J. Steven York
Encyclopedia
J. Steven York is an American science fiction
and fantasy
writer.
York was born in rural southeast Alabama
and from childhood showed a strong interest in science fiction, fantasy and space exploration
. It was only a matter of time before his vivid imagination drove him to share his stories and interests in the form of writing.
His first professional writing sale was to the now-defunct magazine Science & Mechanics, a non-fiction article about fantastic vehicles built for science fiction movies, such as the Landmaster
from the movie Damnation Alley
. The article was written in collaboration with high-school friend Gordon B. McComb. York continued to work writing non-fiction articles and reviews for magazines for many years, but his love of science-fiction never left him.
He began to write short stories, and his first fiction sale "Starbird" was published in an anthology in 1989. Later short fiction sales were made to Analog Science Fiction and Science Fact and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
, as well as many smaller magazines and anthologies. Sales to award-winning small-press Pulphouse Publishing
led to him and his wife Christina F. York editing The Report
a non-fiction writing magazine that published until the demise of Pulphouse itself several years later.
During this period, he also began to work with Eugene, Oregon computer game company Dynamix (later a division of Sierra Entertainment
), first as a technical writer documenting game tools, then later as a creative writer on PC games. His first game project was the cult-favorite strategy game MissionForce: Cyberstorm
. Following this he would take a much more major role in the game Outpost 2
, as writer and story designer. In addition to his contributions to the game itself, the CD release included a novel-length prose work written by York, Divided Destiny. This could be considered York's first published novel, despite the unconventional format. He also provided uncredited writing for the 1999 Dynamix release Starsiege
.
York is currently best known as a writer of tie-in
fiction. His first print novel is the Marvel comic-book tie-in Generation X: Crossroads, published by Ace Books
in 1998. A direct sequel, Generation X: Genogoths was published in 2000. Other long-form tie-in works include two novels (with a third on the way) in the MechWarrior: Dark Age series, two e-books in the Star Trek
Starfleet Engineering Corps series (in collaboration with his wife Christina F. York), and the Anok, Heretic of Stygia trilogy in the Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures
novel series. Short-story tie-ins have also appeared in X-Men
and Transformers themed anthologies.
York also collaborated with author Dean Wesley Smith
on a pair of novellas based on the Bolo stories of late science-fiction author Keith Laumer
, which were published in the anthologies Old Guard and Cold Steel, from Baen Books
.
York currently lives on the Oregon
coast, with his wife and Christina F. York, where he continues to work on both original and tie-in fiction. In addition, he has recently started a weekly web comic called Minions at Work.
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
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.
York was born in rural southeast Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and from childhood showed a strong interest in science fiction, fantasy and space exploration
Space exploration
Space exploration is the use of space technology to explore outer space. Physical exploration of space is conducted both by human spaceflights and by robotic spacecraft....
. It was only a matter of time before his vivid imagination drove him to share his stories and interests in the form of writing.
His first professional writing sale was to the now-defunct magazine Science & Mechanics, a non-fiction article about fantastic vehicles built for science fiction movies, such as the Landmaster
Landmaster
The Landmaster is a unique 12-wheeled amphibious articulated vehicle constructed by Dean Jeffries at Jeffries Automotive in Universal City, California for the 1977 science fiction film Damnation Alley. Despite the appearance of two Landmasters in the film , only one was built at a cost of $350,000...
from the movie Damnation Alley
Damnation Alley (film)
Damnation Alley is a 1977 film, directed by Jack Smight, loosely based on the novel of the same name by Roger Zelazny. The original music score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith.-Plot:...
. The article was written in collaboration with high-school friend Gordon B. McComb. York continued to work writing non-fiction articles and reviews for magazines for many years, but his love of science-fiction never left him.
He began to write short stories, and his first fiction sale "Starbird" was published in an anthology in 1989. Later short fiction sales were made to Analog Science Fiction and Science Fact and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is a digest-size American fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House and then by Fantasy House. Both were subsidiaries of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Publications, which took over as publisher in 1958. Spilogale, Inc...
, as well as many smaller magazines and anthologies. Sales to award-winning small-press Pulphouse Publishing
Pulphouse Publishing
Pulphouse Publishing was an American small press publisher based in Eugene, Oregon and specializing in science fiction and fantasy. It was founded by Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch in 1988. The press was active until 1996...
led to him and his wife Christina F. York editing The Report
The Report
The Report is a 1977 Iranian drama film directed by Abbas Kiarostami and starring Academy Award-nominated actress Shohreh Aghdashloo.-Film Details:...
a non-fiction writing magazine that published until the demise of Pulphouse itself several years later.
During this period, he also began to work with Eugene, Oregon computer game company Dynamix (later a division of Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
), first as a technical writer documenting game tools, then later as a creative writer on PC games. His first game project was the cult-favorite strategy game MissionForce: Cyberstorm
MissionForce: CyberStorm
MissionForce: CyberStorm is a turn-based strategy game developed by Dynamix and published in 1996 by Sierra Entertainment...
. Following this he would take a much more major role in the game Outpost 2
Outpost 2
Outpost 2, fully titled Outpost 2: Divided Destiny, is a real-time strategy computer game developed by Dynamix, released in 1997 by Sierra Entertainment...
, as writer and story designer. In addition to his contributions to the game itself, the CD release included a novel-length prose work written by York, Divided Destiny. This could be considered York's first published novel, despite the unconventional format. He also provided uncredited writing for the 1999 Dynamix release Starsiege
Starsiege
Starsiege is a mecha-style vehicle simulation game developed by Dynamix and released in 1999. Starsiege is set in the Metaltech/Earthsiege universe, which contains its predecessors Earthsiege , Battledrome , and Earthsiege 2 , as well as action game Hunter Hunted , strategy games Mission Force:...
.
York is currently best known as a writer of tie-in
Tie-in
A tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
fiction. His first print novel is the Marvel comic-book tie-in Generation X: Crossroads, published by 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...
in 1998. A direct sequel, Generation X: Genogoths was published in 2000. Other long-form tie-in works include two novels (with a third on the way) in the MechWarrior: Dark Age series, two e-books in the Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
Starfleet Engineering Corps series (in collaboration with his wife Christina F. York), and the Anok, Heretic of Stygia trilogy in the Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures
Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures
Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures is a fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by a Norwegian computer video game developer company, Funcom, and is published by Eidos Interactive for the PC platform...
novel series. Short-story tie-ins have also appeared in X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
and Transformers themed anthologies.
York also collaborated with author Dean Wesley Smith
Dean Wesley Smith
Dean Wesley Smith is a science fiction author, known primarily for his Star Trek novels, movie novelizations, and other novels of licensed properties such as Smallville, Spider-Man, X-Men, Aliens, Roswell, Men in Black, and Quantum Leap...
on a pair of novellas based on the Bolo stories of late science-fiction author Keith Laumer
Keith Laumer
John Keith Laumer was an American science fiction author. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, he was an officer in the United States Air Force and a U.S. diplomat...
, which were published in the anthologies Old Guard and Cold Steel, from Baen Books
Baen Books
Baen Books is an American publishing company established in 1983 by long time science fiction publisher and editor Jim Baen. It is a science fiction and fantasy publishing house that emphasizes space opera, hard science fiction, military science fiction, and fantasy...
.
York currently lives on the Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
coast, with his wife and Christina F. York, where he continues to work on both original and tie-in fiction. In addition, he has recently started a weekly web comic called Minions at Work.