These three stories have a theme in common: the female psyche, multiplied and divided. There's probably something Jungian in common with all three. At any rate, throughout my writing career (and for whatever reason) I've been fascinated by the feminine voice.
"Sisters" was commissioned by Brian Thomsen at Warner Books to finish off an anthology published in 1989.
"Scattershot" was written on spec and published by Terry Carr in his anthology Universe 8 in 1978.
Hardfought was published in early 1983, almost simultaneously, in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (edited by Shawna McCarthy) and in my first collection, The Wind from a Burning Woman, edited by James Turner.
I still like to write about women. Some of my novels featuring strong females are Beyond Heaven's River, Strength of Stones, Eon, Eternity, Queen of Angels, Slant, Moving Mars, Darwin's Radio, and Darwin's Children.
Dinosaur Summer, a boy's adventure story populated almost entirely by males, was chastised by one critic for not having a strong and prominent female character.
Mea maxima culpa.
But it did. Two, in fact.
Both dinosaurs.
* * *
Is it possible for a man or woman to write across gender lines, and be convincing? Of course.
I don't take much of the modern gender nonsense very seriously. My attitude is pretty radical.
I think we're all different sexes, inside.