Wen Spencer (born 1963) is an American science fiction and

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 ...

writer whose books center on characters with unusual abilities. In 2003, she was the winner of the

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer The ''Astounding'' Award for Best New Writer (formerly the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer) is given annually to the best new writer whose first professional work of science fiction or fantasy was published within the two previous ...

. Spencer was raised on a family farm in

Evans City, Pennsylvania Evans City is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,833 at the 2010 census. Geography Evans City is located in southwestern Butler County at (40.769310, -80.061409), in the valley of Breakneck Creek. It is ...

and attended the

University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the universit ...

, earning a degree in

Information science Information science (also known as information studies) is an academic field which is primarily concerned with analysis, collection, Categorization, classification, manipulation, storage, information retrieval, retrieval, movement, dissemin ...

, and has been active in science fiction

fandom A fandom is a subculture composed of fans characterized by a feeling of empathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest. Fans typically are interested in even minor details of the objects of their fandom and spend a significant ...

. Her ''

Ukiah Oregon Wen Spencer (born 1963) is an American science fiction and fantasy writer whose books center on characters with unusual abilities. In 2003, she was the winner of the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. Spencer was raised on a family farm ...

'' series features a partly alien character with gentle nature, powerful abilities, and dangerous, werewolf like relatives. Her ''Tinker'' universe features a young woman of extraordinary brilliance who is turned into an elf. ''A Brother's Price'' posits a world where the gender birth ratio is skewed heavily toward baby girls.

Published works

Ukiah Oregon series

#''Alien Taste'' (2001),

Compton Crook Award The Compton Crook Award is presented to the best English language first novel of the year in the field of science fiction, fantasy, or horror by the members of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society at their annual science fiction convention, Baltic ...

winner #''Tainted Trail'' (2002) #''Bitter Waters'' (2003) #''Dog Warrior'' (2004)

Tinker (Elfhome) series

* Fantasy novels set in near-future Pittsburgh and Elfhome #''Tinker'' (2003), 2004 Sapphire Award for the Best Science Fiction Romance novel #''Wolf Who Rules'' (2006) #''Elfhome'' (2012) #''Wood Sprites'' (2014) #''Harbinger'' - (April 2022) * ''Project Elfhome'' - (2016) Collection of novelettes and short stories from the Elfhome series * ''Steel City Magic'' –

Science Fiction Book Club Bookspan LLC is a New York–based online Bookselling, bookseller, founded in 2000. Bookspan began as a joint endeavor by Bertelsmann and WarnerMedia, Time Warner. Bertelsmann took over control in 2007, and a year later, sold its interest to N ...

omnibus edition of ''Tinker'' and ''Wolf Who Rules'' (April 2006) *

Short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest t ...

set in the Elfhome Universe

Stand-alone novels

* ''A Brother's Price'' (2005) * ''Endless Blue'' (2007) * ''Eight Million Gods'' (2013) * ''The Black Wolves of Boston'' (2017)

Short stories

* Set in the Elfhome Universe ** "Wyvern" in ''Faire Tales'' (2004), Elfhome #0.5 ** "Bare Snow Falling on Fairywood" (2014), Elfhome #0.9 ** "Pittsburgh Backyard and Garden" in ''Free Short Stories 2013'' (2013), Elfhome #1.1 ** "Blue Sky" (2012), Elfhome #2.5 ** "Peace Offering"''Peace Offering''
on

Baen Books Baen Books () is an American publishing house for science fiction and fantasy. In science fiction, it emphasizes space opera, hard science fiction, and military science fiction. The company was established in 1983 by science fiction publisher an ...

in ''Free Short Stories 2012'' (2012), Elfhome #3.1 * "Once Upon a Toad" in ''Fantastic Companions'' (2005) * "Another Man's Meat" in ''Triangulation 2004: A Confluence of Speculative Fiction'' (2004) * "Moon Monkeys" in ''Adventures in Sol System'' (2004) * "Rituals for a New God" in ''

Turn the Other Chick ''Turn the Other Chick'' is an anthology of fantasy stories, edited by Esther Friesner, with a cover by Mitch Foust. It consists of works featuring female protagonists by (mostly) female authors. It was first published in hardcover by Baen Books i ...

'' (2004) * "Young Robots in Love" in ''Triangulation 2003: A Confluence of Speculative Fiction'' (2003) * "Protection Money" in ''Jim Baen's Universe'' (2006), (later part of Elfhome #3)

References

External links

* *
Full Length Commentary on ''A Brother's Price''Tinker (Elfhome
on

Goodreads Goodreads is an American social cataloging website and a subsidiary of Amazon that allows individuals to search its database of books, annotations, quotes, and reviews. Users can sign up and register books to generate library catalogs and read ...

Ukiah Oregon
on

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spencer, Wen 21st-century American novelists American fantasy writers American science fiction writers American women short story writers American women novelists John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer winners 1963 births Living people Writers from Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh alumni Women science fiction and fantasy writers 21st-century American women writers 21st-century American short story writers Novelists from Pennsylvania