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[asterroc]

Anne McCaffrey was my first introduction to Sci-Fan, or at least the first one that stuck in my memory. Lessa and the Rowen were role models for me, showing me strong women who didn't let men stand in their way. Damia working through her pregnancies instead of being forced into some protective feminine seclusion, continuing to work alongside her husband as they raised their children together, this was the norm. Even Menolly's situation was shown as being a throwback to an older and worse time when men didn't think girl children were worth anything, a backwards and backwater way of thinking. I didn't need to be a feminist in my youth because McCaffrey showed me that it was completely normal for women to work alongside men.

And I knew I had finally come of age as a feminist when Kristin Bjornsen's meek acquiescence, nay welcoming, of her own date rape disgusted me and made me turn away from McCaffrey's works.

For a short period of time. I cannot stay away from her works forever. She is -was- the product of a more backwards age, and like Menolly she was always struggling to leave it in her writing. I hope for her sake that she has found a better and fairer place.

Originally posted on Dreamwidth. comments there. Comment here or there.

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[meig.livejournal.com]

The first two? "Clan of the Cave Bear" books were on the shelves of the middle school (7 & 8 grades) I attended (the series had just started basically) and I remember reading the sex scenes in Science class. I actually worked in the library and remember telling the librarian that she might want to consider making them "behind the counter" books due to the graphic sex scenes.

My very first AM book was "Dragonsinger". It was an instant love affair, especially after I saw the name Lessa. My entire life people have mispronounced my name as "Lessa", and so that was a draw. So was Impression. I mean, what awkward, lonely 11/12 year old *wouldn't* want Impression with their very own soulmate/bestfriend who adored them and would never, ever hurt them or leave them?? I wrote to AM in 1983, she sent me a postcard in return. I still have it.

I used to write DoP fan fiction, and when I was in my 20's I was one of the first members (I had a green and then a Queen!) of one of the largest online Pern clubs around. My name is still listed there as the artist of the Queens' Quarters :) In my late 20's, I started to get pretty sick of her stuff. My tastes had really matured by then, and I never really got back into her writings. Once Todd started contributing, it was pretty much all over for me. But for a very, very long time, the Dragonlady and her works were a very large part of my life.