Graham Diamond
Graham Diamond [1] (born 18 August 1949, Manchester, England) [2] is a speculative fiction, fantasy and science fiction author.
Early life and education
Born in Manchester, England, his family moved to the United States when he was a young child. He was raised in New York City, on the Upper West Side, and graduated from the High School of Music and Art. He attended CCNY in NY, and the Art Students League of New York.
Literary career
A fine arts major, Diamond turned to professional writing in his late twenties is best known for books such as The Haven, Lady of the Haven, The Thief of Kalimar, Black Midnight, Forest Wars, Marrakesh, Samarkand, and Samarkand Dawn. He soon turned to other genres; including historical fiction, thrillers, and later a true story of a Holocaust survivor's family during World War II, Maybe You Will Survive. Several of his books were published in the UK by Methuen.
Under the pen name Rochelle Leslie (the names of his two daughters), he authored Tears of Passion, Tears of Shame, a novel of South Africa set during the Zulu War of 1879 (Berkeley/Jove) which was subsequently published in Italy, titled, Venuto De Lontano, (To Come From Far Away) by Mondadori. He also has had various short stories published in anthologies.
His latest book, Chocolate Lenin, was released in 2012. It is speculative fiction, a well received satire/fantasy of near-future Russia, parodying contemporary science, technology, and politics. It received numerous favorable reviews.
In 2013 it was announced that his first novel, The Haven,was re-released in a new oversize format. The book is considered by many to be a cult classic. It was previously published in UK and Australia, as well as the United States. Many of his novels remain in print.
In 2015 it was announced that Venture Press Ltd, UK, a division of Endeavour Books UK, in the autumn of 2015 made available seven of Graham Diamond's earlier titles, The Haven, Samarkand, Samarkand Dawn, Lady of the Haven, Dungeons of Kuba, The Falcon of Eden and The Beasts of Hades. They will be released in e-book format in the UK, United States, Canada, and across the English-speaking world. The Haven, and Samarkand, were particularly well received.
In 2016, mainstream Endeavour Press published Black Midnight, a terrorist novel set in New York, and Tears of Passion, Tears of Shame, a well-received novel set during the Zulu War in Natal in 1879.
Venture Press then announced that another six of Diamond's speculative fiction/fantasy novels would be published. Titles include, The Thief of Kalimar,, Captain Sinbad, a broad tongue-in-cheek account of the mariner's adventures, Chocolate Lenin, Diamond's humorous view of our current world of technology, science, and greed. In addition, Marrakesh, and Marrakesh Nights, Cinnabar, were also made available. In all, Graham Diamond has had more than one million books printed in hardcover, trade paperback, and paperback form. Digital copies have dramatically increased that number.
Diamond also worked for many years at the New York Times as production manager in Editorial Art until leaving to pursue a full-time career in writing. He has taught and lectured on creative writing in both New York and California. He now makes his home in New York City. He continues his writing, citing he will 'never retire'.
Select bibliography
The Haven (Playboy Press, Methuen, Venture Press, UK) Lady of the Haven (Playboy Press, Methuen, Venture Press, UK) Chocolate Lenin, (Lion Books, NY, Venture Press, UK) Black Midnight (Kensington/Zebra, Endeavour Press, UK) Tears of Passion, Tears of Shame (Berkley/Jove, Endeavour Press, UK) Samarkand (Playboy Press, Venture Press, UK) Samarkand Dawn (Playboy Press, Venture Press, UK) Captain Sinbad (Fawcett, Venture Press, UK) Forest Wars, Lion Press, Venture Press, UK) Cinnebar (Fawcett, Venture Press, UK) Marrakesh (Fawcett, Venture Press, UK) Marrakesh Nights (Fawcett, Venture Press, UK) The Falcon of Eden (Playboy Press, Venture Press, UK) Beasts of Hades (Playboy Press, Venture Press, UK) Outcasts (DAW anthology)
- Maybe You Will Survive (Holocaust Press, 1991, reissued 2010)