She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not: Romantic Fiction by Lesléa Newman [Paperback]

Lesléa Newman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2002

Here is a new collection of Lesléa Newman's fiction at its finest. In A Stone's Throw, two butch buddies become more than buddies, though neither of them will admit it. In Mothers of Invention, one woman in a relationship wants a child, but her partner won't learn the true meaning of compromise and commitment. And in Girls Will Be Boys, a straight woman-at least she thinks she's straight-discovers a shocking fact about her "boyfriend." Whether the stories are serious, as in Keeping a Breast when a woman discovers a lump in her breast while making love, or hilarious, as in Flights of Fancy when a femme surprises herself by being attracted to another femme, She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not showcases Newman's talent for portraying the lesbian community in all its glory with compassion, wit, and heart.

Marketing Plans:
National Advertising: The Advocate, Girlfriends, Sojourner, The Lesbian Review of Books
Advance Reader Copies
Author Appearances: Boston, Amherst, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles

Lesléa Newman has written and edited more than 20 books. Four of her books have been Lambda Literary Award finalists. A native New Yorker, she lives in Northampton, Mass.

Also Available by Lesléa Newman

Girls Will be Girls
TP $12.95 1-55583-537-6
Out of the Closet and Nothing to Wear
TP $10.95 1-55583-415-9

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

From romantic mores and butch-femme dynamics to extraordinary coincidences worthy of Sophocles, Leslea Newman sketches still more aspects of lesbian life in the 11 short stories of She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not, her follow-up to Girls Will Be Girls. A teenage girl is just becoming aware of her own attraction to other girls when she catches her father in a pink nightgown, dabbing his lashes with mascara and singing along to "I Feel Pretty." A woman tries to muddle through the days after just having lost her partner in a freak accident (her lover was pushing a woman with a baby out of the way of an oncoming car). Though the plot turns won't surprise, Newman's warmth and wry wit should once again charm fans.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Best known for her landmark children's book, Heather Has Two Mommies, Newman has also written books on writing and relationships, edited collections of poems and stories, and published her own fiction both for children and for adults. Here she offers 11 stories of "romantic fiction" that explore various aspects of lesbian relationships. She definitely pushes the envelope, touching on the theme of gender identity and role-playing in five of the stories. To readers familiar with the genre of lesbian fiction, some of these stories may feel curiously dated, as if they were written prior to the feminist movement. But subjects Newman visits loss of a partner, a brush with cancer, an affair with a professor, and a chance encounter on an airplane flight range widely enough to appeal to a large audience. Recommended for all gay/lesbian fiction collections. Caroline Mann, Univ. of Portland Lib., OR
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Alyson Books; 1st edition (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555837018
• ISBN-13: 978-1555837013
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,040,460 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lesléa Newman is the author of 64 books for readers of all ages including the middle grade novel, HACHIKO WAITS, the poetry collection, STILL LIFE WITH BUDDY, the short story collection, A LETTER TO HARVEY MILK, and the children's books A SWEET PASSOVER, THE BOY WHO CRIED FABULOUS, THE BEST CAT IN THE WORLD, DONOVAN'S BIG DAY, and HEATHER HAS TWO MOMMIES. Her literary awards include poetry fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Artists Foundation. Nine of her books have been Lambda Literary Award finalists. A past poet laureate of Northampton, Massachusetts, she is a faculty member of Spalding University's brief-residency MFA in Writing program.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite, June 16, 2002

By 

Gray373 (London, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not: Romantic Fiction by Lesléa Newman (Paperback)

Extremely funny, witty, informed, and highly recommended.

Leslea Newman writes up a storm - not only is she a queen of wit and humour, but she has also given us a look at the some of the more serious issues facing lesbians in today's society.

Newman skilfully infuses each character with their own unique viewpoint in a variety of interesting situations that have the ability to make you laugh and cry, and also stop and think for a moment about what _you_ would do in similar circumstances.

From a chance and sultry liaison on a plane, to falling in love with a stone butch while learning the ropes; from dealing with one's androgynous self to dealing with the loss of a loved one; and from coping with a cancer scare, to coming to realise just how far a butch will go for true love - Newman lets her characters speak with both humour, intelligence, and also a refreshing frankness that both warms and informs one from the very outset.

I always enjoy reading Newman's books, but this time, I really do think she's outdone herself - these are definitely an exquisite collection of stories that you would certainly be very sorry to miss.

-Superb.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love is alive, May 21, 2002

By 

"blissengine" - See all my reviews

This review is from: She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not: Romantic Fiction by Lesléa Newman (Paperback)

These short stories are about romance, love, and daily life in the lives of lesbians. From "Keeping a Breast" (about a breast cancer scare) to the gender-bending "Girls Will Be Boys", the stories keep the reader glued to the pages, laughing and crying and getting hot & bothered with the characters. Newman has a wonderful talent for creating masterful stories that warm the readers' hearts. This is a collection not to be missed.

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful book, May 17, 2007

By 

C. Bishop (ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not: Romantic Fiction by Lesléa Newman (Paperback)

I couldn't put the book down. The short stories are great. I hated when the book ended.