Lesbians Rock Volume 5 includes stories of lesbians dealing with their parents when they acknowledge their hearts love women, not men. The stories are of girls and women of all ages from all walks of life, stories of wonderful loving relationships and those where addictions, alcoholism, battering and other happenings within the relationships of any couple, gay or straight. The stories are of the gentle sweet love shared by two women when they become friends and find their hearts filled with love, building their home together, adjusting to medical and health needs, dealing with outsiders and family members and the worst of all, bombs and fires and deaths that come when people of hatred and prejudice are determined to destroy the lesbian couple and their home. "Lila, just over a year ago, I realized how I was different from all my friends. I would watch them as they interacted with each other, even their closest friend. I saw them with their fiancés and husbands at social affairs. Finally, I knew how different my heart was; that I loved differently. Men never attracted me like a lovely woman would; on the other hand, no woman attracted me enough to call it romantic or love. Not until you, Lila. My heart is drawn to you in a way I've never known before." She looked at Lila and smiled. "That's what I've been wanting to say to you for the past two months. I hope it doesn't cause you to leave." "Sloan felt her heart absorbing the sweetness that came her way as she put her right arm around Betty, hugged and their cheeks touched. "Betty, it's great to see you again. I've missed you. You may not realize it, but it was twenty years ago today when I last saw you. I've pined for you ever since. For something that could never be." "She gave her beloved Martha soft, sweet kisses. "I ask for nothing more, my precious wife. You've given me so much love. And, you've taught me how to live a happier life. I so thankful." She lay down beside Martha and held her close." "Alex, when you slept with Sue, I forgave you and stayed. When you two-timed me with Marti, I let it go. I believe you when you said it would be the last time. I came back and we had a few weeks of sweet loving and companionship. Then you took Kristi." Jane was shouting and crying at the same time. "I know, Honey. I've been stupid too many times, but I'm over it. I don't want to lose you." Ruth looked at their hands and smiled. "Yours is a lovely warm hand; means you've got a warm heart. I like that and, Samantha, I like you very much. You're sweet." Her golden eyes held Samantha's then leaned to kiss Samantha softly, quickly; then she smiled again."
About the Author: Ann Gross Patterson, now living in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. with her partner/wife of fourteen years awaits the day when her state will join sixteen other states to allow gay marriage. They own their home and have pets including two small dogs, one adopted cat, a cottontail rabbit, four laying hens and a pet turkey named T-Bird. Ann, a teenager in the 1950's, knew her romantic heart was different than her sister's who was 'boy crazy' and had a boyfriend from her early teens. Ann knew she had a 'girl crush' on various girls, then women; even so, she married a man who pursued her throughout her college years because the pressure from parents, church and society. She divorced after sixteen years and three wonderful children, when her husband became abusive. After raising her children as a single mother and her first grandson his final teen years, she followed her heart and came out publicly as a lesbian. From that day forward, she has remained proud and happy as the lesbian she had always known she was. Her children accepted her decision and continued to love and accept her as they always had. Ann began writing at the age of sixty-nine and found her primary genre to be lesbian romance. Her stories tell about ordinary women, lesbians whose hearts are naturally attracted to women, not men. The characters in her stories live real lives in ordinary homes, facing real and ordinary problems while sharing the same romantic love known by heterosexual/straight couples. Together they purchase homes, enjoy pets of all kinds, go to church when accepted at the church of their choice, take vacations, grill steaks on the patio, face their problems and contribute to their communities while also enjoying the company of gay friends and straight friends and neighbors. Her stories are written not only for lesbians and their friends but also for Questioning youth, Just Out women and for family members of gays and lesbians who desire to understand the ordinary lives of gay couples. Ann graduated from Modesto High School and Fresno State University, both in California, and taught "Creative Writing" to eighth grade students starting in 1960. From that day she intended to write a book but put it off for fifty years. Today, she encourages anyone who has ever said, "Someday I'm going to write a book" to do it now instead of waiting for the years to pass. She served in official capacity as management for numerous nonprofit organizations in Idaho before moving to Oregon.