Speculative Fiction and Sapphic Plots - The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast Episode 326

On the Shelf for December 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode # with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: Accomplishments and upcoming milestones A podcast that listeners may be interested in: Our Dyke Histories Recent publications covered on the blog Levin-Richardson, Sarah. 2013. “Fututa Sum Hic: Female Subjectivity and Agency in Pompeian Sexual Graffiti” in The Classical Journal, 1083. pp.319-45. Walker, J. 2006. “Before the Name: Ovid’s Deformulated Lesbianism” in Comparative Literature 58.3, pp.205-222. Castle, T. 1983-4. “Eros and Liberty at the English Masquerade, 1710-90” in Eighteenth-Century Studies, XVII, 2: 156-76. Friedman-Rommell, Beth. 1995. “Breaking the Code: Towards a Reception Theory of Theatrical Cross-Dressing in Eighteenth-Century London” in Theatre Journal 47, no.4: 459-79. Howard, Jean E. 1988. “Cross-Dressing, the Theatre and Gender Struggle in Early Modern England” in Shakespeare Quarterly 39: 418-40. (Also appears in: Howard, Jean E. 1993. “Cross-Dressing, the Theater, and Gender Struggle in Early Modern England” in Crossing the Stage: Controversies in Cross-Dressing, ed. Ferris, Leslie. Routledge, London.) Andreadis, Harriette. 2006. “Re-Configuring Early Modern Friendship: Katherine Philips and Homoerotic Desire.” Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900, vol. 46, no. 3, pp. 523–42. Kramer, Rene. 2015. That Mysterious, Remisse Knot: Katherine Philips’s Unincorporated Fraternity. Honors Thesis. Stevenson, Mark & Wu Cuncun (eds. and trans.). 2013. Homoeroticism in Imperial China: A sourcebook. Routledge, New York. ISBN 978-0-415-55144-1 Recent Lesbian/Sapphic Historical Fiction Souvienne by Aldwin Beckett Without Apology (Jane Smith #3) by Charlotte Taft Inverts in a Violet Room by Peter Forrester Whispers of the Heart: Lady Eleanor's Secret by Rhia Kampus Hiding the Flame by Angela M. Sims On the Edge of Uncertainty by E.V. Bancroft Brought to Heel by Ella Witts & Serah Messenger Pearl Bound by Natalie Bergman What I’ve been consuming Network Effect by Martha Wells System Collapse by Martha Wells The Witch Roads by Kate Elliott A Mouthful of Dust by Nghi Vo Raised for the Sword by Aimée Call for submissions for the 2026 LHMP audio short story series. See here for details. This month we interview Maya Dworsky-Rocha and talk about: The historic context and terminology of anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews Cultural clashes and conflicts around ideas of gender The historic work of Daniel Boyarin and Jewish gender stereotypes Maya’s use of non-binary characters to reflect these ideas The symbolic uses of eating, temptation, and impurity in the story ”Authorizing” queer desire via projection Maya’s writing partnership as Sylvia Barry The Devil and the Jews by Joshua Trachtenberg A transcript of this podcast is available here. (Interview transcripts added when available.) Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS: http://alpennia.com/blog/feed/ Twitter: @LesbianMotif Discord: Contact Heather for an invitation to the Alpennia/LHMP Discord server The Lesbian Historic Motif Project Patreon Links to Heather Online Website: http://alpennia.com Email: Heather Rose Jones Mastodon: @[email protected] Bluesky: @heatherrosejones Facebook: Heather Rose Jones (author page) Links to Maya Dworsky-Rocha Online Website: https://www.sylviabarrybooks.com/ Bluesky: @mayadrocha.bsky.social TikTok: @mayadrocha

Ma’am, This is a Fruit Stand by Maya Dworsky-Rocha The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 329 with Heather Rose Jones This quarter’s fiction episode presents "Ma’am, This is a Fruit Stand" by Maya Dworsky-Rocha, narrated and music composition and performance by Heather Rose Jones. A transcript of this podcast is available here. Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS: http://alpennia.com/blog/feed/ Twitter: @LesbianMotif Discord: Contact Heather for an invitation to the Alpennia/LHMP Discord server The Lesbian Historic Motif Project Patreon Links to Heather Online Website: http://alpennia.com Email: Heather Rose Jones Mastodon: @[email protected] Bluesky: @heatherrosejones Facebook: Heather Rose Jones (author page) Links to Maya Dworsky-Rocha Online Website: https://www.sylviabarrybooks.com/maya-dworsky-rocha

Christina Rosetti’s “The Goblin Market” (reprised) The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 328 with Heather Rose Jones This is an analysis and recitation of the poem “The Goblin Market” by Christina Rossetti, with special attention to its homoerotic themes. A transcript of this podcast is available here. Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS: http://alpennia.com/blog/feed/ Twitter: @LesbianMotif Discord: Contact Heather for an invitation to the Alpennia/LHMP Discord server The Lesbian Historic Motif Project Patreon Links to Heather Online Website: http://alpennia.com Email: Heather Rose Jones Mastodon: @[email protected] Bluesky: @heatherrosejones Facebook: Heather Rose Jones (author page)

On the Shelf for November 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 327 with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: Setting up context for this month’s fiction episode Additions to the website Progress on the Lesbian Historic Motif Project book Recent and upcoming publications covered on the blog Pelliccia, Hayden. 1995. “Ambiguity against Ambiguity: Anacreon 13 Again” in Illinois Classical Studies, Vol. 20: 23-34. Davidson, J.F. 1987. “Anacreon, Homer and the Young Woman from Lesbos” in Mnemosyne, Fourth Series, Vol. 40, Fasc. 1/2: 132-137. Petropoulos, J.C.B. 1993. “Sappho the Sorceress: Another Look at fr. 1 (LP)” in Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, Bd. 97: 43-56. Devereux, George. 1970. “The Nature of Sappho's Seizure in Fr. 31 LP as Evidence of Her Inversion” in The Classical Quarterly, Vol. 20, No. 1: 17-31. Lardinois, André. 1994. “Subject and Circumstance in Sappho's Poetry” in Transactions of the American Philological Association, Vol. 124: 57-84. Most, Glenn W. 1995. “Reflecting Sappho” in Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies, Vol. 40: 15-38. Skinner, M.B. 1989. “Sapphic Nossis” in Arethusa 22:5-18. Blondell, Ruby and Sandra Boehringer. 2014. “Revenge of the Hetairistria: The Reception of Plato’s Symposium in Lucian’s Fifth DIalogue of the Courtesans.” Arethusa 47: 231-64. Book Shopping The A to Z of Charles II’s London 1682 The Whitehall Palace Plan of 1670 Recent Lesbian/Sapphic Historical Fiction No Love for an Outlaw by Kerri Reeves Twin Flames of Namwon: The Reimagined Love Story of Chunhyang and Cheong by Velis Aenora Neon Nights by William Ellison Raised for the Sword by Aimée The Salvage by Anbara Salam A Lady for a Highwayman (from Lovers and Liaisons) by Dani Collins My Mother's Spear by Ishtar Watson Phoenix (Intertwined Souls #9) by Mary Dee Ophelia by S.M. Namkoong Between Two Silences by Shanon O'Brien The Secret War (Hattie James #3) by Stacy Lynn Miller The Duke by Anna Cowan My Darling Clementine (Clementine #1) by Genta Sebastian Where There's Room for Us by Hayley Kiyoko Other Titles of Interest The Fault Mirror by Catherine Fearns As Many Souls as Stars by Natasha Siegel What I’ve been reading Angel Maker by Elizabeth Bear A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher Murderbot Series (various titles) by Martha Wells Daughter of Mystery by Heather Rose Jones Call for submissions for the 2026 LHMP audio short story series. See here for details. This month we interview Anbara Salam and talk about: What grounds a story in a specific place and time? Isolation, claustrophobia, and “things that should be gone but aren’t” as the essence of gothics Researching queer sexuality in the mid-20th century Exploring sapphic longing The importance of not making the central conflict about queerness The Salvage by Anbara Salam Belladona by Anbara Salam A transcript of this podcast is available here. (Interview transcripts added when available.) Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS: http://alpennia.com/blog/feed/ Twitter: @LesbianMotif Discord: Contact Heather for an invitation to the Alpennia/LHMP Discord server The Lesbian Historic Motif Project Patreon Links to Heather Online Website: http://alpennia.com Email: Heather Rose Jones Mastodon: @[email protected] Bluesky: @heatherrosejones Facebook: Heather Rose Jones (author page) Links to Anbara Salam Online Website: anbarasalam.com Instagram: @anbarasalam

Speculative Fiction and Sapphic Plots The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 326 with Heather Rose Jones In this episode we talk about: Historic “speculative fiction” as a context for neutral depictions of sapphic characters A transcript of this podcast is available here. Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS: http://alpennia.com/blog/feed/ Twitter: @LesbianMotif Discord: Contact Heather for an invitation to the Alpennia/LHMP Discord server The Lesbian Historic Motif Project Patreon Links to Heather Online Website: http://alpennia.com Email: Heather Rose Jones Twitter: @heatherosejones Facebook: Heather Rose Jones (author page)

On the Shelf for October 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 325 with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: Recent and upcoming publications covered on the blog Bray, Alan. 1996. Homosexuality in Renaissance England. Columbia University Press, New York. ISBN 9780231102896 Downing, Christine. 1989. Myths and Mysteries of Same-Sex Love. The Continuum Publishing Company, New York. ISBN 0-8264-0445-6 Reineke, Martha & Christine Downing. 1993. “Within the Shadow of the Herms: A Critique of "Myths and Mysteries of Same-Sex Love" [with Reply] in Historical Reflections / Réflexions Historiques, Vol. 19, No. 1: 81-101, 103-106 Downing, Christine. 1994. “Lesbian Mythology” in Historical Reflections / Réflexions Historiques, Vol. 20, No. 2, Lesbian Histories: 169-199. Nelson, Max. 2000. “A Note on the Olisbos” in Glotta, 76. Bd., 1./2. H.:75-82 Bremmer, Jan. 1980. “An Enigmatic Indo-European Rite: Paederasty” in Arethusa, Vol. 13, No. 2, Indo-European Roots of Classical Culture: 279-298. Arkins, Brian. 1994. “Sexuality in Fifth Century Athens” in Classics Ireland, Vol. 1: 18-34. Recent Lesbian/Sapphic Historical Fiction Florence Syndrome by Catherine Martini Red Wake, Black Flag by Dahlia Quinn Boardwalk Desire by Melody Ashford Thrall of Deception (Tales from Norvegr) by Edale Lane Angel Maker (Karen Memory #3) by Elizabeth Bear Secrets of the Night by Shelby Banks Gold for the Dead (Cantor Gold #7) by Ann Aptaker A Lady Most Wayward (The Queen's Deadly Damsels #5) by Darcy McGuire The Impossible Act of Georgia Cline by Eline Evans Iceberg by Gun Brooke A Legacy of Blood and Bone by Millie Abecassis Gladiator, Goddess by Morgan H. Owen Her Wicked Roots by Tanya Pell The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri When They Burned the Butterfly by Wen-yi Lee Other Titles of Interest Toni and Addie Go Viral by Melissa Marr What I’ve been reading Hemlock and Silver by T. Kingfisher Illuminations by T. Kingfisher A Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Wynne Jones The Magicians of Caprona by Diana Wynne Jones Artificial Condition by Martha Wells The Rosetti Diaries by author The Illhenny Murders by Winnie Frolik Copper Script by K.J. Charles That Self-Same Metal by Brittany H. Williams The Tropoholic's Guide to Internal Romance Tropes by Cindy Dees Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti Call for submissions for the 2026 LHMP audio short story series. See here for details. This month we interview Raven Belasco and talk about: The real historic background of Sadie the Goat and Gallus Mag Vampire stories and time-travel stories as mirror images Expanding formats World-building and inventing languages Lesbian sex in the 19th century That Lesbian Vampire Pirate Story by Raven Belasco Sadie the Goat (Wikipedia) Gallus Mag (Wikipedia) A transcript of this podcast is available here. (Interview transcripts added when available.) Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS: http://alpennia.com/blog/feed/ Twitter: @LesbianMotif Discord: Contact Heather for an invitation to the Alpennia/LHMP Discord server The Lesbian Historic Motif Project Patreon Links to Heather Online Website: http://alpennia.com Email: Heather Rose Jones Mastodon: @[email protected] Bluesky: @heatherrosejones Facebook: Heather Rose Jones (author page) Links to Raven Belasco Online Website: ravenbelas.co/ Twitter (X): @RavenBelasco Instagram: @raven.belasco YouTube: @ravenbelasco Facebook: author.ravenbelasco

Emma Stebbins Exhibition Interview The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 324 with Heather Rose Jones In this episode we interview Heckscher Museum curator Karli Wurzelbacher about her upcoming exhibition of the work of American sculptor Emma Stebbins: Stebbins’ background and biography Genres that Stebbins worked in Technical process of creating sculptures Rome as a magnet for the international sculpture community Discrimination against female sculptors The expatriate community in Rome How Stebbins met actress Charlotte Cushman and their relationship Major works Exhibition contents Her groundbreaking subjects The intersection of allegory and industry Stebbins’ reputation in her own time Exhibition details: Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington, New York, September 28, 2025 - March 15, 2026 Support for the exhibition includes: Terra Foundation for American Art Henry Luce Foundation Robin T. Hadley and Richard T. Cunniff, Jr. Andrea B. and Peter D. Klein Priscilla and Robert Hughes This topic is discussed in one or more entries of the Lesbian Historic Motif Project here: Emma Stebbins For additional historic context, check out our podcast on Charlotte Cushman. A transcript of this podcast will be added here when available. Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS: http://alpennia.com/blog/feed/ Twitter: @LesbianMotif Discord: Contact Heather for an invitation to the Alpennia/LHMP Discord server The Lesbian Historic Motif Project Patreon Links to Heather Online Website: http://alpennia.com Email: Heather Rose Jones Mastodon: @[email protected] Bluesky: @heatherrosejones Facebook: Heather Rose Jones (author page) Links to the Heckscher Museum of Art Online Website: Stebbins Exhibition Instagram: @heckschermuseum Facebook: Heckscher.org

On the Shelf for September 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 323 with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: My new book: Skin-Singer: Tales of the Kaltaoven A Worldcon report Recent and upcoming publications covered on the blog Donoghue, Emma. 2007. “Doing Lesbian History, Then and Now” in Historical Reflections / Réflexions Historiques, Vol. 33, No. 1, Eighteenth-Century Homosexuality in Global Perspective: 15-22 Lanser, Susan. 1998. “Befriending the Body: Female Intimacies as Class Acts.” in Eighteenth-Century Studies 32 (winter 1998-99): 179-98. Lanser, Susan. 2001. “Sapphic Picaresque: Sexual Difference and the Challenges of Homoadventuring” in Textual Practice 15:2 (November 2001): 1-18. Park, Katharine. 1997. “The Rediscovery of the Clitoris: French Medicine and the Tribade, 1570-1620” in The Body in Parts: Fantasies of Corporeality, ed. David Hillman and Carla Mazzio. London: Routledge. 171-93. Wagner, Corinna. 2013. Pathological Bodies: Medicine and Political Culture. University of California Press, Berkeley. ISBN 978-1938169-08-3 Vicinus, Martha. 1996. “Turn of the Century Male Impersonation: Rewriting the Romance Plot” in Sexualities in Victorian Britain ed. Andrew Miller and James Adams. Indiana University Press, Bloomington. Book Shopping The Transvestite Memoirs by the Abbé de Choisy Recent Lesbian/Sapphic Historical Fiction Of Velvet and Stone by Catherine Martini In the Wings by Charlotte Monet Bound to the Sea by Chloe Clarke The Girl from Berlin by Johanna Weiss Hibernia: An Antiquity Sapphic Romance by Kimia Kore A Lady Called Trouble by Lauren Leigh The Mistress of Hannasbury by M.C. Collins and Susan M. Gaffney The Scandal at Pemberley by Mara Brooks Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti When the Light Pulls You Back by Carey Miller A Murderous Business (A Harriman & Mancini Mystery) by Cathy Pegau Claiming the Tower (Council Mysteries #1) by Celia Lake Tides of Reckoning (Daughters Under the Black Flag - Tides #2) by Eden Hopewell To the Moon and Back by Eve Noble Lady Like by Mackenzi Lee The Shocking Experiments of Miss Mary Bennet by Melinda Taub The Crooked Medium's Guide to Murder by Stephen Cox I Am You by Victoria Redel Other Titles of Interest Dora Copperfield: A Quiet Bloom by Kit Indigo The Book of Susan by Roxanna di Bella A Flower in Auschwitz by Roxanna di Bella What I’ve been reading All Systems Red by Martha Wells Lake of Souls by Ann Leckie Call for submissions for the 2026 LHMP audio short story series. See here for details. This month we interview Cathy Pegau A transcript of this podcast is available here. (Interview transcripts added when available.) Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS: http://alpennia.com/blog/feed/ Twitter: @LesbianMotif Discord: Contact Heather for an invitation to the Alpennia/LHMP Discord server The Lesbian Historic Motif Project Patreon Links to Heather Online Website: http://alpennia.com Email: Heather Rose Jones Mastodon: @[email protected] Bluesky: @heatherrosejones Facebook: Heather Rose Jones (author page) Links to Cathy Pegau Online Website: cathypegau.com Instagram: @Cathy_Pegau Bluesky: @cathypegau.bsky.social

An Encounter With a Lady by Catherine Lundoff The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 322 with Heather Rose Jones This quarter’s fiction episode presents “An Encounter With a Lady” by Catherine Lundoff, narrated by Heather Rose Jones. A transcript of this podcast is available here. Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS: http://alpennia.com/blog/feed/ Twitter: @LesbianMotif Discord: Contact Heather for an invitation to the Alpennia/LHMP Discord server The Lesbian Historic Motif Project Patreon Links to Heather Online Website: http://alpennia.com Email: Heather Rose Jones Mastodon: @[email protected] Bluesky: @heatherrosejones Facebook: Heather Rose Jones (author page) Links to Catherine Lundoff Online Website: CatherineLundoff.net Website: Queen of Swords Press Bluesky: @qospress.bsky.social

Our F/Favorite Tropes Part 18: Mutually Oblivious The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 321 with Heather Rose Jones In this episode we talk about: The “mutually oblivious” trope in f/f historic romance A transcript of this podcast is available here. Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS: http://alpennia.com/blog/feed/ Twitter: @LesbianMotif Discord: Contact Heather for an invitation to the Alpennia/LHMP Discord server The Lesbian Historic Motif Project Patreon Links to Heather Online Website: http://alpennia.com Email: Heather Rose Jones Mastodon: @[email protected] Bluesky: @heatherrosejones Facebook: Heather Rose Jones (author page)