Karen Joy Fowler is an American author of science fiction, fantasy, and

literary fiction Literary fiction, mainstream fiction, non-genre fiction or serious fiction is a label that, in the book trade, refers to market novels that do not fit neatly into an established genre (see genre fiction); or, otherwise, refers to novels that are ch ...

. Her work often centers on the nineteenth century, the lives of women, and alienation. She is best known as the author of the best-selling novel ''

The Jane Austen Book Club ''The Jane Austen Book Club'' is a 2004 novel by American author Karen Joy Fowler. The story, which takes place near Sacramento, California, centers around a book club consisting of five women and one man who meet once a month to discuss Jane A ...

'' that was made into a movie of the same name.

Biography

Fowler was born in

Bloomington, Indiana Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County, Indiana, Monroe County in the central region of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the List of municipalities in Indiana, seventh-largest city in Indiana and the fourth-largest outside ...

, and spent the first eleven years of her life there. Her family then moved to

Palo Alto, California Palo Alto (; Spanish language, Spanish for "tall stick") is a charter city in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a Sequoia sempervirens, coastal redwood tree kno ...

. Fowler attended the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...

, and majored in

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

. After having a child during the last year of her master's program, she spent seven years devoted to child-raising. Feeling restless, Fowler decided to take a dance class, and then a creative writing class at the

University of California, Davis The University of California, Davis (UC Davis, UCD, or Davis) is a public land-grant research university near Davis, California. Named a Public Ivy, it is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The institut ...

. Realizing that she was never going to make it as a dancer, Fowler began to publish science fiction stories, making a name for herself with the short story "Recalling Cinderella" (1985) in '' L Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 1'' (1985) and ''Artificial Things'' (1986), a collection of short stories.

Writing career

She began publishing sf with "Recalling Cinderella" in '' L Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Vol I'' (anth 1985) edited by Algis Budrys Her first novel, ''Sarah Canary'' (1991), was published to critical acclaim. The novel involves a group of people alienated by nineteenth century America experiencing a peculiar kind of first contact. One character is Chinese American, another putatively mentally ill, a third a feminist, and lastly Sarah herself, an extraterrestrial. Fowler meant for Sarah Canary to "read like a science fiction novel to a science fiction reader" and "like a mainstream novel to a mainstream reader." Fowler's intentions were to leave room for the readers’ own interpretation of the text.

James Tiptree, Jr. Award

Fowler also collaborated with Pat Murphy to found the James Tiptree, Jr. Award in 1991, a literary prize for science fiction or fantasy that "expands or explores our understanding of gender." The prize is named for science fiction author

Alice Sheldon Alice Bradley Sheldon (born Alice Hastings Bradley; August 24, 1915 – May 19, 1987) was an American science fiction and fantasy author better known as James Tiptree, Jr., a pen name she used from 1967 to her death. It was not publicly known ...

who wrote under the pen name James Tiptree, Jr. Fowler drew inspiration not only from Sheldon's work, but also from the fact that Sheldon's mother was an adventurer, going on several trips to Africa including a gorilla hunting expedition in 1920. As such, she serves as the inspiration for the protagonist in Fowler's "What I Didn't See." The award's main focus is to recognize the authors, male or female, who challenge and reflect shifting gender roles.

Other genre works

Her other genre works also tended to focus on odd corners of the nineteenth century experiencing the unexpected or fantastic. Her second novel, ''The Sweetheart Season'' (1996) is a romantic comedy infused with historical and fantasy elements. Her 1998 collection, ''Black Glass'', won a

World Fantasy Award The World Fantasy Awards are a set of awards given each year for the best fantasy literature, fantasy fiction published during the previous calendar year. Organized and overseen by the World Fantasy Convention, the awards are given each year a ...

, and her 2010 collection ''What I Didn't See, and Other Stories'' also won a

. Her 2004 novel ''The Jane Austen Book Club'' become a critical and popular success including being on ''The New York Times'' bestsellers list. Although it is not a science fiction or fantasy work, science fiction does play an integral part to the novel's plot. Fowler was an instructor at the

Clarion Workshop Clarion is a six-week workshop for aspiring science fiction and fantasy writers. Originally an outgrowth of Damon Knight's and Kate Wilhelm's Milford Writers' Conference, held at their home in Milford, Pennsylvania, United States, it was founded i ...

2007 in San Diego. She was one of the two Guests of Honor at

Readercon Readercon is an annual science fiction convention, held every July in the Boston, Massachusetts area, in Burlington, Massachusetts. It was founded by Bob Colby and Eric Van in 1987 with the goal of focusing almost exclusively on science fiction/ ...

2007. In 2008, she won the

Nebula Award The Nebula Awards annually recognize the best works of science fiction or fantasy published in the United States. The awards are organized and awarded by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), a nonprofit association of profe ...

for the second time for Best Short Story for her 2007 story "

Always Always may refer to: Film and television * ''Always'', a 1985 film directed by Henry Jaglom * ''Always'' (1989 film), a 1989 romantic comedy-drama directed by Steven Spielberg * ''Always'' (2011 film), a 2011 South Korean film, also known as '' ...

". Her short story "The Pelican Bar" won a

Shirley Jackson Award The Shirley Jackson Awards are literary awards named after Shirley Jackson in recognition of her legacy in writing. These awards for outstanding achievement in the literature of psychological suspense, horror and the dark fantastic are presented a ...

in 2009 and a

in 2010. Fowler's novel, ''

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves ''We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves'' is a 2013 novel by the American writer Karen Joy Fowler. The novel won the 2014 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and was also short-listed for the 2014 Man Booker Prize. Plot Rosemary, while attending U ...

'' (2013) won the Pen/Faulkner Award for 2014, and has been nominated for a 2014 Nebula Award as well. It was shortlisted for the

2014 Man Booker Prize The 2014 Man Booker Prize for fiction was awarded at a ceremony on 14 October 2014. Until 2014, only novels written in English and from authors in the Commonwealth, including the UK, the Republic of Ireland and Zimbabwe were eligible for considerat ...

. She received a World Fantasy Life Achievement Award at the 2020 convention. Fowler's most recent novel, '' ooth', wa
longlisted
for the 2022 Man Booker Prize.

"What I Didn't See"

Fowler was inspired to write her short story "What I Didn't See" after doing research about chimpanzees for her book ''We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves''. During her research, Fowler came across an essay by

Donna Haraway Donna J. Haraway is an American Professor Emerita in the History of Consciousness Department and Feminist Studies Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a prominent scholar in the field of science and technology studies. Sh ...

which discusses a 1920 expedition that was carried out by the curator of the New York National Museum of History. One of the men on the expedition wanted a woman in the group to kill a gorilla in order to ultimately protect these species. He reasoned that if women could carry out this action, gorillas would no longer be seen as a fearsome animal, and the thrill of killing them would be gone. Fowler's reaction was one of appalled interest, and she was inspired to write "What I Didn't See" by these findings. It won the short story Nebula Award in 2003.

Awards and honors

*1985

Published Winner Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...

for "Recalling Cinderella," a new writer short story winner in '' L. Ron Hubbard Presents: Writer's of the Future Vol 1'' edited by Algis Budrys *1998

for ''Black Glass'', a collection of short stories. *2004

for "What I Didn't See", a short story. *2008

for "Always", a short story. *2009

for "The Pelican Bar", a short story *2010

for ''What I Didn't See, and Other Stories'', a collection of short stories. *2014

PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction The PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction is awarded annually by the PEN/Faulkner Foundation to the authors of the year's best works of fiction by living American citizens. The winner receives US$15,000 and each of four runners-up receives US$5000. Fi ...

for ''We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves'', a novel. *2014

Specsavers National Book Awards The British Book Awards or Nibbies are literary awards for the best UK writers and their works, administered by ''The Bookseller''. The awards have had several previous names, owners and sponsors since being launched in 1990, including the Nationa ...

"International Author of the Year" winner for ''We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves'' *2017

for ''The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2016'' for Best Anthology (nominee)

Bibliography

Novels

* ''Sarah Canary'' (1991) - novel concerning a mysterious woman in 1873

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...

. * ''The War of the Roses'' (1991) - Chapter book publication of the novelette. * ''The Sweetheart Season'' (1996) - Fantasy novel about the Sweetwheat Sweethearts, a female baseball team from 1947

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

. * ''Sister Noon'' (2001) - Novel set in 1890s San Francisco. * ''

'' (2004) - Six members of an early 21st-century book club discuss

Jane Austen Jane Austen (; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots of ...

books. * ''Wit's End'' (Putnam, 2008) - A young woman visits her godmother, one of America's most successful mystery writers. * ''

'' (A Marian Wood Book/Putnam, 2013) - 2014 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction Winner, shortlisted for the

* ''Booth'' (Putnam, 2022) - The story of the family of Shakespearean actors best known for their connection to Lincoln's assassin

John Wilkes Booth John Wilkes Booth (May 10, 1838 – April 26, 1865) was an American stage actor who assassinated United States President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865. A member of the prominent 19th-century Booth th ...

. Longlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize.

Collections

* ''Artificial Things'' (1986) - collection of 13 short stories. * ''Peripheral Vision'' (1990) - collection of 5 stories, 1 original. Author's Choice Monthly #6 * ''Letters from Home'' (1991) with

Pat Cadigan Patricia Oren Kearney Cadigan (born September 10, 1953) is a British-American science fiction author, whose work is most often identified with the cyberpunk movement. Her novels and short stories often explore the relationship between the human ...

and Pat Murphy. Collection of short fiction by Fowler, Cadigan, and Murphy. * ''Black Glass'' (1997) - collection of 15 short stories, 2 original. Includes the contents from ''Peripheral Vision'' and ''Letters from Home''. * ''What I Didn't See and Other Stories'' (2010) - collection of 12 short stories, 1 original.

As editor

* ''MOTA 3: Courage'' (2003) - anthology of short fiction. * ''The James Tiptree Award Anthology 1'' (2005), with

Debbie Notkin Debbie (or Debby or Deb) is a feminine given name, commonly but not always short for Deborah (or Debra and related variants). Notable people *Debbie Allen, American actress, choreographer and film director *Debbie Armstrong, American athlete *De ...

, Pat Murphy and Jeffrey D. Smith. Anthology of winners of the James Tiptree, Jr. Award.

Tachyon Publications Tachyon Publications is an independent press specializing in science fiction and fantasy books. Founded in San Francisco in 1995 by Jacob Weisman, Tachyon books have tended toward high-end literary works, short story collections, and anthologies ...

. * ''The James Tiptree Award Anthology 2'' (2006), with Debbie Notkin, Pat Murphy and Jeffrey D. Smith. Tachyon Publications. * ''The James Tiptree Award Anthology 3'' (2007), with Debbie Notkin, Pat Murphy and Jeffrey D. Smith. Tachyon Publications.

References

External links

* *
Book Reporter
biography
The James Tiptree, Jr. Award Home Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fowler, Karen Joy 1950 births Living people 20th-century American novelists 21st-century American novelists American fantasy writers American science fiction writers American women novelists PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction winners Nebula Award winners John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer winners Palo Alto High School alumni People from Davis, California Women science fiction and fantasy writers World Fantasy Award-winning writers Writers from Bloomington, Indiana 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American women writers University of California, Davis alumni Novelists from California Novelists from Indiana Weird fiction writers