GCLS Author Guest Blog: JESSIE CHANDLER

My partner Betty and I attended our first con in Altanta, GA. I believe it was the second year at that venue. The whole experience was a wild mix of emotions. My mom had just been diagnosed with lung cancer less than a week prior to the con, so it was both bittersweet, inspiring, and surreal. I remember being awed by the authors I met, including JD Glass, Radclyffe, Verda Foster, and so so many more. Somewhere in that weekend, I managed to pitch a manuscript to Linda Hill, Radclyffe and Jennifer Fulton, and Cathy Bryerose during pitch sessions. I still remember the amazement I felt at actually speaking with these legendary publishers.

Time has flown by, and last year’s con in Minneapolis was my fifth. It will always be very special to me for two reasons. First, it was held in my hometown, and secondly, and absolutely unbelievably, my debut mystery, Bingo Barge Murder, won the Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award. I honestly still cannot believe it, with the amazing company I was in the running with, I was certain there was no way I was even in the running. I will forever be awed and humbled.

OH! Excuse me for a moment. Someone wants to say hi.

WOOF! Hello! I am Fozzy Bear, and I was at the Minneapolis thingie with my humans. I wanted to tell you all how much fun I had! It was wonderful being loved up by all you crazy, adorable humans who were lonely because you had to leave your furry pals behind. There was always someone who came to visit me in my mighty domain under the table, and no one yelled at me when I accidentally had a little oopsie doopsie on the floor. Well, I guess there might have been more than one oopsie, but that’s beside the point. It was soooooo woofie being around all you really smart humans. There were really neat-o humans who read lots, and other pretty brainy (I had to ask how to spell that) humans who made books. One of my humans makes books, and is she BORING! She’s always shushing me or telling me to play with my little brother, Ollie. He’s kind of a pain in the hinder, but he’s okay sometimes. My humans love us both up anyway. I’m sorry I can’t go to any more of your weird get-togethers, but I’ll be thinking about you! ARRROOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Oh yeah. I just learned to howl.

Ahem. Sorry. I had to bribe Fozzy away from the keyboard with a peanut butter covered dried sweet potato. Now the keyboard’s a little sticky. Anyway, I love the Con. It brings together so many people… writers, reviewers, readers, editors, publishers. Everyone who gives a damn about the world of lesbian literature comes together to celebrate women loving women and the written word. Long live the GCLS and lesbians in fiction!