Rita Mae Brown

“Rita Mae Brown: (1944-) American novelist, poet, and screenwriter. Brown’s first novel, Rubyfruit Jungle (1873), was a surprise best-seller, establishing her as an important voice of feminism and lesbianism. Rubyfruit Jungle and Brown’s second book, Six of One (1978) are humorous semiautobiographical works, praised for their wit and vitality. Sudden Death (1983), set in the world of women’s professional tennis, was a departure both in its subject matter and sober, plain style. Brown returned to comic novels about relationships with High Hearts (1986) and Bingo (1988), before trying her hand at a mystery novel, Wish You Were Here (1990). Brown rejects the label of ‘lesbian writer,’ preferring to be identified simply as a writer. Her volumes of poetry include Songs to a Handsome Woman (1973).”

Excerpted from: Murphy, Bruce, ed. Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia, Fourth Edition. New York: Harper Collins, 1996.