Every Woman's Dream: Short Fiction

by Lesléa Newman

Charming stories of contemporary lesbians and lesbian life by one of our most beloved writers.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, LGBT, Lesbian

180 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1994

About the author

Lesléa Newman (born 1955, Brooklyn, NY) is the author of over 50 books including Heather Has Two Mommies, A Letter To Harvey Milk, Writing From The Heart, In Every Laugh a Tear, The Femme Mystique, Still Life with Buddy, Fat Chance and Out of the Closet and Nothing to Wear.
She has received many literary awards including Poetry Fellowships from the Massachusetts Artists Fellowship Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, the Highlights for Children Fiction Writing Award, the James Baldwin Award for Cultural Achievement, and two Pushcart Prize Nominations.
Nine of her books have been Lambda Literary Award finalists.
Ms. Newman wrote Heather Has Two Mommies, the first children's book to portray lesbian families in a positive way, and has followed up this pioneering work with several more children's books on lesbian and gay families: Gloria Goes To Gay Pride, Belinda's Bouquet, Too Far Away to Touch, and Saturday Is Pattyday.
She is also the author of many books for adults that deal with lesbian identity, Jewish identity and the intersection and collision between the two. Other topics Ms. Newman explores include AIDS, eating disorders, butch/femme relationships and sexual abuse. Her award-winning short story, A Letter To Harvey Milk has been made into a film and adapted for the stage.
In addition to being an author, Ms. Newman is a popular guest lecturer, and has spoken on college campuses across the country including Harvard University, Yale University, the University of Oregon, Bryn Mawr College, Smith College and the University of Judaism. From 2005-2009, Lesléa was a faculty member of the Stonecoast MFA program at the University of Southern Maine. Currently, she is the Poet Laureate of Northampton, MA.

Reviews

[Kit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short stories from various queer situations. I'm guessing the last one, Plotting with the Devil, is about the author. I'm glad she kept writing in the area she did despite there being a much smaller market for it.

[Jean Marie Angelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of short stories includes all the humor and pathos of gay and lesbian life. Newman's great gift is in capturing the nuances and real moments. Some of my favorite stories include one that is based on a letter from a mother to her deceased son's lover and another that richly captures the decades of a lesbian relationship. Newman is a very honest and economic writer. I look forward to reading more of her work.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of well-crafted short stories. At various points,I was moved to laughter and to tears. I look forward to reading more works by Leslea Newman! In this collection, she offers touching innocence, passionate and unapologetic lust, heartfelt commitment, and heartbreaking irony.

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection started off a little slow, but definitely picked up. I like her writing style very much.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short pieces, some happy, some sad, some happy, some ironic.