[Penforhire]

Huh. I knew less than half of those myself. I like most of the others proposed above.

Seems to me you can't ignore the market success of JK Rowling or Stephenie Meyer.

I'm more a fan of Anne McCaffrey, Kim Harrison, Anne Rice, or Ursula K LeGuin myself.

edit - Crap, I forgot Andre Norton is a woman as well! And I've certainly acquired a taste for Connie Willis.