You're Not from Around Here, Are You: A Lesbian in Small-Town America (Living Out: Gay and Lesbian Autobiographies)

This is a funny, moving story about life in a small town, from the point of view of a pregnant lesbian. Louise A. Blum, author of the critically acclaimed novel Amnesty , now tells the story of her own life and her decision to be out, loud, and pregnant. Mixing humor with memorable prose, Blum recounts how a quiet, conservative town in an impoverished stretch of Appalachia reacts as she and a local woman, Connie, fall in love, move in together, and determine to live their life together openly and truthfully. The town responds in radically different ways to the couple’s presence, from prayer vigils on the village green to a feature article in the family section of the local newspaper. This is a cautionary, wise, and celebratory tale about what it’s like to be different in America—both the good and the bad. A depiction of small town life with all its comforts and its terrors, this memoir speaks to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider in America. Blum tells her story with a razor wit and deft precision, a story about two "girls with grit," and the child they decide to raise, right where they are, in small town America. This is a funny, moving story about life in a small town, from the point of view of a pregnant lesbian. Louise A. Blum, author of the critically acclaimed novel __Amnesty__, now tells the story of her own life and her decision to be out, loud, and pregnant. Mixing humor with memorable prose, Blum recounts how a quiet, conservative town in an impoverished stretch of Appalachia reacts as she and a local woman, Connie, fall in love, move in together, and determine to live their life together openly and truthfully. The town responds in radically different ways to the couple’s presence, from prayer vigils on the village green to a feature article in the family section of the local newspaper. This is a cautionary, wise, and celebratory tale about what it’s like to be different in America—both the good and the bad. A depiction of small town life with all its comforts and its terrors, this memoir speaks to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider in America. Blum tells her story with a razor wit and deft precision, a story about two "girls with grit," and the child they decide to raise, right where they are, in small town America. Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 Will That Be Mastercard or Visa? 12 Just Don’t Do Anything Stupid 26 Maybe It’s Morning Sickness 36 I’m Gay!!! 54 Getting a Double Dose of It 62 She Should Keep It in the Bedroom 74 Welcome to Satan’s Playground 88 The Guys at the Sporting Goods Store Think You’re the Greatest 106 If There’s a Blue Line in the Large Window ... 128 Well, Just Be Careful ... 140 The Precocious Child of an Eccentric Writer 150 Why Don’t I Run Down to the Liquor Store? 160 Zoe = Life 172 There Is Something Out There Known as Mother Nature 180 This Is Your Conscience Speaking 190 Hell—We’re All Sinners! 202 Your Silence Will Not Protect You 212 It’s Just So Hard to Get to Brooklyn 226 Making Room for My Baby 236 Give Me the Stamps 246 Just Make Sure Your Water Isn’t Leaking 260 We Thought Maybe You’d Changed Your Mind 268 This is a story about life in a small town, from the point of view of a pregnant lesbian. Louise A. Blum now tells the story of her own life and her decision to be out, loud, and pregnant. Blum recounts how a quiet, conservative town in an impoverished stretch of Appalachia reacts as she and a local woman, Connie, fall in love, move in together, and determine to live their life together openly and truthfully. The town responds in radically different ways to the couple's presence, from prayer vigils on the village green to a feature article in the family section of the local newspaper. This is a tale about what it's like to be different in America -- both the good and the bad. A depiction of small town life with all its comforts and its terrors, this memoir speaks to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider in America "Put together 20 million frozen sperm, two funny women, and one impoverished stretch of Appalachia and what do you get? A wise and celebratory tale by Louise A. Blum, author of the critically acclaimed novel, Amnesty, who now uses her razor wit and deft precision to tell the story of her own life. With the help of a tiny sperm cell they call "Dad," she and her partner decide to have a child, unleashing a storm of controversy in their small town. From a glowing feature article in the family section of the local newspaper to the resulting prayer vigils on the village green, the town responds in radically different ways to their presence. A depiction of small-town life with all its comforts and its terrors, this memoir will speak to anyone who's ever felt like an outsider in America."--BOOK JACKET. In this memoir, the author tells of how, with the help of a tiny sperm vial called ""Dad"", she and her partner decide to have a child, unleashing a storm of controversy in their small town. From a glowing article in the local newspaper, to prayer vigils, the town responds in different ways.