Women in Horror 2015

Since February is the month dedicated to celebrate women in the horror genre and today is IWSG day, I've decided to merge both good causes. As always, remember to check the rest of the participating blogs for more inspiration and positive vibe. Just click on the dedicated page in this blog and follow the links.

When I first heard of the Women in Horror Month a couple of years ago, I wondered why would we even need such a thing. I mean, it isn't like anybody is stopping women from publishing what they want, right? Well, yes. I don't know a publisher who will not publish your story--if it's good--just because you have breasts. BUT, and this is a big but, I was surprised to discover a few people openly state they wouldn't buy horror books written by female authors. Why? "Because what do women know about horror?! They should stick to writing romance!"

That's how I jumped into the boat, determined to stop this stupidity from spreading. Then I realized the problem might be more complex than dealing with a few neanderthals... If you ask any random person to name five horror writers by memory, they'll most certainly mention King, Hill, Straub, Koontz, after those it gets really hairy. Few extra names will stick, maybe a few classics like Poe, Stoker, or Shelly.

Only one woman in that list, and she hasn't written anything in centuries.

People I confronted with this question responded by telling me it's not their fault they can't name but one; there simply aren't any female horror writer superstars. To which I ask, "Have you heard of Anne Rice, Daphne Du Maurier, or Shirley Jackson?"

But maybe they are right and we aren't giving enough recognition to the female voices in the genre. A month dedicated to celebrate them seems like a good place to change that. And so, I compiled a very short list with a few examples of outstanding female horror writers, both published by small houses as well as by any of the Big Five. 

Do yourself a favor and pick one of their books.

Kathe Koja: Recipient of the Bram Stoker and Locus Awards as well as the Deathrealm Award for Strange Angels. Koja has published 14 novels, a collection of short stories, and numerous uncollected stories.

Charlee Jacob: Nominated for the International Horror Guild Award and Bram Stoker Award, she has won the latter in two different occasions. Jacob has published 8 novels, 11 collections (short stories and poetry), and participated in several collaborations.

Caitlin R. Kiernan: Considered by scholars as one of the front faces of Weird Fiction, Kiernan's work has won 4 International Horror Guild Awards, 2 James Tiptree, Jr. Awards, 2 Bram Stoker Awards, 2 World Fantasy Awards, and a Locus. She doesn't consider herself a horror writer, though... "[...] I've said I don't write genre 'horror'. A million, billion times have I said that. It's not that there are not strong elements of horror in a lot of my writing. It's that horror never predominates those works. [...] I don't think of horror as a genre. I think of it--to paraphrase Doug Winter--as an emotion, and no one emotion will ever characterize my fiction."

Lucy A. Snyder: Recipient of the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in Poetry and Short Fiction, Snyder has published more than 60 short stories in a variety of magazines, anthologies, and collections. On top of 4 novels, she recently released her first non-fiction book. Students of Seton Hill University's MFA program are also lucky to count her as their mentor.

Gillian Flynn: With only three novels published, Flynn might look like a weak link, but her 16 awards for screenplay adaptation prove the idea wrong. She considers herself a feminist and will fight for the right of every woman to be inherently bad. To hell with the cliche of an innately good, nurturing female.

Joyce Carol Oats: To attempt a short synopsis of Oats's awards and publications is to attempt the impossible. She has won every award in existence but the Nobel, for which she has been constantly mentioned. Examples? O. Henry (2), National Book, M. L. Rosenthal, World Fantasy, and Bram Stoker (2) Awards among many others. She has been awarded several Honorary Doctorates, and nominated for three Pulitzer prizes. Her work often deals with rural poverty, sexual abuse, class tension, female childhood and adolescence, and, since 1980, the supernatural.

Fifth Annual Women in Horror Month - Forerunners

A year ago I learned that February was the month dedicated to celebrate women in the horror genre, particularly in literature horror writers (don't want to lose my readership to the old argument of horror not being considered "Literature"). I was thrilled with the idea, but too late to participate in any meaningful way. This year, however, I managed to get my act together and submit a flash fiction that The Sirens Call accepted and published as part of their issue #13, which features only women. I'll leave here a link to download the eZine, free of charge. You're welcome.

But back to the subject. I've also been reading related articles everywhere they pop and I have to say, it's a mixed bag. At best I found innumerable lists that pretend to highlight the best of the best, only to repeat the same well-known names. At worst these articles/blogs are downright patronizing. Men trying their best to be humble and bring recognition to the many contributions talented female writers have made to the genre; instead they come off sounding like: "C'mon guys, these gals deserve it. They may not understand horror like we do--because women can't do horrible things--but they kinda bring other cool scary stuff you haven't read before. I swear!"

It's sad really. Another sad trope is how often Mary Shelly is called "The Mother of Horror." While I love the romantic appeal of calling us Shelly's Daughters, what these people are doing in fact is erasing a century of female names from history. I'm here to correct that.

In other posts I've talked about Gothic literature being the origin of what would eventually be known as Horror. "The Castle of Oranto" by Horace Walpole was the first novel ever published that dealt with ghosts and the supernatural in a plot that aimed at terrifying the reader. Soon the critics deemed these kind of stories unworthy of educated minds. And then came Clara Reeve, whose novel "The Old English Baron" (1778) attempted to legitimize the genre by modernizing the style, eliminating the over temperamental characters and bringing rational thinking to the plot.

But my favorite of the True Mothers of Horror is Ann Radcliffe. She managed the impossible: To make the critics recognize that creepy plots could turn into Literary master pieces when apt writers were given the task. She introduced the brooding Gothic villain before Lord Byron (and the Byronic hero) was even born! She was so widely popular that imitators rose from every corner of the world. Better yet, she created a technique known as "The Explained Supernatural" where every apparent preternatural event in the story is finally explained by natural, man-made, or scientific events. Sounds familiar? All Scooby Doo lovers out there owe a big debt to a female horror writer born in 1764.

Mary Shelly wrote the most influential novel to modern lovers of the genre, that much is true, but she would've never achieved fame had there not been a Clara Reeve or an Ann Radcliffe. So the next time you hear someone going on about how the women of today are building on top of Shelly's shoulders, or how the horror genre is an "Old Boy's Club," I trust you will you tell them right.

Celebrate Women in Horror this February!
The Sirens Call Issue #13 - Women in Horror - Second Annual Edition.