Kathe Koja

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
File:KKojaWJW.jpg
Kathe Koja with Walter Jon Williams in 2005
(photo by Cory Doctorow)

Kathe Koja (born 1960) is an American writer. She was initially known for her intense speculative fiction for adults,[1] but over the past few years has written young adult novels as well.[2]

Koja is also a prolific author of short stories, including many in collaboration with Barry N. Malzberg. Most of her short fiction remains uncollected. Koja's novels and short stories frequently concern characters who have been in some way marginalized by society, often focusing on the transcendence and/or disintegration which proceeds from this social isolation (as in The Cipher, Bad Brains, "Teratisms," The Blue Mirror, etc.). Koja won the Bram Stoker Award and the Locus Award for her first novel The Cipher, and a Deathrealm Award for Strange Angels.[3] Her prose has been described as "stunning".[3]

Life and career

Koja was born in Detroit, the second of two sisters.[4] She began writing when very young, but only became serious about it after attending a Clarion workshop.[5]

Koja lives near Detroit, Michigan, and is married to the illustrator Rick Lieder, who often does her book jackets.[4] They have one son.[4]

Koja's literary works have been recognized and highlighted at Michigan State University in their Michigan Writers Series.[6]

Koja is founding director of nerve,[7] a Detroit-based immersive theatre company.

Awards

Koja won the Bram Stoker Award and the Locus Award for her first novel The Cipher, which was also nominated for the Philip K Dick Award. She also won a Deathrealm Award for Strange Angels.[3][8]

Bibliography

Adult

  • The Cipher (1991)
  • Bad Brains (1992)
  • Skin (1993)
  • Strange Angels (1994)
  • Kink (1996)
  • Extremities (1997) (collection)
  • Under the Poppy (2010)
  • The Mercury Waltz (2014)

Young adult

  • straydog (2002)
  • Buddha Boy (2003)
  • The Blue Mirror (2004)
  • Talk (2005)
  • Going Under (2006)
  • Kissing the Bee (2007)
  • Headlong (2008)

References

  1. Steffen Hantke, "Kathe Koja" in: Richard Bleiler, Ed. Supernatural Fiction Writers: Contemporary Fantasy and Horror. New York: Thomson/Gale, 2003. p. 541-550. ISBN 9780684312507
  2. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. [1] Archived December 6, 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links