Beth Meacham
Encyclopedia
Beth Meacham is an American writer and editor, best known as a longtime top editor with Tor Books
.
, Licking County
, Ohio
. She studied Communications in Antioch College
in Yellow Springs
, Ohio
, where she met her husband, Tappan King. They were married in 1978, and in 1980 bought a house on Staten Island
, which they spent eight years rehabilitating. Due to Meacham's severe arthritis, they relocated to the drier Southwest
in 1989. They lived in northeast Tucson
, Arizona
for 14 years before settling on a 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) ranch south of Tucson close to the village of Corona de Tucson. They keep cats and
horses.
Pyramid
), in addition to a number of short stories on her own. After a stint as a travel coordinator in New York after college, she worked at the Science Fiction Shop bookstore for two years in the late 1970s. In the late 1970s and early 1980s she and her husband were regular reviewers for Baird Searles
' and Martin Last's SF Review Monthly. She was an editorial assistant at Ace Books
from 1981 to 1983, and an editor beginning in 1978, then joined Ace in 1981 as an editorial assistant. In 1984 she became an editor for Tor Books
, where she rose to the position of editor-in-chief. After her 1989 move west, Meacham continued working for Tor long distance as an executive editor. Among the major books she has edited she cites Greg Bear
's Blood Music, Orson Scott Card
's Ender's Game
, Pat Murphy's The Falling Woman
and Tim Powers
's The Anubis Gates
.
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...
.
Life, education and family
Meacham was born November 14, 1951 in NewarkNewark, Ohio
In addition, the remains of a road leading south from the Octagon have been documented and explored. It was first surveyed in the 19th century, when its walls were more apparent. Called the Great Hopewell Road, it may extend to the Hopewell complex at Chillicothe, Ohio...
, Licking County
Licking County, Ohio
Licking County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 166,492. Its county seat is Newark and is named for the salt licks that were in the area....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. She studied Communications in Antioch College
Antioch College
Antioch College is a private, independent liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. It was the founder and the flagship institution of the six-campus Antioch University system. Founded in 1852 by the Christian Connection, the college began operating in 1853 with politician and...
in Yellow Springs
Yellow Springs, Ohio
Yellow Springs is a village in Greene County, Ohio, United States, and is the location of Antioch College and Antioch University Midwest. The population was 3,487 at the 2010 census...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, where she met her husband, Tappan King. They were married in 1978, and in 1980 bought a house on Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
, which they spent eight years rehabilitating. Due to Meacham's severe arthritis, they relocated to the drier Southwest
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
in 1989. They lived in northeast Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
for 14 years before settling on a 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) ranch south of Tucson close to the village of Corona de Tucson. They keep cats and
horses.
Literary career
Meacham has written one novel with Tappan King, Nightshade (1976,Pyramid
Pyramid Books
Jove Books, formerly Pyramid Books, is a paperback publishing company, founded in 1949 by Almat Magazine Publishers . The company was sold to the Walter Reade Organization in the late 1960s. It was acquired in 1974 by Harcourt Brace which renamed it to Jove in 1977 and continued the line as an...
), in addition to a number of short stories on her own. After a stint as a travel coordinator in New York after college, she worked at the Science Fiction Shop bookstore for two years in the late 1970s. In the late 1970s and early 1980s she and her husband were regular reviewers for Baird Searles
Baird Searles
William Baird Searles was a science fiction author and critic. He was best known for his long running review columns for the magazines Asimov's , Amazing, and Fantasy & Science Fiction . He also did occasional reviews for other publications, including The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and The...
' and Martin Last's SF Review Monthly. She was an editorial assistant at Ace Books
Ace Books
Ace 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...
from 1981 to 1983, and an editor beginning in 1978, then joined Ace in 1981 as an editorial assistant. In 1984 she became an editor for 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...
, where she rose to the position of editor-in-chief. After her 1989 move west, Meacham continued working for Tor long distance as an executive editor. Among the major books she has edited she cites Greg Bear
Greg Bear
Gregory Dale Bear is an American science fiction and mainstream author. His work has covered themes of galactic conflict , artificial universes , consciousness and cultural practices , and accelerated evolution...
's Blood Music, Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card is an American author, critic, public speaker, essayist, columnist, and political activist. He writes in several genres, but is primarily known for his science fiction. His novel Ender's Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead both won Hugo and Nebula Awards, making Card the...
's Ender's Game
Ender's Game
Ender's Game is a science fiction novel by American author Orson Scott Card. The book originated as the short story "Ender's Game", published in the August 1977 issue of Analog Science Fiction and Fact. Elaborating on characters and plot lines depicted in the novel, Card later wrote additional...
, Pat Murphy's The Falling Woman
The Falling Woman
The Falling Woman is a 1986 contemporary psychological fantasy novel by Pat Murphy. It won the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1987.-Summary:...
and Tim Powers
Tim Powers
Timothy Thomas "Tim" Powers is an American science fiction and fantasy author. Powers has won the World Fantasy Award twice for his critically acclaimed novels Last Call and Declare...
's The Anubis Gates
The Anubis Gates
The Anubis Gates is a time travel fantasy novel by Tim Powers. It won the 1983 Philip K. Dick Award and 1984 Science Fiction Chronicle Award.- Plot summary :...
.
Short stories
- "The Tale of Ali the Camel Driver" (1992)
- "One By One" (1993)
- "Ashes to Ashes" (1993)
- "On Tiptoe" (1993)
- "A Dream Can Make a Difference" (1994)
- "A Spark in the Darkness" (1994)
- "Glamour Profession" (1995)
- "Coyote" (1996)
Nonfiction
- A Reader's Guide to Science Fiction (with Baird SearlesBaird SearlesWilliam Baird Searles was a science fiction author and critic. He was best known for his long running review columns for the magazines Asimov's , Amazing, and Fantasy & Science Fiction . He also did occasional reviews for other publications, including The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and The...
, Martin Last and Michael Franklin) (Harpercollins, 1979, ISBN 0-380-46128-5) - A Reader's Guide to Fantasy (with Michael Franklin and Baird SearlesBaird SearlesWilliam Baird Searles was a science fiction author and critic. He was best known for his long running review columns for the magazines Asimov's , Amazing, and Fantasy & Science Fiction . He also did occasional reviews for other publications, including The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and The...
) (Harpercollins, 1982, ISBN 0-380-80333-X) - Barlowe's Guide to ExtraterrestrialsBarlowe's Guide to ExtraterrestrialsBarlowe's Guide to Extraterrestrials is a 1979 science fiction book by artist Wayne Barlowe, with Ian Summers and Beth Meacham...
(with Wayne BarloweWayne BarloweWayne Douglas Barlowe is an American science fiction and fantasy painter. He has paintedover 300 book and magazine covers and illustrations for many major book publishers, as well as Life magazine, Time, and Newsweek...
) (1979) - DiFate's Catalog of Science Fiction Hardware (with Vincent DiFateVincent Di FateVincent Di Fate is an American artist specializing in science fiction and fantasy illustration.Di Fate studied at the Phoenix School of Design in New York City and received his MA in Illustration at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York.He is the winner for the Hugo Award for Best Professional...
) (1980) - Barlowe's Guide to Extraterrestrials (2nd ed.) (with Wayne BarloweWayne BarloweWayne Douglas Barlowe is an American science fiction and fantasy painter. He has paintedover 300 book and magazine covers and illustrations for many major book publishers, as well as Life magazine, Time, and Newsweek...
and Ian Summers) (Workman 1987, ISBN 0-89480-500-2)