I got a bit of advice from a writer friend of mine.He told me my audience was anyone who reads. He told me don't tell them my book is either science fiction or fantasy, just tell them what it's about. Get them into the story, not the genre. It's worked pretty well so far.
--- On Thu, 6/25/09, Reece Jennings <mcjennings...@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Reece Jennings <mcjennings...@yahoo.com> Subject: RE: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009, 7:36 PM It might be a combination of all of that, Milton. Yes, Black Women will set up book clubs, and discuss books, etc. But when I mention Sci-Fi to most Black Women, and even try to get the to read some of Ms. Butler's books, they tend to pre-judge and reject without looking. So I keep it to myself...except here, of course. I think a lot of women are cutting off a vast expanse of great reading by pre-judging SF. From: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com [mailto:scifinoir2@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Milton Davis Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 1:38 PM To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Subject: RE: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? I know a lot a black male fans of Butler. I just seems in my experience most of her fans I've met were black females. But then again that might be because black females read a lot more than we brothers. --- On Thu, 6/25/09, Martin Baxter <truthseeker013@ lycos.com> wrote: From: Martin Baxter <truthseeker013@ lycos.com> Subject: RE: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009, 4:37 PM That comprises a graduating class of considerable note. ---------[ Received Mail Content ]---------- Subject : RE: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? Date : Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:22:52 -0400 >From : "Reece Jennings" <mcjennings124@ yahoo.com> To : <scifino...@yahoogro ups.com> I love her. She's my favorite because of the social aspect of her writing. I've been a Black Male all say (peeking to make sure!) Of course, we are both 1947 Cancerians, so that might have something to do with it! :o) _____ From: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com [mailto:scifinoir2@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Milton Davis Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 7:32 AM To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? I know plenty young black science fiction fans that credit Octavia Butler as the beacon that led them to science fiction. I'm an old school science fiction fan, raised on Assimov, Delany, Herbert and Ellision. I like Butler's work, but I consider it more social science fiction. She deals more with relationships and issues rather than the technical aspect of science fiction, which we all know gets more attention. I think that's the reason her prose seems to have special appeal to black female science fiction fans.. I enjoyed everything I've read by her but I can't say I'm a fan. She was a greater writer than I'll probably ever be and got her respect among the sci/fi elite if not the mainstream. --- On Wed, 6/24/09, B. Smith wrote: From: B. Smith Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2009, 1:19 AM She's highly regarded but not given the same respect as the legendary hard sci-fi types. Her work falls into the more literary side of the genre and in some ways she was more highly regarded outside the genre. --- In scifino...@yahoogro ups.com, "Martin Baxter" wrote: > > George, it's possible, but I see her lack of props as being more a matter of the mainstream SF press not knowing what the frell it's doing. IMO, they've become like the music industry, more interested in the flavor of the week than actual decent work. When I go to the bookstore and browse the SF/fantasy shelves, the stuff I see is so derivative as to be embarrassing. Nine times out of ten, I can figure out what the story inside the covers is solely by what pose the characters on the cover are striking. Shouldn't be that easy, even for a guy with my brain. > > > > > ---------[ Received Mail Content ]---------- > Subject : [scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? > Date : Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:10:06 -0700 (PDT) > >From : George Arterberry > To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com > > > I've rarely seen her represented in so-called mainstream press. > > > > > > > http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=JQdwk8Yntds > http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=JQdwk8Yntds
