As part of the run up to our celebration of our fifth anniversary we are highlighting our first five books, all available for £5 each from our shop
Also available to bona fide libraries and book charities free please contact us to enquire.
Number Four: Mosaic of Air
Originally published twenty years ago, the sixteen short stories in Mosaic of Air reflect and explore Lesbian life in the 1980s through myth, history, fantasy and science fiction. Delving into lecturing spiders, Helen of Troy, seaside libraries, computers that fall in love, murder and memory; but most of all humour, and a delight in all that women can be.
Praise for the first edition:
Cherry Potts writes with economy, punch, panache.
Ellen Galford
Definitely about women in space, not the usual glossy tomboys of standard sf.
Gwyneth Jones
Delightful … both a hilarious spoof of one-man-and-his computer myths such as 2001, a Space Odyssey; and a reflection on the limits of love and power.
Zoë Fairbairns
From the foreword:
Sometimes I think that I would write these stories differently now, and then I think, would I? Yes, the world has changed, these days many of the scenarios played out by characters in the contemporary stories wouldn’t now happen in Britain; but there are plenty of places in the world where these stories would still happen. Sadly they have not dated as thoroughly as I might have hoped.
High points
‘Mosaic of Air’ is an interesting parable featuring a proto-post-feminist lead, a computer programmer whose programme becomes sentient which surprisingly encases an abortion debate.
If you read nothing else in this book you must read ‘Arachne’s Daughters’; this takes apart a myth about Arachne (a human) challenging Athene (the goddess): ‘”Now, can you believe anyone would be so stupid?” ‘. It’s set as a speech given at a women-only meeting with a clever twist on why so many women shouldn’t fear spiders despite the extra legs and pincers ‘ “Forgot something though didn’t they?…[Men]… How many Cancers and Scorpios are in the audience?”.’
audio of readings:
LGBT History Month at Walthamstow Library
We are having a PARTY on the 8th September. Come along! free, but ticketed
