Tag: Women In SFF

Octavia Butler & the Freedom of SFF

It is just over a week ago that I returned from the International Science Fiction Convention, Worldcon 2024 in Glasgow, and what a magnificent few days it was. I have lots to catch up on and share, the sights and inspirations, but first I want to begin with a few thoughts on my latest read, a woman who kept me company for the convention, whose words have been ringing in my ears for many years, the wise and deeply human, Octavia Butler, whose ‘The Last Interview’ was a joy to read.

Octavia Butler was a survivor, a dreamer and a loner. She was painfully shy as an adolescent, dyslexic, and ‘probably’ gay was her literal answer to a direct question. Bloodchild was about male pregnancy. She enjoys working in SF for the freedom it offers, the ability to go into any technological or sociological problem and extrapolate from there. Her work is underpinned by concepts of power, told in worlds of different races, sexes and cultures, with interest in powerless people gaining power. A theme I very much identify with as a context for my own work.

I first read Octavia Butler when I was a young teen, starting with Kindred. Dana Frankin, a Black woman from an interracial marriage in LA in 1976, is mysteriously and repeatedly plucked back in time to 1824 Maryland and to a moral dilemma involving her white ancestor. The author describes how it was purposeful to give Dana a white husband, to complicate her life, and it was purposeful to make her lose her arm, to demonstrate that she could not come back whole from those experiences. The perspective is told from the viewpoint of not what it might have been like for her ancestors, but rather what it might be like for her, how slavery might reshape her emotionally, whether the compromises and capitulations she would have to make might destroy her, and if not, why not?

Octavia Butler speaks of striving to tell a good story, to take the reader to a world they haven’t seen before, one she has enjoyed creating. She subverts expectations about race, gender, and power, incorporating strong women, multiracial societies and aliens who challenge humanity’s penchant for destruction. In Bloodchild, she wanted to subvert expectation of the invasion story, often represented as humans colonising other planets and either facing aliens who resist, or who submit and become good servants. The author created another possibility in the Oankali, a centipede-like creature that you’re not supposed to regard as evil. It is a species that do not force or rush humans into mating but rather try to bring them in gradually. And in Adulthood Rites, the Oankali become convinced that they cannot destroy the humans who participate, and that humans deserve an untouched world of their own, even if it is Mars.

Octavia Butler advocated for write what you care about, rather than write what you know, (or what you think you know, which is often just regurgitating ideas you have been told, ideas you might tell yourself you believe, when in fact you don’t). Writing can push back against human laziness that is prone to stereotyping as a form of shorthand, that might be a way to deal more with the things we care about and less with the other, but it is reductive and can prevent us from discovering things we could want to know.

Last word:

“Feminism is freedom. It’s the freedom to be who you are and not who someone else wants you to be. And science fiction? Science fiction is wide open. You can go anywhere your imagination can go.”

xxx

A Season of SFF

The start of a busy week, following a busy bookish weekend, at a time of year I’ve come to think of as convention season. Saturday saw a day trip to Bristol, for this year’s BristolCon, and what a wonderful day! A great time was had in the dealer’s room, and in particular in our corner of the room alongside inspiring authors and innovative small presses. The lovely Josie Jaffrey, author of The Wolf and the Water, was a pleasure to chat to, as was Max Turner, writer and producer of the diverse press, A Coup of Owls. And of course it was a pleasure to meet and talk with readers at my own book table.

There was chance to give a reading to a roomful of fantasy lovers, swept away with Wanda’s hawk flight over the grasslands of Shendi, from The Warder, Book 2 of Blood Gift Chronicles. And it was great to take part in a panel that kicked off the day, answering that all-important question, how to turn an idea into a novel, or novella, or short story for that matter. It reminded me of my humble beginnings, living in a bedsit that was a beautiful, creative space, with a door that was covered in post-it notes scribbled with characters, settings, scenes, plots… notes that frequently got moved around, repositioned, added to, until a story was slowly taking shape. That story turned into Return of the Mantra, many, many drafts later.

Into this week and I’m looking forward to the coming weekend spent tucked up in my writing room for the four day online convention that is World Fantasy Con, live all the way from Kansas, a place that inspires the word, story. With authors from around the world, I love the international feel, and look forward to taking part in the programme, discussing representation, and in particular, disability.

For now, a moment to savour my current read, The Green Man’s Heir by Juliet E. McKenna, a simply magical read with a whole new contemporary feel to the folklore of Dryads.

What are you reading?

Wishing everyone a great week ahead…

Layers

Graced by warmer weather, I recently visited wisteria tunnel, lucky to catch it in full bloom. Eye-catching from a distance, intriguing up close, with a heady floral aroma that brings a hazy shift in time, fluctuating shades of purple that are mesmerising to the eye, and criss-crossing, weaving, winding branches with pathways to everywhere and nowhere… Combined with the surrounding parkland flora and fauna, and the human traffic strolling by with all of what we carry, and it’s a complex, layered scene. It’s an analogy I recently thought of, akin to storytelling.

Talk of worldbuilding to a SFF writer is like bread and butter. I deal in worlds, and within those worlds, different lives, perspectives, roads travelled, survival and future aspirations. There may be a thread I’m primed to process, a theme that motivates, but ultimately it starts with a world I’m keen to explore. Plots, characters, themes are common to all stories, but imaginative worlds are the reason we return. Once we have an idea of the world, we can build in elements of friction, stumbling blocks to weave stories around.

But first comes the world, underpinned by layers to forge a social, political, cultural identity. The identity of the aforementioned wisteria tunnel was the size, the majesty, the colour, the heady aroma, the movement, the interplay with its surroundings and visitors… The identity of a fictional world relies on a similar scope: beliefs, habits, communication, trade, language, love, laws… If you build a world with enough layers, it becomes immersive: a place that feels real, where you can visit. People don’t return to middle earth to see Frodo and Gollum battling over a ring at Mount Doom. They return for the colour, for the magic, for the sense of adventure contrasting with cosy feasts by enormous fires.

In my own Blood Gift Chronicles, layers come from cultural and geographical landscapes, with identities intrinsically linked to the natural world. History, mythology and belief bring texture, wildlife brings sound and aroma, art brings colour, and personal motivations bring drive. And there is no shortage of drive. And for the extra vibrancy comes magic in many forms, from the ethereal, the natural, to the apparent hierarchical, and yet nothing is as it seems in a complex world. I am a sucker for origin stories, ones that defy tropes, that are illuminating, enlightening and surprising. Not to mention venturing beyond the mundane with fantastical creatures pushing the boundaries, and providing magical metaphors for the world as we know it. Needless to say, I’m having fun with Book 3.

For now, it’s back to my characters, forging new paths, battling against powers that seem indestructible. And once again I’m reminded of the role stories play in serving as grounding metaphors.

‘We live in capitalism, its power seems inescapable – but then, so did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art. Very often in our art, the art of words.’

Ursula Le Guin

International Women’s Day 2023

A few reflections on this year’s International Women’s Day, when I had the opportunity to join a wonderful collaboration of women for Dreadnought South West’s Occupy the Airwaves, a day-long extravaganza celebrating women’s voices on radio. AND I was thrilled to share the session with the fabulous Mama Tokus, soul, jazz, blues & gospel singer, whose spirit is contagious, and spoken word creations bring rhyme, tune, & cheeky reflections: perfect snapshots of life as we know it.

For my part, I brought a love of women in SFF, and stories that provide a common language, that help break down barriers, and speak to the social commentary of the times. With a special request from Mama Tokus to chat Afrofuturism, it was a great opportunity to share some of my favourite authors of this genre of reclamation: own voices reclaiming history, land, future aspirations, pushing through glass ceilings, decolonising space, minds and literature. From the pioneering Octavia Butler, interrogating power dynamics of race and gender throughout her range of titles, to the indominable Nnedi Okorafor, writer of the Black Panther comics, whose range of work speaks to colour, invention and empowerment. Her brand is specifically Africanfuturism and Africanjujuism, phrases she coined: speculative fiction based in Africa from the Sudan, to Namibia to Nigeria, and many places between.

Ah, and there wasn’t enough time to mention so many other great names: Eugen Bacon, Renee Sheree Thomas, Rivers Solomon, NK Jemison, and Nisi Shawl (with her insightful and memorable read, Everfair – historical retelling of King Leopold in the Congo, exploring what might have happened if the indigenous Congolese had had access to steam power).

And after wandering through the meanderings of Afro-futurism, my first song choice was Vul’indela by Brenda Fassie – described as the queen of African pop, she was a South African singer who did amazing things raising money for HIV/AIDS. This song, sung in Zulu, is essentially about a mother who is relieved when her son gets married, because she thought he was a player..!

And the second song choice… it has to be Tracey Chapman, a lesbian icon, and her song ‘For my Lover’, about a relationship that nobody approves of, but against all odds, she’ll do it anyway.

Onto my own, Blood Gift Chronicles, a world where many worlds fit, with interconnecting landscapes and societies built around nature and magic. And of course, it’s always a pleasure to talk about Suni’s extraordinary journey: from the patriarchal backdrop of Return of the Mantra, where we see Suni’s frailties and strengths as she survives, loves, fights and learns to stand with her own agency, highlighting empowerment, self-belief, and finding your own inner strength; through the twists and turns of adulthood as the series progresses. Because from the beginning I was motivated to write complex women with agency, to reflect the cost of exploitation and corruption, to challenge stereotypes, subvert expectation, redefine notions of strong, and create diverse character arcs with relatable experiences. We can appreciate our frailties, we can not only survive but we can thrive, we can feel fear but be guided by hope and love. And as a writer and reader, I’m guided by the fact that representation matters. When we see ourselves represented, it’s empowering, validating, and gives that sense of belonging.

Have a great week!

For the Love of Books #20

The new year begins with a flurry of writing projects, and a stack of books just waiting to be devoured. I can’t wait to get stuck into my Xmas haul:

Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti series has been on the list for a while now, as I steadily devour everything this author has written from her ever-expanding wonderfully inventive collection. Which brings me to my ‘For the Love of Books’ book recommendations, both titles by this brilliant author.

Broken Places and Outer Spaces, By Nnedi Okorafor

Broken Places & Outer Spaces is an extraordinary, powerful and intimate biographical read. From star athlete with lifelong scoliosis, to a paralyzed patient following what should have been routine surgery, Nnedi Okorafor shares a journey she was forced to navigate. It was a battle that would ignite her passion for storytelling and the transformative power of imagination. It is a journey that, combined with her strong ties with Africa, in turn brought her back to science, allowing her to forge a connection with science fiction where previously she had felt disconnected.

‘In much of science fiction, when something breaks, something greater often emerges from the cracks. This is a philosophy that positions our toughest experiences, not as barriers, but as doorways, and may be the key to us becoming our truest selves.’

‘Inventive’ and ‘illuminating’ spring to mind when describing this author’s work. There is vivid colour and tone in her work that touches the senses, and a truth to the content and style that is steadfast, determined, and perhaps deeply driven to connect with the deepest parts of self. After reading this book, I have a greater appreciation of where that colour comes from. It is an account touching on illness and disability, with experiences I could relate to on a personal level, which in turn was incredibly illuminating and inspiring. In true form of where reality meets science fiction, this is Nnedi’s potentially true story of transforming into a cyborg.

Noor, By Nnedi Okorafor

Anwuli Okwudili, by definition to many Nigerians, is trouble. In her home of Abuja she is a demon, a witch, an abomination. To replace an organ or two with cybernetic, 3D-printed, non-human parts was fine, but go too far and you will be seen as more machine than human, the lowest of the low, cultureless offspring of the elite. In truth her cybernetics made her a damn good mechanic, but fixing cars, phones, problems… making people happy, still wasn’t enough to be understood. Disabled at birth, further disabled in a following car accident, she had been building on herself for years. The neural implants cost her her fiancé who claimed enough was enough, but AO saw no reason why she shouldn’t make her own decisions, that would mean she could move through the world on her own terms. And she did, in her hometown Abuja, until events took a turn and she was forced to flee into the desert.

‘There are times when you either save yourself or you don’t.’

Interesting characters come and go, including Baba Sola, a white man in the desert, not there to colonize, appropriate, seize and destroy, but rather to travel, learn, laugh, share and observe. And her main companion, a herdsman from nowhere, called DNA. Baba Sola leaves them with a message: they’re coming, and when they come, know your worth. And they did come, and AO knew her worth, and her capability at taking on the Ultimate Corporation.

I adored the unlikely heroine, a real survivor, feisty and determined in her independence and self-worth. It is an inventive story set in Nigeria, with mysterious haboobs and Ultimate Corp warehouses – a place you’ll never understand unless you enter one, and when you do, prepare for a ride. And the city of legend, the Hour Glass, where people go to be found, to disappear or to just be. It is there where AO discovers her true powers, that will make her question whether she was an experiment, an accident, a glitch or a mutation. Whatever she was, now the whole world knows it. Game on. A brilliantly inventive read.

What are you reading?

A Season of SFF Conventions

Looking forward to the week ahead, because… it is WORLD FANTASY CONVENTION 2023, my third year there, and I will be tuning into New Orleans from the comfort of my writing room. Really excited for so many inspiring panels, and conversations with readers and writers alike. And of course, I’m looking forward to being a panelist again, programmed on Friday’s, Just Who is the Villain panel. Buzzing – but more on that later.

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WorldCon 2022 Non-Conforming Women Part 2

After a slight interlude, here is the promised Part Two, to follow my recent post entitled WorldCon 2022 Non-Conforming Women.

Whereas the first post looked at some favourite women on screen, there are some wonderfully inspiring books out there that go a long way to challenge the gender status quo and free all our characters up to be who they want to be. Representation matters and I’m all for subverting expectation to give unique stories and characterisation.

As for the question of how I explore gender in my own epic fantasy series, Blood Gift Chronicles …

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WorldCon 2022 Non-Conforming Women

Worldcon 2022, aka Chicon was a wonderfully busy long weekend with an inspiring, eclectic mix of subject matter to delve into, explore, get lost, and re-emerge with fresh eyes and thoughts revitalised. It was also genuinely tiring, despite attending virtually, being based in Chicago and the time difference that brings, so plenty of late nights. And now I’m still on catchup, cramming in viewing as many panels as possible before they disappear into the ether.

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For the Love of Books #18

Thinking along the lines of complex characters, non-conforming women with agency, and sapphic romance in the fantasy genre, I thought I’d stop by with a recent read:

The Jasmine Throne; by Tasha Suri

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For the Love of Books #17

There’s a summer heatwave here in the UK, which begs the question of recommendations to while away sunny afternoons lounging in the sun, or taking shelter in the shade. I’ve gone for two epics, something to get your teeth into, both great reads in their own right.

An Unkindness of Ghosts, by Rivers Solomon

For generations, World ship HSS Matilda has ferried the last of humanity through space to a mythical Promised Land. With a society organised like the antebellum South, led by brutal leaders, it is a system built on racism and misogyny, attacking the dignity of sharecroppers like Aster. While the ruling sovereign enjoy comfort in the upper decks, the lower class are effectively slaves, forced to occupy the uninhabitable lower decks. It is a story of survival, where brutal losses are not shied away from, making it at times a difficult read, but also an important one.

It is sci-fi, with a world that feels so real, driven by characters that reflect a range of human experiences, including neurodivergence, and representation of LGBTQ+ exploring sexuality and gender. The protagonist, Aster, is flawed, self-effacing, astonishingly courageous, with a huge heart and fierce hope despite what most would think are hopeless odds. I adored her. Each step of the way her journey is a lesson in working with what you’ve got, never giving up, appreciating that no matter what, there are always choices to be found. She actively looks for those choices, never stops fighting, never relents to the iron fist of the perpetrators. There’s so much depth in the writing, and in Aster’s character that it’s impossible not to root for her from the beginning. As the reader I found myself in her point of view, searching for the clues her mother left, cheering her on as she pieces together scraps of evidence, desperately hoping that she may find that infamous way off the ship. But first she must sow the seeds of civil war.

The Fifth Season, by N.K. Jemisin

The world is ending, again, for an unstable Earth where geological disasters lead to apocalyptic events that happen every hundred years or so; little wonder the population regard Earth as the enemy, and value survival above all else. This most recent apocalypse sees a great red rift tearing across the heart of the continent known as the Stillness, spewing ash that will darken the sky for years if not centuries. Against this deadly backdrop, a complex society exists, with various human races, and another sentient species, Orogenes, those with power over the earth itself. Orogenes are feared, hated and exploited by humans, since the Orogene’s powers are deadly, but they can also protect civilisations.

The story follows three distinct and haunting voices. Young Damaya is a powerful Orogene, kept locked away because of her dangerous curse. Syenite is so powerful she is able to raise an obelisk, something not seen in over 3000 years, exposing mysterious ruins of the many civilisations that came before. And Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, who comes home to find her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. A powerful Orogene, Essun sets out across the dying lands in pursuit of her wrecked family, prepared to tear the world apart to save her daughter.

I was invested in the main characters from the start, in particular Essen’s emotionally charged opening storyline. Through Essun we explore those shades of grey: emotionally closed off, she cares only about finding her daughter, and will kill anyone who gets in her way. I also appreciated the diversity of characters, and the ease with with LGBTQ+ relationships are introduced, as is the case with other works by this author. Overall, with its intricately built world and highly complex cast, this is an in-depth, imaginative and inventive story.

What are you reading?