Post by Luna~Rose on Aug 23, 2015 8:29:46 GMT -6
When will we write an obituary for literary sexism?
Danielle Binks / Daily Life
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Romance is the literary equivalent to parlor art and gets just as much respect.
Danielle Binks / Daily Life
Colleen McCullough sadly died last week, but instead of celebrating her career as a neurophysiologist and bestselling author, The Australian newspaper turned the tide of conversation with a misogynistic obituary.
The now infamous obit – which sparked a mocking hashtag #myozobituary – began; 'COLLEEN McCullough, Australia's best selling author, was a charmer. Plain of feature, and certainly overweight, she was, nevertheless, a woman of wit and warmth.
The now infamous obit – which sparked a mocking hashtag #myozobituary – began; 'COLLEEN McCullough, Australia's best selling author, was a charmer. Plain of feature, and certainly overweight, she was, nevertheless, a woman of wit and warmth.
Romance is maligned by literary critics and often stigmatised as the lightweight reading of bored housewives. It also happens to be a genre populated almost entirely with female authors, which goes some ways to explaining why it's not taken more seriously – even when it remains amongst the most successful in publishing (according to the Romance Writers of Australia; a Mills & Boon book is sold in the UK every 3 seconds). Female authors who are categorized to genres like "women's fiction" and romance are not taken seriously or celebrated for their literary achievements.
Stephanie Laurens is the #1 New York Times international bestselling Australian romance author of the Cynsters series. Laurens has enjoyed incredible success over her long career; 'I've been consistently globally published (so for 25 years), translated into umpteen languages, have received a RITA award (US) and a Ruby (Aust), am a #1 New York Times bestseller, and at last count 33 of my 60 titles have appeared on the upper ranks of the NYT fiction bestseller lists. All of my current 60 titles remain active in print and e-book globally, and that number increases every year.'
And yet, Laurens is rarely celebrated as one of Australia's biggest author exports, her name rarely listed amongst the likes of Matthew Reilly, Tom Keneally, or Australia's once lauded "biggest-selling author" Bryce Courtenay (whose 2012 obituary in The Australian celebrated him as a 'latter-day Dickens,' FYI). Laurens admits; 'I have achieved all that (success) with next to no recognition from the Australian media.'
Stephanie Laurens is the #1 New York Times international bestselling Australian romance author of the Cynsters series. Laurens has enjoyed incredible success over her long career; 'I've been consistently globally published (so for 25 years), translated into umpteen languages, have received a RITA award (US) and a Ruby (Aust), am a #1 New York Times bestseller, and at last count 33 of my 60 titles have appeared on the upper ranks of the NYT fiction bestseller lists. All of my current 60 titles remain active in print and e-book globally, and that number increases every year.'
And yet, Laurens is rarely celebrated as one of Australia's biggest author exports, her name rarely listed amongst the likes of Matthew Reilly, Tom Keneally, or Australia's once lauded "biggest-selling author" Bryce Courtenay (whose 2012 obituary in The Australian celebrated him as a 'latter-day Dickens,' FYI). Laurens admits; 'I have achieved all that (success) with next to no recognition from the Australian media.'
Romance is the literary equivalent to parlor art and gets just as much respect.