I came across this discussion on the Lambda Literary site, and thought it might be of interest:

http://www.lambdaliterary.org/trans/02/25/is-there-or-should-there-be-such-a-thing-as-trans-lit/

~Lannie~

Thank you for that link Lannie. (And being cheeky - are you by any chance Lannie Rose - of Amazon and lulu fame?)

As a Trans writer myself who has complete both a Trans book (a comedy) and a Trans screenplay (a political drama) unsold and is (hopefully) just on the point of finally breaking in with a NON-trans work I applaud this web discussion.

My first serious attempt to get published was a hilarious situational comedy, based loosely on the experiences of my partner who grew up Trans in Cornwall during the 1950's

It was based on all the really funny stories she used to tell me of the crazy escapades that she used to get up to - and as a contrast to the very serious, almost educational Jan Morris, the angry campaigning Tula, and the poor little ole me approach (of too many trans biographies) I honestly thought that an upbeat and really funny comedy would find an easy market.

This was a transsexual version of perhaps James Thurbur or perhaps Cider with Rosie.

But no... I couldn't get a single publisher to even read it. They all told me it has all been done, and there would be no market for it. I remain convinced that they are wrong - and once I have a few non trans books under my belt and a track record as an Author I may yet have another go.

But yes we should have Trans-Lit - in fact in the era of e-books we really should start our own publishing venture.

One serious thing I did wonder about was getting together all the people on Susans who were willing to participate, having them all tell their stories... then editing together a volume about trans-diversity, an answer to all the media idiots who want to paint us as all the same...

Anyway - I'll just throw that all out there for now - and get back to my current project. But if anyone wants to consider getting involved in something like that Pm me, and when I''ve got the current project under control perhaps we could start something off.

Jenny, I'm not Lannie Rose; although, as it happens, she and I are Facebook friends. We've corresponded from time to time, I've read her memoir LANNIE, and she recently posted a very gracious Amazon review of my novel, SHE'S MY DAD. (We hope to meet one of these days, the next time I go up to Santa Cruz to visit my daughter.)

As for your publishing experiences, you have my sympathies: "Been there, done that." Two different literary agents spent a total of two years breaking their heads trying to get SHE'S MY DAD through the commercial publishing doors. Alas, no go. Not only was that during the worst of the economic implosion, but as you doubtless are aware, the publishing industry has succumbed to a (doomed) corporate blockbuster mindset which currently allows for little besides insipid teeny-vampire rubbish and a pestilential torrent of sub-literate YA.

In the end I elected to indie-publish, which entailed expense, time, and a grinding amount of proof-reading and revision. Still, the result made it all more than worthwhile. I have been extremely gratified by the enthusiastic reception, and even though my sales thus far are visible only with a microscope, I remain optimistic that the novel will eventually find its audience.

As to whether it falls into the category of "Trans Lit", well, I think that's a determination best left to the readers. My title character is a (straight) transsexual English professor, but the novel is more of a mainstream suspense story. At least, that's how I envisioned it.

Oh, and I don't think you're "cheeky" at all!

~Lannie~

EDIT: Removed link

I'll have to get your book and read it.

As for me I've just landed a really top london literary agent for my new Urban Fantasy Series ( the kind of person who normally reps people like JK Rowling!) which finally looks as though it will get me a deal with the blockbuster merchants.

I figure if you can't beat em then join em and then try to quietly subvert from the inside

My urban fantasy is all about Angels - but strangely enough its all a very cleverly disguised analogy for being trans! But shhh! Don't tell anyone... ooops - I just did - oh well!

oh yes and the Devil is a Psychiatrist!

Quote from: rejennyrated on March 23, 2010, 05:38:45 PM
I'll have to get your book and read it.

Well, I'd be delighted! BTW, do you live in/near London? If so, the Blackwell Bookshop at 100 Charing Cross Road has one of the new Espresso Book Machines, and SHE'S MY DAD can be printed straight away (for cover price) without having to muck about with Amazon and whatnot.

Quote from: rejennyrated on March 23, 2010, 05:38:45 PM
Oh yes, and the Devil is a psychiatrist!

Uh-huh. I had several sessions with him. He insisted I take the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, then assured my angst-ridden parents that I was not trans, but a narcissist. 

Best of luck with your agent and book! Go get 'em.

~Lannie~

I was actually just wondering about this today! On one hand if you take the archetypal trans person who doesn't want to remember their past etc. it would appear that your only other major demographic would be fetishists ($'s $ right?). I see no reason why it shouldn't be out there. Media in our culture have become so disgustingly homogenous, it's a wonder they can make anything seem new.

Quote from: chrysalis on April 29, 2010, 04:14:20 AM
I was actually just wondering about this today! On one hand if you take the archetypal trans person who doesn't want to remember their past etc. it would appear that your only other major demographic would be fetishists ($'s $ right?). I see no reason why it shouldn't be out there. Media in our culture have become so disgustingly homogenous, it's a wonder they can make anything seem new.

What an interesting point... I honestly hadn't thought about that. I'm so comfortable with my past, even proud of it, that it never occurred to me that it might be difficult reading for someone who wasn't. - actually it's worse than that! I hadn't even thought that their might be people who wpuldn't be proud of their trans provenance. You see I regard it as a huge adventure. I have a nasty suspicion that if I had been born female I might possibley even have promptly become an FtM - I don't know because it didn't happen, but I am by nature one of lifes explorers - so it has to be a possibility. 

Oh well - back the drawing board. Perhaps I should stick to writing my Angels and Demons fiction.

Quote from: rejennyrated on April 29, 2010, 04:24:10 AM
I am by nature one of lifes explorers - so it has to be a possibility. 

Oh well - back the drawing board. Perhaps I should stick to writing my Angels and Demons fiction.

Nothing to be sad about. I think you should go for it. Even having a supporting character who is trans with a role that acts regardless of it would be cool imo. You might have to play the fetishist market to get some sales. While there are certainly some T people who ID more with their migratory gender, there are many more in the closet, so I say go for it! Give them something to read besides a memoir.

Quote from: chrysalis on April 29, 2010, 11:31:20 PM
Nothing to be sad about. I think you should go for it. Even having a supporting character who is trans with a role that acts regardless of it would be cool imo. You might have to play the fetishist market to get some sales. While there are certainly some T people who ID more with their migratory gender, there are many more in the closet, so I say go for it! Give them something to read besides a memoir.

I'm really not sure that I'm into the fetishist market though... I'll try to choose my words with care here because I'd hate to offend anyone but I find all that kind of stuff rather... well tacky and distasteful. I just don't get it I fear. My writing is more serious than that. And the one thing I absolutely don't do is sex scenes... well maybe one if absolutely essential to the plot but i'm not simply not up for producing a bodice ripper - trans or otherwise.

I like serious literary fiction even though often written in the territory of other genre's like urban fantasy or scifi. Think Doris Lessing and Ursula Le Guin for examples.

I'm so sorry, I wasn't at all trying to suggest you write out and out fetish work. I was thinking more from an economic standpoint that lagging sales in an emergent genre could be bumped slightly. Though I fear I may have misunderstood exactly the level of writing you were talking about. You're aiming for Nobel Level quality and I certainly see where fluff to bump sales would not fit at all. I absolutely agree with you about loathing trashy...Anne Rice style writing. Hang in there with the Angels and Demons though. The Beatles had to put out "A Hard Day's Night" before moving onto "Rubber Soul". 

Quote from: rejennyrated on April 30, 2010, 01:09:53 AM
And the one thing I absolutely don't do is sex scenes...

D'accord. 

~L~