Today’s topic comes from QSFer Anastasia Vitsky: “I’d like a day specifically focused on F/F in the genre.”
It’s a good point. I know there are such stories and novels out there – our own Angelia Sparrow has published quite a few – but the field is dominated by MM fiction.
So here are my questions today: Why aren’t there more FF stories in speculative fiction? What can we do to change that? And what stories would you like to see told in this subgenre?
This is a great topic, Anastasia. I don’t know the reasons why there aren’t more F/F stories in speculative fiction, but I can tell you what I would like to see more of in this sub-genre, and it may help to change the perception of F/F spec fiction.
When I read sci-fi, I want to read of vividly depicted other worlds with powerful plot lines, well-developed characters, and strong female main characters (MCs). I care less about the romance aspect and more about the strength of the sci fi or fantasy story–battle scenes included! F/F romance that has a bit of sci-fi or fantasy in the plot seems more readily available. Those books have their place and they are entertaining and wonderful, but they may not be meaty enough for those who want a powerful sci-fi or fantasy book with LGBT characters of the F/F variety.
For F/F speculative fiction to be taken seriously, we need to offer greater variety that extends beyond romance. This change is starting to occur and one can only hope that there are more diverse books on the horizon. Ylva Publishing, a woman-run company that publishes fiction by women in a number of genres, is launching its first full-length (very full-length at over 160,000 words) science fiction novel in March–The Caphenon by Fletcher DeLancey. This is the first in the Chronicles of Alsea trilogy and is pure science fiction. Yes, there is a romantic element in the story, but by and large, it is F/F science fiction that could appeal to anyone: LGBT or straight.
I think that when people realize that such books with F/F characters can exist and can be on par with any other quality science fiction novel, authors and publishers may be more apt to produce more works of this nature. For me, this is the type of book I would like to see in this subgenre.