Nikki asked Julia Phillips:

I just learned about your book from an email from your publisher. They categorize "Disappearing Earth" as 'women's literature.' Based on the description, your book doesn't fit that category. Are you comfortable with that designation? I don't usually read 'women's lit,' but your book sounds really interesting. Thanks. Nikki

Julia Phillips This is a really thoughtful question, Nikki. Thank you for asking. I think the book definitely falls under the broad umbrella of "women's fiction" as a work written by a woman about the lives of girls and women, so I'm comfortable with that categorization. But I am generally curious how much utility that umbrella has. Jennifer Weiner seems to sum it up well in a recent essay: "'Women’s fiction' has been a catchall term for years, an ever-expanding tent big enough to cover anything written for women or by a woman, or consumed primarily by women." What an enormous, diverse pool of work. I hope that potential readers of DISAPPEARING EARTH will get to hear its description, like you did, and feel out whether this particular one is right for them.

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