On writing 'femme forward' and feminist fiction
Plus all my latest news and events for When She Was Gone
When She Was Gone has been in the shops for a few weeks now in both Australia and the US, and is hopefully readily available in your local bookstore, or you can find purchase links on my website. It’s also on Booktopia, where it’s just been spotted sitting at No. 1 in the Fiction Bestsellers, making it very easy for me to choose my banner photo for this newsletter!
My US publishers Blackstone have described the novel as ‘femme forward fiction’, a term I love as it neatly encapsulates one of the thematic intentions of my writing, which is to explore complexities around female characters and issues that predominantly or disproportionately affect women. However, in general I’m currently more hesitant to describe my work as feminist fiction - but not because it doesn’t incorporate feminist themes - it certainly does. Nor because I don’t like the term feminist or consider myself a feminist (i.e. someone who supports gender equality) - I definitely do. But rather because the term feminist is now one of those endlessly complex and loaded terms, like woke, which has been hijacked and redefined so often that, for many, it has come to represent a multitude of different things, and many definitions are now complex, negative and stultifying.
The most frustrating (agonising) thing about this is that the confusion around the term tends to stop the progress of vital conversations that are becoming ever more essential. In a great piece for the BBC a few years ago, called ‘Why so many young women don’t call themselves feminist’, Dr Christina Scarff unpacked some of these complexities around the term:
Having interviewed a diverse group of young German and British women for my research, I found associations of the term "feminism" with man-hating, lesbianism or lack of femininity was a key factor in rejections of the label "feminist".
The majority said they did not want to call themselves feminist because they feared they would be associated with these traits. This was despite many stressing they were not homophobic and some identifying as lesbian or bisexual.
So, how could the image of feminism be improved?
Arguably, as a society we should do more to challenge narrowly defined expectations of how women should look and act.
Working harder to make this movement more inclusive could mean that feminism speaks to the experiences and concerns of diverse groups of women.
Nevertheless, whichever label women choose to adopt, the indication that the vast majority of people now support equality - and acknowledge it has not yet been achieved - is heartening.
I’d love to know what you think of the term ‘feminist’, because one of my non-fiction goals is to delve more into the complexities around how we use language when it is so easily wielded against us. And while I have no issue with anyone who describes my work as feminist, I’ve seen it written as both a high compliment and a derogatory term in reviews of my books, depending on who is writing. Therefore, ‘femme forward fiction’ is a clever marketing catchphrase, because it sidesteps some of that complexity while still making it clear that my books are about the power and potential of women. Thank you, Blackstone!
The Handmaid’s Tale series finale - join the chat!
As you may be aware, The Handmaid’s Tale, the TV series developed from one of the absolute classics of feminist fiction, is having its final run at the moment, and I am here for it. I survived the lower point in the series when it felt like all we were doing each episode was watching women get tortured and abused in ever more horrific ways, which I think was when many gave up. Now, I can’t wait to see how they tie it all together, and how they’ll weave it into Atwood’s more recent sequel The Testaments. New episodes come on to SBS in Australia every Tuesday lunchtime, and I have started my very first substack chat, so that you can join in and discuss the episodes with me if you’re also avidly watching.
DYK: My novel The Hush has a TV option on it at the moment and the lead writer also worked on The Handmaid’s Tale, which is one of the most exciting things that has ever happened to me! I really hope this project gets off the ground.
Events
I’m about to embark on a whole new series of events in May, in WA and NSW, to chat about When She Was Gone and writing life in general - so if you’re free, I’d love to see you at one of these:
1 May at 6.30 pm: Boundless Books (Perth, WA)
Location: Naber Bar,146 Oxford St, Leederville, WA
BOOKINGS HERE: TICKET ONLY or TICKET & BOOK
Join us for an in-conversation event at the Naber Bar, to discover more about my new book When She Was Gone. Your $15 ticket includes entry to the event and a selection of small bites by Naber Bar. There’s also an option to purchase a ticket for $45 to include a copy of my new book When She Was Gone, with a $5 discount for pre-ordering. Books will also be available for purchase & signing on the night.
5 May at 6.45 pm: Event at AH Bracks Library with Anita Heiss
Location: AH Bracks Library, Corner Stock Road and Canning Highway, 431 Canning Hwy, Melville, WA 6157
BOOKINGS HERE
Join Anita Heiss and me for a very special evening of conversation about our latest books. Anita’s latest novel Dirrayawadha is another groundbreaking historical story about resistance, resilience and love during the frontier wars. I’ll be discussing my new psychological suspense story When She Was Gone. If you are a lover of compelling stories well told, this an opportunity too good to miss!
Brought to you in partnership with Dymocks Booksellers. Tickets: $10. Bookings essential.
7 May at 6 pm: Oberon Library (Blue Mountains), NSW
Location: Oberon Library, 74A Dart St, Oberon, NSW 2787
BOOKINGS HERE
I’ll be visiting Oberon Library to chat all about When She Was Gone. Come join us for a fun evening talking about my latest thriller!
8 May at 6.30 pm: In conversation with Anna Downes at Better Read Than Dead, Sydney, NSW
Location: Better Read Than Dead, 265 King St, Newtown, NSW 2042
BOOKINGS HERE
Join us to celebrate the release of When She Was Gone! I’ll be in-conversation with amazing bestselling crime fiction author Anna Downes. Bookings essential. Ticket only: $5. Ticket & Book: $40
25 May at 10 am: York Festival (WA)
Location: The Rookery, York, WA
BOOKINGS HERE
York Festival is an intimate series of conversations with some of WA’s most compelling writers. Across two days, explore the stories behind the stories, ask questions, and connect with the minds shaping our literary landscape.
Purchase a Day Pass ticket and get access to all sessions plus workshops on that day. Thanks to our friends at Barclay Books, you can even pick up titles onsite and get them signed between sessions!
Looking ahead: how this newsletter for readers will work alongside my newsletter for writers (The Resilient Author)
From now on, I’ll be alternating each week between writing here and writing on
, my substack for writers. This means that if you’re just signed up to (which will always remain free), you’ll get fortnightly posts from me on topics around my novels as well as deeper dives into reading and culture, while The Resilient Author will remain focused on insights and advice around writing and publishing. The Resilient Author also has a paid component, where I write an extra post each month for paid subscribers, and provide access to a password-protected resources page with additional writing goodies exclusively for my paid contributors. And in both my substacks, I’m planning to open more chats for a limited time after some of my posts or when there’s a topic of interest, giving us chance to talk directly about our different ideas.Over on
, my next monthly Author Notes round-up will be delivered in a couple of days, on Thursday 1st May, while you’ll get the next email from me around the 9th of May. From then on I’ll be settling back into my rhythm and sending the majority of my newsletters at the end of the week, usually on a Thursday - occasionally on Fridays or over the weekends on my busy weeks.Have a fabulous fortnight - and chat to you soon!
This was such an interesting read Sara. Love the term femme-forward. The historian in me feels an allegiance to early feminists and is happy to wear the label (and take any heat that comes with it). I shudder at making feminism too palatable when the crimes against women, children and men by the dominant patriarchy worldwide are so heinous. As marketing terms go, I think it's clever!
Congrats on the #1 spot on Booktopia, Sara! And crossing all the things for your TV option for THE HUSH – exciting!
This is so interesting, thank you. Like you, feminist is a description I’ve always worn happily and therefore I’d describe my writing that way. But I’ve definitely seen women – women who are unequivocally ‘feminist’ in the life values – turn away from or even vehemently reject the term. (Things like ‘I’m not a feminist, I’m an 'egalitarianist.’) Language certainly does evolve and I suspect the label of ‘feminist’ is undergoing an evolution. I’d love to say it’s because we’re post-feminist and we don’t need it but I sadly don’t think that’s quite the case yet!