Female Authors in SFF

Soapbox time.  You've been warned.

First, some relevant links:
VIDA: a look at statistics involving women authors, reviewers, and reviews.  (Lots of graphics for the not-statistically-minded.)
Strange Horizons: a look at the same in the science fiction and fantasy genre.
Author Keri Sperring on "Why I Started #womentoread": in which a sff author asks for recommendations of female sff authors to give to people who may be missing them because of a lack of marketing promotion.

Now that you're up to date, I hope we can all agree that there is a discrepancy in that data, namely that women are under-represented in reviews relative to the number of books they publish.  From my experience as a bookseller, there are two types of books: frontlist titles (i.e. those on display, usually easy to spot because you see the cover instead of the spine) and backlist titles (i.e. on the shelves).  In a brick & mortar store, frontlist titles are the overwhelming majority of sales.  A former manager of mine once quoted frontlist as 70% or more of the sales for the store; in the children's department I ran, that was definitely true (we were required to keep weekly sales logs, so I had the data to prove this).  So, if your books are only in backlist, your sales will be commensurately lower.  I know from 5 years' experience that simply putting a book or series on a display does increase its volume sold, regardless of price.

The internet and social media can be a powerful tool for equalizing the playing field between traditional marketing and deserving authors.  Marketing is all about an information disadvantage: the marketers or retailers know what you've been buying, how much an item actually costs to produce, and whether you can get it elsewhere.  They set their prices and displays to encourage you to think you need it right here, right now.  The internet can let you know that you do have a choice.  Your expenditures in retail are tracked and stores respond!

I don't have a twitter account, so here's my contribution to Sperring's #womentoread request.  I have read and enjoyed every one of these authors immensely.

Mary Robinette Kowal: Alternate history fantasy novels set in Regency-era England; her portrayal of that society and the characters within it are really exquisite.

Anne Bishop: dark fantasy, particularly known for her powerful characters.

Kate Elliott: epic fantasy, fantastic characters, and a serious look at the societal forces that shape a person.

Robin Hobb: epic fantasy, complex characters who change realistically with events.

Kate Forsyth: Celtic fantasy, sword & sorcery, great page turners.

Jacqueline Carey: alternate history/mythology fantasy, set in Europe (mostly...).  Great spy & intrigue novels.

Trudi Canavan: high fantasy, lots of magic, easy reading that really pulls you along.

Madeleine L'Engle: probably the first female sff author I ever read.  Mostly children's/YA work, magic-within-our-world plots.  A great entry point for younger readers.

Karen Traviss: I've only read her Star Wars work (although her own novels are on my to-read list) but, even by non-SW Expanded Universe standards, her books are excellent.  She fabricated a whole culture and populated with realistic characters who react and grow into it.

C. S. Friedman: Epic, high, dark fantasy; mind stretching sci-fi.  I cannot recommend her highly enough to fans of "traditional" sff.

These are just the ones I read and liked.  There are so many others that may speak to you!  Browse those bookshelves or use a dedicated reading site like Goodreads to find a recommendation!

Three Weeks!

Wow, I have not blogged in a long time.  Almost like I've been busy or crazily exhausted in the last few weeks...

First, I've finished a couple more books since my last post.  As always, my reviews are on Goodreads; this month I read The Wise Man's Fear (5 stars) and The Forgotten Garden (3.5 stars).  Wise Man's Fear was the second really excellent book I've read this year and Forgotten Garden is my latest book club read, which I think will yield some very interesting discussion!

Second, I haven't hyperlink spammed you recently:

• Elementary Math vs. The Real World - You'll be unsurprised to see how disconnected they are.
• Good Social Science - Were you aware there's a growing epidemic of whooping cough (pertussis) in this country?  If not, you should be, especially if you have young children.  This short article makes a great point about people who cannot vaccinate because of health complications.  If you can (and most people can), please vaccinate.
• Bad Science (i.e. NOT science) - What are all those researchers doing when we can just use how people feel about radiation to make judgments?  ~sigh~
• Sad Science - Well, not so much sad as disappointing.  Evolutionary theory is better proven than Newtonian theory.  No, really.  I'd love to see a similar survey from past years for comparison.
• Science & Society - This is a longer interview with the author of Panic Virus, a book about the autism/vaccine scare and what caused and propagated it (I have not read the book).  Fascinating mostly because the author fully acknowledges something that most scientists overlook: anti-vaccine (and anti-science) movements are popular because they give people answers, even if they're wrong answers.  Regardless, it's an interesting look at how misinformation gains credibility and the role that major media plays with its lack of fact checking.

Okay, that's a lot of science, but it's all relevant and readable and interesting, I promise.

And lastly, I have planned another financial post in honor of what would have been our debt payoff next month.  Coming soon!

Book Issues

This month the book club I'm part of is reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie.  I sort of wish it was here this morning because it is storming outside.  It is so gray and nasty, the perfect day to cuddle up on the couch with hot tea and a long book.

Speaking of long books, I recently finished Terry Goodkind's Wizard's First Rule.  As you can see in my review, I was un-enthused.  Very disappointing, as I had several friends whose opinions I trust recommend this series.  I'm pushing through the second one, Stone of Tears, which seems to be picking up a bit, but even on this rainiest of days, I don't feel compelled to read it.

What I'd really like to be reading is the penultimate Wheel of Time door-stopper, Towers of Midnight.  I tried to order it last night, along with this month's book club selection.  On Amazon, the order came to around $24.50 and on Barnes & Noble, $26.03.  Those of you familiar with online ordering know that I wanted to order from B&N because I would get free shipping.  So I put both books in my online cart and, lo and behold, the price of Towers of Midnight dropped by $1.42.  Which would normally be great, but this time would in fact cost me $4.98 in shipping, a losing deal.  I'm not going to the store to pay full price for either book, so I guess I'll wait a few days and see if either book price increases by $0.39.  Only I could be upset at prices dropping!

So instead of reading today, I'm applying for a new job.  Wish me luck...

The Way of Kings

First I'd like to do a little dance to the tune "I'm done, I'm done, I'm done!"  Because The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson is, after all, a 1,007 page book.  Fortunately, it didn't feel that long, maybe more like 700 pages.  Which is still long, but not as long... more like two regular novels rather than three.

The Way of Kings has three main characters: a general, a slave, and a scholar.  It has religions, magics, science, history, visions, thieves, aristocracy, soldiers, slaves, characters who know too much, characters who know too little, romance, treachery, battles, betrayal, and so many twists you'll see some and think you're safe (you're not).  I love the scholar, the heretic atheist Jasnah, and her apprentice, the questioning devout with an agenda Shallan.  They're a brilliantly written pair of women, particularly Jasnah, who strikes the perfect balance of surety and uncertainty that is present in scientific thinkers of all ages.

This is a book that's obviously going to appeal to fantasy fans, especially those with a history of enjoying the epic fantasy sub genre (think door-stopper books).  But I have a small plea, if I may: Try it.  Yes, it's 1,007 pages.  Yes, it's full-blown high, epic fantasy.  Yes, it's the first of a ten(?) book series.  Yes, there are some made up words and odd names.  Despite all that, or perhaps because of the author's skill with those traits, it's a wonderful Story.  No fiction or mystery or romance author world-builds like this and it reveals something subtle about the way you and I perceive life.  Besides, if you don't like it, think of all the hassle you'll save yourself by not being able to buy the rest of the as yet unwritten, unpublished series!

My more complete review can be found here on Goodreads (minor spoiler warning).

Review of Assassin's Quest

Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Assassin's Quest is a strong finish to Hobb's Farseer trilogy. As with the other two books, the best component of this one is the author's ability to let you see through FitzChivalry's eyes and mind.

This book is a bit different than the first two in that the main conflict (the Red Ships) takes a back seat to Fitz's personal journey, which made it slower to get into. There's much less of the unreliable narrator technique, as Fitz puts all the pieces together by the end. However, after a slightly slow start, I was quickly drawn back in to being Fitz. I just can't say enough about how this book made me feel what Fitz felt; when he was burnt out, I was exhausted; when he was betrayed, I felt betrayed. Hobb does a phenomenal job of conveying Fitz's inner nature.

Definitely worth reading for fans of Hobb and for those who enjoyed the earlier two books.



View all my reviews

Book Review and a Two Week Break

This evening I reviewed a book I won through Goodreads' FirstReads program, Where Good Ideas Come From.  You can find the review here, where you'll discover that I enjoyed it immensely.

Today, by working through the whole weekend, I also finished my last assignment for my first class.  Yay!  I have a two week break until my next class starts.  I'm going to try to catch up on some sewing projects, so I'll probably be posting pictures of those next week.  Any suggestions on what to do with my time off?  Besides watch my Niners beat the Saints tomorrow, I mean.  ;-)