Karin Kallmaker

Infobox Writer

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imagesize = 150px
name = Karin Kallmaker
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pseudonym =
birth_date = 1960
birth_place = Sacramento, California
death_date =
death_place =
occupation = Novelist, Editorial Director
nationality = American
period = 20th century, 21st century
genre = Lesbian Romance, Lesbian Erotica
subject = Lesbian fiction
movement =
debut_works = In Every Port, Touchwood
influences = Katherine V. Forrest
influenced =


website = [http://www.kallmaker.com Kallmaker.com]
footnotes =
main_work =

Karin Kallmaker (born 1960) is the prolific American author of lesbian fiction whose works also include those originally written under the name Laura Adams. Her writings span lesbian romance, lesbian erotica, and lesbian science-fiction/fantasy. Dubbed the "Queen of Lesbian Romance [Journal of Lesbian Studies, 2001] ", she publishes exclusively in the lesbian market as a matter of personal choice. ["In Their Own Words: Lesbian Writers on their Inspiration", AfterEllen.com, 5/26/2008 [http://www.afterellen.com/books/2008/5/theirownwords_part1] ] .

Lesbian Romance Novels

Considered a master at characterization ["Lambda Book Report", Vol. 14, Issue 2, Summer 2006] , Kallmaker's work reflects the interior lives of her lesbian heroines, set primarily in romance novel situations. "Credible and spirited ["Bibliophile's Bounty", Bay Area Reporter, 12/18/97] " protagonists also face contemporary social challenges, resulting in a body of work that reflects lesbian community history since her debut novel, "In Every Port" (1989), which included events surrounding the assassination of Harvey Milk in 1978. Her second novel, "Touchwood", established her as a writer with "a sure sense of the power of language and of the power of eros ["The Age Thing", Bay Area Reporter, 7/1/1990] ." Her typical heroine is "the kind of indestructible and talented woman we all dream we could be -- much like Molly Bolt in Rubyfruit Jungle ["Lesbian Review of Books", Winter, 2000.] ."

In spite of publishing the majority of her work as lesbian romance genre fiction, "there's something original to every book ["Gay Power, Lesbian Lust and Literary Trash", San Francisco Bay Times, 9/21/2006] ", featuring "complex stories of believable, vulnerable lesbian characters who grow strong through facing tough issues. ["Midwest Book Review", 4/3/2003] " Deeply influenced by mentor Katherine V. Forrest as an emerging writer, her fifth novel, "Painted Moon", was hailed as "the next Curious Wine ["Lesbian Review of Books", Summer, 1995] ," and remains one of her most popular novels, fifteen years after its original publication. Crediting Jane Austen as a foremother of the modern novel [Author's Blog "Romance and Chocolate", "Becoming Jane, Thoughts," 8/14/2007 [http://kallmaker.blogspot.com/2007/08/becoming-jane-thoughts.html] ] , Kallmaker's "Just Like That" is a lesbian version of "Pride and Prejudice". Her ability to push the boundaries of genre fiction while maintaining her popularity is epitomized by "Maybe Next Time", "an engrossing, compelling story of redemption, healing and surviving ["Midwest Book Review", 1/11/2004] ," which won a Lambda Literary Award.

Her novels include the Golden Crown Literary Society and Lambda Literary Foundation award-winning "18th & Castro", "In Deep Waters 1", "Just Like That", "Maybe Next Time", and "Sugar". Her writing career began with the venerable Naiad Press, one of the shaping publishers of lesbian fiction. In 2001, she placed her work as Laura Adams with a new press, Bella Books. After Naiad Press closed in 2003, she moved the remainder of her lesbian romance titles to Bella. In 2008, she joined Bella Books as the press's first Editorial Director.

Short Stories and Essays

A "cleverly inventive ["Frosting on the Cake", Bay Windows, 3/23/2002] " short story writer, she has published more than five dozen short stories in collections from her own publishers, as well as anthologies from publishers like Alyson, Circlet Press, Bold Strokes, and Haworth Press. The genre of her stories go from vanilla romance to explicit erotica. In a May 2006 interview with Q Syndicate, Kallmaker discussed some of the resistence she faced to the idea that a romance writer could also write erotica. "...Part of my goal for writing erotica was to decriminalize lesbian sex for lesbians, especially those in committed couples and those who don't live in an urban Mecca with an out-and-proud sex-positive attitude. [Interview for Q Syndicate, by Joy Parks, May 2006. [http://kallmaker.blogspot.com/2006/05/q-syndicate-interview-by-joy-parks.html] ] " Her lesbian erotica short stories have won awards from the Golden Crown Literary Society and the Lambda Literary Foundation.

Published essays have dealt with issues of identity for the author. In 1993, she wrote "When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Lesbian" for "Multicultural America: A Resource Book for Teachers of Humanities and American Studies", which explored the disconnect between different stages of coming out, when she first observed the community but did not yet feel a member of it. Ten years later, after the birth of her two children: "For many years I was, by all outward appearances, a suburban married woman. [Kallmaker, Karin in "Dangling Earrings" from "Milk of Human Kindness: Lesbian Daughters Write About Their Mothers" (Lori L. Lake, ed.). Regal Crest Enterprises.] ." In 2007, in "Love, Castro Street", her essay "Where One Size Fits All" concluded the award-winning anthology with "No matter what my clothing of the day might be, from a shy writer offering to sign her first novel to a seeming soccer mom with two kids in tow, Castro Street has never refused me entry. The potholes, the crowds, the scary traffic are still there, but somehow the street is larger than ever. [Kallmaker, Karin in "Where One Size Fits All" from "Love, Castro Street" (Katherine V. Forrest and Jim Van Buskirk, eds.). Alyson.] "

A complete listing of [http://www.kallmaker.com/KallmakerShortFiction.html short stories and essays in anthologies] is available on the author's website.

Science Fiction, Fantasy Novels as Laura Adams

Under the pen name Laura Adams, Kallmaker has written lesbian science-fiction and fantasy titles that include a "chilling brush with reality ["Lesbian Review of Books", IV.4, Summer, 1998.] ." Though the novels include strong lesbian romance storylines, their themes revolve around the power of lesbian community and spirituality.

Writing career

* In Every Port (1990)
* Touchwood (1991)
* Paperback Romance (1992)
* Car Pool (1993)
* Painted Moon (1994)
* Wild Things (1996)
* Embrace in Motion (1997)
* Night Vision (1997) (writing as Laura Adams)
* Christabel (1998) (writing as Laura Adams)
* Making Up for Lost Time (1998)
* Watermark (1999)
* The Dawning (1999) (writing as Laura Adams)
* Unforgettable (2000)
* Frosting on the Cake (2001) (short stories)
* Tunnel of Light 1: Sleight of Hand (2001) (writing as Laura Adams)
* Substitute for Love (2001)
* Tunnel of Light 2: Seeds of Fire (2002) (writing as Laura Adams)
* Maybe Next Time (2003)
* All the Wrong Places (2004)
* New Exploits 1: Once Upon a Dyke (2004) (with Johnson, Szymanski, Watts)
* One Degree of Separation (2004)
* Sugar (2004)
* Just Like That (2005)
* New Exploits 2: Bell, Book and Dyke (2005) (with Johnson, Szymanski, Watts)
* 18th & Castro (2006) (short stories)
* New Exploits 3: Stake through the Heart (2006) (with Johnson, Szymanski, Watts)
* Finders Keepers (2006)
* New Exploits 4: Tall in the Saddle (2007) (with Johnson, Szymanski, Watts)
* In Deep Waters 1: Cruising the Seas (2007) (with Radclyffe)
* Christabel (Second Edition) (2008)
* In Deep Waters 2: Cruising the Strip (2008) (with Radclyffe)
* The Kiss That Counted (2008)
* Warming Trend (2009)
* Roller Coaster (2009)
* Tunnel of Light 3: Forge of Virgins (forthcoming)

Works in Translation and Other Formats

Numerous novels have been translated for distribution in France ( [http://www.ktmeditions.com/ KTM Editions] ), Germany ( [http://www.krugschadenberg.de/ Verlag Krug] ), Spain ( [http://www.editorialegales.com/ Egales] ) and the Czech Republic ( [http://www.lepress.cz/index.php LePress] ). Some titles have also been acquired for hardcover editions by [http://www.insightoutbooks.com/ InsightOut Book Club] , a division of the Quality Paperback Book Club. Most of her titles are also availabe in e-Book format. A complete listing of [http://www.kallmaker.com/KallmakerForeignLanguage.html works in translation] is available on the author's website.

Awards

* 2008 - "In Deep Waters 1: Cruising the Seas" - Golden Crown Literary Award Winner, Lesbian Erotica
* 2008 - "Finders Keepers" - Golden Crown Literary Award Finalist, Lesbian Romance
* 2008 - "Finders Keepers" - Golden Crown Literary Award Finalist, Ann Bannon Popular Choice
* 2007 - "18th & Castro" – Golden Crown Literary Award Winner, Lesbian Erotica
* 2007 - "18th & Castro" – Lambda Literary Award Finalist, LGBTQ Erotica
* 2007 - "Finders Keepers" – Lambda Literary Award Finalist, Lesbian Romance
* 2006 - "Just Like That" – Golden Crown Literary Award Winner, Lesbian Romance
* 2006 - "New Exploits 2: Bell, Book and Dyke" - Golden Crown Literary Award Finalist, Lesbian Fantasy
* 2006 - "All the Wrong Places" –Golden Crown Literary Award Finalist, Lesbian Romance
* 2006 - "All the Wrong Places" – Lambda Literary Award Finalist, Lesbian Erotica
* 2006 - "All the Wrong Places" – Lambda Literary Award Finalist, Lesbian Romance
* 2005 - "Sugar" - Golden Crown Literary Award Winner, Lesbian Romance
* 2005 - "New Exploits 1: Once Upon a Dyke" - Lambda Literary Award Finalist, LGBTQ Fantasy
* 2004 - "Maybe Next Time" – Lambda Literary Award Winner, Romance
* 2003 - "Tunnel of Light 2: Seeds of Fire" - Lambda Literary Award Finalist, LGBTQ Fantasy
* 2002 - "Substitute for Love" - Lambda Literary Award Finalist, Lesbian Romance

Other Recognitions

* 2004 Alice B Medal - The Alice B Readers Award for body of work
* 2008 Selected as guest lecturer, "Distinguished Author Series", Stonewall Library and Archives
* 2008 LJ Maas Memorial Award for mentorship of new and emerging writers

Personal Data

Born 1960, Sacramento, California.B.A., Business Administration, California State University, Sacramento.Kallmaker has 18 years experience with non-profit financial management. Workplaces, such as an association of home and health care service providers to the elderly, a private lender investing in projects to benefit low income people, and a half-year at an oil refinery, have provided background for many of her novels [Kallmaker, Karin. "Lecture at Stonewall Library and Archives", Ft. Lauderdale (2008)] .

Kallmaker and her partner of more than 30 years reside in the San Francisco Bay Area. They were married on August 25, 2008, and are the mothers of two children.

References

External links

* [http://www.kallmaker.com Karin Kallmaker website] Kallmaker Biographical Information and Full Bibliography. Retrieved on 2008-05-31.
* [http://www.goldencrown.org Goldie Award Winners] Golden Crown Literary Society. Retrieved on 2008-08-02.
* [http://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/current_finalists.html Lambda Literary Organization Lambda Literary Finalists] . Retrieved on 2008-05-31.
* [http://www.bellabooks.com Publisher's home page]
* "Gay Power, Lesbian Lust and Literary Trash", San Francisco Bay Times, 9/21/2006 [http://www.sfbaytimes.com/index.php?sec=article&article_id=5556]
* "In Their Own Words: Lesbian Writers on their Inspiration", AfterEllen.com, 5/26/2008 [http://www.afterellen.com/books/2008/5/theirownwords_part1]
* [http://www.youtube.com/kallmaker Readings and Lectures] by author on video