Lucy Jane Bledsoe

Infobox Writer
name = Lucy Jane Bledsoe

---

imagesize =
caption =
pseudonym =
birthdate = February 1, 1957
birthplace = Portland, Oregon, United States
deathdate =
deathplace =
occupation = Novelist, science writer
nationality = American
period =
genre = Fiction, nonfiction
subject = LGBT literature, family relationship, adventure
movement =
influences =
influenced =


website = http://www.lucyjanebledsoe.com/index.htm

Lucy Jane Bledsoe (born February 1, 1957 in Portland, Oregon, USAcite book |last= Sleeman|first= Elizabeth|authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title= International Who's Who of Authors and Writers 2004|origdate= |origyear= 2004|origmonth= |url= http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&id=phhhHT64kIMC&dq=International+Who's+Who+of+Authors+and+Writers+2004&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=e_pxCQFsvu&sig=Xeh4ou9NfQti1PR-e8-hDmWRkqM&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result|format= |accessdate= 31 July 2008|accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |volume= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= Routledge |location= |language= English|isbn= 978-1857431797|oclc= |doi= |id= |pages= 59|chapter= |chapterurl= |quote= ] cite web |url= http://writester.net/stories/2005/05/14/interview-with-author-lucy-jane-bledsoe|title= Interview With Author Lucy Jane Bledsoe|accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= Interview With Authors|publisher= Writester.net|date= May 14 2005] ) is a novelist and science writer, who writes both fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults. She focuses on LGBT literature and has received several awards for her fictional and non-fictional writings, establishing herself as a Stonewall Book Award winner and four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist.

Biography

Bledsoe was born into a family of many members in Portland, Oregon, USA, where she grew up. Bledsoe stated in an interview that she started writing stories when she was young and had always wanted to become a writer. She was inspired to write by her high school teacher. From 1975 to 1977, Bledsoe attended Williams College. She earned a B.A. at University of California at Berkeley in 1979.cite web |url= http://biography.jrank.org/pages/1706/Bledsoe-Lucy-Jane-1957.html|title= Lucy Jane Bledsoe (1957–) Biography - Personal, Addresses, Career, Member, Honors Awards, Writings, Sidelights|accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= Famous Authors Vol 15|publisher= |date= ]

Career and honors

Bledsoe writes both fiction and non-fiction books, though to her contemporary fiction is most interesting to write, as she loves "exploring [her] imagination".cite web |url= http://www.californiareaders.org/interviews/bledsoe_lucy.php| author= O'Brian, Bonnie| title= MEET LUCY BLEDSOE |accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= |publisher= California Readers|date= ] Bledsoe has said that her works are influenced by many authors, among them are James Baldwin, Willa Cather, Adrienne Rich, Barbara Kingsolver. While her writings primarily focus LGBT literature, Bledsoe also writes about family relationships and adventures in the wild.

In 1985, she received the PEN Syndicated Fiction Award.cite web |url= http://www.redroom.com/author/lucy-jane-bledsoe/bio|title= Lucy Jane Bledsoe's Biography|accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= Red Room Writer Profile|publisher= Red Room|date= ] In 1995, Bledsoe published "Sweat: Stories and a Novella", which helped her garner her first Lambda Literary Award finalist title for Lesbian Fiction. [cite web |url= http://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/previous_winners/paw_1992_1995.html|title= 1992 Lambda Literary Awards Recipients|accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= Previous Lammy Award Winners|publisher= Lambda Literary Foundation|date= ] In 1997, she wrote her first adult novel "Working Parts", for which she received the 1998 Stonewall Book Award - the American Library Association Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Award for Literature. [cite web |url= http://www.ala.org/ala/glbtrt/stonewall/stonewallbook.cfm|title= Stonewall Book Awards|accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table (GLBTRT)|publisher= American Library Association|date= ]

In 1998, "Lesbian Travels: A Literary Companion, Whereabout Books", which she worked on as the editor, garnered her a second Lambda Literary Award finalist title, this time for Anthologies/Non-Fiction. [cite web |url= http://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/previous_winners/paw_1996_1999.html|title= 1996 Lambda Literary Awards Recipients|accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= Previous Lammy Award Winners |publisher= Lambda Literary Foundation|date= ] In 2002, Bledsoe was awarded a California Arts Council fellowship in literature. [cite web |url=http://www.nwu.org/nwu/index.php?cmd=showPage&page_id=1.5.1.8.3 |title= Books by NWU Authors|accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= Book Authors|publisher= National Writers' Union|date= ]

Bledsoe's 2002 children book "Hoop Girlz", which is about a ten-year-old girl who loves playing basketball but, due to being rejected to play in a basketball camp tournament, she decides to form her own team. "Hoop Girlz" was selected as one of "Booklist" 's Top 10 Sports Books for Youth of the year and featured among Core Collection: Sports Fiction for Girls. [ [http://clcd.odyssi.com/cgi-bin/sirsi/search/r?dbs+child:@term+@isbn+0823416917 Children's Literature Reviews] . Retrieved on 2008-08-01.] Her second Lambda Literary Award finalist title for Lesbian Fiction (third Lambda Literary Award finalist title when counting all categories) came in 2003 with the publication of her second adult novel "This Wild Silence". [cite web |url=http://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/previous_winners/paw_2000_2003.html|title= 2000 Lambda Literary Awards Recipients and Finalists|accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= Previous Lammy Award Winners |publisher= Lambda Literary Foundation|date= ]

Bledsoe has travelled to Antarctica three times and written two books about Antarctica, "How to Survive in Antarctica" and "The Ice Cave: A Woman's Adventures from the Mojave to the Antarctic". Her newest novel "Biting the Apple" was published in 2007 and is currently a finalist for the 20th Annual Lambda Literary Awards in the category Women's fiction.cite web |url= http://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/current_finalists.html|title= Current Finalists for the 20th Annual Lambda Literary Awards|accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= |publisher= Lambda Literary Foundation|date= ]

Besides writing, Bledsoe is a CD-ROM scriptwriter for National Geographic and several other educational organizations, e.g. George Lucas Educational Foundation. From 1997 to 2003, she taught scriptwriting in the Masters of Creative Writing Graduate Program at the University of San Francisco. [cite web |url= http://www.wisc.edu/wisconsinpress/Presskits/Bledsoe_IceCave.html|title= A Woman's Adventures from the Mojave to the Antarctic
accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= |publisher= University of Wisconsin-Madison|date= ] Bledsoe contributes to several magazines, including "Newsday", "Conditions", "Ms.", "Fiction International", and "Frontiers".cite web |url= http://www.pw.org/content/lucy_jane_bledsoe_1|title= Lucy Jane Bledsoe: Publications and Prizes|accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= Directory of Writers|publisher= Poets & Writers|date= 9 June 2008]

Bledsoe is a member of Media Alliance and National Writers Union. Her books have been translated into Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, German, and Dutch. [cite web |url= http://www.glbthistory.org/news/writers_html/lucy.html|title= Lucy Jane Bledsoe|accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= |publisher= GLBT History|date= ] Bledsoe has been given two National Science Foundation artist and writers in Antarctica fellowships. [cite web |url= http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/aawr.jsp|title= Antarctic Artists & Writers Program — Past Participants|accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= |publisher= National Science Foundation|date= 26 September 2007] [cite web |url= http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2000/nsf0030/nsf0030html/antarctic_program_99_00.htm|title= U.S. Antarctic Program, 1999-2000|accessdate=2008-07-31 |work= |publisher= National Science Foundation|date= ]

Writings

Books for children

*"The Big Bike Race" 1995.
*"Tracks in the Snow" 1997.
*"Cougar Canyon" 2001.
*"Hoop Girlz," 2002.
*"The Antarctic Scoop" 2003.
*"How to Survive in Antarctica" (nonfiction) 2005.

Books for adults

;As editor
*"Goddesses We Ain't: Tenderloin Women Writers, Freedom Voices Publications" 1992.
*"Let the Spirit Flow: Writings on Communications and Freedom" 1994.
*"Heatwave: Women in Love and Lust (anthology)" 1995.
*"Leaping Fifty Stories High" 1995.
*"Lesbian Travels: A Literary Companion, Whereabout Books" 1998.
*"Gay Travels: A Literary Companion, Whereabouts Press" 1998.;As author
*"Sweat: Stories and a Novella" 1995.
*"Working Parts" (novel) 1997.
*"This Wild Silence" (novel) 2003.
*"The Ice Cave: A Woman's Adventures from the Mojave to the Antarctic" (nonfiction) 2006.
*"Biting the Apple" (Anthologies) 2007.

References

External links

[http://www.lucyjanebledsoe.com/index.htm Official website]