I’ve come across some interesting articles recently and would like to share the links with you.
The first is courtesy of author Joel Shepherd (CROSSOVER) who presents an awesomesauce rundown of real-life female action heroes. These are the type of women whose careers not only make for exciting reading, but who would also inspire some great sci-fi romance heroines.
The second link is from the blog Pharmacon, which is the domain of author T.C. McCarthy (THE LEGIONNAIRES). He wrote a post about Women in Military Science Fiction (cont) – What About Moms?
Confession: I have no idea how rare middle aged women are in science fiction. But I do know that off the top of my head, I can’t think of any mom heroins [sic] except for Sarah Connor.
That’s okay, Mr. McCarthy—I got your back!
In sci-fi romance books, Lois McMaster Bujold wrote about a heroine mother in BARRAYAR. Susan Grant has also written some mom heroines (SUREBLOOD; CONTACT). There’s also Melisse Aires’s latest release, STARLANDER’S MYTH, which features a heroine with a daughter. Sandra McDonald’s romantic military science fiction novel THE STARS BLUE YONDER features a pregnant heroine. Gini Koch’s Alien series has a mommy plot line as well.
Incidentally, THE LEGIONNAIRES is
…a novelette that examines what would motivate a middle aged mother to join the French Foreign Legion, an institution that as of today, does not allow women to serve.
At Babbling About Books, and More!, guest author Michelle Murrain discusses the fact that her “Casitian Universe” novels
…include a lot of love stories. They all are untraditional in one way or another. Much of my work includes writing about alternative family structures, and ways of being in romantic relationships. Just like space, or biology, or society - they are interested playing fields for science fiction, worth exploring. And alternative family structures provide all sorts of great plot devices. I just finished a novel where each family is made up of nine to eleven spouses (both men and women.) You can imagine what kinds of interesting things might happen in such a family. And, to boot, the protagonist is heir to a throne. Talk about intrigue!
Yes, indeed! Happy reading!
Joyfully yours,
Heather