Hold out for the ones you know will love you....
There's a hashtag going around on Twitter - #undercovered - for women writers people think aren't covered or reviewed enough, are ignored in the book blogging and reporting world. I don't read huge numbers of reviews, so I can't tell you who is and is not getting reviewed. But it is true that writers who are women tend to get fewer reviews, smaller ad spaces, less of a budget for advertising. So I thought I'd talk about some of my favorite writers, who happen to be women, just presuming that they have been short shrifted somewhere. Most of this will be fantasy and YA, because that's what I love best.
Robin McKinley: I've raved about her lots before. If you've ever listened to me go on and on about fave authors, she's probably one I practically forced on you. It's because she's amazing. Her prose is smart but comfortable, and it always feels like slipping into a magical robe that you've had forever, but that always has surprises in its pockets. Careful, sometimes they bite. Try "Sunshine." try "Chalice," read "The Blue Sword," or "The Hero and the Crown." Read "Shadows" when it comes out this winter. Trust me. You won't be sorry. (I'd say read "Pegasus," so you can suffer with me through waiting for the next books, but, uh, that's your call. Beautiful story. But we don't get the rest of it till it's done. And it's not done.)
Megan Whalen Turner: Holy Blue Cats, if you haven't read this woman's books, are you missing out. "The Thief," "The Queen of Attolia," "The King of Attolia," and "A Conspiracy of Kings" are all set in the same gorgeous, quasi-medieval-Greek world, and I cannot rave enough about it. I don't want to spoil it for you. But you are in for a ride and a half, and if you don't come out of there loving and wanting to strangle Eugenides in equal measure ... I don't think it's possible to not want to strangle him. But he is one of the best characters in the history of ever, and the rest of the characters in those books fall in line right behind him, the Queens of the countries especially.
Tanya Huff: I think I might have, in one form or another, pretty much everything she's had published since the early 90s. And I reread them. She's funny, she works blue, her characters sass evil and evil sasses them right back, when it isn't just confused by the whole sass thing. And when the characters are done being sassy, they Kick. Ass. Recommend. Start anywhere. Work from the inside out. (The Gale Girls series is pretty recent, and if you want, er, a lot of blue, so to speak, I think that will deliver. Plus magic and dragons and seriously demented family politics. Have fun!) (Uh, not YA, obvs)
Anne McCaffery: I grew up reading Anne McCaffery. And while some of the books I loved when I was a teenager are a little, er, harder to read now, I cut my writing teeth on her characters and world building. I think the Pern series, as huge and occasionally problematic as it is, has some amazing gems in it. And while we didn't used to call it YA, the "DragonSinger" part of that series fits the bill pretty well.
Sarah Rees Brennan: This lady pushes all of my "HELLS YES" buttons, while gleefully making me sob like a sobbing thing. And then laughing like a laughing thing. And then shake my fist like a ... fist shaking thing. "The Demon's Lexicon" series is fantastic, and will break you. A couple of times. Which means you won't be so surprised when "Unspoken," the first in her new series, does the same thing, and you find yourself begging for the next one. Piteously. While she cackles. And you will take it, because her books are like crack. (And not the Irish word meaning a good time, although, uh, that too. When you're not sobbing.) Follow her on twitter, read her blog. She's smart, funny, and will steal your book-buying soul. In a good way.
N.K. Jemisin: I have only just started reading her books, and I will devour them all like bread. DELICIOUS, SOUL BURNING BREAD. Except I can't read her stuff when I'm writing, as I don't want her style to bleed through, 'cuz that would be stealing, so that's problematic. Look for "The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms." Or anything, really.
Kate DiCamillo: What can I say about her? She's poetic, mesmerizing. Her books are like fables you almost forgot you knew, but have never heard. I love her phrases, I love her characters. I want to dive in and swim in the words. "The Magician's Elephant" was so gorgeous, I wanted to make a fort out of the book and live in it. In a weird way. And "The Tiger Rising" just made me cry. Magical.
Octavia Butler: I'm not sure she's #undercovered in the SF world, but she's #undercovered from a broad standpoint. For a long time, she was the only writer who was a woman of color that I knew about, who was popularly published. And she was awesome, if bleak. So bleak. But her writing is brilliant, and I can't argue with brilliant. I miss her voice in our community. "Kindred" is the novel she's best known for. I started the 'Lillith's Brood' series but was overwhelmed by sadness. I really enjoyed "Fledgling."
Kage Baker: I absolutely love her books. I am so sad she died. Read anything and everything of hers, if you like science fiction with a maniacal twist. Start with "In the Garden of Iden." Eat some chocolate.
Patricia Briggs: OK, most people probably love her for her Mercy Thompson series, which I love too. But my absolute fave of everything of hers, is the Dragon Bones duology. "Dragon Bones" and Dragon Blood" - I can't get enough of them. Cagey, abused hero. Kick ass heroine. (Although she's more prominent in the second book. I have to admit I found them and read them out of order, so I was expecting her earlier in the first book. Still ... she's the Best. Ever.)
Alaya Dawn Johnson: I've only read two books by her. I will buy more. The most recent is "The Summer Prince." If you like science fiction, you won't be disappointed.
Nina Kiriki Hoffman: Her writing, to me, is like discovering a memory of magic you'd forgotten, but still somehow feels like home. Like someone who's never seen water having a muscle memory for swimming. It's like that. Sort of. Anyway, read "A Fistful of Sky," you'll see what I mean.
OK, so that's ... a few. And it's only scratching the surface. So many more writers, so many more women, so much more awesome. And I know - most of these women are white, most are mature (meaning older than 25). A couple have passed away. They are the first ones to come to mind as far as faves go. I'm getting new favorites all the time. Some of these women are relatively well-known in certain genre circles. But are they #undercovered? I would argue that mostly they are. Octavia Butler is a huge hero to many women writers in the SF community. But how well is she known outside of it? (Note: I don't actually know the answer to that.)
This was just to get me thinking. And I realized the huge list of writers I love, and the even huger list of writers I keep meaning to get around to, but haven't. So a pledge to myself - Hey, Me. Let's read a couple of those women you looked up from this hashtag. You know the ones. Nalo Hopkinson. Nnedi Okorafor. Lauren Buekes. Sharon Creech. Dia Reeves. Pam Munuz Ryan. Leah Bobet. Robin Wasserman. Rae Carson. ... OK, yeah, those. After you finish this novel. After.
Robin McKinley: I've raved about her lots before. If you've ever listened to me go on and on about fave authors, she's probably one I practically forced on you. It's because she's amazing. Her prose is smart but comfortable, and it always feels like slipping into a magical robe that you've had forever, but that always has surprises in its pockets. Careful, sometimes they bite. Try "Sunshine." try "Chalice," read "The Blue Sword," or "The Hero and the Crown." Read "Shadows" when it comes out this winter. Trust me. You won't be sorry. (I'd say read "Pegasus," so you can suffer with me through waiting for the next books, but, uh, that's your call. Beautiful story. But we don't get the rest of it till it's done. And it's not done.)
Megan Whalen Turner: Holy Blue Cats, if you haven't read this woman's books, are you missing out. "The Thief," "The Queen of Attolia," "The King of Attolia," and "A Conspiracy of Kings" are all set in the same gorgeous, quasi-medieval-Greek world, and I cannot rave enough about it. I don't want to spoil it for you. But you are in for a ride and a half, and if you don't come out of there loving and wanting to strangle Eugenides in equal measure ... I don't think it's possible to not want to strangle him. But he is one of the best characters in the history of ever, and the rest of the characters in those books fall in line right behind him, the Queens of the countries especially.
Tanya Huff: I think I might have, in one form or another, pretty much everything she's had published since the early 90s. And I reread them. She's funny, she works blue, her characters sass evil and evil sasses them right back, when it isn't just confused by the whole sass thing. And when the characters are done being sassy, they Kick. Ass. Recommend. Start anywhere. Work from the inside out. (The Gale Girls series is pretty recent, and if you want, er, a lot of blue, so to speak, I think that will deliver. Plus magic and dragons and seriously demented family politics. Have fun!) (Uh, not YA, obvs)
Anne McCaffery: I grew up reading Anne McCaffery. And while some of the books I loved when I was a teenager are a little, er, harder to read now, I cut my writing teeth on her characters and world building. I think the Pern series, as huge and occasionally problematic as it is, has some amazing gems in it. And while we didn't used to call it YA, the "DragonSinger" part of that series fits the bill pretty well.
Sarah Rees Brennan: This lady pushes all of my "HELLS YES" buttons, while gleefully making me sob like a sobbing thing. And then laughing like a laughing thing. And then shake my fist like a ... fist shaking thing. "The Demon's Lexicon" series is fantastic, and will break you. A couple of times. Which means you won't be so surprised when "Unspoken," the first in her new series, does the same thing, and you find yourself begging for the next one. Piteously. While she cackles. And you will take it, because her books are like crack. (And not the Irish word meaning a good time, although, uh, that too. When you're not sobbing.) Follow her on twitter, read her blog. She's smart, funny, and will steal your book-buying soul. In a good way.
N.K. Jemisin: I have only just started reading her books, and I will devour them all like bread. DELICIOUS, SOUL BURNING BREAD. Except I can't read her stuff when I'm writing, as I don't want her style to bleed through, 'cuz that would be stealing, so that's problematic. Look for "The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms." Or anything, really.
Kate DiCamillo: What can I say about her? She's poetic, mesmerizing. Her books are like fables you almost forgot you knew, but have never heard. I love her phrases, I love her characters. I want to dive in and swim in the words. "The Magician's Elephant" was so gorgeous, I wanted to make a fort out of the book and live in it. In a weird way. And "The Tiger Rising" just made me cry. Magical.
Octavia Butler: I'm not sure she's #undercovered in the SF world, but she's #undercovered from a broad standpoint. For a long time, she was the only writer who was a woman of color that I knew about, who was popularly published. And she was awesome, if bleak. So bleak. But her writing is brilliant, and I can't argue with brilliant. I miss her voice in our community. "Kindred" is the novel she's best known for. I started the 'Lillith's Brood' series but was overwhelmed by sadness. I really enjoyed "Fledgling."
Kage Baker: I absolutely love her books. I am so sad she died. Read anything and everything of hers, if you like science fiction with a maniacal twist. Start with "In the Garden of Iden." Eat some chocolate.
Patricia Briggs: OK, most people probably love her for her Mercy Thompson series, which I love too. But my absolute fave of everything of hers, is the Dragon Bones duology. "Dragon Bones" and Dragon Blood" - I can't get enough of them. Cagey, abused hero. Kick ass heroine. (Although she's more prominent in the second book. I have to admit I found them and read them out of order, so I was expecting her earlier in the first book. Still ... she's the Best. Ever.)
Alaya Dawn Johnson: I've only read two books by her. I will buy more. The most recent is "The Summer Prince." If you like science fiction, you won't be disappointed.
Nina Kiriki Hoffman: Her writing, to me, is like discovering a memory of magic you'd forgotten, but still somehow feels like home. Like someone who's never seen water having a muscle memory for swimming. It's like that. Sort of. Anyway, read "A Fistful of Sky," you'll see what I mean.
OK, so that's ... a few. And it's only scratching the surface. So many more writers, so many more women, so much more awesome. And I know - most of these women are white, most are mature (meaning older than 25). A couple have passed away. They are the first ones to come to mind as far as faves go. I'm getting new favorites all the time. Some of these women are relatively well-known in certain genre circles. But are they #undercovered? I would argue that mostly they are. Octavia Butler is a huge hero to many women writers in the SF community. But how well is she known outside of it? (Note: I don't actually know the answer to that.)
This was just to get me thinking. And I realized the huge list of writers I love, and the even huger list of writers I keep meaning to get around to, but haven't. So a pledge to myself - Hey, Me. Let's read a couple of those women you looked up from this hashtag. You know the ones. Nalo Hopkinson. Nnedi Okorafor. Lauren Buekes. Sharon Creech. Dia Reeves. Pam Munuz Ryan. Leah Bobet. Robin Wasserman. Rae Carson. ... OK, yeah, those. After you finish this novel. After.