Sean Wallace
Encyclopedia
Sean A. Wallace is an American science fiction
and fantasy
editor and publisher.
, and Sydney Bounds. In 1999, the "Cosmos Books" name was licensed to Wildside Press
; output greatly increased, expanding with American and Australian authors. Wallace also became a freelance editor for Wildside Press, working from Ohio.
In mid 2001, Wallace stepped in to assist an ailing publishing company, Imaginary Worlds, though commercial conditions ultimately meant the company went into bankruptcy. Wallace then launched Prime Books
to publish a few of the orphaned books, including the award-winning City of Saints and Madmen, by Jeff VanderMeer
. Later, in 2003, he licensed the company to Wildside Press, and moved from Ohio to Pennsylvania, subsequently becoming a senior editor. In early 2009, Wallace reacquired Prime Books, and relaunched as an independent publishing house in May that year.
Wallace was twice-nominated for a World Fantasy Award
in 2003 and 2004 for editing Prime Books, in the Special Award: Non-Professional
and Special Award: Professional
categories, respectively. Around this time, he felt there was a lack of appealing short fiction available in the literary fantasy genre. To cater to this, he launched Fantasy Magazine
in 2005, at the World Fantasy Convention in Wisconsin.
During 2006 his first nationally-distributed book, Horror: The Best of the Year was released, and he took on a co-editing job with Nick Mamatas
, with Clarkesworld Magazine
. That same year, he won the World Fantasy annual award in the Special Award: Professional category for editing Prime Books. In 2009, his work for Clarkesworld gained recognition with Hugo Award
and World Fantasy Award nominations. In 2010, those efforts were rewarded with a Hugo Award
and another World Fantasy Award nomination.
He currently resides in Rockville, MD with his wife, Jennifer, and their two daughters.
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...
editor and publisher.
Career
Wallace began publishing fiction in 1997, when he launched Cosmos Books, with Philip Harbottle. Their début title, Fantasy Annual, was an anthology of British authors including E.C. Tubb, John Russell FearnJohn Russell Fearn
John Russell Fearn was a British author and one of the first British writers to appear in American pulp science fiction magazines.-Career:...
, and Sydney Bounds. In 1999, the "Cosmos Books" name was licensed to Wildside Press
Wildside Press
Wildside Press is an independent publishing company located in Maryland, USA. It was founded in 1989 by John Gregory and Kim Betancourt. While the press was originally conceived as a publisher of speculative fiction in both trade and limited editions, it has broadened out somewhat since then, both...
; output greatly increased, expanding with American and Australian authors. Wallace also became a freelance editor for Wildside Press, working from Ohio.
In mid 2001, Wallace stepped in to assist an ailing publishing company, Imaginary Worlds, though commercial conditions ultimately meant the company went into bankruptcy. Wallace then launched Prime Books
Prime Books
Edited by two-time Hugo-nominee and 2006 World Fantasy-winner Sean Wallace, Prime Books is an award-winning independent publishing house, specializing in a mix of literary/commercial anthologies, collections, novels, and two magazines: Fantasy Magazine and Lightspeed Magazine. Some of its...
to publish a few of the orphaned books, including the award-winning City of Saints and Madmen, by Jeff VanderMeer
Jeff VanderMeer
Jeffrey Scott VanderMeer is an American writer, editor and publisher.He is best known for his contributions to the New Weird and his stories about the city of Ambergris, in books like City of Saints and Madmen.-Biography:...
. Later, in 2003, he licensed the company to Wildside Press, and moved from Ohio to Pennsylvania, subsequently becoming a senior editor. In early 2009, Wallace reacquired Prime Books, and relaunched as an independent publishing house in May that year.
Wallace was twice-nominated for a World Fantasy Award
World Fantasy Award
The World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy...
in 2003 and 2004 for editing Prime Books, in the Special Award: Non-Professional
World Fantasy Special Award: Non-Professional
This World Fantasy Award is presented to individuals for outstanding non-professional work in the fantasy field, and voted by a panel of judges at the World Fantasy Convention.-2004:...
and Special Award: Professional
World Fantasy Special Award: Professional
This World Fantasy Award is presented to individuals for their outstanding professional work in the fantasy field, and voted by a panel of judges at the World Fantasy Convention....
categories, respectively. Around this time, he felt there was a lack of appealing short fiction available in the literary fantasy genre. To cater to this, he launched Fantasy Magazine
Fantasy Magazine
Fantasy Magazine is a U.S.-based online fantasy and science fiction magazine. It was launched as a print edition at the 2005 World Fantasy Convention in Madison, Wisconsin. It continued in this format for six more issues, but in mid-October 2007, it moved online, with daily content, and spun off...
in 2005, at the World Fantasy Convention in Wisconsin.
During 2006 his first nationally-distributed book, Horror: The Best of the Year was released, and he took on a co-editing job with Nick Mamatas
Nick Mamatas
Nick Mamatas is an American horror, science fiction and fantasy author and editor for the Haikasoru line of translated Japanese science fiction novels for Viz Media...
, with Clarkesworld Magazine
Clarkesworld Magazine
Clarkesworld Magazine is an American online fantasy and science fiction magazine. The first issue was published October 1, 2006 and it has maintained a regular monthly schedule since, publishing fiction by authors such as Sarah Monette, Catherynne Valente, Elizabeth Bear, Caitlin R...
. That same year, he won the World Fantasy annual award in the Special Award: Professional category for editing Prime Books. In 2009, his work for Clarkesworld gained recognition with Hugo Award
Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine
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...
and World Fantasy Award nominations. In 2010, those efforts were rewarded with a Hugo Award
Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine
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...
and another World Fantasy Award nomination.
He currently resides in Rockville, MD with his wife, Jennifer, and their two daughters.
Essays and articles
- "Publishing in the Future: The Potential and Reality of POD" in LocusLocus (magazine)Locus, subtitled "The Magazine Of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Field", is published monthly in Oakland, California. It reports on the science fiction and fantasy publishing field, including comprehensive listings of all new books published in the genre. It is considered the news organ and trade...
, March 10, 2004
Further reading
- Morgan, Cheryl. "Interview: Sean Wallace, Prime Books". Emerald CityEmerald City (magazine)Emerald City was a science fiction fanzine published in print and on the internet by Cheryl Morgan. She had assistance from Kevin Standlee and Anne Murphy. The magazine published 134 regular issues and 6 special issues between September 1995 and November 2006...
, Iss. 102, February, 2004 - Tan, Charles. "Feature: Interview with Sean Wallace". Bibliophile Stalker, April 15, 2008