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Things Invisible to See: Lesbian and Gay Tales of Magic Realism
Top contemporary authors bring us these stories of the realms of spirit that underlie the mundane world. Comic situations, such as a lesbian who wakes up one morning to find that she has a penis or a gay man who finds an angel tangled in his laundry line, alternate with poignant tales of loss and love. These stories are about looking for--or inadvertently finding--something more than life as we know it.
183 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1998
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About the author
Lawrence Schimel
336 books138 followersI'm a full-time author, anthologist, and translator (Spanish->English) living in Madrid, Spain.
Writing in both Spanish and English, I've published over 90 books in a wide range of genres, including poetry (DESAYUNO EN LA CAMA and FAIRY TALES FOR WRITERS), children's books (LA AVENTURA DE CECILIA Y EL DRAGÓN, COSAS QUE PUEDO HACER YO SOLO, LITTLE PIRATE GOES TO SCHOOL, etc.), short stories (TWO BOYS IN LOVE, HIS TONGUE, THE DRAG QUEEN OF ELFLAND), graphic novels (VACATION IN IBIZA), and many anthologies (STREETS OF BLOOD: VAMPIRE STORIES FROM THE AMERICAN SOUTH, SWITCH HITTERS: LESBIANS WRITE GAY MALE EROTICA AND GAY MEN WRITE LESBIAN EROTICA, KOSHER MEAT, FOUND TRIBE: JEWISH COMING OUT STORIES, CAMELOT FANTASTIC, etc.)
I've twice won a Lambda Literary Award, for FIRST PERSON QUEER and PoMoSEXUALS: CHALLENGING ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT GENDER AND SEXUALITY.
My picture book ¿LEES UN LIBRO CONMIGO? was selected by the International Board of Books for Young People for Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities 2007 and my picture book NO HAY NADA COMO EL ORIGINAL was selected by the International Youth Library in Munich for the White Ravens 2005.
My poem "How to Make a Human" won the Rhysling Award for Best Science Fiction Poem.
I am also the publisher of A Midsummer Night's Press, a small poetry publisher, which has published THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED IN OUR OTHER LIFE by Achy Obejas, THE GOOD-NEIGHBOR POLICY: A DOUBLE CROSS IN DOUBLE DACTLYS by Charles Ardai, BANALITIES by Brane Mozetic, translated by Elizabeti Zargi, and FORTUNE'S LOVER: A BOOK OF TAROT POEMS by Rachel Pollack, as well as the annual series BEST GAY POETRY and BEST LESBIAN POETRY.
Writing in both Spanish and English, I've published over 90 books in a wide range of genres, including poetry (DESAYUNO EN LA CAMA and FAIRY TALES FOR WRITERS), children's books (LA AVENTURA DE CECILIA Y EL DRAGÓN, COSAS QUE PUEDO HACER YO SOLO, LITTLE PIRATE GOES TO SCHOOL, etc.), short stories (TWO BOYS IN LOVE, HIS TONGUE, THE DRAG QUEEN OF ELFLAND), graphic novels (VACATION IN IBIZA), and many anthologies (STREETS OF BLOOD: VAMPIRE STORIES FROM THE AMERICAN SOUTH, SWITCH HITTERS: LESBIANS WRITE GAY MALE EROTICA AND GAY MEN WRITE LESBIAN EROTICA, KOSHER MEAT, FOUND TRIBE: JEWISH COMING OUT STORIES, CAMELOT FANTASTIC, etc.)
I've twice won a Lambda Literary Award, for FIRST PERSON QUEER and PoMoSEXUALS: CHALLENGING ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT GENDER AND SEXUALITY.
My picture book ¿LEES UN LIBRO CONMIGO? was selected by the International Board of Books for Young People for Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities 2007 and my picture book NO HAY NADA COMO EL ORIGINAL was selected by the International Youth Library in Munich for the White Ravens 2005.
My poem "How to Make a Human" won the Rhysling Award for Best Science Fiction Poem.
I am also the publisher of A Midsummer Night's Press, a small poetry publisher, which has published THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED IN OUR OTHER LIFE by Achy Obejas, THE GOOD-NEIGHBOR POLICY: A DOUBLE CROSS IN DOUBLE DACTLYS by Charles Ardai, BANALITIES by Brane Mozetic, translated by Elizabeti Zargi, and FORTUNE'S LOVER: A BOOK OF TAROT POEMS by Rachel Pollack, as well as the annual series BEST GAY POETRY and BEST LESBIAN POETRY.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 30, 2011
The first story in this volume unfortunately gave me unrealistic expectations for the rest. "The Story So Far", by Martha Soukup, is really very good indeed. The protagonist is a character in a story -- unfortunately for her, it’s a story about somebody else, and a really lousy story at that. Is there nonetheless a way for her to have space for herself? The result is quite well-developed.
From there, though, we sink to one of the worst stories in the book, nearly unreadable, and it’s by the editor himself. That’s not a good sign. Indeed, most of the rest of the collection is betrayed by a painful lack of originality and/or writing skills. I won’t dwell on the problems, except to note that I’ve read a number of anthologies like this one and have noticed that some themes and plotlines come up over and over. Martha Soukup, in her second contribution to this volume, chose such a well-worn premise, but I have to credit her with perhaps the best-written version of it I’ve seen (and she wisely kept it short). Otherwise, let me note a few that were a bit above the rest: Kerry Bashford’s story was odd, and Lesléa Newman’s was sexy, but I’m not sure if either was particularly profound. The amusing "Penis Story" by Sarah Schulman was told with verve. The book ended on a very pleasant note with "The Vision of Men" by Michelle Sagara West. Interesting to end a collection of fantasy stories with a clear-sighted rejection of magic.
From there, though, we sink to one of the worst stories in the book, nearly unreadable, and it’s by the editor himself. That’s not a good sign. Indeed, most of the rest of the collection is betrayed by a painful lack of originality and/or writing skills. I won’t dwell on the problems, except to note that I’ve read a number of anthologies like this one and have noticed that some themes and plotlines come up over and over. Martha Soukup, in her second contribution to this volume, chose such a well-worn premise, but I have to credit her with perhaps the best-written version of it I’ve seen (and she wisely kept it short). Otherwise, let me note a few that were a bit above the rest: Kerry Bashford’s story was odd, and Lesléa Newman’s was sexy, but I’m not sure if either was particularly profound. The amusing "Penis Story" by Sarah Schulman was told with verve. The book ended on a very pleasant note with "The Vision of Men" by Michelle Sagara West. Interesting to end a collection of fantasy stories with a clear-sighted rejection of magic.
February 16, 2009
My heart goes out to Schimel as it's hard enough getting gay and lesbian fiction for anthologies that isn't erotica. I would almost say finding quality magical realism makes that task multiple times harder. It was a valiant attempt.
December 27, 2018
It's interesting how short story collections of the past century seem to be of a better standard than what we get nowadays. This collection, from 1998, certainly confirms that made-up rule.
The first and the last stories particularly stood out for me. One is very meta, where characters of a story take a life of their own, while the other is pleasingly philosophical. But I also like the humour of Shayna Maidel, where nothing can be worst than being a lesbian.
Despite some typos (!), most stories are well written. A good read.
The first and the last stories particularly stood out for me. One is very meta, where characters of a story take a life of their own, while the other is pleasingly philosophical. But I also like the humour of Shayna Maidel, where nothing can be worst than being a lesbian.
Despite some typos (!), most stories are well written. A good read.
July 16, 2019
The Vision of Men by Michelle Sagara West is about a man who can see the future in crystal balls and how this affects his relationships. Also published in The Fortune Teller.
January 19, 2012
This is an anthology I got from Sessily. I really liked "The Story So Far," "The River of Time," and "Shayna Maidel." The others were okay with some parts of them especially good. However, I was not enthused with the overabundance of stories involving death. Can't there be a better balance in an anthology, and include more stories with the magic realism slant that are not quite so morbid? Otherwise, fun to read.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews