Nancy Kress is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 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...

 writer. She began writing in 1976 but has achieved her greatest notice since the publication of her Hugo

Hugo Award

The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...

 and Nebula

Nebula Award

The Nebula Award is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the previous year...

-winning 1991 novella "Beggars in Spain

Beggars in Spain

Beggars in Spain is a 1993 science fiction novel by Nancy Kress.It was originally published as a novella in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine and as a limited edition paperback by Axolotl Press in 1991. Kress expanded it, adding three new volumes and eventually two sequels, Beggars and...

" which was later expanded into a novel with the same title. In addition to her novels, Kress has written numerous short stories and is a regular columnist for Writer's Digest

Writer's Digest

Writer's Digest is an American magazine devoted to both beginning and established writers, offering interviews, market listings, calls for manuscripts, and how-to articles....

. She is a regular at Clarion writing workshops

Clarion Workshop

Clarion is a six-week workshop for new and aspiring science fiction and fantasy writers. Originally an outgrowth of Knight and Wilhelm's Milford Writers' Conference, held at their home in Milford, Pennsylvania, USA, it was founded in 1968 by Robin Scott Wilson at Clarion State College in...

 and at The Writers Center in Bethesda, Maryland

Bethesda, Maryland

Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...

. During the Winter of 2008/09, Nancy Kress was the Picador Guest Professor for Literature at the University of Leipzig

University of Leipzig

The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...

's Institute for American Studies in Leipzig

Leipzig

Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...

, Germany.

Biography

Born Nancy Anne Koningisor in Buffalo, New York

Buffalo, New York

Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...

 and grown up in East Aurora

East Aurora, New York

East Aurora is a village in Erie County, New York, United States, southeast of Buffalo. The Village of East Aurora lies in the eastern half of the Town of Aurora.The population was 6,673 at the 2000 census...

, she attended college at SUNY Plattsburgh

State University of New York at Plattsburgh

The State University of New York at Plattsburgh is a four-year, public liberal arts college in Plattsburgh, New York. The college was founded in 1889 and opened in 1890. The college is currently part of the State University of New York system and is accredited by the Middle States Association of...

. In 1973, she moved to Rochester to marry Michael Joseph Kress. They had two sons, and divorced in 1984. At that time, she went to work at Stanton and Hucko, an advertising agency.
In 1998, she married fellow author Charles Sheffield

Charles Sheffield

Charles Sheffield , was an English-born mathematician, physicist and science fiction author. He had been a President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and of the American Astronautical Society....

, who died in 2002 of a brain tumor

Brain tumor

A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...

. Kress moved back to Rochester, New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, to be near her grown children. She recently (2009) moved to Seattle. In February 2011 she married author Jack Skillingstead.

Work

She tends to write technically realistic stories set in a fairly near future.
Her fiction often involves genetic engineering

Genetic engineering

Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...

, and, to a lesser degree, artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...

. She loves ballet

Ballet

Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...

, and has written stories around it.

Awards

Nebula Awards

• Best Short story winner (1986): "Out of All Them Bright Stars"
• Best Novella winner (1991): "Beggars in Spain" (this is the 1991 Novella, not the 1993 novel of the same title)
• Best Novelette winner (1998): "The Flowers of Aulit Prison"
• Best Novella winner (2007): "Fountain of Age
  Fountain of Age
  "Fountain of Age" is a science fiction novella published in 2007 by Nancy Kress. It won the 2008 Nebula Award for Best Novella and was nominated for the 2008 Hugo Award for Best Novella.-Plot summary:...
  
  "; read online

Hugo Award

Hugo Award

The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...

• Best Novella
  Hugo Award for Best Novella
  The Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
  
   winner (1992): "Beggars in Spain" (this is the 1991 Novella, not the 1993 novel of the same title)
• Best Novella winner (2009): "The Erdmann Nexus"

John W. Campbell Memorial Award

• Best Novel second place (1994): Beggars in Spain
  Beggars in Spain
  Beggars in Spain is a 1993 science fiction novel by Nancy Kress.It was originally published as a novella in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine and as a limited edition paperback by Axolotl Press in 1991. Kress expanded it, adding three new volumes and eventually two sequels, Beggars and...
  
  (there was no first place award in 1994)
• Best Novel winner (2003): Probability Space

Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award

• Best Short Science Fiction winner (1997): "The Flowers of Aulit Prison"

Series

The Sleepless

• Beggars in Spain
  Beggars in Spain
  Beggars in Spain is a 1993 science fiction novel by Nancy Kress.It was originally published as a novella in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine and as a limited edition paperback by Axolotl Press in 1991. Kress expanded it, adding three new volumes and eventually two sequels, Beggars and...
  
  , (AvoNova / William Morrow April 1993)
• Beggars and Choosers
  Beggars and Choosers (novel)
  Beggars and Choosers is a Hugo-nominated 1994 science-fiction novel by Nancy Kress. It is a sequel to the Hugo-winning Beggars in Spain, and was followed by Beggars Ride in 1996.-Background:...
  
  , (Tor Oct. 1994)
• Beggars Ride
  Beggars Ride
  -Background:The Beggars trilogy is set in a near future in which genetic engineering has become commonplace. "Genemods" were developed for intelligence, physical features, personality, enhanced sensory perception, and so on, but when Dr. Susan Melling discovered a genemod to alleviate the need for...
  
  , (Tor Nov. 1996)
• "Sleeping Dogs," (nv) Far Horizons: All New Tales from the Greatest Worlds of Science Fiction, ed. Robert Silverberg, Avon Eos May 1999

Robert Cavanaugh

• Oaths and Miracles, (Tor Jan. 1996)
• Stinger, (Tor Oct. 1998)
• "Plant Engineering," (ss) Death Dines at 8:30, ed. Claudia Bishop & Nick DiChario, Berkley 2001

Probability

The Probability series, aka Faller's War, is loosely based on Kress' Nebula-winning novelette "The Flowers of Aulit Prison," (nv) Asimov’s Oct./Nov. 1996

• Probability Moon
  Probability Moon
  Probability Moon is a 2000 science fiction novel by Nancy Kress.The novel concerns a xenological expedition to the planet World, where aliens live who have developed a strange form of telepathy or collective unconscious, "shared reality," which causes piercing "head-pain" whenever "Worlders"...
  
  , (Tor July 2000)
• Probability Sun
  Probability Sun
  Probability Sun is a 2001 science fiction novel by Nancy Kress, a sequel to her 2000 publication Probability Moon. It was followed in 2002 by Probability Space, which won the John W...
  
  , (Tor July 2001)
• Probability Space, (Tor Sep. 2002)

Crossfire

• Crossfire, (Tor Feb. 2003)
• Crucible, (Tor Aug. 2004)

Soulvine Moor Chronicles (writing as Anna Kendall)

• Crossing Over, (Gollancz June 2010 / Viking Oct. 2010)
• Dark Mist Rising, (Gollancz May 2011)

Forthcoming:

• A Bright and Terrible Sword, (Gollancz April 2012)

Novels

• The Prince of Morning Bells, (Timescape / Pocket Oct. 1981)
• The Golden Grove, (Bluejay Books March 1984)
• The White Pipes, (Bluejay Books Jan. 1985)
• An Alien Light, (Arbor House / William Morrow Jan. 1988 / Legend Nov. 1988)
• Brain Rose, (William Morrow Jan. 1990)
• Maximum Light, (Tor Jan. 1998)
• Yanked, (Avon June 1999) from David Brin's Out of Time series
• Nothing Human, (Golden Gryphon Press Sep. 2003)
• Dogs, (Tachyon Publications
  Tachyon Publications
  Tachyon Publications is an independent press specializing in science fiction and fantasy books. Founded in San Francisco in 1995 by Jacob Weisman, Tachyon books have tended toward high-end literary works, short story collections, and anthologies....
  
   July 2008)
• Steal Across the Sky, (Tor Feb. 2009)

Chapbooks

• Beggars in Spain, (na) Axolotl Press / Pulphouse Feb. 1991; more or less simultaneous with Asimov’s April 1991
• The Price of Oranges, (ss) Pulphouse June 1992; reprinted from Asimov’s April 1989
• Dancing on Air, (na) Tachyon Publications
  Tachyon Publications
  Tachyon Publications is an independent press specializing in science fiction and fantasy books. Founded in San Francisco in 1995 by Jacob Weisman, Tachyon books have tended toward high-end literary works, short story collections, and anthologies....
  
   Sep. 1997; reprinted from Asimov’s July 1993
• Act One, (na) Phoenix Pick March 2010; reprinted from Asimov’s March 2009; read online

Forthcoming:

• Before the Fall, After the Fall, During the Fall, (Tachyon Publications April 2012) - 39,000-word novella, per Kress' blog

Collections

1. Trinity and Other Stories, (Bluejay Books Aug. 1985)
   • Explaining Nancy Kress, Gene Wolfe, (in) *
   • "With the Original Cast," (nv) Omni May 1982
   • "Casey’s Empire," (ss) F&SF Nov. 1981
   • "Talp Hunt," (ss) Universe 12, ed. Terry Carr, Doubleday 1982
   • "Against a Crooked Stile," (nv) Asimov’s May 1979
   • "Explanations, Inc.," (ss) F&SF July 1984; read online
   • "Shadows on the Cave Wall," (nv) Universe 11, ed. Terry Carr, Doubleday 1981
   • "Ten Thousand Pictures, One Word," (ss) Twilight Zone July/Aug. 1984
   • "Night Win," (nv) Asimov’s Sep. 1983
   • "Borovsky’s Hollow Woman," (with Jeff Duntemann), (nv) Omni Oct 1983
   • "Out of All Them Bright Stars," (ss) F&SF Mar. 1985
   • "Trinity," (na) Asimov’s Oct. 1984
2. The Aliens of Earth
   The Aliens of Earth
   The Aliens of Earth is a collection of science fiction stories by author Nancy Kress. It was released in 1993 and was the author's first book published by Arkham House . It was published in an edition of 3,520 copies...
   
   , (Arkham House Oct. 1993)
   • "The Price of Oranges," (nv) Asimov’s April 1989
   • "Glass," (ss) Asimov’s Sept. 1987
   • "People Like Us," (ss) Asimov’s Sept. 1989; read online
   • "Cannibals," (nv) Asimov’s May 1987
   • "To Scale," (ss) Xanadu, ed. Jane Yolen & Martin Harry Greenberg, Tor 1993
   • "Touchdown," (ss) Asimov’s Oct. 1990
   • "Down Behind Cuba Lake," (ss) Asimov’s Sept. 1986
   • "In a World Like This," (ss) Omni Oct. 1988
   • "Philippa’s Hands," (ss) Full Spectrum, ed. Lou Aronica & Shawna McCarthy, Bantam 1988
   • "Inertia," (nv) Analog Jan. 1990
   • "Phone Repairs," (ss) Asimov’s Dec. 1986
   • "The Battle of Long Island," (ss) Omni Feb./March 1993
   • "Renaissance," (ss) Asimov’s mid-Dec. 1989
   • "Spillage," (ss) F&SF April 1988; read online
   • "The Mountain to Mohammed," (ss) Asimov’s April 1992
   • "Craps," (ss) Asimov’s March 1988
   • "And Wild For to Hold," (na) Asimov’s July 1991
   • "In Memoriam," (ss) Asimov’s June 1988
3. Beaker’s Dozen, (Tor Aug. 1998)
   • Introduction, (in) *
   • "Beggars in Spain," (na) Axolotl Press/Pulphouse Feb. 1991 / Asimov's April 1991
   • "Feigenbaum Number," (ss) Omni Winter 1995 [not seen until 1996]
   • "Margin of Error," (ss) Omni Oct. 1994
   • "Fault Lines," (na) Asimov’s Aug. 1995
   • "Unto The Daughters," (ss) Sisters in Fantasy, ed. Susan Shwartz & Martin H. Greenberg, Roc 1995
   • "Evolution," (nv) Asimov’s Oct. 1995
   • "Ars Longa," (ss) By Any Other Fame, ed. Mike Resnick & Martin Harry Greenberg, DAW 1993
   • "Sex Education," (nv) Intersections, ed. John Kessel, Mark L. Van Name & Richard Butner, Tor 1996
   • "Grant Us This Day," (ss) Asimov’s Sept. 1993; slightly revised here
   • "The Flowers of Aulit Prison," (nv) Asimov’s Oct./Nov. 1996
   • "Summer Wind," (ss) Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears, ed. Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling, AvoNova/William Morrow 1995
   • "Always True to Thee, in My Fashion," (ss) Asimov’s Jan. 1997
   • "Dancing on Air," (na) Asimov’s July 1993
4. Nano Comes to Clifford Falls and Other Stories, (Golden Gryphon Press May 2008)
   • Foreword, Mike Resnick, (in) *
   • "Nano Comes to Clifford Falls," (ss) Asimov’s July 2006; read online
   • "Patent Infringement," (ss) Asimov’s May 2002
   • "Computer Virus," (nv) Asimov’s April 2001
   • "Product Development," (vi) Nature March 16 2006
   • "The Most Famous Little Girl in the World," (nv) SciFiction May 8 2002
   • "Savior," (na) Asimov’s June 2000
   • "Ej-Es," (nv) Stars: Original Stories Based on the Songs of Janis Ian, ed. Janis Ian & Mike Resnick, DAW 2003; read online
   • "Shiva in Shadow," (na) Between Worlds, ed. Robert Silverberg, SFBC 2004
   • "First Flight," (ss) Space Cadets, ed. Mike Resnick, L.A.WorldCon/SciFi, Inc., Aug. 2006
   • "To Cuddle Amy," (vi) Asimov’s Aug. 2000
   • "Wetlands Preserve," (nv) SciFiction Sep. 27 2000
   • "Mirror Image," (na) One Million A.D., ed. Gardner Dozois, SFBC Dec. 2005
   • "My Mother, Dancing," (ss) Asimov’s June 2004; first appeared in French in Destination 3001, ed. Robert Silverberg & Jacques Chambon, Flammarion 2000; read online

Forthcoming:

5. Fountain of Age: Stories, (Small Beer Press April 2012)

Non-Fiction: books about writing

• Beginnings, Middles & Ends, (Writer’s Digest Books 1993)
• Dynamic Characters: How to Create Personalities That Keep Readers Captivated, (Writer’s Digest Books 1998)
• Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Dynamic Characters and Effective Viewpoints, (Writer’s Digest Books 2005)

External links

• Nancy Kress's Home Page
• Nancy Kress bibliography
• Nancy Kress's blog
• Buffalo International Film Festival Board of Advisors
• Interview with Nancy Kress at Writer Unboxed
• Nancy Kress' online fiction at Free Speculative Fiction Online