About Heroines of Fantasy

Heroines of Fantasy was started in 2011 by Karin Rita Gastreich, Terri-Lynne DeFino, and Kim Vandervort.  Dedicated to the discussion of fantasy fiction, in particular women in fantasy fiction, the blog began with weekly posts from regular contributors and monthly posts from other publishing professionals.  In 2012, Mark Nelson joined HoF as a contributor, and in 2013 we expanded our activities to include book reviews as well as posts by authors of science fiction and historical fiction.

Since our first post in September of 2011, we have enjoyed the enthusiastic participation of many visitors who are just as passionate about genre fiction as we are.  In addition to the thought-provoking posts of our regular contributors, we have hosted a wide variety of guest authors, editors, and artists.  

In addition to our traditional Monday feature articles, we will offer weekly book reviews.  All of our activities will be dedicated to supporting small press, with a focus on women authors and stories that feature true heroines.

What is a true heroine? 

For us, the true heroine goes beyond the idea of a “strong female protagonist.”  The true heroine is not simply the kick-ass, sword-wielding warrior; she is the expression of the full potential of women characters in the creative endeavor.  True heroines are complex, equipped with multiple strengths and challenged by realistic flaws.  Good or evil, beautiful or ugly, young or old, true heroines are not just adornments to a story, but active participants in the histories of their people. They strike a chord of truth about the human condition.

Are you interested in helping to discover, define, develop, and promote true heroines? Join our discussions, share your thoughts and ideas, and tell us about your favorite books and authors. Above all, tell us what makes a heroine true for you. 

Thank you for stopping by today, and welcome to the growing community of Heroines of Fantasy. We look forward to seeing your comments on all our posts!