One of our main goals here at Breaking the Glass Slipper was to increase the discussion of women writing SFF. We constantly see male authors talked about, reviewed, and recommended, making it appear as though women aren’t writing and publishing great SFF. That’s simply not true; there are many fantastic women writers creating content.
So, in an effort to increase awareness of women writing science fiction, fantasy, and horror, we have painstakingly gone through the 2016 publishing catalogues of several publishing houses. Obviously, we have tried to include as many publishers and publications as we could, but we don’t pretend to have created an exhaustive list (as such, no self-published titles have been included, as trying to compile that information would be near impossible). Publishers we have included include Angry Robot, Titan Books, Tor.com, Tor/Forge, Gollancz, Harper Voyager, Hodder, Ace/Penguin, Orbit Books, Del Rey, Jo Fletcher Books, Tachyon Publications, and Ragnarok Publications.
We have compiled the list according to the publishers’ own categorisation of titles. Many of these titles do crossover across the speculative fiction genres. So while Horror only has a few entries, a number of the Fantasy titles are either ‘dark fantasy’ or have horror tropes within them.
Note: We have attempted to verify that all books on this list are written/edited by someone who identifies as a woman. Apologies if we have made any errors.
If there are any glaring omissions here, please point them out to us! This is meant to be a resource for readers, so we want to include as many relevant titles as we can.
Fantasy
13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough
A Gathering of Shadows (A Darker Shade of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab
A Season of Spells by Sylvia Izzo Hunter
A Star Shall Fall (Onyx Court #3) by Marie Brennan
A Study in Sable (Elemental Masters) by Mercedes Lackey
Alice by Christina Henry
Alien Nation by Gini Koch
All Fixed Up by Linda Grimes
All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
All Your Wishes by Cat Adams
Allegiance of Honour (Psy-changeling) by Nalini Singh
An Accident of Stars by Foz Meados
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Angel of Storms (Milennium’s Rule #2) by Trudi Canavan
Archangel’s Heart by Nalini Singh
Assassin Queen by Anna Kashina
Battlestorm by Susan Kinard
Beauty & the Beast: Fire at Sea by Nancy Holder
Belle Chasse by Suzanne Johnson
Blade of Fortriu (The Bridei Chronicles #2) by Juliet Marillier
Blood of Dragons by Robin Hobb
Blood of the Earth by Faith Hunter
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
Broken Crowns by Lauren Destefano
Caraval by Stephenie Garber
City of Dragons by Robin Hobb
City of Wolves by Willow Palacek
Closer to the Chest (Herald Spy #3) by Mercedes Lackey
Cloudbound by Fran Wilde
Conspiracy of Ravens (The Shadow #2) by Lila Bowen
Crimson Death by Laurell K. Hamilton
Curse on the Land by Faith Hunter
Cursed (The Soulseeker Chronicles #2) by Sue Tingey
Dangerously Charming by Deborah Blake
Dark Carousel by Christine Feehan
Dark Shadows: Heiress of Collinwood by Lara Parker
Darkhaven by A.F.E. Smith
Daughter of Blood (Wall of Night #3) by Helen Lowe
Death’s Master by Tanith Lee
Demons of the Flame Sea by Jean Johnson
Den of Wolves by Juliet Marillier
Doom of the Dragon by Margaret Wies and Tracy Hickman
Dragon Heart by Cecelia Holland
Dragon Spawn by Eileen Wilks
Dreaming Death: A Palace of Dreams by J. Kathleen Cheney
Dreams of Distant Shores by Patricia A. McKillip
Dreamweaver by C. S. Friedman
Eclipse The Flame (Ignite the Shadows #2) by Ingrid Seymour
Eterna and Omega by Leanna Renee Hieber
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
Fire Touched (Mercy Thompson #9) by Patricia Briggs
Fool’s Quest by Robin Hobb
Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal
Goldenfire (Darkhaven #2) by A.F.E. Smith
Grim Tidings (Wolves of Llise #2) by Nancy K. Wallace
Harsh Gods (Conspiracy of Angels #2) by Michelle Belanger
Illicit (Luna Lake #2) by Cathy Clamp
Immortal Nights (Argeneau Vampire) by Lynsay Sands
Imprudence (The Custard Protocol #2) by Gail Carriger
In Ashes Lie (Onyx Court #2) by Marie Brennan
In the Labyrinth of Drakes: A Memoir by Lady Trent (A Natural History of Dragons #4) by Marie Brennan
Kushiel’s Avatar by Jacqueline Carey
Last Song Before Night by Ilana C. Myer
League of Dragons (Temeraire) by Naomi Novik
Legacy of the Demon by Diana Rowland
Little Nothing by Marisa Silver
Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews
Magic Steals by Ilona Andrews
Midnight Marked (Chicagoland Vampires) by Chloe Neill
Mirror Image by Michael Scott and Melanie Ruth Rose
Night Shift by Charlaine Harris
Nightshades by Melissa F. Olson
Of Noble Family by Mary Robinette Kowal
Once Broken Faith by Seanan McGuire
Once Upon a Time: Red’s Untold Tale by Wendy Toliver
Otherworld Chills by Kelley Armstrong
Pathfinder Tales: Hellknight by Liane Merciel
Regeneration (Evolution #3) by Stephanie Saulter
Riders by Veronica Rossi
Roadside Magic by Lilith Saintcrow
Rook Song (The Gaia Chronicles #2) by Naomi Foyle
Runaway Vampire (Argeneau Vampire) by Lynsay Sands
Runemarks by Joanne Harris
Seriously Shifted by Tina Connolly
Seriously Wicked by Tina Connolly
Shadow (The Romany Outcasts #2) by Christi J. Whitney
Shadow and Flame (The Ascendant Kingdoms Saga #4) by Gail Z. Martin
Shadow Silence by Yasmine Galenorn
Skin by Ilka Tampke
Starspawn by Wendy N. Wagner
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
Strangely Beautiful by Leanna Renee Hieber
Strife’s Bane by Evie Manieri
The Blood of the Hoopoe (The Gaia Chronicles #3) by Naomi Foyle
The Bloodsworn by Erin Lindsey
The Conclave of Shadow by Alyc Helms
The Copper Promise by Jen Williams
The Day Before Forever by Anna Caltabiano
The Dragon’s Legacy (The Dragon’s Legacy #1) by Deborah A. Wolf
The Dreaming Hunt by Cindy Dees and Bill Flippin
The Fall of the Dagger (The Forsaken Lands #3) by Glenda Larke
The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth #1) by N.K. Jemison
The Immortal Throne by Stella Gemmell
The Immortals (Olympus Bound #1) by Jordanna Max Brodsky
The Interminables by Paige Orwin
The Jewel and her Lapidary by Fran Wilde
The Language of Dying by Sarah Pinborough
The Lyre Thief by Jennifer Fallon
The Mage Wars (A Valdemar Omnibus) by Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon
The Map of Bones by Francesca Haig
The Masked City by Genevieve Cogman
The Nature of a Pirate by A. M. Dellamonica
The Nightmare Charade by Mindee Arnett
The Obelisk Gate (The Broken Earth #2) by N.K. Jemison
The Race by Nina Allan
The Sight by Chloe Neill
The Sight (Devil’s Isle) by Chloe Neill
The Somnambulist and the Psychic Thief (Jesperson and Lane #1) by Lisa Tuttle
The Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North
The Sun’s Domain by Rebecca Levene
The Two Torcs (Robin Hood: Demon Bane #2) by Debbie Viguié and James R. Tuck
The Veil (Devil’s Isle) by Chloe Neill
The Weaver’s Lament by Elizabeth Haydon
The White Spell by Lynn Kurland
This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab
Thunder Lord by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Deborah J. Ross
Truthwitch (Witchlands) by Susan Dennard
Undead and Done by Maryjanice Davidson
Unhonored by Tracy Hickman and Laura Hickman
Unquiet Land by Sharon Shinn
Untitled (Guild Hunter) by Nalini Singh
Updraft by Fran Wilde
Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter
Vigil (Verity Fassbinder #1) by Angela Slatter
Voyage of the Basilisk by Marie Brennan
Warcraft: Durotan (The Official Movie Prequel) by Christie Golden
Warcraft: The Official Movie Novelization by Christie Golden
Warrior Witch by Danielle L. Jensen
Wasteland King by Lilith Saintcrow
Wild Embrace by Nalini Singh
Winter Halo by Keri Arthur
Wounded by Laurell K. Hamilton
Science Fiction
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
After Atlas by Emma Newman
Behind the Throne by K. B. Wagers
Break the Chains by Megan E. O’Keefe
Cloak of War (The Empress Game Trilogy #2) by Rhonda Mason
Company Town by Madeline Ashby
Confluence by S. K. Dunstan
Crosstalk by Connie Willis
Dark Orbit by Carolyn Ives Gilman
Everfair by Nisi Shawl
Everything Belongs to the Future by Laurie Penny
False Hearts by Laura Lam
Flying by Carrie Jones
Hidden in Sight by Julie E. Czerneda
Infomocracy by Malka Older
Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear
Necessity by Jo Walton
Necrotech by K. C. Alexander
Occupy Me by Tricia Sullivan
Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente
Rebellion by J. A. Souders
Replica by Lauren Oliver
Resistance is Futile by Jenny T. Golgan
Revelations by J. A. Souders
Runtime by S. B. Divya
Seven Surrenders by Ada Palmer
Speak by Louisa Hall
Splintergrate by Deborah Teramis Christian
Star Wars: Bloodline by Claudia Grey
Steal The Sky by Megan E. O’Keefe
The Blockade by Jean Johnson
The Cold Between by Elizabeth Bonesteel
The Galaxy Game by Karen Lord
The Gate to Futures Past by Julie E. Czerneda
The Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons
The Hanged Man by P. N. Elrod
The High Ground (Imperials #1) by Melinda Snodgrass
The Rift Uprising by Amy S. Foster
The Switch by Justina Robson
Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer
Where by Kit Reed
Wolf’s Empire: Gladiator by Claudia Christian and Morgan Grant Buchanan
Horror
Bite by K.S. Merbeth
Fathomless by Anne M. Pillsworth
Feedback (Newsflesh #4) by Mira Grant
Nightmares by Ellen Datlow
Nightstruck by Jenna Black
Rise: The Complete Newsflesh Collection by Mira Grant
The Family Plot by Cherie Priest
The Hidden People by Alison Littlewood
The Last Days of Salton Academy by Jennifer Brozek
Unmortal by Anne M. Pillsworth
My book Dreaming Death came out from Ace/Roc in 2016…
Sorry for the oversight! It’s been added! 🙂
Thanks!!!
Two additional great books from 2016 were Ren Warom’s Escapology (Titan) and Emma Geen’s The Many Selves of Katherine North (Bloomsbury).
The Summer Goddess, by Joanne Hall (Kristell Ink/Grimbold Books) was a BFS Award-nominated 2016 release.