LGBTQ+ Literature Lesbian Pulp Paperback Collection 1962 to 1968 Kimberly Kemp and Mid Century Queer Fiction

Lesbian Pulp Collection

Collection

Mid-century lesbian pulp paperback collection, 1962–1968, documents the circulation of same-sex desire, identity formation, and social marginalization within mass-market fiction at a time when lesbian life remained largely excluded from mainstream literary and public discourse. These novels provided widely accessible narratives through which readers encountered representations of queer relationships, often framed through melodrama, secrecy, and moral conflict. Promotional language foregrounds these tensions, with taglines such as “Joyce found her pleasure in the lap of another woman…even become a Lesbian prostitute,” “Her bedside manner was all to be desired by men and women,” and “They were drawn irresistibly into a web of passion no man could understand,” reflecting both sensational marketing strategies and the limited frameworks through which lesbian identity was depicted. Authors writing under pseudonyms, including Kimberly Kemp (Gilbert Fox) and Jessica Bayne (Norman Daniels), situate the collection within a publishing environment where queer subject matter was mediated through genre conventions and commercial anonymity.

Collection of five mass-market paperback novels published between 1962 and 1968, each approximately 4.25 x 7 inches and ranging from approximately 130 to 160 pages, with illustrated covers in pulp style frequently depicting paired female figures in interior or intimate settings. Titles include:
[1] Kemp, Kimberly. Lap of Luxury. New York: Tower Publications Inc., 1962. First edition. Narrative addressing same-sex desire within the context of prostitution and economic dependence.
[2] Kemp, Kimberly. Intimate Nurse. New York: Tower Publications, 1962. First edition, “First Printing Anywhere.” Story of a nurse engaged in relationships with both male and female patients.
[3] Holland, Kel. The Strange Young Wife. New York: Beacon-Signal Books, 1963. First edition. Plot follows a married woman entering a relationship with another woman.
[4] Bayne, Jessica. When Love Must Hide. New York: Domino Books, 1964. First edition. Narrative centered on familial rejection and displacement following the revelation of lesbian identity.
[5] Seran, Val (Curt Allen). Two-Way Girls. New York: Bee-Line Books, 1968. First edition. Story of a widow who forms a romantic relationship with a former acquaintance.

Produced in the years preceding the emergence of organized LGBTQ+ liberation movements in the late 1960s, these works align with a distinct phase of queer print culture in which pulp fiction functioned as one of the few widely available mediums for representing lesbian experience. The recurring themes of secrecy, social exclusion, and emotional conflict reflect broader societal attitudes, while the persistence of these narratives across multiple publishers demonstrates the commercial viability of the genre. As a grouped archive, the collection contributes to the study of sexuality, publishing history, and the role of popular literature in shaping early understandings of queer identity. Minor edge and spine wear consistent with handling; overall very good condition.

Item #20406

Price: $775.00