John C. Hocking
Encyclopedia
John C. Hocking is an American
fantasy
writer, the author
of a Conan
novel published by Tor Books
and a number of short stories. One of his stories, "The Face in the Sea", won the 2009 Harper's Pen Award for Sword and Sorcery fiction.
According to Hocking, he wrote his Conan novel Conan and the Emerald Lotus
out of disatisfaction with the Conan novels being published in the early 1990s, "trying to put into the story all the things I thought were missing from Conan pastiche at that time." After taking three years to write it, he was proud enough of the result that he "didn't want to just drop it into a drawer ....[s]o I sent out a handful of letters, and L. Sprague de Camp
responded ...that if I sent him my book he'd look it over. He liked it a lot and LOTUS was published." After its success he spent two years writing a second Conan novel, Conan and the Living Plague, under contract with Conan Properties, which was "sufficiently pleased with the book that they wanted to use it to attract a new publisher for Conan and try to break into hardcover." Publication of it and a third Conan novel Hocking had started were canceled due to a change in ownership of Conan Properties.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
writer, the author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of a Conan
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian is a fictional sword and sorcery hero that originated in pulp fiction magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, several films , television programs, video games, roleplaying games and other media...
novel published by Tor Books
Tor Books
Tor Books is one of two imprints of Tom Doherty Associates LLC, based in New York City. It is noted for its science fiction and fantasy titles. Tom Doherty Associates also publishes mainstream fiction, mystery, and occasional military history titles under its Forge imprint. The company was founded...
and a number of short stories. One of his stories, "The Face in the Sea", won the 2009 Harper's Pen Award for Sword and Sorcery fiction.
According to Hocking, he wrote his Conan novel Conan and the Emerald Lotus
Conan and the Emerald Lotus
Conan and the Emerald Lotusis a fantasy novel written by John C. Hocking featuring Robert E. Howard's seminal sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian...
out of disatisfaction with the Conan novels being published in the early 1990s, "trying to put into the story all the things I thought were missing from Conan pastiche at that time." After taking three years to write it, he was proud enough of the result that he "didn't want to just drop it into a drawer ....[s]o I sent out a handful of letters, and L. Sprague de Camp
L. Sprague de Camp
Lyon Sprague de Camp was an American author of science fiction and fantasy books, non-fiction and biography. In a writing career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and notable works of non-fiction, including biographies of other important fantasy authors...
responded ...that if I sent him my book he'd look it over. He liked it a lot and LOTUS was published." After its success he spent two years writing a second Conan novel, Conan and the Living Plague, under contract with Conan Properties, which was "sufficiently pleased with the book that they wanted to use it to attract a new publisher for Conan and try to break into hardcover." Publication of it and a third Conan novel Hocking had started were canceled due to a change in ownership of Conan Properties.
Conan series
- Conan and the Emerald LotusConan and the Emerald LotusConan and the Emerald Lotusis a fantasy novel written by John C. Hocking featuring Robert E. Howard's seminal sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian...
(1995) - Conan and the Living Plague (unpublished)
Short stories
- "Vali's Wound" (2004)
- "The Face in the Sea" (2009)
- "The Bonestealer's Mirror" (2010)