The Palace Blues

by Brandy T. Wilson

Set in the 1920s, The Palace Blues traces the physical and emotional journey of self-discovery and identity — a quest for place for Frankie, a white, Texas tomboy who falls for Jean Bailey, an African American, cross-dressing blues singer.

The novel is the first-person account of Dorothy Frances Corbin, visiting her aunt and uncle in Chicago where she meets Jean Bailey. Frankie is about to turn 18 and only slightly self-aware when she runs away to follow Jean Bailey on the vaudeville circuit. The novel begins in Chicago and travels through the South, landing for a time in a small town in Texas, where, after attempting a life with Jean Bailey on the road, Frankie will have to face her family again, the family that told her that to be successful in life she would need to "marry a rich man."

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 13, 2014

About the author

Brandy T. Wilson earned her PhD in English / Creative Writing at Florida State University (2008). Her first novel, The Palace Blues, is forthcoming from Spinsters Ink. Her work has appeared in Robert Olen Butler’s From Where You Dream, Ninth Letter, G.R.I.T.S. Girls Raised in the South, and Pank Magazine among other publications. She was a Lambda Literary Retreat emerging LGBT Voices Fellow in fiction and was awarded three Bread Loaf Writer’s Conference scholarships, the George M. Harper Endowment Fund Award, and the Astraea Emerging Lesbian Writers Fund Finalist Award. She currently teaches writing, literature, and Gender & Women’s Studies at the University of Memphis along with coaching and editing writers on various projects from memoir, novel, to self-help and educational literature.

Reviews

[AGC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of lesbian fiction and most of it is pretty disappointing, lacking imagination, amateurish; always the same story different names, different locations.
This novel however is exceptional. Rich,deep,clever, and tragic. It might be the most well written work of LF I've ever read. The charters are real and three denominational, the story compelling and very different from the typical cookie cutter LF. I highly recommend it. It will however, spoil you, you'll never want to go back to reading the typical run of the mill LF again.

[Tomi Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book when searching for historical fiction set in my hometown of Memphis. Although I didn’t get what I was looking for—there was very little descriptions of Memphis—the characters and story held my interest. I found it to be a well written book and look
forward to reading more from this author.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written novel of a world that many people have never heard of. A coming-of-age story of a young lesbian in the prohibition era blue circuit in the Deep South.

[Ayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Palace Bluesthis was written by one of the members of 'my' bookclub! she teaches creative writing at the University of Memphis, and much more. I liked this book, it was very descriptive and i could easily imagine all the places and characters. I know that Katherine Forrest was the editor on this book (our bookclub skyped with her earlier this year), and it shows in how 'tight' brandy's writing turned out. I recommend this book! Brandy T. Wilson

[Dario DallaLasta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bathtub gin, bulldaggers, and a byzantine journey of self-discovery all coalesce into a beautiful, Lammy Award-nominated first novel. Author Brandy Wilson gets all of the 1920s details just right, and the coming-of-age story of white tomboy Frankie who follows the sexually beguiling black singer Jean Bailey as she performs throughout the South is by turns uplifting, exciting, eye-opening, and heartwarming. I fell in love with Frankie and her friends; you will too.

[M.B. Caschetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters are richly drawn and divided by race lines that are at times shocking. Sometimes had to suspend disbelief on feasibility of a few plot points, but well worth it in the end. Extremely enjoyable!

[Kristian Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting historical novel about a time and group that I don't know much about.
Enjoyed the voices of all of the various characters.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an original take on a classic coming of age theme: first love, discovery and moving away from family. Very evocative and moving and a great - and realistic - ending.

[Marian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the book twice because it was a great book. I thought the process and characters were excellent and had great drama in the storyline.