Kameron Hurley is expanding her universe of genre writing.
“I’ve been writing science fiction and fantasy since I was 15. I’m 36 now, and I’ve been part of the community and discussion since forever,” Hurley said. Her newest book, “The Geek Feminist Revolution,” examines the crossroads of science fiction, feminism, writing and geek culture through a collection of personal essays, many which appeared on her blog that she began in 2004.
Her 2013 blog post, “We Have Always Fought: Challenging the Women, Cattle and Slaves Narrative,” won a Hugo Award in 2014 for Best Related Work. The Hugo Awards are given out annually to the best science fiction or fantasy works in the previous year. It was the first blog post to be nominated in the category.
“My agent loved that (blog) post so much, she wanted to share it with her friends,” said Hurley. That desire evolved into a book deal with “We Have Always Fought” as the collection’s linchpin.
The book’s cover even makes a reference to the essay with the illustration of a llama. “It is sort of an inside joke. It makes sense if you’ve read ‘We Have Always Fought,’ not to spoil it too much. The opening line begins with ‘I’m going to tell you a story about llamas,’ then you figure out you’re not really reading about llamas.”
Hurley said science fiction and fantasy writing has become “ground zero” for recent cultural trends, as comic books and novels like “Game of Thrones,” or “The Expanse” series, become films and television shows. And because everyone knows everybody in the writing community, she said, “it’s one of those things that if you get involved you can make a difference.”
‘Keep pushing’
There’s been some pushback from “groups of very loud angry people celebrating the status quo,” she said, but “there’s a huge move toward change” in the overall community. “Revolutions are cylindrical. You see the same energy that you saw in the ’60s and ’70s. We’re in the middle of one right now, with some backtracking and backlash in 10 years. It’s 10 steps forward and eight steps back, but you gain those two steps, so you just keep pushing,” she said.
Hurley grew up in Battle Ground, where she began writing as a teenager. She has lived in Dayton, Ohio, since 2007 working as a writer for a local ad agency.
“My parents don’t read my novels, say they’re too weird,” Hurley said. “My mother read (‘The Geek Feminist Revolution’), she said, ‘Kameron, it’s so wonderful to read this book. It made me want to fight the man again.’ ”
The essays will also appeal to writers of all genres. “There’s inspiring writing about how to build stories, create interesting worlds and the ramifications of those stories, and how we shape wider stories in the wider culture.”
She said that the feedback from readers has been very positive.
“It resonated with women and young women, it really struck a chord. The reviews from readers make me want to cry. I wanted people to be inspired and go change the world.
“It’s small groups of passionate people who can change (the world), and the group in charge doesn’t want you to believe that you have the power,” Hurley said.
Hurley is currently working on the third book, “The Broken Heavens,” in her fantasy trilogy, the Worldbreaker Saga. In January, Hurley’s space opera “The Stars are Legion” will be published by Saga Press.
For more information or to read “We Have Always Fought,” visit www.kameronhurley.com.
