Nino Cipri | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Writer |
| Language | English |
| Education | Clarion Workshop University of Kansas (MFA) |
| Genre | Science fiction,fantasy |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Notable works | Finna |
| Website | |
| www | |
Nino Cipri is a science fiction writer, editor, and educator. Their works have been nominated for theNebula,Hugo,Locus,World Fantasy, andShirley Jackson Awards.
Cipri identifies asqueer andtrans/nonbinary.[1] A graduate of the 2014Clarion Workshop, they earned an MFA in fiction from theUniversity of Kansas in 2019. Cipri has previously worked as a stagehand, bookseller, bike mechanic atDivvy,[2] food columnist for a Chicago culture website, and as alabor organizer.[3][4] Their partner is writerNibedita Sen.[4]
Cipri's career includes writing plays, poetry, and radio features, as well as performing as a dancer, actor, and puppeteer. Their fiction often integrates humor, critiquinglate-stage capitalism[2] and exploring themes of home, alienation, and queer identity.[1]
Their fiction has been published in a number of magazines and publications, includingTor.com,Fireside Magazine,Nightmare Magazine,Daily Science Fiction and other places. Cipri's short story "The Shape of My Name," described as "a heart-rending vision of the struggles of time travelers bound to a single house and family,"[5] was a finalist for the 2015James Tiptree Jr. Award and was reprinted in theTachyon Publications anthologyThe New Voices of Science Fiction, edited byHannu Rajaniemi andJacob Weisman. Their short story "Opals and Clay" was a finalist for the 2016 Tiptree/Otherwise Award.
Their novellaFinna was published in 2020 byTor.com. It was followed by a sequel,Defekt, in 2021.
Cipri saysKelly Link[1] andUrsula K. Le Guin are two of their main influences, adding about Le Guin that "I was trying to teach myself how to write short stories, she was literally the first author I turned to."[2] They also cite the importance to their writing of queer authors from the 1990s such asPoppy Z. Brite and comics likeHothead Paisan: Homicidal Lesbian Terrorist.[1]
Cipri attributes the layered structure of their work toCharlie Kaufman’s screenwriting style, particularly in films likeBeing John Malkovich andEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. These influences, alongside other queer and feminist authors from the 1990s, have helped shape their literary focus on gender, identity, and relationships. Cipri's critiques of nostalgia and apocalyptic nihilism draw inspiration from authors such asOctavia Butler,Charlie Jane Anders,Annalee Newitz.[1]
Cipri views current social and environmental movements as major sources of inspiration and the primary reason for their dedication to speculative fiction as a genre, stressing the importance of imagination and working toward a better future. Through their writing, Cipri aims to contribute to these effort, making stories that resonate with underrepresented queer and trans experiences. Their stories frequently experiment with form and structure, as seen inHomesick. Cipri has remarked that these formats allow them to creatively explore ideas and concepts in ways traditional narrative structures may not.[1]
Cipri's humor inFinna reflects an anti-authoritarian approach and subversion of corporate systems. Cipri’s novellaFinna was inspired by their visits toIKEA, imagining the labyrinthine stores as places where “reality is thinner and apt to tear.” Cipri’s union-organizing efforts also influence their work. Their personal experiences with labor struggles and low-wage jobs defined much of the anti-capitalist sentiments inFinna.[2]
Cipri's first short story collectionHomesick won the Dzanc Short Fiction Collection Prize[citation needed] and was a finalist for theWorld Fantasy Award andShirley Jackson Award. Their novellaFinna became finalist for the 2021Nebula Award for Best Novella,Hugo Award for Best Novella, andLambda Literary Award for Transgender Fiction, and was nominated for theLocus Award for Best Novella.[6]
| Year | Nominee | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | "The Shape of My Name" | Otherwise Award | — | Honor List | [7] |
| 2017 | "Opals and Clay" | Honor List | [7] | ||
| 2020 | Homesick | Dzanc Short Fiction Collection Prize | — | Won | [citation needed] |
| Shirley Jackson Award | Collection | Nominated | [7] | ||
| WFA | Collection | Shortlisted | [7] | ||
| 2021 | Finna | Hugo Awards | Novella | Shortlisted | [7] |
| Lambda Literary Award | Transgender Fiction | Shortlisted | [7] | ||
| Locus Award | Novella | Nominated—8th | [7] | ||
| Nebula Awards | Novella | Shortlisted | [7] | ||
| 2022 | Defekt | Locus Award | Novella | Nominated—8th | [7] |
| Philip K. Dick Award | — | Shortlisted | [7] |
| Year | Title | Printed | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | "The Shape of My Name" | —— (March 4, 2015)."The Shape of My Name".Tor.com. | |
| 2016 | "Opals and Clay" | —— (February 8, 2016)."Opals and Clay".PodCastle. | |
| 2018 | "Ad Astra Per Aspera" | —— (Jan 18, 2018). "Ad Astra Per Aspera".Capricious Magazine (9). |
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