A GLBT Month 2007 interview with Sara Ryan, author of Empress of the World.

For writing about queer characters, I'd have to say Alison Bechdel. I've been reading her work since the early days of Dykes to Watch Out For.

Compared to when you started writing, how do you feel the YA market treats GLBT lit today? How about GLBT authors?

I think there's more of a sense now that there's a significant audience/market out there for GLBT YA books. However, I think GLBT authors -- and authors whose work features queer characters, whatever their own sexual identity may be -- are still much less likely to, for instance, get invited to do a lot of school visits. Kudos to the progressive schools that do invite us! :)

Name and describe 3 must-read books for GLBT teens (and yes, one of your books can be in there!).

My Heartbeat, by Garret Freymann-Weyr. Ellen is totally madly in love with her brother Link's best friend, James. Is Link?

Definition and Potential, by Ariel Schrag. These two autobiographical graphic novels about a queer girl surviving high school in the Bay Area were created while the author was in high school. Schrag is now writing for "The L Word."

And gosh, since you said it was okay, I'll throw in Empress of the World, memorably summarized on the New York Public Library's Books For The Teen Age list: "Girls find kissing easier than talking."

If you weren't an author, what would you be doing?

I'm still doing it! I'm also a librarian.

Has a fan's story ever touched you as much as your stories have touched them?

All the time. Perhaps unsurprisingly, since Empress is set at a gifted and talented summer program, I hear from a lot of girls who met their girlfriends at -- yes -- gifted and talented programs! I'm always pleased and honored to hear the stories.

Do you have any advice for young GLBT writers? Teen writers in general?

The same advice I give all writers. Read a lot. Write a lot. And a supportive critique group can be really great.

Early GLBT YA books were often categorized as "problem" novels and primarily featured characters that were white. Today's books feature many minorities and, in many ways, can be looked at as more "mainstream". What do you think will happen in GLBT lit in the next five to ten years?

I am really bad at predictions. But here's what I'd like to see: more books with characters from different cultures & backgrounds, more books focused on the B and T aspects of GLBT, more sf, fantasy, and graphic novels with queer characters, and most importantly, more books in which being queer isn't the whole point, but instead is treated as one aspect of a character's identity.

Even today, there seem to be fewer books published about lesbian or bisexual teens than about male homosexual teens. Why do you think that is? Do you think this will change?

It's a great question, but I have no idea. I hope it changes!

Many straight teens devour and enjoy GLBT YA lit just as much as the GLBT teens it is ostensibly targeted towards. As an author, has this surprised you? What do you think it means for our future and the future of today's GLBT teens?

It doesn't really surprise me. Teens are exploring identity, and reading GLBT lit is one way to explore. And of course, a good story is a good story. Just like you don't have to be African-American to enjoy books by authors like Angela Johnson or Jacqueline Woodson, you don't have to be queer to enjoy GLBT lit. Re what it means for the future: I think it's always a good sign when people want to read outside of their immediate experience.