousin Rachel, and its publication marks the beginning of the lesbian pulp fiction genre.

The story, based on Meaker's own experience, revolves around the relationship between the shy and awkward, freshman sorority sister Susan ("Mitch") Mitchell and her more experienced roommate Leda Taylor. Both play at heterosexual "normality," while engaging in and at the same time questioning their same-sex attraction. Unfortunately, because it's the early 1950s, the relationship had to end in tragedy, with Leda bound for an insane asylum and Mitch denying to herself that she ever loved Leda.

Meaker was always distressed about having to write that ending. When Cleis Press approached her to republish the novel, she was very reticent. But the project went forward, and according to Wikipedia, Meaker wrote about this in the introduction to that reissue:

"I still cringe when I think about it. I never wanted it republished. It was too embarrassing." Meaker explained in the 2004 foreword that Dick Carroll, her editor at Gold Medal Books, told her that because the book would be sent through the mail, no references to homosexuality as an attractive life could be portrayed or postal inspectors would send it back to the publishing house. He said that one character must acknowledge that she is not a lesbian, and the other she's involved with "must be sick or crazy."

Beside lesbian romances, Marijane Meaker also wrote mystery and crime novels, nonfiction books about lesbians (as Ann Aldrich), children's books (as Mary James), and young adult fiction (as M. E. Kerr), for which she received the 1993 Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association. The butch/fem cover illustration is by noted American artist and pulp-fiction cover illustrator Barye Phillips.

View more posts on lesbian romance fiction.

View more LGBTQ+ posts.

View other pulp fiction posts.

[pigeon-princess]

"Does he have the..." "The sword of Aegon the Conqueror? Blackfyre? Yeah, he does."

[wisebeth]

No but YOU don't understand. Peeta, who's never been anyone's priority being Katniss’ first choice in all three books is something very important to me.

In The Hunger Games, when Peeta's name was called in the reaping, no one volunteered for him including his older brother who is not only old enough to participate but also a better wrestler than him. Even in the arena, Haymitch chose to keep Katniss alive over him. And the only person who prioritised him was Katniss herself. She chose to keep him alive when he was dying. She chose to die with him by eating the poisonous berries. She chose to go as far as defying the Capitol and President Snow to protect him.

In Catching Fire, once again, we heard his family would mourn if he died but they'll eventually move on. Other victors only keep him alive to form an alliance with Katniss. And Peeta still got captured by the Capitol in the end. But Katniss’ first priority was keeping Peeta alive. She made a pact with Haymitch to protect him. She was ready to kill Finnick or anyone on the spot if they dared to hurt him. She clawed Haymitch for not rescuing him over her. She became suicidal when he was captured.

In Mockingjay, Peeta lost his family. Then President Coin and other rebels didn't want to keep him (and other captured tributes) alive. And the only person who was visibly devastated over his capturing and hijacking was Katniss, again. And in the end, she finally chose him over Gale. And ultimately chose to be with him for the rest of her life. She gave him the family he lost and he became the family she lost.

“No one really needs me,” he says, and there's no self pity in his voice. It's true his family doesn't need him. They will mourn him, as will a handful of friends. But they will get on. Even Haymitch, with the help of a lot of white liquor, will get on. I realise only one person will be damaged beyond repair if Peeta dies. Me.

“I do,” I say. “I need you.”

— Catching Fire

[moondostj]

“beautiful, and willful, and dead before her time.” / “he dreamed of her at times, so often that he could almost see her face. in his dreams, she was beautiful, and highborn, and her eyes were kind.” / “you saw her beauty, but not the iron underneath.” / “the slim, sad girl who wore a crown of pale blue roses and a white gown spattered with gore.”

— george r.r martin

[sierrabravoecho]

Collecting evidence of Jaime’s bath kink so I can personally send him to horny jail

[franzkafkagf]

then the storm broke, and the dragons danced

[lady-arryn]

Do all lovers feel they're inventing something? I know the gestures. I imagined it all, waiting for you. PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (2019) dir. Céline Sciamma

[candidlywhimsical]

Imbolc… the pagan rooted light and fire festival, the first of three, that celebrates winter’s midpoint and honors the goddess Brigid… we’re half way through until spring ❄️🐑🌼🪻🌾🔥

Blessed Imbolc to anyone who celebrates✨

[jasmine7031]

I went to Tokyo Disney Resort this weekend.

[nobllite]

Sleepy Bunny..

[mercerharlan]

Cold Spring Park neighborhood of Milwaukee

November 2018

[viviromantiq]

ㅤ͡꯳⃘꤫. 🩻 ‎̵̼͓̥͒̾͘ . ･ ｡ . ⠐ darling, think i like you more

[nnicknnelsonn]

when charlie is prettier than paris

{prev} so in love {next}

[dr3adlady]

February 2024 Romance Drawing Challenge

Day 1: Sansa Stark and Margaery Tyrell

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