Although fictional, Black-centric fiction is certainly not fake. Fiction that interests Black lesbians can include sexual, cultural, moral, and racial issues that many people experience as facts.
New to Liberty by Demisty D. Bellinger
Three women, decades apart from each other, fight for love and agency in a rural Kansas community seemingly frozen in time:
1966: Sissily is driving cross-country with a much older man called Ezzy. On their way to California to begin a life together, he insists on stopping at his family ranch outside Liberty, Kansas visit his mother, Mrs. Svoboda. This family reunion is a painful reminder for Sissily of the rumors about the scandal that led to her running away from home, but while Mrs. Svoboda is a domineering figure, Sissily sees a woman who harbors secrets of her own.
1947: Nella’s family relocates to Liberty from Milwaukee, and during the summer before her senior year, begins an interracial relationship with a white man called Lucky. They can only meet in secret, or as Lucky is in a wheelchair sometimes Nella pretends to be his nurse. When three white men stumble upon ‘Nurse Nella’ one catastrophic afternoon, the violence of a racist society forces Nella to face the harsh reality of her love affair.
1933: Greta finds love with a woman from the neighboring farm during the height of the Dust Bowl and brutal jackrabbit roundups. Surrounded by violence and starvation, their clandestine encounters are unsustainable, and yet the implications of their relationship will find a way to endure for generations.
A novel told in three parts, New to Liberty showcases the growth and strength of three unforgettable women as they evolve in a society that refuses to. In lustrous prose, DeMisty Bellinger brings the quiet but treacherous landscape to life, offering a vivid snapshot of mid-century America and keeping readers guessing until the end as to how these three women are connected.
Fiction can touch areas of human experience that pale under the lens of fact. What are the facts about the fear of coming out? Conflict? Pride? Heartache? Desperation? Desire? What are the facts about losing your identity? Hating your life? Facts about what it’s like to be a soldier, a nurse, or a stud? Fiction brings stories to life.
Across A Field Of Starlight by Blue Delliquanti
Lu and Fassen are from different worlds and separate solar systems, so when the war of Fassen’s world invades Lu’s peaceful home, they find themselves at the forefront of a battle they hoped would never happen.
Fiction has no limits like facts. Fiction can speak universally, including creating other worlds, saying that this thing, this life, could happen, it could possibly happen. They say this story didn’t happen to anyone, but it happened to everyone. Read fiction with Black lesbian characters, like those on this list.
Her Heart’s Desire by Anne Shade
Eve Monroe couldn’t ask for a better life. She’s free of an unhappy marriage, her event planning business is a success, and she’s surrounded by the love and support of her family. Then Lynette walks into her life and her intense dark eyes and easy charm have Eve longing for a love her heart has always desired, but she’s too afraid to admit to.
The last thing Lynette Folsom is looking for is love, especially with a closeted lesbian. She’s gone down that road before and has nothing but a broken heart to show for it. When she meets Eve, she begins to wonder if love behind closed doors can really work.
Two women. One choice. Will they be able to overcome their doubts and fears to embrace their deepest desire?
Stud Like Her by Fiona Zedde
Chance has been in love only once, but it wasn’t with the girlfriend she stayed with for far too long. The same girlfriend who dropped Chance when she became too inconvenient. Or maybe just boring.
To bury her disappointment, Chance tries to return to the woman she loved back when she was too afraid to be herself. A stud attracted to other studs.
Instead of her old love, though, Chance finds Garett: a new and persistent admirer with the kind of swagger that leaves Chance weak in the knees. Garett is hot and very popular with her half a million followers on social media. She’s also a lot younger than Chance is used to. Not to mention there’s something familiar about her, something dangerous, that Chance can’t quite put her finger on.
