Ellen Hart
Encyclopedia
Ellen Hart is the award-winning mystery
author of the Jane Lawless and Sophie Greenaway series. She was born in Minneapolis, MN in August 1949. A professional chef for 14 years, Hart's mysteries include culinary elements similar to those of Diane Mott Davidson
.
The author says of her work, "I don't write about the Mean Streets. I don't live there .... I don't do lots of blood and gore. I don't do sex scenes in any great detail. I'd never kill a dog or a cat. I guess you could call my style, maximal suspense and minimal gore." Hart is openly lesbian
. Her Jane Lawless series features a lesbian restaurateur and her smart mouth best friend, Cordelia Thorn. The Jane Lawless series began in 1989 and is an early Post-Stonewall example of the mystery genre in Lesbian literature
. Hart's novels deal with GLBT issues and five of the Lawless series have won Lambda Literary Award
s.
Dubbed the "lesbian answer to Agatha Christie," for her Jane Lawless series, Hart also pens the culinary Sophie Greenway mystery series. She frequently tours and lectures on the craft of mystery writing. She has contributed to numerous crime writer anthologies including Resort to Murder: Thirteen More Tales of Mystery by Minnesota's Premier Writers.
In 2005, Hart was inducted into the Saints and Sinners Hall of Fame, joining literary greats such as Dorothy Allison
, Felice Picano
, Katherine V. Forrest
, and others. At the 2007 annual meeting of the Golden Crown Literary Society
, Hart was the keynote speaker.
In 2010, Hart was awarded the coveted Trailblazer Award from the Golden Crown Literary Society
, an award given to other lesbian luminaries such as Ann Bannon
, Jane Rule
, and Lee Lynch. She's a founding member of The Minnesota Crime Wave along with local Twin Cities crime fiction writers Carl Brookins and William Kent Krueger
. The Minnesota Crime Wave's TV show about mysteries and writing airs on CTV-15 in the Twin Cities or episodes can be seen at MinnesotaCrimeWave.org.
Hart has taught introductory classes for mystery writers at The Loft Literary Center
in Minneapolis for many years. She and her partner of over thirty years, Kathy, live in Minneapolis.
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
author of the Jane Lawless and Sophie Greenaway series. She was born in Minneapolis, MN in August 1949. A professional chef for 14 years, Hart's mysteries include culinary elements similar to those of Diane Mott Davidson
Diane Mott Davidson
Diane Mott Davidson, born , is an American author of mystery novels that use the theme of food. Several recipes are included in each book, and each novel title is a play on a food or drink word....
.
The author says of her work, "I don't write about the Mean Streets. I don't live there .... I don't do lots of blood and gore. I don't do sex scenes in any great detail. I'd never kill a dog or a cat. I guess you could call my style, maximal suspense and minimal gore." Hart is openly lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
. Her Jane Lawless series features a lesbian restaurateur and her smart mouth best friend, Cordelia Thorn. The Jane Lawless series began in 1989 and is an early Post-Stonewall example of the mystery genre in Lesbian literature
Lesbian literature
This is a list of books portraying sexual relations between female characters, who may include lesbians, bisexuals and WSWs.-Classic fiction and drama:*The Bachelor Girl – Victor Margueritte –...
. Hart's novels deal with GLBT issues and five of the Lawless series have won Lambda Literary Award
Lambda Literary Award
Lambda Literary Awards are awarded yearly by the US-based Lambda Literary Foundation to published works which celebrate or explore LGBT themes. Categories include Humor, Romance and Biography. To qualify, a book must have been published in the United States in the year current to the award...
s.
Dubbed the "lesbian answer to Agatha Christie," for her Jane Lawless series, Hart also pens the culinary Sophie Greenway mystery series. She frequently tours and lectures on the craft of mystery writing. She has contributed to numerous crime writer anthologies including Resort to Murder: Thirteen More Tales of Mystery by Minnesota's Premier Writers.
In 2005, Hart was inducted into the Saints and Sinners Hall of Fame, joining literary greats such as Dorothy Allison
Dorothy Allison
Dorothy Allison is an American writer, speaker, and member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers.-Early life:Dorothy E. Allison was born on April 11, 1949 in Greenville, South Carolina to Ruth Gibson Allison, who was fifteen at the time. Ruth was a poor and unmarried mother who worked as a...
, Felice Picano
Felice Picano
Felice Picano is an American writer. He graduated cum laude from Queens College in 1964 with English department honors. He founded SeaHorse Press in 1977, and The Gay Presses of New York in 1981 with Terry Helbing and Larry Mitchell; he was Editor-in-Chief there. He was an editor and writer for...
, Katherine V. Forrest
Katherine V. Forrest
Katherine V. Forrest is an American writer.Forrest is best known for her eight novels about lesbian police detective Kate Delafield. The character was the very first lesbian police detective in the American lesbian mystery genre and is described as "Miss Marple with k.d...
, and others. At the 2007 annual meeting of the Golden Crown Literary Society
Golden Crown Literary Society
The Golden Crown Literary Society is a 501 organization established in February 2004 as a literary and educational organization for the study, discussion, enjoyment, and enhancement of lesbian literature. The GCLS membership includes publishers, distributors, authors, and readers of lesbian fiction...
, Hart was the keynote speaker.
In 2010, Hart was awarded the coveted Trailblazer Award from the Golden Crown Literary Society
Golden Crown Literary Society
The Golden Crown Literary Society is a 501 organization established in February 2004 as a literary and educational organization for the study, discussion, enjoyment, and enhancement of lesbian literature. The GCLS membership includes publishers, distributors, authors, and readers of lesbian fiction...
, an award given to other lesbian luminaries such as Ann Bannon
Ann Bannon
Ann Bannon is an American author who, from 1957 to 1962, wrote six lesbian pulp fiction novels known as The Beebo Brinker Chronicles. The books' enduring popularity and impact on lesbian identity has earned her the title "Queen of Lesbian Pulp Fiction"...
, Jane Rule
Jane Rule
Jane Vance Rule, CM, OBC was a Canadian writer of lesbian-themed novels and non-fiction.-Biography:Born in Plainfield, New Jersey, Jane Vance Rule was the oldest daughter of Carlotta Jane and Arthur Richards Rule. She claimed she was a tomboy growing up and felt like an outsider for reaching six...
, and Lee Lynch. She's a founding member of The Minnesota Crime Wave along with local Twin Cities crime fiction writers Carl Brookins and William Kent Krueger
William Kent Krueger
William Kent Krueger is a multi award-winning American author and crime writer, best known for his Cork O'Connor series of books, which is mainly set in Minnesota. USA...
. The Minnesota Crime Wave's TV show about mysteries and writing airs on CTV-15 in the Twin Cities or episodes can be seen at MinnesotaCrimeWave.org.
Hart has taught introductory classes for mystery writers at The Loft Literary Center
The Loft Literary Center
The Loft Literary Center is a nonprofit literary organization located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Incorporated in 1975, the Loft's stated mission is "to support the artistic development of writers, to foster a writing community, and to build an audience for literature"...
in Minneapolis for many years. She and her partner of over thirty years, Kathy, live in Minneapolis.
Jane Lawless
- Hallowed Murder (1989)
- Vital Lies (1991)
- Stage Fright (1992)
- A Killing Cure (1993)
- A Small Sacrifice (1994) Lambda Literary AwardLambda Literary AwardLambda Literary Awards are awarded yearly by the US-based Lambda Literary Foundation to published works which celebrate or explore LGBT themes. Categories include Humor, Romance and Biography. To qualify, a book must have been published in the United States in the year current to the award...
, Minnesota Book AwardsMinnesota Book AwardsThe Minnesota Book Awards are presented annually for books created by writers, illustrators or book artists who are Minnesotans. The award, originally established in 1988, is organized by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library....
Winner - Faint Praise (1995) Minnesota Book AwardsMinnesota Book AwardsThe Minnesota Book Awards are presented annually for books created by writers, illustrators or book artists who are Minnesotans. The award, originally established in 1988, is organized by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library....
Winner - Robber's Wine (1996) Lambda Literary AwardLambda Literary AwardLambda Literary Awards are awarded yearly by the US-based Lambda Literary Foundation to published works which celebrate or explore LGBT themes. Categories include Humor, Romance and Biography. To qualify, a book must have been published in the United States in the year current to the award...
- Wicked Games (1998)
- Hunting The Witch (1999) Lambda Literary AwardLambda Literary AwardLambda Literary Awards are awarded yearly by the US-based Lambda Literary Foundation to published works which celebrate or explore LGBT themes. Categories include Humor, Romance and Biography. To qualify, a book must have been published in the United States in the year current to the award...
- The Merchant of Venus (2001) Lambda Literary AwardLambda Literary AwardLambda Literary Awards are awarded yearly by the US-based Lambda Literary Foundation to published works which celebrate or explore LGBT themes. Categories include Humor, Romance and Biography. To qualify, a book must have been published in the United States in the year current to the award...
- Immaculate Midnight (2001) Lambda Literary AwardLambda Literary AwardLambda Literary Awards are awarded yearly by the US-based Lambda Literary Foundation to published works which celebrate or explore LGBT themes. Categories include Humor, Romance and Biography. To qualify, a book must have been published in the United States in the year current to the award...
- An Intimate Ghost (2004) Golden Crown Literary SocietyGolden Crown Literary SocietyThe Golden Crown Literary Society is a 501 organization established in February 2004 as a literary and educational organization for the study, discussion, enjoyment, and enhancement of lesbian literature. The GCLS membership includes publishers, distributors, authors, and readers of lesbian fiction...
Award - The Iron Girl (2005) Golden Crown Literary SocietyGolden Crown Literary SocietyThe Golden Crown Literary Society is a 501 organization established in February 2004 as a literary and educational organization for the study, discussion, enjoyment, and enhancement of lesbian literature. The GCLS membership includes publishers, distributors, authors, and readers of lesbian fiction...
Award, Minnesota Book AwardsMinnesota Book AwardsThe Minnesota Book Awards are presented annually for books created by writers, illustrators or book artists who are Minnesotans. The award, originally established in 1988, is organized by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library....
Winner - Night Vision (2006)
- The Mortal Groove (2007) Golden Crown Literary SocietyGolden Crown Literary SocietyThe Golden Crown Literary Society is a 501 organization established in February 2004 as a literary and educational organization for the study, discussion, enjoyment, and enhancement of lesbian literature. The GCLS membership includes publishers, distributors, authors, and readers of lesbian fiction...
Award - Sweet Poison (2008)
- The Mirror and the Mask (2009)
- The Cruel Ever After (2010)
- The Lost Women of Lost Lake (2011)
- Gaudy Lights (forthcoming, 2012)
Sophie Greenway
- This Little Piggy Went to Murder (1994)
- For Every Evil (1995)
- The Oldest Sin (1996)
- Murder in the Air (1997)
- Slice and Dice (2000)
- Dial M For Meat Loaf (2001)
- Death on a Silver Platter (2003)
- No Reservations Required (2005)