O, Mistress Mine

by Sarah Aldridge

In this last of the 14 classic lesbian novels by Sarah Aldridge, a staid, traditional college is pulled into the maelstrom of contemporary social issues when Professor Joan Etheridge is drawn into the nebulous world of the elusive Alice. Joan's empathy for the seemingly lost and troubled Alice, surprising even to herself, leads her on an unexpected and life-changing journey. Contemporary voices for change assail Joan's ivory tower, forcing her to examine her own ideals and helping her unravel her colleagues' true motives and ethics. She must navigate the gulf between academic discussions of love, loyalty and personal values and real-world events demanding she take a stand on civil rights, reproductive freedom and most of all, consider where her own heart belongs.

307 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Sarah Aldridge was the pen name of Anyda Marchant, attorney, publisher and novelist. Marchant was born Anne Nelson Yarborough De Armond Marchant in Rio de Janeiro and moved with her family to Washington at 6. She called herself Anyda, using the initials from her long name. She graduated and received a law degree in 1936 from the old National University law school, now part of George Washington University. She spent almost forty years of her working life in New York City and Washington, D.C. as a lawyer in both public and private practice.

Upon retiring in 1972, she began a career as a writer and publisher. She originated the Naiad Press and was co-founder (along with Barbara Grier, Donna McBride and Muriel Crawford) when it was incorporated in 1974. In 1995 she and her lifelong companion Muriel Crawford withdrew as co-owners of the Naiad Press and founded a new publishing venture, A&M Books. Naiad published the first eleven Sarah Aldridge novels and A&M Books published the last three. Her final novel, Oh Mistress Mine was released when the author was 92. In January 2006, Anyda Marchant passed away, two weeks shy of her 95th birthday. Her life partner of 57 years, Muriel Crawford, followed her in death only four months later.

A literary icon in the world of lesbian/feminist publishing, Anyda Marchant as Sarah Aldridge provided some of the first novels to have both lesbian protagonists and happy endings. All of her fourteen classic novels are still in print and available for purchase. As a lasting tribute to her vast and varied contributions to lesbian literature and publishing, Sarah Aldridge was awarded the Golden Crown Literary Society Trailblazer Award posthumously in June 2007.