SF Site News » Authors

Clive Barker Health Scare

Steven H Silver — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:05:31 +0000

Horror author Clive Barker found himself in the hospital and a coma in late January after visiting the dentist. The dental visit released bacteria into Barker’s system leading to toxic shock and several days in intensive care.

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Burstein Considers Congress

Steven H Silver — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:33:17 +0000

Author Michael A. Burstein has announced the formation of an Exploratory Committee to consider seeking the Democratic nomination to represent Massachussett’s 4th Congressional District, currently represented by Barney Frank, who has announced his resignation at the end of his current term. Burstein, who has been nominated for 10 Hugo Awards, has served three terms as a trustee for the Brookline (MA) Public Library.

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Obituary: Samuel Youd

Steven H Silver — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:11:57 +0000

British fan and author Samuel Youd (b.1922) died on February 3. Youd, who published fiction under the name John Christopher among others, wrote “The Tripods” series and “The Sword of the Spirit” trilogy. He became active in fandom in the post-war years and began publishing fiction in 1949. He won the Guardian Award in 1971.

SLF Older Writers Grant

Steven H Silver — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:08:56 +0000

The Speculative Literature Foundation has announced that it is accepting applications for the 2012 Older Writers Grant. A grant of $750 is available to any writer of speculative literature older than 50 who is just beginning to work professionally in the field. Applications are due on March 31 with the winner announced on June 1.

For more information…

Clarion West

Steven H Silver — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:01:44 +0000

The application deadline for Clarion West is March 1, although there will be a $10 discount for applications received before February 10. This year’s session will run from June 17 to July 27. Instructors will include Mary Rosenblum, Hiromi Goto, George R.R. Martin, Connie Willis, Kelly Link
and Gavin Grant, and Chuck Palahniuk.

For more information…

Obituary: Ardath Mayhar

Steven H Silver — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:18:36 +0000

Author Ardath Mayhar (b.1930) died on February 1. Mayhar, who won the Balrog Award for a poem that appeared in Masques 1. She wrote more than 60 novels, frequently using pseudonyms and spanning many genres. In the 1990s, Mayhar and her husband owned The View From Orbit Bookstore in Nacogdoches, Texas. In 2008, she was chosen by Science Fiction Writers of America as their Author Emeritus.

Crawford Winner Announced

Steven H Silver — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:20:25 +0000

Genevieve Valentine’s debut novel Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti has been announced as the winner of the William L. Crawford Award. The Crawford Award is presented annually for a new fantasy author whose first book appeared during the previous year. It is presented at the International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts, which will be held this year from March 21-25 in Orlando, Florida.

For more information…

Obituary: Phyllis MacLennan

Steven H Silver — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 11:34:01 +0000

Author Phyllis MacLennan (b.1920) died on January 8. MacLennan worked in Military Intelligence during World War II and began publishing science fiction in 1963 with the story “A Contract in Karasthan” in Fantastic. Her only science fiction novel, Turned Loose on Irdra, was published in 1970 and she published six more stories by 1980, including “Thus Love Betrays Us ,” which was reprinted in three different “Best of” collections.

Damon Knight Grandmaster Recipient Announced

Steven H Silver — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:51:42 +0000

SFWA has announced that the recipient of the Damon Knight Grandmaster Award will be Connie Willis. Willis will be honored during the 2012 Nebula Award Weekend in Arlington, Virginia the weekend of May 17-20, 2012. Willis is the author of Remake, Bellwether, Passage, and other novels and short stories. She has won 11 Hugos and 7 Nebulas, including both awards for her novels Doomsday Book, All Clear, Blackout, and the short story “Even the Queen.”

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Obituary: Carlo Fruttero

Steven H Silver — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:57:36 +0000

Italian author Carlo Fruttero (b.1926) died on January 15. Much of his work was done in collaboration with Franco Lucentini and the two men edited the science fiction magazine Urania from 1964 through 1985. The men also wrote science fiction, humor, and other genres. From 1972 to 1975 they also edited the comic Il Mago.

Obituary: Howard Hopkins

Steven H Silver — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:18:26 +0000

Author Howard Hopkins (b.1961) died on January 12 while shoveling snow. Hopkins edited the anthology Dark Harbors and wrote the novels Night Demons, Grimm, and The Dark Riders. He wrote the The Nightmare Club series for children and has also written for comics.

Duane Hit By Scammers

Steven H Silver — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:09:58 +0000

Author Diane Duane, who wrote the “Young Wizards” series, numerous Star Trek novels, and has recently been publishing the “Omnitopia” series discovered that scammers have managed to get into her bank account, leaving her with a balance of nothing. Although the bank will eventually be able to restore his account, until that time, she is having a cash flow problem for bills and is asking people to visit her on-line store, offering a 20% discount, as well.

For more information…

Alpha Auction

Steven H Silver — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:50:02 +0000

The Alpha Young Writers Workshop is holding an auction to raise money for its scholarship fund. The auction, which will begin on Friday, January 13, includes titles by George R.R. Martin, Elizabeth Bear, Patrick Rothfuss, Cory Doctorow, Catherine Asaro, and critiques by Theodora Goss, Bruce Holland Rogers, Leslie What, and more.

For more information…

Gene Wolfe Honored

Steven H Silver — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:38:39 +0000

The Chicago Literary Hall of Fame will be presenting Gene Wolfe with the first Fuller Award for lifetime achievement in literature on March 17 at an Evening to Honor Gene Wolfe. The event will take place at the Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills, IL and will be hosted by Gary K. Wolfe. Authors scheduled to pay tribute to Wolfe include Neil Gaiman, Luis Urrea, Michael Swanwick, Audrey Niffenegger, Jody Lynn Nye, and Patrick O’Leary with a performance of an adaptation of Wolfe’s story “The Toy Theatre” by Lawrence Santoro. Tickets begin at $65.

For more information…

Obituary: Glenn Lord

Steven H Silver — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 22:59:58 +0000

Editor and Agent Glenn Lord (b.1931) died on December 31. Lord was the agent for Robert E. Howard’s estate and edited several collections of Howard’s stories, as well as writing The Last Celt: A Bio-Bibliography of Robert Ervin Howard. Lord’s essays about Howard and those who knew him appeared in a variety of fanzines, magazines, and books. Lord also worked to re-publish Howard’s story in their original form and to find lost Howard works and fragments.

Obituary: Richard Bessière

Steven H Silver — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:13:25 +0000

French author Henri-Richard Bessière (b.1923) died on December 22. Bessière, who began publishing under the name F. Richard-Bessière and later went by Richard Bessière, was the first author published by Fleuve Noir’s Anticipation line in 1951 and proceeded to publish 98 titles between 1951 and 1985. Bessière wrote three major series for Anticipation, the Professor Béac books, the Sydney Gordon books, and the Harry Stewart books, as well as numerous stand-alone novels. His work was discussed in English in the recent volume The Anticipation Novelists of 1950s French Science Fiction, by Bradford Lyau.

Obituary: Louis Thirion

Steven H Silver — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:07:43 +0000

French author Louis Thirion (b.1923) died on December 9. Thirion published his first novel, Waterloo, morne plaine in 1964 and continued to publish for more than 40 years. In addition to his novels, he also wrote radio plays. Beginning in 1968, most of his fiction was published by Fleuve Noir, including his Jord Maogan series, Les Stols, Les Whums se vengent, Ysée-A, Sterga la noire, and Le Secret d’Ipavar. His work was often focused on eco-disasters and was dystopian in nature. In the 2000s, he published three historical novels.

Obituary: Gianluca Casseri

Steven H Silver — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:16:18 +0000

Italian author Gianluca Casseri (b.1961) killed himself on December 14 after murdering two Senegalese immigrants to Italy and wounding three others. His shooting spree led to a march by the Florentine Senegalese community. Casseri wrote the fantasy novel The Key of Chaos. He also wrote an academic paper about Dracula folklore and was the editor of a magazine about fantasy and horror fiction and comics.

For more information…

Obituary: Thomas J. Bassler

Steven H Silver — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:08:18 +0000

Author Thomas J. Bassler (b.1932), who wrote science fiction as T. J. Bass died on December 13. Bass’s two novels, Half Past Human and The Godwhale were both nominated for the Nebula Award. In addition, Bass published a handful of short stories. A doctor, Bassler was an early proponent of the use of Marathon-running for health purposes.

Obituary: Russell Hoban

Steven H Silver — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:59:15 +0000

Author Russell Hoban (b.1925) died on December 13. Hoban’s novel Riddley Walker won the John W. Campbell, Jr. Award and the Australian Science Fiction Achievement Award, it was also nominated for the Nebula Award. His novels covered a range of genres, including science fiction, historical fiction, magic realism, and fantasy.

Obituary: Euan Harvey

Steven H Silver — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:41:44 +0000

Fantasy author Euan Harvey succumbed to cancer on the morning of December 9. Harvey began publishing short fantasy in 2007 when “The Tao of Crocodiles” appeared in Realms of Fantasy. In the years since, Harvey published seven additional stories in that magazine. His story “Kamaratunga’s Masterpiece” is slated for publication in a future issue of Black Gate.

Saberhagen Papers to NIU

Steven H Silver — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:01:34 +0000

Fred Saberhagen’s papers have been donated to Northern Illinois University’s research collection. Saberhagen’s works included the Complete Book of Swords, The Dracula Tapes, and the Berserker series. Over the past several years, NIU has acquired the papers of numerous authors, including Jack McDevitt and Carol Emshwiller.

For more information…

Ellison Drops Lawsuit

Steven H Silver — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 03:05:44 +0000

Harlan Ellison has dropped his lawsuit against Andrew Niccol’s film In Time. Ellison had previously alleged that In Time was based on his short story “Repent Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman,” and there was an erroneous report that the suit was settled. Ellison has now seen the film and decided to voluntarily dismiss the action. Despite earlier reports, including on this site, at no time was Ellison promised payment or screen credit on the film.

Terri Windling Fundraiser

Steven H Silver — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:17:27 +0000

Editor, author, and artist Terri Windling, who runs Green Man Studios and has edited numerous anthologies, many in collaboration with Ellen Datlow, is undergoing a major financial crisis brought on by health and legal issues. To help Windling out, several of her friends, including Datlow, Neil Gaiman, George R. R. Martin, Brian Froud, and more, are auctioning off goods and services.

For more information…

Obituary: Anne McCaffrey

Steven H Silver — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:38:20 +0000

Author Anne McCaffrey (b.1926) died on November 21 following an heart attack. McCaffrey, who was best known for her Pern series, had her first story published in 1953. McCaffrey won a Hugo Award in 1968 for the first Pern story, “Weyr Search” and won a Nebula the following year for “Dragonrider.” In 2005, she was named Grandmaster by the SFWA and is an inductee into the SF Hall of Fame. Other works by McCaffrey include The Ship Who Sang and its sequels, The Crystal Singer and many more. McCaffrey worked on several collaborations with younger writers over the course of her career.

Odyssey On-Line

Steven H Silver — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:32:32 +0000

The Odyssey Writers Workshop has announced three new on-line writing classes. Admission to the courses is limited and applications are due for each course at various times in December. Founded seventeen years ago, Odyssey added an on-line component, which has proved popular, two years ago.

Showing versus Telling in Fantastic Fiction, taught by Jeanne Cavelos (1/4/12-2/1/12)
Secrets of Literary Agents, taught by Lindsay Ribar (1/9/12-1/23/12)
Narrative Structures in Fantastic Fiction, taught by Bruce Holland Rogers (1/25/12-2/22/12)

For more information…

ISFiC Writers Contest Winner

Steven H Silver — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:27:38 +0000

Mary Mascari won the ISFiC Writer’s Contest with her story “The Pod.” The contest is sponsored by ISFiC in conjunction with Windycon. Mascari won a membership at Windycon, room night, and $300. Her story was published in the con program book. This year’s contest was judged by Bill Fawcett, Roland Green, and Elizabeth Anne Hull. This is Mascari’s second ISFiC Writer’s Contest victory, joining previous two-time winners Richard Chwedyk and C.T. Fluhr.

For more information…

Endeavour Award Winner

Steven H Silver — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:22:26 +0000

Cherie Priest won this year’s Endeavour Award for her novel Dreadnought. The winner was announced at Orycon and the award comes with a $1,000 prize and an engraved glass plaque. The Endeavour Award was established to recognize works of SF by authors working and living in the Pacific Northwest. The judges for the 2011 Award were Bud Sparhawk, John Joseph Adams, and Jo Walton.

For more information…

In Time Lawsuit Settlement

Steven H Silver — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:04:57 +0000

Harlan Ellison’s lawsuit against New Regency and director Andrew Niccol over plagiarism for their film In Time has been settled. Ellison claimed that In Time was based on his 1965 story “Repent, Harlequin! Said The Ticktockman.” Ellison’s original lawsuit asked that all copies of the film be destroyed, its release stopped, and he be paid compensatory damages. The settlement calls for the film’s release to go ahead with an on-screen credit for Ellison.

For more information…

(However, see the first comment to this article).

Obituary: Les Daniels

Steven H Silver — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:51:22 +0000

Author Les Daniels (b.1943) died from an heart attack on November 5. Daniels has written five historical novels about the vampire Don Sebastian de Villanueva. In addition to his fiction, Daniels has written about the history of comics.

Gulliver Travel Grant Awarded

Steven H Silver — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:44:43 +0000

The Speculative Literature Foundation (SLF) has announced the winner of the 2011 Gulliver Travel Grant is Ibi Zoboi. The grant offers Zoboi $800 which she will use to travel to Haiti and the Dominican Republic to research a YA dystopian novel set in both countries.

For more information…

Suzette Haden Elgin Ailing

Steven H Silver — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:35:29 +0000

Author Suzette Haden Elgin, who wrote the Native Tongue trilogy and the Ozark trilogy, among other works, and has been blogging recently, has become disabled and, through Stephen Marsh, has announced that she “just can’t focus on things well enough to even answer an email, let alone talk to anyone.” Rose Fox infers that Elgin may not be able to finish the novel she announced she was working on several months ago.

Stephen Marsh’s notice…
Rose Fox’s comments…

Warren Ellis Documentary

Steven H Silver — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 19:07:36 +0000

Warren Ellis will appear for a question and answer session before the London debut of the documentary Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts, which is part of the London International Comics Festival. The screening will take place at 7:00 GT at Bishopsgate Institute’s Great Hall, in London. The London debut will take place one day after the world debut for the film occurs at the Napa Valley Film Festival in California.

For more information…

Stone Returns Award

Steven H Silver — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:47:07 +0000

Sam Stone has announced that she will return the British Fantasy Award she won over the weekend after accusations of mismanagement and controversy erupted. Stone, who said “it was always my dream to one day win an award,” is “absolutely devastated by the comments made and the last few days” and decided to return the award because she “cannot allow this controversy to taint the integrity of those involved.”

For more information…

Author Arrested for Fraud

Steven H Silver — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:47:07 +0000

Author Mitchell Gross, who publishes fantasy under the name Mitchell Graham, has been arrested for fraud. According to federal authorities, Gross bilked women he met on on-line dating sites out of millions of dollars. Under his Graham pseudonym, Gross published the novels The Fifth Ring, The Ancient Legacy, and The Emerald Cavern.

For more information…

Sawyer in Ottawa

Steven H Silver — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 20:25:25 +0000

Robert J. Sawyer will speak at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa on October 19. The free lecture will run from 7:00-8:00 and is part of the museum’s National Science and Technology Week.

For more information…

Obituary: Sara Douglass

Steven H Silver — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:38:17 +0000

Australian author Sara Douglass Warneke (b.1957) died on September 26 of ovarian cancer, with which she was diagnosed in 2010. Warneke, who wrote as Sara Douglass, had several of her historical based fantasies published in the US, including The Wayfarer Redemption series, the Crucible series, The Troy Game, and The Devil’s Diadem, published just last month.

Obituary: Mark W. Worthen

Steven H Silver — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:09:34 +0000

Horror author and editor Mark W. Worthen (b.1962) died on September 19. Worthen began publishing in 1993 and from 1998 to 2005 edited on the on-line zine Blood Rose. He served as the webmaster for the Horror Writers of America for several years and sat on the Stoker Committee. In 2007, he received the organization’s Richard Laymon President’s Award for Service.

Ellison Sues In Time

Steven H Silver — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:25:48 +0000

Harlan Ellison has filed a lawsuit claiming that the upcoming FOX film In Time is a copyright infringement of his Hugo and Nebula Award-winning story “‘Repent, Harlequin!’ Said The Ticktockman.” The lawsuit seeks an injunction to prevent the film’s release and the disposal of all copies of the film.

For more information…

Kramer Arrested

Steven H Silver — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 04:30:59 +0000

Author and Dragon*Con founder Ed Kramer was arrested in Milford, CT and charged him with misdemeanor reckless endangerment of a child after he was found staying in a hotel with a fourteen year old boy. Kramer was in violation of the conditions of his bond from a previous arrest on allegations of child molestation, first made in 2000. Kramer’s bond has been revoked and he faces extradition to Georgia.

For more information…

Pratchett at National Press Club

Steven H Silver — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 13:06:03 +0000

Sir Terry Pratchett will speak at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on October 14 as part of the book launch for his Discworld novel Snuff. The event is sponsored by the Club’s Book & Author Committee and a limited number of tickets are available.

For more information…

Rob Thurman Recuperating

Steven H Silver — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:48:47 +0000

Author Rob Thurman was in a car accident the week of August 19. Thurman spent several days in the ICU and was taken off a ventilator on August 27. By August 28, Thurman was aware and cognizant of her surroundings.

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Patterson Undergoes Amputation

Steven H Silver — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:09:45 +0000

William H. Patterson, Jr., the author of Robert A. Heinlein: In Dialogue with His Century: Volume 1 (1907-1948): Learning Curve , entered the hospital upon his return home from Renovation with Diabetic Ketoacidosis. His hospitalization resulted in a transmetatarsal foot amputation.

For more information…

Watts and Sweet Wed

Steven H Silver — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:28:25 +0000

Canadian SF authors Peter Watts and Caitlin Sweet got married on August 19.

Obituary: Colin Harvey

Steven H Silver — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:31:49 +0000

Author Colin Harvey (b.1960) died on August 16 after suffering a massive stroke. Harvey edited the anthologies Killers and Dark Spires and published several novels, including Lightning Days, Winter Song, and Damage Time. His short fiction appeared in Albedo One, Future Bristol, Interzone, and other places.

Game of Throne Scripts Stolen

Steven H Silver — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 21:52:02 +0000

George R. R. Martin is reporting that two signed scripts from the first season of Game of Thrones. which were meant to be auctioned off for charity, were stolen from the US mail. The two final shooting scripts for episodes nine and ten of season one, “Baelor” and “Fire and Blood,” were autographed by writers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and director Alan Taylor and printed on white paper. Martin would appreciate it if people could contact him if they see the scripts being offered for sale.

For more information…

Obituary: William Sleator

Steven H Silver — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:50:12 +0000

Author William Sleator (b.1945) died on August 2 in Thailand, where he maintained a residence. Sleator wrote young adult science fiction and horror, including the novels House of Stairs and Interstellar Pig. He began publishing with the novel The Angry Moon.

Obituary: L. A. Banks

Steven H Silver — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:38:04 +0000

Author Leslie Esdaile (b.1959), who wrote as L. A. Banks died on August 2. In June 2011, Esdaile had announced she had been diagnosed with late stage adrenal cancer. Using a variety of pseudonyms, Esdaile published romance, non-fiction, crime, and horror novels.

Obituary: R.C.W. Ettinger

Steven H Silver — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 13:06:21 +0000

Scientist R.C.W. Ettinger (b.1918) died on July 23. Ettinger is best known as one of the pioneers of the cryonics movement and founded the Cryonics Institute in 1976. His body is the 106th body frozen by the institute. Ettinger was injured during World War II and came up with some of his ideas during his long recuperation and his love of science fiction. Ettinger also published two science fiction stories in 1948 and 1950.

Obituary: Sakyo Komatsu

Steven H Silver — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 19:09:40 +0000

Japanese author Sakyo Komatsu (b.1931) died on July 26. Komatsu is considered to have been one of the big three Japanese science fiction authors. His novel Nihon Chinbotsu was published in the United States as Japan Sinks. Komatsu was honored as one of the Guests of Honor at Nippon 2007, the 65th World Science Fiction Convention.