I grew up reading fantasy, and all of the heroes (apart from a very rare few) were males. And I think that made an impression and stuck in there, so when I sit down to write it is hard for me to have my first concept involve a female lead. It is a problem with the genre. Urban fantasy tries to fix it, having kick ass heroines, but they go about it the wrong way- revolving around the sex appeal and relationships and all the covers have under-dressed women on them- because that is what sells, sadly. That comment by Halle Berry makes me sad. Yes, sexuality is a tool, but it is not THE tool that women possess.

The Deed of Paksenarrion, by Elizabeth Moon, was one of the first fantasy series I ever read with a magnificently strong female protagonist. I loved it.