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September Reading

September 8th, 2011 · No Comments

Saturday, September 10th

Nancy Kress & Jack Skillingstead

Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience, moderated by author Terry Bisson. Booksigning and schmoozing follows in the lounge, and books will be for sale, courtesy of Borderlands Books.

6:00PM — doors and cash bar open; 7:00PM — event starts

Nancy Kress is an American science fiction writer. A long-time resident of New York, Kress relocated to Seattle in 2009, and in February 2011 she married fellow author Jack Skillingstead.

Exploring the moral ambiguities of genetic engineering has become Kress’ hallmark; she’s also known for being technically realistic, and setting her works in a fairly near future…as in, it could happen tomorrow! Or next week, at the very latest — her fiction keeps you on the look-out.

Kress is the author of over twenty titles. Her most widely known novel, Beggars in Spain, (1993), was originally published as a novella in Asimov’s, and as a limited paperback by Axolotl Press in 1991. Kress expanded it, adding three new volumes and eventually two sequels, Beggars and Choosers, and Beggars Ride. The novella won the Hugo Award and Nebula Award. Nancy’s most recent books are Steal Across the Sky (Tor, 2009), Nano Comes to Clifford Falls and Other Stories. (2008, Golden Gryphon), and Dogs (2008, Tachyon Publications).

Kress has also won four Nebula Awards, and a second Hugo in 2009, for the novella “The Erdmann Nexus.” In addition, “Flowers of Aulit Prison” garnered a Sturgeon, and the novel Probability Space won the 2003 John W. Campbell Memorial Award. Nancy’s fiction has been translated into nearly two dozen languages (including Klingon!).

In addition to writing, Nancy frequently teaches at various venues: Clarion, writing festivals around the country, the arts center Writers & Books in Rochester, NY, and — most recently — as the Picador Guest Professor at the University of Leipzig in Germany.

Jack Skillingstead is an American science fiction writer, known for the sterling quality of his short fiction. Born and raised in Seattle, Skillingstead stayed on, and in February 2011, married fellow author Nancy Kress.

In 2000 Skillingstead entered a writing competition sponsored by Stephen King. A year later he learned he was one of five winners. In 2003 he began publishing stories in small-press magazines, but his first professional sale was the Sturgeon Award finalist “Dead Worlds” to Asimov’s (2003). He has since published around 30 stories, most in Asimov’s but also appearing in F&SF, Realms of Fantasy, assorted anthologies, On Spec, and Talebones. His first collection, Are You There and Other Stories, was published by Golden Gryphon in 2009, and Fairwood Press published his first novel Harbinger in 2009. EdgeBoston.com reviewed his work in the column on standout fiction for 2009, in January 2010, noting that “Real men read Jack Skillingstead, an emerging talent destined for a blinding-bright career, and that includes his instant-classic compendium Are You There and Other Stories.”

A suggested $5 donation at the door donation is welcome and appreciated, so that we can continue bringing these events to San Francisco, and benefiting Variety’s mobility programs! All bar and tip proceeds go to Variety Children’s Charity of Northern California – to date, we’ve helped raise over $20,000 for the kids in our community! Learn more at www.varietync.org

The Variety Preview Room Theatre
The Hobart Bldg., 1st Floor — entrance between Quiznos and Citibank
582 Market Street @ 2nd and Montgomery
San Francisco, CA 94104

Don’t Drive — BART/MUNI Montgomery Street station is right at our front door, and parking in San Francisco sucks!!! Street parking ($3.50 per hour) is metered M-Sat., til 6PM; find a parking garage here.

Tags: Jack Skillingstead · Nancy Kress · Readings · Sept11