'As a Lover' & 'Exploring the Wreck': (Re)creating the lesbian past through historical fiction

It tells the story of the impact of the publication and subsequent banning of Radclyffe Hall’s 'The Well of Loneliness' (1928), which is considered to be the first overtly lesbian novel in English. It was banned for obscenity in 1928, within months of publication.

The title of my novel is taken from one of the very few explicit lines in The Well, “she kissed her full on the lips, as a lover.” The story is told from the perspectives of Maggie Dillon, an invented character, and Radclyffe Hall, a real historical figure. Maggie is a young firefighter, originally from Belfast, whose life is influenced by The Well, and Radclyffe Hall is The Well’s author. Through these different perspectives I explore the connection between historical fiction and the lesbian past for both real historical figures and events and purely imaginary ones, whilst also representing issues of interest to a contemporary audience such as the impact of religiously inspired homophobia on lesbian self-identity. 'As a Lover' is embargoed for five years and subject to a future review decision in January 2027.<br><br>CRITICAL COMPONENT <br>‘Exploring the Wreck’ considers the issues involved in (re)creating the lesbian past through historical fiction.