Women in SF (Esp. Last year)

[netmouse]

Okay, I've heard repeated complaints about the lack of women authors represented in the fiction Hugo Award nominees this year, but so far the two attempts I've made to get people to list what they think ought to have been on there have failed (though I've seen a couple other people mention Farthing, by Jo walton). So please either point me to someplace else where this discussion is happening, or tell me here: What fiction (of any length) would (or did) you nominate by a female author from last year that should have made the ballot?

I read very little new material last year, though I know names I would have looked for include Elizabeth Bear, Naomi Novik, Jo Walton, Justine Larbalestier, Nancy Kress, Kage Baker, Nalo Hopkinson, Pat Murphy, Ellen Klages, and Liz Williamson. (I have great respect for Connie Willis, but lately her stories all feel so much like her other stories that I find myself disappointed.)

This year we have something new from Emma Bull to look forward to, and I've been waiting for years for Water Logic by Laurie Marks. Sarah Monette has The Mirador coming. Who else are you watching or waiting for with great anticipation?

PS Does anyone know if my supposition that women authors are more likely to put forth multivolume series (which I think by their nature stand less chance of getting recognized for awards) is true?

Comments

[nwhyte]

In terms of last year, I have just been reading the Philip K Dick shortlist and was very impressed by five of the seven nominees - four of which were by women writers, and none of which got Hugo nominations!

[netmouse.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

The 2006 Philip K. Dick Award shortlist is:
MINDSCAPE by Andrea Hairston (Aqueduct Press)
CARNIVAL by Elizabeth Bear (Bantam Spectra)
SPIN CONTROL by Chris Moriarty (Bantam Spectra)
CATALYST by Nina Kiriki Hoffman (Tachyon Publications)
RECURSION by Tony Ballantyne (Bantam Spectra)
IDOLON by Mark Budz (Bantam Spectra)
LIVING NEXT DOOR TO THE GOD OF LOVE by Justina Robson (Bantam Spectra)

Last year the shortlist also had a few women authors:
COWL by Neal Asher (Tor Books)
WAR SURF by M. M. Buckner (Ace Books)
CAGEBIRD by Karin Lowachee (Warner Aspect)
NATURAL HISTORY by Justina Robson (Bantam Spectra)
SILVER SCREEN by Justina Robson (Pyr)
TO CRUSH THE MOON by Wil McCarthy (Bantam Spectra)

M. M. Buckner (Mary M. Buckner) also won it for WAR SURF.

I've also heard mention of the nominees for the Andre Norton award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy:

Magic or Madness by Justine Larbalestier.
Midnighters: Touching Darkness by Scott Westerfeld.
Peeps by Scott Westerfeld.
Devilish by Maureen Johnson.
The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner.
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer.

And in addition to FARTHING, which I already mentioned, the Nebula Awards ballot has:
The Privilege of the Sword, by Ellen Kushner (Bantam Spectra, Jul06)

[nwhyte]

Of this year's PKD list, you can skip the Hoffman (though I believe she's written other stuff which is great) and the Ballantyne (irrelevant to our discussion anyway as he is male) but the other are all good and matociqala's Carnival is very good.

Haven't read any of the others. But War Surf won last year's PKD award.

[netmouse.livejournal.com]

And looking into Kim Antieau brought me to the Aqueduct Press page about their authors (http://www.aqueductpress.com/about_our_authors.html). Seems like a good list of women to be aware of.

(*goes geeking off into the distance and adds a few women to the wikipedia page on Women science fiction authors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_science_fiction_authors)*)

Novelettes

[shunn.livejournal.com]

In the novelette category I nominated (http://shunn.livejournal.com/362235.html) "A Flight of Numbers Fantastique Strange" by Beth Bernobich and "Except the Music" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.

[avt-tor.livejournal.com]

I do think series tend to win awards only once. Though if Bujold wrote another Vorkosigan book, I think it's likely she'd make the ballot again. I have Cherryh's Deliverer near the top of my to-be-read pile.