Ellen Kushner’s first novel, Swordspoint (Wm Morrow, 1987) became a cult classic, credited by some as the book that kicked off the “Fantasy of Manners” genre. She swore she’d never write another one, so followed that up with the mythic fantasy novel Thomas the Rhymer, which won the World Fantasy and Mythopoeic Awards, and recently became a Gollancz "Fantasy Masterwork.” But she missed her Swordspoint world, and so returned there with The Privilege of the Sword (Locus Award); The Fall of the Kings (co-written with Delia Sherman) and, most recently, the collaborative prequel Tremontaine (Realm.com).
While all this was going on, Kushner also had a lengthy career as a public radio host at WGBH in Boston, ultimately creating and hosting her own national series, Sound & Spirit. Unafraid of microphones, she herself then recorded all three "Riverside/Swordspoint" novels in audiobook form for Neil Gaiman Presents/ Audible.com, winning an Audie Award for Swordspoint.
She really does love to collaborate. She was one of Terri Windling’s original Bordertown authors; some 20 years later, with Holly Black, she co-edited Welcome to Bordertown. Kushner has taught writing at Clarion, Odyssey, and Hollins University. She lives in New York City with her wife, author and educator Delia Sherman, no cats, and a great many theater and airplane ticket stubs.
www.EllenKushner.com @EllenKushner