By Elizabeth CostelloSpecial to Lesbian.comIn my debut novel, The Good War, I weave two intertwining stories, capturing the complexities of two womens lives, with lyrical prose that resonates deeply. From the very first page, the narrative will pull you in, blending emotional depth that keeps you turning the pages.In mid 20th century America, a mother and daughter pursue science, art, autonomy, and agency in a male-dominated, war-damaged world.In 1948, Louise Galle, a chemist and former Rosie-the-Riveter, is pursued by a mysterious veteran who brings a question from her deceased husband, with whom he was a prisoner of war in the Philippines. In New York City in 1964, Louises daughter Charlotte eschews a conventional path falling for the butch lesbian next door and discovering an undeniable call to make art.I will be reading at Fabulousa Books (SF) on February 25th and at Bird and Beckett (SF) on February 27th with Rent Romusn to kick off my book tour. I will also be in Oakland, Portland, New York City and Los Angeles at AWP. Head on over to my website for more information.Lesbian.com: What inspired you to writeThe Good War ?The novel has roots in my familys WWII experience and in my own experience as a gay person and a woman feelingan undeniableurge to make art. My mother was raised by two widows who had lost their husbands in that war, which seems to beget endless American cultural products in part because our role in it is viewed as uncomplicated and essentially good. But its not that simple, of course. Ive always been drawn to noir in film the post war shadow to the great victory and this novel started as a work of feminist noir. It focused on Louise Galle, a character based on my grandmother, who was a Rosie the Riveter and then a chemist at the NIH after the war. But then Louises daughter Charlotte showed up and made demands. I found her in NYC in 1964 falling for the butch next door and discovering her own creative path. I found in my own life as well that finding the right person to love was an important part of finding my way creatively.The Good War was informed by a collection of letters that your aunt shared with you, including some from your grandfather, who wrote from a prisoner of war camp in the Philippines.Would you be able to share more information about these letters? Id love to learn more about them.At one point while The Good War was in its early stages, my aunt sent me a collection of letters among family members that were sent before and during WWII. There were several from my grandfather Thompson Brooke Maury III, who was a prisoner at Cabanatuan Prison in the Philippines, to my grandmother, Priscilla Bunker Maury, who was at that time working at Lockheed in Burbank, first on the production line with other Rosie the Riveters, and then as an industrial designer. In one letter he asks my grandmother why she doesnt write to him. In the collection of letters that I have, I did not find any from her to him. That doesnt mean there werent any in real life, but for a fiction writer this question is a gem a perfect through line for the plot. Why didnt she write to him? In The Good War, Kit Blunt, the amputee veteran who pursues Louise Galle is motivated largely by an intense desire for an answer to that question Kit wants to know why she didnt write to her husband, his friend and fellow prisoner, Roland Galle.You speak about music and its connection to The Good War. Can you share some songs for a playlist?In regards to the playlist, I dont quite yet have a full one, but in the Purple Heart sections set in 1964, Charlotte Galle becomes obsessed with Eric Dolphys Out to Lunchwhich becomes a kind of soundtrack as she walks through NYC and draws sketches for the sculptures she is beginning to build as she taps a latent creative impulse. Out to Lunch has a narrative propulsion that reflects my own dream of NYC at that midcentury moment when old habits of making were being challenged and new idioms were emerging. Charlotte wants to make a new life for herself, free of the restrictions placed on her by her family and by society at large. Jazz is a language she cant speak, but it speaks to her and opens her creativeconsciousness, just as her first lesbian love affair reveals to her a truer personal path. Her lover Gil and Eric Dolphy and other jazz masters inspire her to live in line with her creative and sexual desire, rather than sleeping at the wheel of her life.What books have influencedThe Good War?Caroline BlackwoodsGreat Granny Websterwas a big source of inspiration for me. Its such a sad and funny book in which WWII is a sort of first cause of struggles thatplay out over successive generationsof a dysfunctional aristocraticEnglish/Anglo Irish family. I was particularly excited by its structure,which unfurls around a question towhich the narrator seeks an answer. In my book, a wounded veteran pursuesLouise with a question that serves as a throughline to the plot.The character of Gil, who Charlotte falls in love with, is informed by Leslie FeinbergsStone Butch Blues,which I think should be on required reading lists for 20th century American lit. It offers up a nuanced view of the life of a working class butch lesbian a point of view/life experience that I think is sadly underrepresented.But you know, there are many, many books that have led me to this book.If you could hang out with any writer working today, who would it be?Thats a tricky question but Sarah Waters and Zadie Smith come to mind. Maybe I need to take a trip to London.Elizabeth Costello is a writer and arts organizer living in Portland, Oregon. She works (remotely) as editor for UC Berkeley. She holds a B.A. in Latin American Studies from Barnard College, an M.F.A. in writing from the University of San Francisco, and a teacher training certification from the Yoga Room in Berkeley. She has traveled widely and served as a writing advisor for graduate students and young people incarcerated in San Francisco Juvenile Hall. In recognition of her creative work, she has been a finalist for the James Jones First Novel Fellowship and the Pirates Alley William Faulkner Award.Elizabeth Costello: https://www.elizabethscostello.com/<b>Never miss a story!</b> Keep up to date on the latest news, arts, politics, entertainment, and nightlife. <link|https://www.ebar.com/pages.php?screenID=22017|Sign up> for the Bay Area Reporters free weekday email newsletter. Youll receive our newsletters and special offers from our community partners.<b>Support Californias largest LGBTQ newsroom.</b> Your one-time, monthly, or annual contribution advocates for LGBTQ communities. Amplify a trusted voice providing news, information, and cultural coverage to all members of our community, regardless of their ability to pay <link|https://ebar.ac-page.com/donate|Donate today!>The post The Good War by Elizabeth Costello first appeared on Lesbian.com.