Outsiders

by Lynn Ames, Georgia Beers, J.D. Glass

2010 Goldie Award Winner for Short Stories

What happens when you take five beloved, powerhouse authors, each with a unique voice and style, give them one word to work with, and put them between the sheets together, no holds barred?

Magic!!

Brisk Press presents Lynn Ames, Georgia Beers, JD Glass, Susan X Meagher and Susan Smith, all together under the same cover with the aim to satisfy your every literary taste. This incredible combination offers something for everyone — a smorgasbord of fiction unlike anything you’ll find anywhere else.

A Native American raised on the Reservation ventures outside the comfort and familiarity of her own world to help a lost soul embrace the gifts that set her apart.

A reluctantly wealthy woman uses all of her resources anonymously to help those who cannot help themselves. Three individuals, three aspects of the self, combine to create balance and harmony at last for a popular trio of characters.

Two nomadic women from very different walks of life discover common ground — and a lot more — during a blackout in New York City.

A traditional, old school butch must confront her community and her own belief system when she falls for a much younger transman.

Five authors — five novellas. Outsiders — one remarkable book.

Genres: Lesbian, Lesbian Fiction, Romance, Short Stories, Anthologies, Lesbian Romance, Queer

316 pages, Nook

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Lynn Ames is the best-selling author of sixteen books. She also is the writer/director/producer of the history-making documentary, “Extra Innings.” This historically important documentary chronicles, for the first time ever in her own words, the real-life story of Hall-of-Famer Dot Wilkinson and the heyday of women’s softball.

Lynn’s fiction has garnered her a multitude of awards and honors, including six Goldie awards, the coveted Ann Bannon Popular Fiction Award (for All That Lies Within), the Alice B. Medal for Lifetime Achievement, and the Arizona Book Award for Best Gay/Lesbian book. Lynn is a two-time Lambda Literary Award (Lammy) finalist, a Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award finalist, a Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards Honorable Mention winner, and winner of several Rainbow Reader Awards.

Ms. Ames is the founder of Phoenix Rising Press. She is also a former press secretary to the New York state senate minority leader and spokesperson for the nation’s third-largest prison system. For more than half a decade, she was an award-winning broadcast journalist. She has been editor of a critically acclaimed national magazine and a nationally recognized speaker and public relations professional with a particular expertise in image, crisis communications planning, and crisis management.

For additional information please visit her website at www.lynnames.com, or e-mail her at lynnamesauthor@gmail.com. You can also friend Lynn on Facebook and follow her on, YouTube, and Instagram.

Reviews

[Elaine Burnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this would be a great way to read some authors I was not familiar with. This is reviewed elsewhere and I pretty much agree. I thought Lynn Ames's piece was the weakest. Too many problems for a mini-review. OK, here are a couple: at sunset the full moon is not overhead. And there was precious little description of this beautiful place. It gave me a whole new appreciation for those who can evoke place--especially such a beautiful place as the Southwest. Balance, by Georgia Beers was terrific. Reminded me of Nicola Griffith's Aud. I'll be looking for more by her. I also liked Billy Boy a lot. It really made me consider gender. I couldn't finish JD Glass's Triskelion. I couldn't keep track of everyone. Not bad writing so much as just not for me. I liked Blackout. It's almost nothing but dialogue and that stopped me for a bit, but then I thought, why not? I enjoyed their conversation. I also liked how each writer approached the concept of Outsiders. At one point, in Blackout, I'm thinking what's this have to do with the theme? Then it hit me--they spend the whole time outside! I would have liked an introduction as well as bios of the authors.

[Jae Jae]

Enjoyable short stories whose main characters are “outsiders” in very different ways. I enjoyed the stories from Lynn Ames and Susan Smith best.

This collection of short stories won a GCLS award.

[Evren (Nonbinary Knight Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology consists of five different novella, one written by each author. The stories vary in plot and none of the plots were even remotely similar to any other plot. The stories are relatively interesting, and it was altogether a good read.

The first novella is In a Flash by Lynn Ames; I gave this one about a 4.5/5. The story was well-written and had an interesting premise. I really, really wanted there to be a full-length book of the two of them. I love the idea of the two having spiritual abilities that, for one of them, was strengthened by the extreme conditions of their meeting. The two of them had an instant connection and it would have been nice to have a longer book to watch the relationship fully develop between the two of them.

The second novella is Balance by Georgia Beers; I gave this one a 4/5. I liked this one well-enough. It was a bit harder to get into, but the idea of the book was very interesting. The character wasn’t exactly good, but she was somebody that I could definitely back, someone I could support. It wasn’t great by any means, but it wasn’t bad.

The third novella is Triskelion by JD Glass; I gave this one a 3/5. I really wanted to like this one because it involved a triad that had to get around personal issues that were there. I just didn’t like it very much. I worried about this book when it started in first-person point of view for the friend of one of the main characters and then switched to a third-person point of view for most of the rest of the book. It also kept switching between people, which I can understand, for them to reveal what they know about others and the current situation they are in. It was just a bit hard to understand and follow at times. I would have liked to have had a full-length novel about them as well and JD Glass does have books on them but none that appear to be explicitly about them being together as a triad.

The fourth novella is Blackout by Susan X. Meagher; I gave this one a 4/5. The characters in this one are relatively likeable and posed an interesting contrast to each other. I had some personal issues with this book including how one of the characters reacted when the blackout occurred and there was a suspicion that it might have been terrorists. The book, which explicitly takes place within a year of 9/11, made multiple references to terrorists and they made next to no sense. It just felt like a forced characteristic and it made me really not like the character.

The last novella is Billy Boy by Susan Smith and I gave this one an easy 5/5. I absolutely adore this novella and I really, really want a full-length book either about these characters or in a similar vein. This novella involved a butch lesbian falling for a trans man and I loved it so much. I especially loved that the author didn’t make either character change who they are in order to be with the other. I love the affection in “my boy” and the connection between the two of them. I also love that the author confronted what occurs when someone who is labeled a lesbian ends up with a man (and changing their identity) and the author had a character realize that “womyn born womyn” (as it’s quoted from the book) is transphobic to trans women. The characters even acknowledge that not allowing trans men into women’s space makes sense but that it is transphobic to not allow trans women into women’s spaces.

This anthology is an enjoyable read if you just want to see some diversity in your stories but, as like most anthologies, there might be stories that you don't enjoy.

[Dide · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so love Lynn Ames "In a Flash". Exquisite reading!
JD Glass "Triskelion" was an intense read...at first I struggled to keep up with the characters and then I struggled to comprehend the intensity of their love. it was just so strange to understand the depth of love amongst 3 people....sex i understand but that level of love...is just difficult to comprehend. Nice read all the same.
Susan X Meagher "Blackout" is a sweet chance romance story. An experience the writer wove so well I was wishing to be in their shoes. A lovely read.
Susan Smith "Billy Boy" was pretty fulfilling intellectually. I love the sparring of words between the youthful Billy and his Mid age Emperor. Thoroughly enjoyed

[T.J. Dallas · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting selection of stories, and so very different! My favourites were those by Georgia Beers, Susan X Meagher and Susan Smith – 'Billy Boy' was brilliant, and so different from everything else I've read.

[Kathryn]

2/12/19 In a Flash by Lynn Ames - 4 Stars
Balance by Georgia Beers
Triskelion By JD Glass
Blackout By Susan X Meagher
Billy Boy By Susan Smith

[Alena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Collection of short stories/novellas by Lynn Ames, Georgia Beers, JD Glass, SX Meagher and Susan Smith, that have the common theme of 'Outsiders', but each author 'interpreted' that theme very differently.

The book promises 'something for everyone', which I think also implies the reverse, that not everything is your cup of tea. Both are true for me.

The story that shines most, for me, is the one by Susan Smith, in which a butch lesbian falls for a transman. The questions that come up because of that are common in Smith's work, and they always trigger something in me. If we just got over this identity crap our lives would be so much easier, I think. Smith's exploration of these questions is moving and the story is very well written. After not liking Smith's last novel I was so, so very happy to find myself liking this story.

Georgia Beers' story is also very well written and has an intriguing premise. I'm always happy to read something by her.

I liked SX Meagher's story, but I really think her talents come through better in novel format.

I don't think I've ever read anything by Lynn Ames, I liked the story ok.

Finally, I just don't get why I don't like JD Glass' stuff. It's well written, but the characters just don't interest me. It didn't help that they were recurring characters from a novel I hadn't liked. It would have been interesting, for me, to see if I liked something by her that wasn't connected to something I couldn't connect with before.

I'd give the Smith and the Beers story more than 3 stars, definitely 4, maybe even 5 for Smith, I think the book is worth buying just for these two stories alone, but it averages out at three.

[Angie Engles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three of the novellas that appear in Outsiders are definitely four and a half stars. Lynn Ames, Georgia Beers and Susan Smith all contribute strong and heartfelt stories that are also unique.

Of the three I really liked, "Billy Boy" is the one that got to me the most, with its amazing writing and passages I just had to jot down because they truly spoke to me.

One of them, for instance:

‘…When two people meet, and for reason neither of them might be able to explain, there might spring up an instaneous reaction light years ahead of rational though, where liking or not liking is sealed.’

I hope Susan Smith writes more. I like how different her work is in style and plot.

I wanted to like all the pieces included, but J.D. Glass's read as if it were picking up from another story and I just couldn't make sense of what was going on. Susan X. Meagher is also a pleasant writer but her story just didn't move me.

[isa Simonet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am going to be very fast and especially very clear: with the books of Beers, here with Lynn Ames an JD Glass, I wouldn’t bother to make a review of each of her books. You can go there with your eyes closed, everything is good, her writing, her stories , her characters, everything. Go ahead, read Georgia Beers without hesitation !!

[Ulla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good

[Line · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked some of the stories more than others, but overall it was an ok book.

[Alex]

I've been trying to read this for almost a month, but I think it's not for me. DNF.