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novelists

We Haven’t Come Such a Long Way, Baby!

February 4, 2015 by admin

Remember the cigarette ads for Virginia Slims cigarettes? In 1968, we women got a cigarette designed just for us, giving us equal rights to die of lung cancer. Yay equality!

Meantime, equal opportunity issues abound in the workplace. In my last job, the commercial reps were all white men. When I had my exit interview, I pointed out how ridiculous that was. The HR rep, herself a woman, told me with a straight face that they couldn’t find any qualified applicants who were females or minorities, even though other oil & gas companies seemed to manage.

I worked in administrative hell, where we couldn’t even get appropriate software to do our jobs, even though that meant exposure to fines and contract violations because we couldn’t keep track of thousands of contract provisions in our heads. Women worked in administration, and administration didn’t generate revenue, so we just had to make do. After a failed campaign to update our systems, I knew it was time to go.

If I seem unduly stirred up by something that happened seven years ago, it’s because of what happened last week.

By now you’ve probably read the crazy obituary of author and neuroscientist Colleen McCullough, most famous for her novel The Thorn Birds. Does anyone remember Richard Chamberlain in the movie? Hubba hubba. But I digress.

Anyway, if you haven’t read it, catch up on it here. This prolific writer, with scores of accomplishments outside of the world of words, was diminished in an obit that focused on her appearance.

Of course, this is nothing new.

Ever since I returned from the U.K., I’ve studied various biographies of Charlotte Bronte. Elizabeth Gaskell’s The Life of Charlotte Bronte, which influenced generations of readers, portrays this brilliant woman as a tragic figure whose subversive Jane Eyre was an accident of a poor, spinsterish daughter of the church who didn’t know any better.

Sadly, Gaskell, who knew Charlotte Bronte, took her cue from the author herself, who had already written apologetically about her sisters, Emily and Anne, for publishing “coarse” novels that included Wuthering Heights.

Sure, Bronte was a tragic figure. Anyone who is the last survivor of many siblings, who herself dies young, gets a pat on the back for a tough life. However, like Colleen McCullough, Charlotte was ever so much more.

Jane Eyre broke new ground in its portrayal of a woman who would have love only as an equal. In real life, Charlotte Bronte turned down several marriage proposals (eventually marrying late in her life). She had an intense relationship with a married man — unconsummated, and unrequited, but one where creativity and intellect brought out her deepest passions, which fortunately for us ended up on the page.

She was, by all accounts, “plain,” just as Colleen McCullough was reported to be. But who cares?

Someone does, obviously, or we wouldn’t still have to deal with this drivel.

Novels written by women still do not garner the same attention for awards as men’s novels do. Female politicians are expected to be “hot” more than brilliant.

I know when to hand the phone to my husband because certain people, such as mechanics, will respond differently to him as a man. I can’t tell you how many jokes I’ve had to listen to about women and shopping, women and shoes, women and [fill in stereotype here].

Ladies, we need to claim our power. Whatever we do in this life, we need to share our fullness and strength. We are more than our weight, our complexion, or our hair. The Guardian did a better job with Ms. McCullough here, acknowledging her many accomplishments with warmth and humanity. Let’s acknowledge those who treat us with respect and continue to call out those who do not.

Filed Under: women Tagged With: Colleen McCullough, feminism, gender gap, novelists, women

Book Recommendation Tuesday is Back!

October 16, 2012 by admin

Hey, everyone! I’ve spent much of the summer with my nose in Vietnam-era fiction and memoir as research for the upcoming Blood & Loam. I’ve also read a lot of fiction and nonfiction set in the Pacific Northwest, as a way of acquainting myself with this area and its unique, rich culture. The net result is that I haven’t read a lot of books to recommend that fit in with this blog’s primary audience. In spite of all that, I have some books lined up that I can talk about, and I’m glad of it! I’ve missed these Tuesday blogs.

I’d like to take a moment to address anyone who might want me to review his or her book on this site. First, I’d love to consider each book that comes my way. As a working artist myself, I am soft-hearted toward other writers and artists. If you have a book for me to read, send me a query through the “Contact” section of this website. Here’s the deal, though: you must let me know how your book fits in with the subject matter of this blog. Don’t just tell me how much I’ll like it, tell me why. I’d also like a sample, maybe a chapter or two. If I like it, I will purchase it and read the rest. Bear with me, though. I have a big pile of books, so it may take me a while to get to yours — though I will try to not keep you waiting overlong.

The same thing goes for guest blogging. I get inquiries on occasion, and I’d love to host guest bloggers…but your content needs to be compatible with this blog. I promise to be flexible if you promise to show me that you did your homework and are acquainted with the subject matter that I focus on.

Now that the housekeeping is done, let’s get going with this week’s recommendation!

***

Marlene Dotterer’s Bridgebuilders, her follow-up to The Time Travel Journals: Shipbuilder, comes out on November 1! I loved Shipbuilder, and I’ve waited eagerly for the next installment in this series.

The good news is, you can read the first five chapters for free online! Start your journey here.

If you haven’t read Shipbuilder, it’s best to start there before moving on to Bridgebuilders. While Dotterer helps the reader “catch up” in the new book, and introduces a whole new set of characters, Shipbuilder helps set the tone and flavor of the series…plus, it’s a great story.

Shipbuilder creates an alternate universe around the sinking of the Titanic. Bridgebuilders takes us to the year 2080. With time travel as the basis, Dotterer can take us anywhere, or I guess I should say, anywhen. Both books are set in Belfast, though the Belfast of the future is profoundly affected by climate change.

Though I’ve read only the first five chapters of Bridgebuilders, it’s apparent that Dotterer, who takes her time with her stories to polish them with care, has created another winner. So far there’s plenty of romance and intrigue to keep the action going. Yes, there’s some technical sci-fi stuff going on, but Dotterer uses just enough to add believability to the story.

Marlene Dotterer is an author to watch! Enjoy these free chapters, and let’s support good writing by buying a copy on November 1!

Filed Under: books, fiction, women, writing Tagged With: best fiction, books, fiction, good books, Marlene Dotterer, novelists, novels, time travel, Titanic

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