Radclyffe is a renowned lesbian writer, having written over 45 novels & short stories.

She is also the founder and publisher of Bold Strokes Books, one of the world’s largest independent LGBTQ publishing companies. We sit down with Radclyffe for her upcoming tour to Australia:

Radclyffe, you’re one of the most beloved lesbian writers – After writing so many novels and stories, are there any challenges you still face during the writing process? 

Every book is a new challenge. Writing is one of those places where practice doesn’t make perfect – we authors grow and hopefully improve with each new title, but I find I always have new things to work on. With each new book, there are new characters to develop, new plots to write, and new relationships to create. The mechanics might be the same, but the creative challenge never becomes routine. I struggle with many of the same things every author struggles with – how to forge fresh imagery, how to keep the pace moving forward, how to craft memorable characters in three dimensions with lives and loves that will linger in the reader’s memory. Fortunately, it’s still fun and still feels gratifying when I get it right.

Do you have any advice for new, queer writers?

It’s a great time to be a writer of queer works! The market for queer works is ever-expanding in terms of subject interest, readership size, and available outlets for sales. Write what you love to read, write well, and explore all the possibilities for getting your work to the greatest number of readers everywhere. One excellent way to know where to take your finished manuscript is to review publisher websites and read author blogs about their experiences.

What will you be speaking about at the Australian event?

The plan is to have an informal, interactive fun afternoon.  Our hosts will be an Australian family who is providing space and an Australian menu! I’ll be reading from my November release, Against Doctor’s Orders, and then taking questions and chatting with the audience about any writing/publishing topics of interest.

Are you looking forward to anything in particular in Australia?

Since this is a working vacation (and my first trip to Australia), I have quite a number of fun things planned — several days on the Great Barrier Reef, a trip to Uluru including a dawn camel ride, and some other shorter day trips. Fortunately, Bold Strokes Books’ senior editor is Australian, so I’ll have an expert tour guide!

That sounds absolutely amazing! As well as the event, what’s next in store for you?

In February 2015, I’ll be part of a two-day symposium, “What is Love? Romance Fiction in the Digital Age,” at the Library of Congress in the US. During the symposium, the documentary film-reviews, Love Between the Covers, will premiere. I am fortunate to be one of the featured authors. My next book out will be Shadow Hunt, March 2015, the 6th in the Midnight Hunter series.