Sarah Zettel | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sarah Anne Zettel December 14, 1966 (1966-12-14) (age 58) Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author |
| Education | University of Michigan (BA) |
| Period | 1988–present |
| Genre | Arthurian literature Science fiction Fantasy |
| Notable works | Reclamation Bitter Angels |
| Notable awards | Locus Award for Best First Novel Philip K. Dick Award |
| Website | |
| sarahzettel | |
Sarah Zettel (born December 14, 1966) is an American author, primarily ofscience fiction. Her first short story was published inAnalog Science Fiction and Fact in 1991. Zettel's novels have won multiple awards, including thePhilip K. Dick Award and theLocus Award for Best First Novel, and positive reviews from critics. Her first novelReclamation was published in 1996 and her second novelFool's War in 1997. She has written romance novels and mysteries under the pseudonymDarcie Wilde, and the novelBitter Angels asC. L. Anderson.
Zettel's first short storyDriven by Moonlight was written in 1986, and was published inAnalog Science Fiction and Fact in 1991.[1][2] Her first novelReclamation was published in 1996; this was followed byFool's War in 1997. Zettel wrote many science-fiction short stories forAnalog and other publications.Stanley Schmidt, the editor ofAnalog, sent her work back multiple times to fix problems; in 1998, Zettel said she regarded Schmidt "as a really great teacher, and I think that experience is what led me directly to be able to writeReclamation".[1]
As of 2021[update], Zettel has written 35 novels in genres that include horror, fantasy, romance, thriller/suspense, and young adult. She said "every genre gives you a different view into the art of storytelling".[3] Of all of her novels,A Mother's Lie "holds a special place in her heart" because "I wanted a chance to write a suspense book in which the mother gets to be the hero, and the strength of the relationship between mother and daughter gets to be at the center of the story in a positive way".[4] Zettel writes regency mysteries and romances under the pseudonym Darcie Wilde.[5] Among Zettel's favorite science-fiction authors areUrsula Le Guin – who inspired her to become an author – andOctavia Butler,Mary Doria Russell, andTerry Prachett. Zettel said her ideas come from current events, her earlier reading material, and memoirs based around science.[6]
Sarah Zettel's first novelReclamation was nominated for thePhilip K. Dick Award in 1997 and won theLocus Award for Best First Novel the same year.[7][8] Writing as C. L. Anderson, her novelBitter Angels won the 2010 Philip K. Dick award for best science-fiction paperback.[9][8] Her novelFool's War became aNew York Times Notable Book in 1997. TheAmerican Library Association saidPlaying God is "one of the Best Books for Young Adults of 1999".Kirkus Reviews and the American Library Association said her novelDust Girl is one of that year's "best young adult books".[8]
Professor and media scholarHenry Jenkins wrote; "Sarah Zettel's 1997 novel,Fool's War makes an important contribution to the growing body of feminist literature about artificial intelligence, taking the relationship between bodies and information as one of its core themes".[10][11] John R. Alden ofThe Philadelphia Inquirer reviewedFool's War, stating; "Sarah Zettel's thought-provoking tale offers an energetic plot and a cast full of appealing characters".[12] APublishers Weekly review ofPlaying God says; "Readers will embrace this complex, multidimensional saga (Zettel's hardcover debut, and the best of her three novels) not only for its depiction of exotic alien civilization and its action-packed plot but also for its pertinent themes of tribalism, intolerance and ecological disaster".[13]
Fool's War was included inBook Riot's list titled "10 Chillingly Possible Sci-Fi Books About AIs Taking Over" and says, "This book does a fantastic job of capturing the tipping point that exists right before an AI wakes up and starts taking some sweet revenge for all those years of servitude".[14]Dust Girl, in which the main character is of mixed race and is half-fairy, was included in aBustle's list titled "12 Awesome YA Novels Featuring POC Protagonists".[15]
Major awards and nominations in the science fiction and fantasy field:[7]
Sarah Zettel was born inSacramento, California, on December 14, 1966.[16] Her mother Gail Beavers is a retired teacher and social worker; her father Leonard Francis Zettel Jr. is a retired engineer and programmer.[17] When she was 13, Zettel decided she wanted to write in multiple genres. While Zettel was at university, she created "shared worlds" in notebooks with her friends.[18] Zettel obtained aB.A. in Communication from theUniversity of Michigan.[17] She is married to a rocket scientist and currently lives inMichigan. She named her cat Buffy the Vermin Slayer.[19][17]
Zettel has written multiple books.[20][21]
