"Of the two, I would think of my work as closer to Science Fiction than Fantasy"

Jean M. Auel's quote recommends that she considers her work to be more closely associated to Science Fiction than Fantasy. This could be analyzed in a couple of various ways. To start with, it might mean that her work is more grounded in reality than Fantasy, as Science Fiction frequently has a basis in real-world science and innovation. Secondly, it could mean that her work is more concentrated on exploring the implications of clinical and technological advances, rather than the more fantastical components of Fantasy. Finally, it could mean that her work is more concentrated on exploring the potential of the future, instead of the past or present, which is frequently the focus of Fantasy. Eventually, it depends on the reader to choose how they analyze the quote.