Craig L. Gidney is an American

speculative fiction Speculative fiction is a term that has been used with a variety of (sometimes contradictory) meanings. The broadest interpretation is as a category of fiction encompassing genres with elements that do not exist in reality, recorded history, na ...

novelist and short story writer. He is openly gay. His works are known for mixing genres, containing elements of horror,

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

, and

magical realism Magical is the adjective for magic. It may also refer to: * Magical (horse) (foaled 2015), Irish Thoroughbred racehorse * "Magical" (song), released in 1985 by John Parr * '' Magical: Disney's New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical Celebrations'', ...

. The collection ''Sea, Swallow Me'' features short stories in diverse settings and sub-genres, including queer historical fiction as well as speculative fiction. Gidney counts

Octavia Butler Octavia Estelle Butler (June 22, 1947 – February 24, 2006) was an American science fiction author and a multiple recipient of the Hugo and Nebula awards. In 1995, Butler became the first science-fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship. ...

and

Toni Morrison Chloe Anthony Wofford Morrison (born Chloe Ardelia Wofford; February 18, 1931 – August 5, 2019), known as Toni Morrison, was an American novelist. Her first novel, ''The Bluest Eye'', was published in 1970. The critically acclaimed '' So ...

among his influences. His work often incorporates research on the queer history of the

Harlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and cultural revival of African American music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, politics and scholarship centered in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, spanning the 1920s and 1930s. At the t ...

Works

* ''Sea, Swallow Me & Other Stories'' (

Lethe Press Lethe Press is an American book publishing company based in Maple Shade, New Jersey.Clarion West Writers Workshop Clarion West Writers Workshop is an intensive six-week program for writers preparing for professional careers in science fiction and fantasy. It runs annually from late June through the end of July. The workshop is limited to 18 students per year. ...

(1996) * Gaylactic Spectrum Finalist for “A Bird of Ice”, 2008 *

Lambda Literary Awards Lambda Literary Awards, also known as the "Lammys", are awarded yearly by Lambda Literary to recognize the crucial role LGBTQ writers play in shaping the world. The Lammys celebrate the very best in LGBTQ literature.The awards were instituted i ...

Finalist for ''Sea, Swallow Me & Other Stories'', 2008 * Lambda Literary Awards Finalist for ''Skin Deep Magic'', 2014 * Bronze Moonbeam Medal for ''Bereft'', 2014 * Silver

Independent Publisher Book Awards The Independent Publisher Book Awards, also styled the IPPY Awards, are a set of annual book awards for independently published titles. They are the longest-running unaffiliated contest open exclusively to independent presses. The IPPY Awards ar ...

for ''Bereft'', 2014

References

Living people 21st-century American novelists 21st-century American short story writers African-American novelists African-American short story writers Afrofuturist writers American male novelists American science fiction writers Black speculative fiction authors American gay writers LGBT African Americans American LGBT novelists American male short story writers American male non-fiction writers Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century American male writers 21st-century African-American writers 21st-century LGBT people African-American male writers {{US-sf-writer-stub