This week’s F/F Fiction Crossword Puzzle features so-called “toaster oven” romance novels—books about women who go through a process of self-discovery during the course of the book and figure out that they are not as straight as they previously assumed. Most of them find themselves attracted and fall in love with another woman for the very first time.
The “toaster oven” is an old joke within the LGBT+ community. To my knowledge, it originated when Ellen DeGeneres’s character on the 1990s sitcom Ellen came out as gay in the infamous “Puppy Episode” and her love interest was presented with a toaster oven as a reward for “turning her gay.”
Please note the quotation marks!
Attraction is complex, and some women discover their sexual orientation later in life, and for some, sexuality is fluid, but no one can turn another person into something they are not, and lesbians certainly aren’t out to “recruit” other women.
So please know that I use “toaster oven” as a name for this trope with the understanding that we’re poking fun at this stereotype, the way Ellen did.
If you haven’t seen the infamous episode of Ellen, here’s the scene I was referring to. By the way, the representative of Lesbian Headquarters handing out the toaster oven is played by no other than Melissa Etheridge.
How to win more ebooks!
For more chances to win ebooks, you can also still solve the previously published crossword puzzles. I’ll draw the winners of each puzzle exactly one month after I posted it, but even after that date, you’ll get an entry for the drawing of the grand prize at the end of the year if you send in your solution.
If you are discovering the F/F Fiction Crossword Challenge only now, you will also get a free ebook for solving your first puzzle–you will get Uncommon Emotions and one other WLW & lesbian fiction ebook. Read up on the rules and prizes, then come back here and try to solve the WLW & lesbian toaster oven romance puzzle.
So, here’s the WLW & lesbian toaster oven romances puzzle:
You can either download the crossword grid by right-clicking on the picture below or download the PDF with the crossword grid and the clues. You don’t necessarily need a printer to play. You don’t need to send in the filled-out puzzle; all you need to do is email me the solution phrase.
Here are the clues for the WLW & lesbian “toaster oven” romances puzzle:
- Damage Control by Jae: What pets does Lauren’s boss, Marlene, keep in her office?
- Ladyfish by Andrea Bramhall: What kind of instructor is Olivia Zuckerman?
- Big Girl Pill by KD Williamson: What was the name of the restaurant where Maya and Nina met for dinner?
- The Goodmans by Clare Ashton: What’s the name of the fiery matriarch?
- Substitute for Love by Karin Kallmaker: Holly has a bachelor’s degree in what subject?
- Kat’s Nine Lives by Laina Villeneuve: What does Wendy call Kat every time she calls?
- Uncommon Emotions by Lynn Galli: Which company department does Raven run?
- Wonder (I Found My Heart In San Francisco Book 23) by Susan X Meagher: What is Ryan’s eldest female cousin’s name?
- No Strings Attached by Harper Bliss: Which area of Sydney has Micky chosen to live in after her divorce?
- The Truth About Eve (An Eve Sumptor Novel) by Jourdyn Kelly: What is the last name of Eve’s therapist’s niece?
- A Tale of Spiders and Canned Soup by Kathy L Salt: What is Mika’s twin sister’s name?
- One Small Step by MA Binfield: In which city is the book set?
- Letters to Cupid by Miranda MacLeod: What does Valentina’s family sell in their shop?
- Rocks and Stars by Sam Ledel: Who’s the intriguing goalie Kyle meets on move-in day at University?
- Awakened by Fate by Lynn Lawler: What is the name of Jackie’s first fling?
Check back for hints
If you are struggling to solve the puzzle, check back this weekend. I’ll invite the authors to post hints in the comments section of this blog that will help you solve the puzzle. Some authors will also drop by my Facebook Reader Group to give you some hints.
Send me the solution to be entered into the drawing for the WLW & lesbian “toaster oven” romances puzzle
Once you solved the WLW & lesbian toaster oven romances puzzle, send me the solution phrase, and you’ll get a free ebook copy of Uncommon Emotions by Lynn Galli.
I’ll also enter you enter you into the drawing for an ebook copy of:
- The Goodmans by Clare Ashton
- No Strings Attached by Harper Bliss
To be entered into the drawing, send me the solution by May 2, 2020, 10 a.m. CET. I’ll draw the winners using a random numbers generator.
You’ll also be entered into the drawing for the grand prize at the end of the year, with a chance to win a book package, plus an autograph book full of autographs of popular WLW & lesbian fiction authors.
You’ll find my email address on my contact page.
Subscribe to this blog to get future F/F Fiction Crossword Challenge posts
If you’d like to get all future Crossword Challenge posts sent to your in-box, subscribe to my blog.
Happy reading and crossword-puzzling!
Jae
4 Responses
The Puppy episode was the best episode of the series! Do I need to say more? LOL 🐺✨
Hint for #1 (Damage Control): It’s a scaly creature, and it can be found in the excerpt of the book, which you can read on Amazon: https://relinks.me/B00VKMZR64
Hint #8 for “Wonder.” Ryan’s cousin’s name grew in popularity in Ireland over the years. It has become a bit of a joke, perhaps due to the success of a book that categorizes women with this name as having certain traits–all of which Ryan’s cousin has! I’m sure this clue won’t help anyone who doesn’t live in Ireland, and perhaps not even them, but giving a clue for a name is hard!
A hint for #5 can be found at my web site here: https://kallmaker.com/all-about/substitute-for-love/. Scroll down and tap the + next to “Excerpt.”