The stories I have shared so far touch upon lessons learned thanks to the women in genre or the strength I have gained through the friendship and talent of these women. You can say continuity has an established role in my life, though not every encounter with a brilliant talent grows into a relationship. Its beauty lies within its brief brilliance (can I get bonus points for alliteration?) and such is the case with Tammy Moore, better (if) known as T.A. Moore. Read More [Women in Genre, Day 17] Tammy Moore and Painting with Words
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For the longest of times, I have considered myself a reviewer rather than a writer. As I’ve spoken about it, it’s reviewing that introduced me to genre and its authors. I have roots in reviewing and the people I have interacted with still remain dear friends. I will perhaps remember my days as a reviewer with the awe I felt every time I saw what The Book Smugglers did with their blog. The dynamic duo stars Ana Grilo and Thea James (technically two women, but you don’t talk about the individual components of a deity, now do you) who have been the most industrious reviewers on the scene. Read More [Women in Genre, Day 16] The Book Smugglers and Reading Domination
I can’t discuss my influences without mentioning Diana Pho (or Ay-leen the Peacemaker), who runs the excellent blog project Beyond Victoriana – a wonderful blog dedicated to steampunk in its non-Western incarnations. Multiculturalism in genre has picked up the pace in the last couple of years, but Diana has been leading a similar discussion within the boundaries of the steampunk sub-genre and movement, which to a point has been associated more with cosplay and a sense of artistry rather than a set literary tradition. Read More [Women in Genre, Day 15] Diana Pho and the Clockwork Thought
When you think of genre, you often associate it with books and rarely think about comic books, because comic books are peculiar and have often been separated from general SFF-dom. It’s true superhero-centric stories are in themselves a peculiar sub-genre as they rely on a narrative based on a sense of grandeur and over-the-top stakes. It’s do or die. Villains are outrageous. Heroes are expected to ascend beyond the flawed human nature. Read More [Women in Genre, Day 14] Gail Simone and the Birds of Prey
It’s Saturday, the first day in two weeks, I have had some free time to rest, catch up on TV series and even read. Having almost to no free time has become feature presentation in my life. When I think my schedule has grown too overpopulated, I look over at Jaym Gates, Queen of Deadlines, Slayer of Schedules. Gates is perhaps the most industrious woman in genre I’ve met and she has contributed a lot to the whole US scene. I certainly can’t imagine what genre would be without her being involved in it. Read More [Women in Genre, Day 13] Jaym Gates - The Queen of Deadlines
Theresa Bazelli is a newcomer to the genre scene. She has some short fiction published, but has yet to establish a name in. Quintessentially, I’m her equal. We are both young hopefuls with eyes towards a brighter tomorrow* and creative realization, because there’s nothing more profound than validation of your dream – it means you’ve won in life. As cliché as it sounds, chasing THE dream is a journey and although the final destination matters, it’s all about the person you end up gossiping with at the back of the bus while the driver is trying to fix the AC – the driver is an old corgi with a tail-chasing habit.** Read More [Women in Genre, Day 12] Theresa Bazelli – the Alpha & the Beta
The Internet has its ways to connect people and I’m not sure whether I first met Juliette Wade as a person on Twitter and then discovered her wonderful blog or discovered the blog and thought it would be neat to meet the owner. Either way, I’m very glad I crossed paths with Juliette as she is a fine lady of genre – fun, kind-hearted and the most knowledgeable storyteller I’ve ever seen. Read More [Women in Genre, Day 11] Juliette Wade and Builders of Worlds
I have decided to talk about Silvia Moreno-Garcia, who ties nicely with the Lovecraftian vibes I picked up yesterday with Carrie Cuinn’s “Cthuhlurotica”, seen as how Moreno Garcia runs the fabulous Innsmouth Free Press – a micro-publisher working with Lovecraftian horror and Weird genre stories. I met Silvia through Twitter and stayed on as a fiction reviewer and reviewed the second season of The Walking Dead for their blog.* Read More [Women in Genre, Day 10] Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Cultural Diversity
I discovered Carrie Cuinn as an editor first and a writer later. Both instances concern short story as a form and my deep appreciation to Cuinn’s talent. My introduction came with a copy sent to me as part of my gig as a reviewer for the short-lived Rise Reviews project aimed at promoting small presses and their work. Ultimately, the project failed, but what I received was one of the best anthologies in genre I’ve read – “Cthuhlurotica”. Read More [Women in Genre, Day 9] Carrie Cuinn and Dark Wonders
I don’t know why, but I have a thing for fairy tales. Despite most female characters in fairy tales fall in two categories – subordinate, good girls or wicked, petty monsters of women, I’m drawn to the aesthetic, the narrative and the outcome. Perhaps it’s the novelty to magic and trickery or the economic style where few words are needed to dress a horror in.
Read More [Women in Genre, Day 8] Angela Slatter & the Retelling of Fairy Tales