Joan D. Vinge
Encyclopedia
Joan D. Vinge is an American
science fiction
author. She is known for such works as her Hugo Award
-winning novel
The Snow Queen
and its sequels, her series about the telepath named Cat, and her Heaven's Chronicles books.
, and received a B.A. degree from San Diego State University
in 1971.
Vinge has been married twice: first to fellow SF author Vernor Vinge
, and then to SF editor James Frenkel
. Vinge and Frenkel have two children, and live in Madison, Wisconsin
. She has taught at the Clarion Workshop
several times, both East and West. Besides writing, Vinge also makes and sells dolls.
Robert A. Heinlein
in part dedicated his 1982 novel Friday
to Joan.
On March 2, 2002, Vinge was severely injured in a car accident that left her with "minor but debilitating" brain damage that, along with her fibromyalgia
, left her unable to write. She recovered to the point of being able to resume writing around the beginning of 2007 http://www.sff.net/people/jdvinge/letter_20070305.htm, and her first new book post-accident is the 2011 novelization of the movie Cowboys & Aliens
.http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/07/cowboys-and-aliens-but-seriously
, Asimov's Science Fiction
, Omni Magazine, and several "Best of the Year" anthologies.
Several of her stories have won major awards: Her novel
The Snow Queen
won the 1981 Hugo Award
for Best science fiction Novel. "Eyes of Amber" won the 1977 Hugo Award for Best Novelette
. She has also been nominated for several other Hugo and Nebula Award
s, as well as for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. Her novel Psion was named a Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association
.
In March 2007, a new edition of her novel Psion was released, which includes a sequel novella, "Psiren", together in one volume.
At the time of her accident in 2002, Vinge had been working on a new, independent novel called Ladysmith, set in Bronze Age
Europe; she resumed writing Ladysmith once she was able to begin writing again in 2007.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
author. She is known for such works as her Hugo Award
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
-winning novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
The Snow Queen
The Snow Queen (novel)
The Snow Queen is a science fiction/fantasy novel by Joan D. Vinge, published in 1980. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1981, and was also nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1980....
and its sequels, her series about the telepath named Cat, and her Heaven's Chronicles books.
Biography
Vinge studied art in college, but eventually changed to a major in anthropologyAnthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
, and received a B.A. degree from San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
in 1971.
Vinge has been married twice: first to fellow SF author Vernor Vinge
Vernor Vinge
Vernor Steffen Vinge is a retired San Diego State University Professor of Mathematics, computer scientist, and science fiction author. He is best known for his Hugo Award-winning novels and novellas A Fire Upon the Deep , A Deepness in the Sky , Rainbows End , Fast Times at Fairmont High ...
, and then to SF editor James Frenkel
James Frenkel
James Raymond Frenkel is a Senior Editor, editing science fiction, fantasy, mysteries, thrillers, historical fiction and other books for Tom Doherty Associates . He has edited numerous award-winning authors such as Vernor Vinge, Joan D. Vinge, and Frederik Pohl , Andre Norton, Loren D...
. Vinge and Frenkel have two children, and live in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
. She has taught at the Clarion Workshop
Clarion Workshop
Clarion is a six-week workshop for new and aspiring science fiction and fantasy writers. Originally an outgrowth of Knight and Wilhelm's Milford Writers' Conference, held at their home in Milford, Pennsylvania, USA, it was founded in 1968 by Robin Scott Wilson at Clarion State College in...
several times, both East and West. Besides writing, Vinge also makes and sells dolls.
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
in part dedicated his 1982 novel Friday
Friday (novel)
Friday is a 1982 science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein. It is the story of a female "artificial person," the titular character, genetically engineered to be stronger, faster, smarter, and generally better than normal humans...
to Joan.
On March 2, 2002, Vinge was severely injured in a car accident that left her with "minor but debilitating" brain damage that, along with her fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a medical disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain and allodynia, a heightened and painful response to pressure. It is an example of a diagnosis of exclusion...
, left her unable to write. She recovered to the point of being able to resume writing around the beginning of 2007 http://www.sff.net/people/jdvinge/letter_20070305.htm, and her first new book post-accident is the 2011 novelization of the movie Cowboys & Aliens
Cowboys & Aliens (film)
Cowboys & Aliens is a 2011 American science fiction Western film directed by Jon Favreau and starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, and Olivia Wilde. The film is based on the 2006 graphic novel of the same name created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg...
.http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/07/cowboys-and-aliens-but-seriously
Works
Vinge's first published story, "Tin Soldier", a novelette, appeared in Orbit 14 in 1974. Stories have also appeared in Analog, Millennial WomenMillennial Women
Millennial Women is a 1978 science fiction anthology, edited by Virginia Kidd, in which all the stories are written by women and have a female character as the primary protagonist...
, Asimov's Science Fiction
Asimov's Science Fiction
Asimov's Science Fiction is an American science fiction magazine which publishes science fiction and fantasy and perpetuates the name of author and biochemist Isaac Asimov...
, Omni Magazine, and several "Best of the Year" anthologies.
Several of her stories have won major awards: Her novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
The Snow Queen
The Snow Queen (novel)
The Snow Queen is a science fiction/fantasy novel by Joan D. Vinge, published in 1980. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1981, and was also nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1980....
won the 1981 Hugo Award
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
for Best science fiction Novel. "Eyes of Amber" won the 1977 Hugo Award for Best Novelette
Novelette
A novelette is a piece of short prose fiction. The distinction between a novelette and other literary forms is usually based upon word count, with a novelette being longer than a short story, but shorter than a novella...
. She has also been nominated for several other Hugo and Nebula Award
Nebula Award
The Nebula Award is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the previous year...
s, as well as for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. Her novel Psion was named a Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
.
In March 2007, a new edition of her novel Psion was released, which includes a sequel novella, "Psiren", together in one volume.
At the time of her accident in 2002, Vinge had been working on a new, independent novel called Ladysmith, set in Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
Europe; she resumed writing Ladysmith once she was able to begin writing again in 2007.
The Snow Queen Cycle
- The Snow QueenThe Snow Queen (novel)The Snow Queen is a science fiction/fantasy novel by Joan D. Vinge, published in 1980. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1981, and was also nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1980....
(1980) - World's End (1984)
- The Summer Queen (1991)
- Tangled Up In Blue (2000)
Collections
- Fireship / Mother and Child (1978) - single-volume collection of two novellas.
- Eyes of Amber (1979) - 6 short stories
- Phoenix in the Ashes (1985) - 6 short stories
- Alien Blood (1988) - single-volume collection of Psion and its sequel Catspaw
- The Heaven Chronicles (1991) - single-volume collection of The Outcasts of Heaven's Belt and its sequel Legacy
Media novelizations
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – The Storybook Based on the Movie (1983)
- The Dune Storybook (1984)
- Return to Oz (1985)
- Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)
- Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)
- Ladyhawke (1987)
- Willow (1988)
- Lost in Space (1998)
- Cowboys & Aliens (2011)