Deborah J. Ross
Encyclopedia
Deborah J. Ross once Deborah Wheeler, is an American
published science fiction
and fantasy author.
. She has always told stories, even as a very young child. Ross attended Portland State University
, graduating in 1973. After two degrees (biology
and psychology
), a marriage, and trying to split her time between her career as a chiropractor
and her first child, she decided to settle down to write professionally.
Around this time, she became friends with Marion Zimmer Bradley
. When Marion was asked to edit the first Sword and Sorceress
, Ross submitted a short story for the anthology, "Imperatrix" (1984). "Imperatrix" became her first published short story, under her married name of Deborah Wheeler. Deborah Wheeler continued to write for years, producing a number of short stories and two novels, Jaydium and Northlight, through DAW books
.
Before Marion's death in 1999, Ross was invited to work on a project with her set in Darkover. As she explains on her website:
After a divorce, she changed her legal name back to Ross. She now lives in the wilderness of the Santa Cruz
redwoods with her husband (and fellow writer), Dave Trowbridge. She is mother of two children, has two cats and one german shepherd.
.
Modern Darkover
Continuing the story left hanging in Traitor's Sun.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
published 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 fantasy author.
Biography
Ross was born in April 1947 and grew up in CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. She has always told stories, even as a very young child. Ross attended Portland State University
Portland State University
Portland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...
, graduating in 1973. After two degrees (biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
and psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
), a marriage, and trying to split her time between her career as a chiropractor
Chiropractor
A Chiropractor, according to the Association of Chiropractic Colleges , "focuses on the relationship between the body's main structures – the skeleton, the muscles and the nerves – and the patient's health. Chiropractors believe that health can be improved and preserved by making adjustments to...
and her first child, she decided to settle down to write professionally.
Around this time, she became friends with Marion Zimmer Bradley
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley was an American author of fantasy novels such as The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series. Many critics have noted a feminist perspective in her writing. Her first child, David R...
. When Marion was asked to edit the first Sword and Sorceress
Sword and Sorceress series
The Sword and Sorceress series is a series of fantasy anthologies edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley, and originally published by DAW Books. As she explained in the foreword to the first volume, she created the anthology to redress the lack of strong female protagonists in the sub-genre of sword and...
, Ross submitted a short story for the anthology, "Imperatrix" (1984). "Imperatrix" became her first published short story, under her married name of Deborah Wheeler. Deborah Wheeler continued to write for years, producing a number of short stories and two novels, Jaydium and Northlight, through DAW books
DAW Books
DAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
.
Before Marion's death in 1999, Ross was invited to work on a project with her set in Darkover. As she explains on her website:
As Marion's health declined, I was invited to work with her on one or more Darkover novels. We decided that rather than extend the story of "modern" Darkover, we would return to the Ages of Chaos. Marion envisioned a trilogy beginning with the Hastur Rebellion and the fall of Neskaya, the enduring friendship between Varzil the Good and Carolin Hastur, and extending to the fire-bombing of Hali and the signing of the Compact. While I scribbled notes as fast as I could, she would sit back, eyes alight, and begin a story with, "Now, the Hasturs tried to control the worst excesses of laran weapons, but there were always others under development . . ." or "Of course, Varzil and Carolin had been brought up on tales of star-crossed lovers who perished in the destruction of Neskaya . . ."
Marion passed away in September 1999, and I was privileged to participate in her funeral. In completing this project, I hope to honor her memory and the enduring vision she has left to us all.
After a divorce, she changed her legal name back to Ross. She now lives in the wilderness of the Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, on the California Central Coast. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay. . As of the 2010 U.S. Census, its population was 262,382. The county seat is Santa Cruz...
redwoods with her husband (and fellow writer), Dave Trowbridge. She is mother of two children, has two cats and one german shepherd.
Novels as Deborah Wheeler
- Jaydium (1993), DAW BooksDAW BooksDAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
, ISBN 0-88677-556-6 (out of print) - Northlight (1995), DAW BooksDAW BooksDAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
, ISBN 0-88677-639-2 (out of print)
Darkover
The Clingfire Trilogy, written with Marion Zimmer BradleyMarion Zimmer Bradley
Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley was an American author of fantasy novels such as The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series. Many critics have noted a feminist perspective in her writing. Her first child, David R...
.
- The Fall of NeskayaThe Fall of NeskayaThe Fall of Neskaya is a fantasy novel written by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Deborah J. Ross as part of the Darkover series and is set in the "Hundred Kingdoms" time period. This book is also part one of the Clingfire Trilogy.- Setting :...
(2001), DAW BooksDAW BooksDAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
, hardback: ISBN 0-7564-0034-1 paperback: ISBN 0-7564-0053-8 - Zandru's ForgeZandru's ForgeZandru's Forge is a fantasy novel written by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Deborah J. Ross as part of the Darkover series and is set in the "Hundred Kingdoms" time period. This book is also part two of the Clingfire Trilogy.- Setting :...
(2003), DAW BooksDAW BooksDAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
, hardback: ISBN 0-7564-0149-6 paperback: ISBN 0-7564-0184-4 - A Flame in HaliA Flame in HaliA Flame in Hali is a fantasy novel written by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Deborah J. Ross as part of the Darkover series and is set in the "Hundred Kingdoms" time period. This book is also part three of the Clingfire Trilogy.-Plot summary:...
(2004), DAW BooksDAW BooksDAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
, hardback: ISBN 0-7564-0218-2 paperback: ISBN 0-7564-0267-0
Modern Darkover
Continuing the story left hanging in Traitor's Sun.
- The Alton Gift (2007), DAW BooksDAW BooksDAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
, hardback: ISBN 0-7564-0019-8 paperback: ISBN 978-0-7564-0480-2 - The Children of Kings (forthcoming)
- (not yet titled) (forthcoming)
- Hastur Lord (2010), DAW BooksDAW BooksDAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
, hardback: ISBN 978-0-7564-0622-6
The Seven-Petaled Shield
Currently in progress. Teaser, from Ross's website:
When an ambitious Emperor conquers a tiny mountain kingdom, he shatters the magical boundary between the human and elemental worlds, and an ancient evil, an unholy fusion of Fire and Ice, is reborn. The Seven-Petaled Shield is a three-volume epic fantasy, roughly corresponding to the time of the Romans and Scythians, with the magical Seal of Solomon, a supernatural embodiment of evil, and Genghis Khan's Mongolian Horde providing a world filled with action, suspense, and romance.
Anthologies
- Lace and Blade (2008), Norilana BooksNorilana BooksNorilana Books is an independent publishing company, founded in August 2006 and based in Los Angeles, California. It is operated and owned by Vera Nazarian. Norilana publishes reprints of previously published Science Fiction and Fantasy works, including the novels of Modean Moon...
. - Lace and Blade 2 (2009), Norilana BooksNorilana BooksNorilana Books is an independent publishing company, founded in August 2006 and based in Los Angeles, California. It is operated and owned by Vera Nazarian. Norilana publishes reprints of previously published Science Fiction and Fantasy works, including the novels of Modean Moon...
.