Amanda Downum

Amanda Downum is an American fantasy author currently living in Austin, Texas. She was born on July 15, 1979, in Virginia.[1] She is most known for her necromancer chronicles: The Drowning City, The Bone Palace, and Kingdoms of Dust. Downum’s books consist of themes relating to identity, gender roles and sexuality, death, secrets and social stratification.[2] She was nominated for the James Tiptree, Jr. Award in 2010.[3]

Early life

Amanda Downum was born on 15 July 1979 into a middle-class family in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in the United States of America.[4] Downum's parents would read Downum fantasy/science fiction authors such as: John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Ursula K. Le Guin and, Madeleine L'Engle.[5] As Downum grew older, she formed a Goth persona from reading novels such as The Hobbit and Prince Caspian[6] and reading H.P. Lovecraft’s horror novels.[5] These authors/books have influenced Downum’s genre, fantasy fiction, since her early childhood.[5]

Downum wanted to be a writer at the age of six[7] and her first attempt at writing a novel was in high school.[8] Many of her present characters and events were created/drawn from her early unpublished writings and/or childhood memories.[8] Amanda Downum graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in English Literature and a minor in German.[5] During her time at college, Downum considered being a writer again when she found an Online Writing Workshop and realized that she could drastically improve her writing.[7]

Personal life

Amanda Downum is married to Joshua Hackett and they both reside in a home near Austin, Texas.[9] She has traveled to Indonesia, and Micronesia and has spent time in Missouri, Arizona, California, and Colorado.[10] Although Downum does not speak often on politics or religion in any of her blogs or interviews, some of the organizations and associations that are supported by her include The National Association to Protect Children, RAINN, Lambda, and Amnesty International.[11] Among other things, Downum creates jewelry for her brand Still So Strange Studios;[11] her interests also include rock climbing[9] and cooking.[12]

Bibliography

Downum also has announced that a new novel, “Dreams of Shreds and Tatters”, will be coming out in June 2015.[13]

Novels

  • Kingdoms of Dust (2012)

Short Stories

Here's a list of Amanda Downum's short stories:[13]

  • Snakebite (2014)
  • Red (2012)
  • Bone Garden (2012)
  • Blue Valentine (2011)
  • Spell 81A (2012)
  • Aconite & Rue (2009)
  • The Tenderness of Jackals (2009)
  • Pinion (2008)
  • Ballistic (2008)
  • Ghostlight (2008)
  • The Salvation Game (2007)
  • Ebb (2007)
  • Smoke & Mirrors (2006)
  • Snake Charmer (2006)
  • The Garden, The Moon, The Wall (2006)
  • Flotsam (2006)
  • Brambles (2006)
  • And in the Living Rock, Still She Sings (2006)
  • Dogtown (2006)
  • Gingerbread and Time (2006)
  • Wrack (2006)

Awards

Amanda Downum first received recognition for her novel, The Drowning City, when it was shortlisted for the 2009 David Gemmell Morning Star award.[14] Downum’s The Drowning City also received a nomination the following year, in 2010, for the David Gemmell Legend Award.[15] In December 2010, Downum’s second novel in the Necromancer Chronicles, The Bone Palace, was shortlisted for the James Tiptree, Jr. Award.[16] Downum’s inclusion of significant positive explorations of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender characters, themes, and issues in The Bone Palace also helped her novel receive the 2011 nomination for the Gaylactic Spectrum Award.[17]

Influences

Over the course of her writing career, Amanda Downum has been inspired by “books, movies, music, the news, boring road trips, and dreams”.[18] Her three favorite contemporary authors and biggest influences are Barbara Hambly, Elizabeth Bear, and Caitlin R. Kiernan[19] . According to Downum, her focus in fantasy should primarily be credited to her mother, who read the young Downum numerous fantasy novels, including Tolkien, Lewis, Le Guin, and L’engle.[20] Later on in her life, Hurricane Katrina coupled with her experiences living in Asia inspired her to write the Drowning City, book one in her “Necromancer Chronicles” trilogy.[18] The Hobbit, and particularly the character Sauron, known and referred to as the Necromancer, captivated her interest in the darker side of fantasy characters and helped inspire her Necromancer Chronicles.[18]

References

  1. ↑ Downum, Amanda (2006). "Biography". www.amandadownum.com. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  2. ↑ Mandelo, Brit (2011-01-10). "Queering SFF: The Bone Palace by Amanda Downum". www.tor.com. Retrieved 2014-10-13.
  3. ↑ Bourke, Liz (2014-07-01). "Juicy and Interestingly Complex: Amanda Downum's Necromancer Chronicles". www.tor.com. Retrieved 2014-10-14.
  4. ↑ "Amanda Downum - Summary Bibliography". Isfdb Science Fiction. Al von Ruff. 24 April 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "An Interview with Amanda Downum on THE DROWNING CITY". Orbit Books. Orbit. 22 August 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  6. ↑ Fergus, Stefan (29 June 2011). "A Quick Chat with AMANDA DOWNUM". Civilian Reader. Blogger.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  7. 1 2 Delnoch, Dros (10 November 2009). "INTERVIEW: Amanda Downum". Falcata Times. Blogger.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  8. 1 2 9, J (3 September 2011). "Blogoversary Author Interview & Giveaway: Amanda Downum". Blood Rose Books. Blogger.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  9. 1 2 "Interview With Amanda Downum on The Drowning City". orbitbooks.net. Orbit. 2012. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  10. ↑ Downum, Amanda. "Me". amandadownum.com. Downum. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  11. ↑ Downum, Amanda (2014-09-01). "Still So Strange Blog". livejournal.com. Live Journal. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  12. 1 2 Downum, Amanda (2014-01-01). "Writing". amandadownum.com. Retrieved 2014-10-14.
  13. ↑ Downum, Amanda. "Amanda Downum Writing". Still So Strange. Amanda Downum. Retrieved 2014-10-15.
  14. ↑ Kelly, Mark. "David Gemmel Legend Awards". Science Fiction Awards Database. Locus Science Fiction Awards Foundation. Retrieved 2014-10-15.
  15. ↑ Kelly, Mark. "James Tiptree Jr Memorial Award". Science Fiction Awards Database. Locus Science Fiction Awards Foundation. Retrieved 2014-10-15.
  16. ↑ "Spectrum Awards". Gaylactic Spectrum Awards. Gaylactic Spectrum Awards. Retrieved 2014-10-15.
  17. 1 2 3 Fergus, Stefan. "[Request] A Quick Chat with AMANDA DOWNUM". civilian-reader.blogspot.com/. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  18. ↑ Miller, Deborah. "[Request] Amanda Downum". gemmellaward.com. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  19. ↑ "[Request] Amanda Downum on THE DROWNING CITY". OrbitBooks.net. 2014-10-12. Retrieved 2014-10-16.

External links

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