Monday 1 April 2013

Recommend some non-straight/white/male/anglo SFF anthologies

When looking for new speculative fiction by or about people other than the generally over-represented straight, able-bodied, white, anglophone, rich, cis male, my search began with looking at themed anthologies in the area. Stories I liked, I looked for more by the authors; other magazines an anthologies they were in, novels by them, etc. By way of the beginnings of a reading list for others trying to do the same thing, I'll try to compile here a list of anthologies that specifically cater to SF/F fiction and/or criticism by, for or about women, quiltbag, people of color, etc. This is a very incomplete list; I'll add more as and when suggestions or corrections are made in the comments, via Twitter or email (the more intersectional the better).
  • Jack Dann, Wandering Stars: an anthology of Jewish fantasy and science fiction. Harper, 1974. (Also More Wandering Stars, 1981)
  • Pamela Sargent, Women of Wonder: Science Fiction Stories by Women About Women. Random House, 1974. (Also More Women of Wonder, 1976 and The New Women of Wonder, 1978.)
  • Virginia Kidd, Millennial Women. Delacorte Press, 1978.
  • Camilla Decarnin, Eric Garber and Lyn Paleo, Worlds Apart: An Anthology of Lesbian and Gay Science Fiction and Fantasy. Alyson Publications, 1986.
  • Janrae Frank, Jean Stein and Forrest J Ackerman, New Eves: Science Fiction about the Extraordinary Women of Today and Tomorrow. Longmeadow Press, 1984.
  • Pamela Sargent, Women of Wonder, the Classic Years: Science Fiction by Women from the 1940s to the 1970s. Mariner, 1995.
  • Pamela Sargent, Women of Wonder, The Contemporary Years: Science Fiction by Women from the 1970s to the 1990s. Mariner, 1995.
  • Eric Garber and Jewelle Gomez, Swords of the Rainbow: Gay and Lesbian Fantasy Adventures. Alyson Publications, 1996.
  • Lawrence Schimel, Things Invisible to See: Gay and Lesbian Tales of Magic Realism. Circlet Press, 1998.
  • Helen Merrick and Tess Williams, Women of Other Worlds: Excursions Through Science Fiction and Feminism. University of Western Australia Press, 1999.
  • Debbie Notkin, Flying Cups & Saucers: Gender Explorations In Science Fiction & Fantasy. Edgewood Press, 1999.
  • Nicola Griffith, Bending The Landscape: Science Fiction v. 1: Original Gay and Lesbian Writing. Overlook Press, 2000. 
  • Lee Martindale, Such A Pretty Face. Meisha Merlin, 2000.
  • Sheree R. Thomas and Martin Simmons, Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora. Warner Books, 2000.
  • Connie Willis and Sheila Williams, A Woman's Liberation: A Choice of Futures by and about Women. Warner Books, 2001.
  • Andrea Bell and Yolanda Molina Gavilan, Cosmos Latinos: An Anthology of Science Fiction from Latin America and Spain. Wesleyan University Press, 2003.
  • Lucy Sussex and Judith Buckrich, She's Fantastical: The First Anthology of Australian Women's Speculative Fiction, Magical Realism, and Fantasy. Sybylla Co-operative Press, 2003.
  • Nalo Hopkinson and Uppinder Mehan, So Long Been Dreaming: Postcolonial visions of the future. Arsenal Pulp Press, 2004.
  • Sheree R. Thomas, Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Aspect, 2004.
  • Richard Labonte and Lawrence Schimel, The Future is Queer. Arsenal Pulp Press, 2007.
  • Justine Larbalestier, Daughters of Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century. Wesleyan University Press, 2006.
  • Gene van Troyer and Grania Davis, Speculative Japan: Outstanding Tales of Japanese Science Fiction and Fantasy. Kurodahan Press, 2007. (See also Speculative Japan 2: The Man Who Watched the Sea, 2011 and Speculative Japan 3: Silver Bullet, 2012.) 
  • Muhammad Aurangzeb Ahmad and Ahmed A. Khan, A Mosque Among the Stars. ZC Books, 2008. 
  • Lynne Jamneck, Periphery: Erotic Lesbian Futures. Lethe Press, 2008.
  • Catherine Lundoff, Haunted Hearths and Sapphic Shades. Lethe Press, 2008.
  • Paolo Chikiamko, Ruin and Resolve: Pinoy SF for Charity. Rocket Kapre Books, 2009.
  • Lavie Tidhar, The Apex Book of World SF. Apex Publications, 2009, and Apex Book of World SF 2, 2012 (ABWSF 3 forthcoming 2014).
  • Connie Wilkins, Time Well Bent: Queer Alternative Histories. Lethe Press, 2009.
  • Derwin Mak and Eric Choi, The Dragon and the Stars. DAW Books, 2010.
  • JoSelle Vanderhooft, Steam-Powered: Steampunk Lesbian Stories. Torquere Press, 2010. (Also Steam-Powered 2, 2011)
  • Paolo Chikiamko, Alternative Alamat: Stories Inspired by Philippine Mythology. Rocket Kapre Books/Flipside, 2011. 
  • Kay T. Holt and Bart R Leib, Fat Girl in a Strange Land. Crossed Genres Publications, 2011.
  • Catherine Lundoff and JoSelle Vanderhooft, Hellebore and Rue: Tales of Queer Women and Magic. Lethe Press, 2011.
  • Lee Martindale, Ladies of Trade Town. Harphaven, 2011.
  • Helen Merrick, The Secret Feminist Cabal. Aqueduct Press, 2011.
  • Tobias S. Buckell and Joe Monti, Diverse Energies. Tu Books, 2012.
  • Grace Dillon, Walking the Clouds: An Anthology of Indigenous Science Fiction. University of Arizona Press, 2012.
  • Kay T. Holt, Winter Well: Speculative Novellas About Older Women. Crossed Genres Publications, 2013.
  • Eduardo Jimenez Mayo and Chris N. Brown, Three Messages and a Warning: Contemporary Mexican Short Stories of the Fantastic. Small Beer Press, 2012.
  • Michael M Jones, Scheherazade's Facade. Circlet Press, 2012.
  • Hannah Kate, Wolf-Girls: Dark Tales of Teeth, Claws and Lycogyny. Hic Dragones, 2012.
  • Jason Erik Lundberg, Fish Eats Lion: New Singaporean Speculative Fiction. Math Paper Press, 2012.
  • Nick Mamatas and Masumi Washington, The Future is Japanese. VIZ Media, 2012.
  • Brit Mandelo, Beyond Binary: Genderqueer and Sexually Fluid Speculative Fiction. Lethe Press, 2012.
  • Alicia McCalla, Possibilities. ffpincolor books, 2012.
  • Anil Menon and Vandana Singh, Breaking the Bow: Speculative Fiction Inspired by the Ramayana. Zubaan Books, 2012.
  • Radcliffe and Stacia Seaman, Women of the Dark Streets: Lesbian Paranormal. Bold Strokes Books, 2012.
  • Charles Tan, Lauriat: A Filipino-Chinese Speculative Fiction Anthology. Lethe Press, 2012.
  • J.Y. Yang and Joyce Chng, The Ayam Curtain. Math Paper Press, 2012.
  • Athena Andreadis and Kay Holt, The Other Half of the Sky. Candlemark and Gleam, 2013.
  • Josie Brown, Daughters of Icarus: New Feminist Science Fiction and Fantasy. Pink Narcissus Press, 2013.
  • Milton Davis and Balogun Ojetade, Steamfunk! MVMedia, 2013.
  • Milton Davis and Balogun Ojetade, Ki-Khanga: The Anthology. MVmedia, 2013.
  • Ivor W. Hartmann, AfroSF: Science Fiction by African Writers. Storytime, 2013.
  • Nisi Shawl, Bloodchildren: Stories by the Octavia E. Butler Scholars. Carl Brandon Society, 2013.

Annual anthologies:

  • Heiresses of Russ (various editors). Lethe Press, 2011-. Annual anthology of best lesbian speculative fiction from previous year.
    • cf. Wilde Tales (annual anthology of gay SFF).
  • Dean Francis Alfar and Nikki Alfar, Philippine Speculative Fiction. Kestrel. 2005-.
  • Sword and Sorceress
  • Warrior Wisewoman

Magazines/Journals:

 Publishers:

  • Crossed Genres Publications (multiple themes, but all books and magazine also promote inclusiveness and underrepresented groups)
  • Dagan Books (ditto)

    14 comments:

    Djibril said...

    Nick Mamatas, Tu Books, Steve Berman and Jaymee Goh have already given me several additions via Twitter, which I have added above!

    Bart Leib said...

    From Crossed Genres:

    Fat Girl in a Strange Land
    Winter Well (upcoming in May)
    Long Hidden (Coming early 2014)
    Crossed Genres Magazine (not all, but some specific themes & the mission statement)

    Anonymous said...

    Thank you for this post! I'm always trying to expand the cultures and demographics I read and this list should help greatly.

    Djibril said...

    Thanks also to Bruce Cohen, Rochita Loenen-Ruiz, Ian Sales, Victor Ocampo, Bogi Takács and RH for their recommendations (incorporated above). By popular demand I've added a list of publishers who can be relied upon *always* to produce inclusive/representational books, but I can see that most publishers are going to claim they belong there... Convince me!

    Alex Dally MacFarlane said...

    Great post! This is going to be very useful for my anthology editing.

    Speaking of, in late 2014 there will be another addition to the list: The Mammoth Book of SF Stories by Women.

    jenn brissett said...

    Here's a few more to add to the list:
    * The 3 "Warrior Wisewoman" anthos edited by Roby James for Norilana Books.

    * "A Woman's Liberation" edited by Connie Willis and Sheila Williams

    * "Women of other Worlds" edited by Helen Merrick and Tess Williams

    * "Daughters of Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century" edit by Justine Larbalestier

    jenn brissett said...

    Well, poo! It looks like you had all my previous recommendations. How about this one then:

    "Cosmos Latinos" edited by Andrea L. Bell and Yolanda Molina-Gavilan

    Lawrence Schimel said...

    Thanks for including my anthology with Richard Labonté, THE FUTURE IS QUEER. FYI, my name is spelled with a W not with a U.

    I also edited an earlier anthology, THINGS INVISIBLE TO SEE: LESBIAN AND GAY TALES OF MAGIC REALISM, for Circlet Press.

    Lawrence Schimel

    Adam Summers said...

    Dance of the Goblins, though subtle about it, deals with bi-sexuality as well as disability, although the goblins are not equipped to deal with the latter.

    Alvaro Zinos-Amaro said...

    Thanks for posting this! Great to have all this info in one place. I have some of these anthologies, but thanks to your recommendation have been made aware of many more interesting ones.

    Djibril said...

    Not quite the same thing as we're talking about above, but a wonderful list of 101 women speculative fiction writers to look out for compiled by Nina Allen at http://www.ninaallan.co.uk/?p=936. (How many of the authors she lists have you read? Let's all pledge to make that number higher in six months time.)

    Djibril said...

    *Allan

    ::sigh::

    Anonymous said...

    Can't believe that Jacqueline Carey isn't on this list! The Kushiel and Namaah series are amazing! Both have strong women leads who are not conventional. Her Saints series is FAR from conventional and definitely deserves a mention here!

    Ian Sales said...

    It's worth noting that there are five Women of Wonder anthologies - Women of Wonder, More Women of Wonder, The New Women of Wonder, Women of Wonder: The Contemporary Years and Women of Wonder: The Classic Years - and three Bending the Landscape anthologies - one each for science fiction, fantasy and horror.