# Distaff Science Fiction Anthology Out Now!



## Serendipity (Aug 15, 2019)

It's arrived! It's here! Nine lovely science fiction stories by sffchronicles women can be read on Kindle, or if you're daring yo can order the paperback from Amazon.

Thank you to all on sffchronicles who helped, cheered us on from the sidelines and supported us in your own unique fashion, which only sffchroniclers can do!

The 'official' book launch will be a Titancon at the Hilton in Belfast Friday 23rd August 7-9pm Lisburn room (rumour has it there will be chocolates and cupcakes). Paperback copies will be for sale there!

As for the pre-launch reviews - thank you to those who published one - all I'm going to say is they're good.

Amazon UK: Distaff: A Science Fiction Anthology by female authors eBook: Jane O'Reilly, Rosie Oliver, Kerry Buchanan, E J Tett, Juliana Spink Mills, Damaris Browne, Shellie Horst, Susan Boulton, Sam Primeau: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Amazon.com Amazon.com: Distaff: A Science Fiction Anthology by female authors eBook: Jane O'Reilly, Rosie Oliver, Kerry Buchanan, E J Tett, Juliana Spink Mills, Damaris Browne, Shellie Horst, Susan Boulton, Sam Primeau: Kindle Store


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## farntfar (Aug 15, 2019)

Just recieved my copy of the kindle version and I'm now finding it hard to resist. 

I'd decided to keep it for when I go on holiday at the end of next week, because I know that if I let myself I'd gobble it all up before tomorrow's done.
I might let myself read 1 or 2 stories beforehand though.


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## Brian G Turner (Aug 15, 2019)

I've added direct links for Amazon to help.


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## The Big Peat (Aug 15, 2019)

Was going through it today in order to finish my review and missed my train stop because I was too busy reading about Mechs. Clearly this book is too dangerous and should be suppressed.


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## Paul_C (Aug 15, 2019)

Purchased


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## nixie (Aug 15, 2019)

@millymollymo you should bring some paperbacks to our next meet. I'm sure I could for.... persuade everyone to purchase a copy.

Bought kindle download, but if you can bring copies.


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## Cathbad (Aug 15, 2019)

T'was in my Inbox this morning!

Three more stories to read...


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## johnnyjet (Aug 15, 2019)

Got mine!


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## Teresa Edgerton (Aug 15, 2019)

And I bought mine!


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## Jo Zebedee (Aug 15, 2019)

Thanks so much for the support! If anyone has read it and could pop a wee review up on Amazon, it’d be fantastic!


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## M. Robert Gibson (Aug 15, 2019)

Well, that's my copy ordered.  Should be getting it next week   


At time of writing:


> *Amazon Bestsellers Rank:* 671,017 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
> 
> #37487 in Science Fiction (Books)



Let's get it to number 1


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## Jo Zebedee (Aug 15, 2019)

Me and Kerry chatting about the antho :


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## Cathbad (Aug 16, 2019)

I'm beginning to hate Amazon!!

The UK store won't let me post my review there!!  I've posted several other reviews there, so what's the problem!?

Anyway, at least it allowed me to post it on the US site.


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## Jo Zebedee (Aug 16, 2019)

Cathbad said:


> I'm beginning to hate Amazon!!
> 
> The UK store won't let me post my review there!!  I've posted several other reviews there, so what's the problem!?
> 
> Anyway, at least it allowed me to post it on the US site.


Thank you loads! Amazon made it harder to post reviews across countries a while ago


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## Serendipity (Aug 16, 2019)

The Big Peat said:


> Was going through it today in order to finish my review and missed my train stop because I was too busy reading about Mechs. Clearly this book is too dangerous and should be suppressed.


Wow! Such enthusiasm. Thank you, everyone. I hope you all enjoy reading the stories.


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## Mouse (Aug 16, 2019)

You guys sound amazing, Kerry & Jo!!

Also - lovely beards competition sounds like something straight out of Father Ted, love it.


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## Jo Zebedee (Aug 16, 2019)

Mouse said:


> You guys sound amazing, Kerry & Jo!!
> 
> Also - lovely beards competition sounds like something straight out of Father Ted, love it.


It’s great fun!


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## M. Robert Gibson (Aug 17, 2019)

M. Robert Gibson said:


> Well, that's my copy ordered.  Should be getting it next week
> 
> 
> At time of writing:
> ...


Wow!  Not even two days later and it's rocketing up the charts

*Amazon Bestsellers Rank:* 107,192 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

#8582 in Science Fiction (Books)


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## Cathbad (Aug 17, 2019)

*Product details*

*File Size:* 316 KB
*Print Length:* 201 pages
*Simultaneous Device Usage:* Unlimited
*Publication Date:* August 15, 2019
*Sold by:* Amazon Digital Services LLC
*Language:* English
*ASIN:* B07ST1KY7J
*Text-to-Speech: *Enabled 
	

*X-Ray:*
Not Enabled 
	

*Word Wise:* Enabled
*Lending:* Enabled
*Screen Reader: *Supported 
	

*Enhanced Typesetting:* Enabled 
	

*Amazon Best Sellers Rank:* #49,903 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
#92 in Science Fiction Anthologies (Kindle Store)
#640 in Galactic Empire Science Fiction (Books)
#127 in Science Fiction Anthologies (Books)


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## Cathbad (Aug 17, 2019)

Looking like a Best seller!!


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## Serendipity (Aug 17, 2019)

Me? In stunned shock at where Distaff is leading to.... Oh Wow!


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## Cathbad (Aug 18, 2019)

MY REVIEW OF _DISTAFF_ WON'T BE POSTED ON AMAZON BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD $50 IN PURCHASES IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS!!

SERIOUSLY!?

First they change it to you have to have bought the book on Amazon, and now they're using it as a HOSTAGE to attempt to force you to buy on Amazon!?

THIS is an absolute outrage!  THIS is pure, spiteful greed!

I don't make most of my purchases on Amazon because I have a limited income, and there are several places I can get what I need cheaper!  And frankly, now, I'll be_ more_ sure to AVOID buying things on Amazon!!

*AMAZON CAN GO TO HELL!!*


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## Jo Zebedee (Aug 18, 2019)

Cathbad said:


> MY REVIEW OF _DISTAFF_ WON'T BE POSTED ON AMAZON BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD $50 IN PURCHASES IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS!!
> 
> SERIOUSLY!?
> 
> ...



They change the goalposts all the time  

Would you be able to pop it on goodreads and then we can share it from there?


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## Cathbad (Aug 18, 2019)

Jo Zebedee said:


> Would you be able to pop it on goodreads and then we can share it from there?


Added!


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## M. Robert Gibson (Aug 20, 2019)

My copy arrived today   Looking forward to reading it.

Latest ranking at time of posting
*Amazon Bestsellers Rank:* 101,980 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

#7909 in Science Fiction (Books)


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## Serendipity (Aug 24, 2019)

Is this what you might be thinking of M. Robert Gibson?


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## Cathbad (Aug 24, 2019)

Meanwhile, in the UK...

*Product details*


*Format:* Kindle Edition
*File Size:* 316 KB
*Print Length:* 201 pages
*Simultaneous Device Usage:* Unlimited
*Sold by:* Amazon Media EU  S.à r.l.
*Language:* English
*ASIN:* B07ST1KY7J
*Text-to-Speech: *   Enabled 
	

 *X-Ray:*

        Not Enabled 
	

*Word Wise:* Enabled
*Screen Reader: *       Supported 
	

*Enhanced Typesetting:*         Enabled 
	

*Average Customer Review:*   _5.0 out of 5 stars_        1 customer review     
*Amazon Bestsellers Rank:*  #12,184 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)  
#104    in Galactic Empire Science Fiction eBooks
#20    in Science Fiction Anthologies (Kindle Store)
#25    in Science Fiction Anthologies (Books)


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## Jo Zebedee (Aug 24, 2019)

Cathbad said:


> Meanwhile, in the UK...
> 
> *Product details*
> 
> ...



Nice! We’ve had a great run


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## farntfar (Aug 25, 2019)

Jo Zebedee said:


> Nice! We’ve had a great run


And deservedly so.

I've only read the first story so far , but what a great concept.


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## M. Robert Gibson (Aug 25, 2019)

The ranking I keep posting is for the paperback on the amazon.co.uk site.  It appears to be different for each amazon site 


Currently we are still rising at
*Amazon Bestsellers Rank:* 58,681 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

#5868 in Science Fiction (Books)






						Distaff: A Science Fiction Anthology by female authors: Amazon.co.uk: O'Reilly, Jane, Oliver, Rosie, Buchanan, Kerry, Tett, E J, Spink Mills, Juliana, Browne, Damaris, Horst, Shellie, Boulton, Susan, Zebedee, Jo, Primeau, Sam: 9781074955007: Books
					

Buy Distaff: A Science Fiction Anthology by female authors by O'Reilly, Jane, Oliver, Rosie, Buchanan, Kerry, Tett, E J, Spink Mills, Juliana, Browne, Damaris, Horst, Shellie, Boulton, Susan, Zebedee, Jo, Primeau, Sam (ISBN: 9781074955007) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free...



					www.amazon.co.uk
				





Whereas the .com site has it at
*Amazon Best Sellers Rank:* #1,611,299 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

#27920 in Literature
#73676 in Science Fiction (Books)


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## Jo Zebedee (Aug 25, 2019)

M. Robert Gibson said:


> The ranking I keep posting is for the paperback on the amazon.co.uk site.  It appears to be different for each amazon site
> 
> 
> Currently we are still rising at
> ...



Yeah they’re different sales markets. We’re doing more sales in the U.K.


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## Serendipity (Aug 25, 2019)

Jo Zebedee said:


> Yeah they’re different sales markets. We’re doing more sales in the U.K.


You would expect more interest in the UK because so many of the authors are from the UK... 

I'm only sorry that other english speaking markets, e.g. America, Australia, Canada, will miss out because of the limited advertising opportunities - there's some super stories in there.


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## AlexH (Aug 27, 2019)

DISTAFF is on my device and ready to read!



Cathbad said:


> MY REVIEW OF _DISTAFF_ WON'T BE POSTED ON AMAZON BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD $50 IN PURCHASES IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS!!
> 
> SERIOUSLY!?
> 
> ...


Surely that's some sort of discrimination? Goodreads is owned by Amazon too.


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## millymollymo (Aug 27, 2019)

Yes, but...*insert complicated marking and algorithm hocus pocus here* you see.


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## Stephen Palmer (Aug 28, 2019)

^^ exactly, if you want to mess things up, put a computer in. :/


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## Serendipity (Sep 2, 2019)

I'm hearing rumours about good-to-excellent things happening to those involved in the anthology as a direct result of Distaff being published. I would like to put an article together for the Distaffanthology website about this, but only if the people concerned are willing for this information to be published. 

If you do, please let me know either here or PM me.


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## millymollymo (Sep 2, 2019)

When I have something concrete, you'll be the first to know... watch this space


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## Cathbad (Sep 2, 2019)

millymollymo said:


> When I have something concrete, you'll be the first to know... watch this space


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## Serendipity (Sep 2, 2019)

millymollymo said:


> When I have something concrete, you'll be the first to know... watch this space


And here's me knowing something a little bit nice is going to happen to one of our authors and they don't know it yet... and no, I'm not talking about any award nominations either...


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## Ursa major (Sep 2, 2019)

Is it that Jo's going to be helping to organise next year's WorldCon in Wellington New Zealand....? 

​


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## Serendipity (Sep 2, 2019)

You mean in her superwoman guise?


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## Jo Zebedee (Sep 2, 2019)

Serendipity said:


> You mean in her superwoman guise?



No he means in my can’t say bloody no guise


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## Serendipity (Sep 2, 2019)

Jo Zebedee said:


> No he means in my can’t say bloody no guise



Good luck, just don't organise anything to do with penguins or there'll be chaos!


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## Brian G Turner (Sep 6, 2019)

Not enough reviews going up for this, so I've put the banner up across chrons for guests - see if that helps provide a little more momentum.


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## Jo Zebedee (Sep 6, 2019)

Brian G Turner said:


> Not enough reviews going up for this, so I've put the banner up across chrons for guests - see if that helps provide a little more momentum.



Thank you! Amazon changes on reviews are really impacting on releases at the moment


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## nixie (Sep 6, 2019)

I've posted a review. Probably take awhile to show.


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## The Big Peat (Sep 6, 2019)

Serendipity said:


> You mean in her superwoman guise?





Jo Zebedee said:


> No he means in my can’t say bloody no guise



Pretty much the same thing innit if you get results  And also a fancy costume with a cape!


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## Jo Zebedee (Sep 6, 2019)

nixie said:


> I've posted a review. Probably take awhile to show.


Thank you!


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## Brian G Turner (Sep 6, 2019)

Jo Zebedee said:


> Thank you!



I actually put the banner up a couple of days ago and forgot to mention it.


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## Serendipity (Sep 6, 2019)

Thank you, Brian, for putting up the banner. Thank you to those who've done reviews and posted them on their websites, Amazon and Goodreads. 

At the risk of sounding to controversial...

I was told some time ago that part of the reasoning why there are so few female science fiction authors compared to men resulted from there being so few reviews of books written by female genre authors. 

I never got the full details about that complicated chain of reasoning, but the comments came from people who looked into the matter more deeply than I have. So the only proof I have of this being correct is at best circumstantial evidence. And the apparent lack of reviews for the Distaff anthology is now adding to that pile. 

Is this where I tiptoe away?


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## The Big Peat (Sep 6, 2019)

Serendipity said:


> Thank you, Brian, for putting up the banner. Thank you to those who've done reviews and posted them on their websites, Amazon and Goodreads.
> 
> At the risk of sounding to controversial...
> 
> ...



I've never heard that before - I don't suppose you could remember where it came from?

In any case... it sounds ... I've forgotten the word I want. It may come back. BUT IN ANY CASE - we know publicity matters. Publishers mightn't want to take risk on people who don't get much publicity. Women themselves mightn't think of being an author because they don't hear about female authors all the time.

Plausible. That's the word.

That said... how many reviews do most new books get these days? It feels like a constant struggle for everyone.


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## Jo Zebedee (Sep 6, 2019)

The Big Peat said:


> I've never heard that before - I don't suppose you could remember where it came from?
> 
> In any case... it sounds ... I've forgotten the word I want. It may come back. BUT IN ANY CASE - we know publicity matters. Publishers mightn't want to take risk on people who don't get much publicity. Women themselves mightn't think of being an author because they don't hear about female authors all the time.
> 
> ...


There’s been a pretty large study that supports this (not just for genre writers but all female writers). I’ll hoke around when I have time but I can assure you it’s statistically very much the case.


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## Jo Zebedee (Sep 6, 2019)

Research shows male writers still dominate books world
					

Statistics from US campaigners Vida confirm dramatic gender imbalance in literary critics and the authors reviewed




					www.google.co.uk


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## The Big Peat (Sep 6, 2019)

Thanks Jo - would you believe I'd seen that article but completely forgotten about it? So much bias left to undo.


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## Jo Zebedee (Sep 6, 2019)

The Big Peat said:


> Thanks Jo - would you believe I'd seen that article but completely forgotten about it? So much bias left to undo.


It’s quite old now - I wonder if things have improved? Although I think there was a more recent Irish study which found the same.


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## The Big Peat (Sep 6, 2019)

Jo Zebedee said:


> It’s quite old now - I wonder if things have improved? Although I think there was a more recent Irish study which found the same.



I'd put a tenner on "Some but not all that much". Not that those publications matter hugely to SFF. Tbh, I think a more interesting study would be to compare GR reviews for male and female authors publishing at similar times/levels - I tried doing it with one comparison and they had the same amount of reviews, but the man had twice as many ratings...

But anyway, I digress. Youse are awesome, the world is not.


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## Parson (Sep 6, 2019)

Jo Zebedee said:


> It’s quite old now - I wonder if things have improved? Although I think there was a more recent Irish study which found the same.



I also wonder how this applies to reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, etc. 

(My first sense is that they would be worse, but I hope I'm wrong.)

I've thought a time or two of leaving a review but since I was quoted in your blurb I wasn't sure if that was kosher.


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## Jo Zebedee (Sep 6, 2019)

Parson said:


> I also wonder how this applies to reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, etc.
> 
> (My first sense is that they would be worse, but I hope I'm wrong.)
> 
> I've thought a time or two of leaving a review but since I was quoted in your blurb I wasn't sure if that was kosher.


Definitely kosher! Please do. If you clearly put in it that you received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, all should be well. 

Just don’t mention any bungs you were given  

(That’s a joke, Amazon!)


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## M. Robert Gibson (Sep 6, 2019)

Jo Zebedee said:


> Just don’t mention any bungs you were given


Why would anyone object to some rubber stoppers?  




I found them very useful when I used to brew my own beer


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## Serendipity (Sep 6, 2019)

Here is a later article (May 2016) about gender bias in general in science fiction.


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## Parson (Sep 6, 2019)

Jo Zebedee said:


> Definitely kosher! Please do. If you clearly put in it that you received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, all should be well.
> 
> Just don’t mention any bungs you were given
> 
> (That’s a joke, Amazon!)



I will get on it in a few .... days? In the mean time, I'm befuddled. Any "bungs?" I know of bungs that refer to stoppers, and those that refer to holes, but I just can't help feeling (and I even Googled it!) that there is a joke there that is fling way, way, above my head.


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## Brian G Turner (Sep 6, 2019)

Okay, I think we're getting a little off-topic here - let's get back to the book.


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## The Big Peat (Sep 6, 2019)

Parson said:


> I will get on it in a few .... days? In the mean time, I'm befuddled. Any "bungs?" I know of bungs that refer to stoppers, and those that refer to holes, but I just can't help feeling (and I even Googled it!) that there is a joke there that is fling way, way, above my head.



Bungs is British slang for bribes.


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## Jo Zebedee (Sep 6, 2019)

The Big Peat said:


> Bungs is British slang for bribes.


I thought it was the ‘mercian. Sorry Parson! 

Back to the book


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## Abernovo (Sep 6, 2019)

I'm just reading _DISTAFF _now, having got it at TitanCon. I am a bit of a slow reader, and the day job gets in the way, too. However, once finished, I will put up a review -- definitely on Goodreads, and on Amazon if they will allow it.

For the record, it is a bloody great read so far. I'm really enjoying it. Not a surprise, as I know the previous work of the authors in question.


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## tinkerdan (Sep 6, 2019)

I tend to stay away from short stories--just that my preference is the novels and series.
However I did purchase this somewhere around when you first announced it and gobbled it down in one night.
My only disappointment was coming to the end--it came too soon--I could have read more...
Waiting for the next installment....
FYI: Yes; sort-of:


Jo Zebedee said:


> I thought it was the ‘mercian. Sorry Parson!


Secondary definition in Cambridge dictionary.


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## Serendipity (Sep 7, 2019)

A review is up on the British Fantasy Society... DISTAFF: A SCIENCE FICTION ANTHOLOGY BY FEMALE WRITERS, by Jane O’Reilly, Rosie Oliver et al. Book review | The British Fantasy Society 

Me going off to scratch my head about this one...


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## Jo Zebedee (Sep 7, 2019)

Serendipity said:


> A review is up on the British Fantasy Society... DISTAFF: A SCIENCE FICTION ANTHOLOGY BY FEMALE WRITERS, by Jane O’Reilly, Rosie Oliver et al. Book review | The British Fantasy Society
> 
> Me going off to scratch my head about this one...



Nice review. Will share in the morning when Social media is good


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## millymollymo (Sep 8, 2019)

Not that I had spare time or anything...


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## Paul_C (Sep 8, 2019)

A great idea - get writing everyone


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## farntfar (Sep 11, 2019)

In many of the more relaxed civilizations of the anglophone regions of the planet Earth the women’s anthology has already supplanted the great _*TESTAMENTS* _as the book to read this autumn, for though it has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least wildly inaccurate, it scores over the newer, and may I say more pedestrian work in two important respects. First, it is slightly cheaper; and second, it has the word* "DISTAFF" *inscribed in large friendly letters on its cover.


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## millymollymo (Nov 12, 2019)

Distaff made it into Writing Magazine, (December)... the anthology just keeps on giving.


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## Jo Zebedee (Nov 12, 2019)

millymollymo said:


> Distaff made it into Writing Magazine, (December)... the anthology just keeps on giving.



Fabulous!


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## Stephen Palmer (Nov 12, 2019)

Fab indeed!


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## Abernovo (Nov 12, 2019)

millymollymo said:


> Distaff made it into Writing Magazine, (December)... the anthology just keeps on giving.


Great stuff!


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## Serendipity (Nov 13, 2019)

Well done, @millymollymo ... enjoy the success!


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## Serendipity (Jul 14, 2020)

The Best of British Science Fiction 2019 paperback has been released today... it contain's Susan Boulton's Distaff story, Ab Initio. Well done, Susan.


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## Serendipity (Jul 17, 2020)

Okay - we've had the first review of the Best of British Science Fiction posted online - see Best Of British Science Fiction 2019 edited by Donna Scott (book review).


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