Sharon Shinn
Encyclopedia
Sharon Shinn is an American novelist who writes combining aspects of fantasy
, science fiction
and romance
. She has published more than a dozen novels for adult and young adult readers. She works as a journalist in St. Louis, Missouri
and is a graduate of Northwestern University
.
Sharon is a die-hard St. Louis Cardinals
and St. Louis Rams
fan and is also a big fan of the TV Show Lost
. She is a frequent attender of science-fiction/fantasy conventions. Her first Guest of Honor stint at a convention was ArmadilloCon 26
. She was also the Guest of Honor at the convention Capricon 29
.
In 2009, she donated her archive to the department of Rare Books and Special Collections at Northern Illinois University
.
In Laurell K Hamilton's novel Obsidian Butterfly of her Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series, Anita Blake
mentions that she reads Sharon Shinn's novels to help her deal with her phobia of flying.
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...
, 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...
and romance
Romance novel
The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late...
. She has published more than a dozen novels for adult and young adult readers. She works as a journalist in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and is a graduate of Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
.
Sharon is a die-hard St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
and St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
fan and is also a big fan of the TV Show Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
. She is a frequent attender of science-fiction/fantasy conventions. Her first Guest of Honor stint at a convention was ArmadilloCon 26
ArmadilloCon
ArmadilloCon is a science fiction convention held annually in Austin, Texas, USA, since 1979. As the second longest running science fiction convention in Texas, it is sponsored by the Fandom Association of Central Texas and is known for its emphasis on literary science fiction...
. She was also the Guest of Honor at the convention Capricon 29
Capricon
Capricon is an annual, four-day-long science fiction convention in a suburb of Chicago, which draws approximately 900+ people. Capricon attendees share an interest in science , science fiction, fantasy, and related genres. The Capricon convention has been held each year since 1981...
.
In 2009, she donated her archive to the department of Rare Books and Special Collections at Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a state university and research institution located in DeKalb, Illinois, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P...
.
In Laurell K Hamilton's novel Obsidian Butterfly of her Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series, Anita Blake
Anita Blake
Anita Blake is a fictional character in the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series of novels by Laurell K. Hamilton. Subsequently, she has also appeared in the Dabel Brothers/Marvel Comics adaptation of her first novel, Guilty Pleasures....
mentions that she reads Sharon Shinn's novels to help her deal with her phobia of flying.
Awards
- William L. Crawford Award (awarded by the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts for best first fantasy novel) (1996)
- Twice nominated for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (1995, 1996)
Safe-Keepers Series
- The Safe-Keeper's Secret (Puffin BooksPuffin BooksPuffin Books is the children's imprint of British publishers Penguin Books. Since the 1960s it has been the largest publisher of children's books in the UK and much of the English-speaking world.-Early history:...
, 2004) - The Truth-Teller's TaleThe Truth-Teller's TaleThe Truth-Teller's Tale is a fantasy novel by Sharon Shinn. The novel was written in 2005.- Plot summary :Eleda and Adele, mirror twins, discover that they are a Truth-Teller and a Safe-Keeper, respectively. Truth-Tellers are incapable of telling lies and recognize when others are lying, so society...
(Puffin Books, 2005) - The Dream-Maker's Magic (Viking PressViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
, 2006)
Samaria Series
- ArchangelArchangel (Shinn novel)Archangel is a 1997 science fiction novel by Sharon Shinn. It is the first book in the Samaria series of novels.- Plot summary :Samaria is a planet that has been settled with colonists from a different planet some time in the past. The colonists made the journey in a spaceship named Jovah, which...
(Ace BooksAce BooksAce Books is the oldest active specialty publisher of science fiction and fantasy books. The company was founded in New York City in 1952 by Aaron A. Wyn, and began as a genre publisher of mysteries and westerns...
, 1997) - Jovah's AngelJovah's AngelJovah's Angel is a 1998 science fiction/fantasy novel by Sharon Shinn. It is the second book in the Samaria series of novels.- Plot summary :...
(Ace Books, 1998) - The Alleluia FilesThe Alleluia FilesThe Alleluia Files is a science fiction/fantasy novel by Sharon Shinn, published in 1999. It is the third book in the Samaria series.-Plot summary:...
(Ace Books, 1999) - Angelica (Ace Books, 2003) Although this is the fourth novel in the Samaria series, it is set before the first book Archangel.
- Angel-SeekerAngel-SeekerAngel-Seeker is a fantasy novel by Sharon Shinn, published in 2004. It is the fifth novel in the Samaria series. It is set shortly after Archangel.-Plot summary:...
(Ace Books, 2004)
Twelve Houses Series
- Mystic and Rider (Ace BooksAce BooksAce Books is the oldest active specialty publisher of science fiction and fantasy books. The company was founded in New York City in 1952 by Aaron A. Wyn, and began as a genre publisher of mysteries and westerns...
, 2005) - The Thirteenth House (Ace Books, 2006)
- Dark Moon Defender (Ace Books, 2006)
- Reader and Raelynx (Ace Books, 2007)
- Fortune and Fate (Ace Books, 2008)
Other novels
- The Shape-Changer's Wife (Ace BooksAce BooksAce Books is the oldest active specialty publisher of science fiction and fantasy books. The company was founded in New York City in 1952 by Aaron A. Wyn, and began as a genre publisher of mysteries and westerns...
, 1995) - Heart of GoldHeart of Gold (novel)Heart of Gold is a science fiction novel by Sharon Shinn, published in 2004. The story occurs on an unnamed world in an unnamed city where three races live together...
(Ace Books, 2000) - Wrapt in Crystal (Ace Books, 2000)
- Summers at Castle Auburn (Ace Books, 2002)
- Jenna Starborn (Ace Books, 2003)
- General Winston's DaughterGeneral Winston's DaughterGeneral Winston's Daughter is a fantasy novel by Sharon Shinn. The novel was written in 2007.- Plot summary :Averie is thrilled to visit Chiarrin, a colonized land her father oversees as general of the Aebrian military...
(Viking PressViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
, 2007) - Troubled Waters (Ace BooksAce BooksAce Books is the oldest active specialty publisher of science fiction and fantasy books. The company was founded in New York City in 1952 by Aaron A. Wyn, and began as a genre publisher of mysteries and westerns...
, 2010)
Shorter works
- Fallen Angel (novellaNovellaA novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
) in To Weave a Web of Magic (Berkley BooksBerkley BooksBerkley Books is an imprint of Penguin Group that began as an independent company in 1955. It was established by Charles Byrne and Frederic Klein, who were working for Avon and formed "Chic News Company". They renamed it Berkley Publishing Co. in 1955. They soon found a niche in science fiction...
, 2004) - When Winter Comes (novella) in The Queen in Winter (Berkley Books, 2006)
- "The Sorcerer's Assassin" in Powers of Detection: Stories of Mystery & Fantasy, edited by Dana StabenowDana StabenowDana Stabenow is an American author who has written science fiction, mystery, and suspense/thriller novels. Many of Stabenow's books are set in her home state of Alaska, where she was raised by her single mother who lived and worked on a fish tender in the Gulf of Alaska. Stabenow received a B.A...
(Ace BooksAce BooksAce Books is the oldest active specialty publisher of science fiction and fantasy books. The company was founded in New York City in 1952 by Aaron A. Wyn, and began as a genre publisher of mysteries and westerns...
, 2006) - "Wintermoon Wish" in Firebirds Rising (Firebird BooksFirebird BooksFirebird Books is an imprint of Penguin Group Inc., publishing mainly paperback reprint editions of science fiction and fantasy for teenagers and adults....
, 2006) - "The Double-Edged Sword" in Elemental: The Tsunami Relief Anthology (Tor BooksTor BooksTor 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...
, 2006) - "Bargain With the Wind" in Elemental Magic (Berkley Books, 2007)
- "The House of Seven Spirits" in Unusual Suspects (Ace Books, 2008)
- Quatrain contains four novellas: "Flight" set in Samaria, "Gold", "Blood," and "Flame" (Ace Books, 2009)