Sarah Pinsker (original) (raw)
Pinsker was born in New York and lived in several places of the United States including Illinois and Texas.[4] When she was 14, her family settled in Toronto, Canada.[4] She returned to the US to attend Goucher college where she studied history.
In addition to writing fiction she is a singer-songwriter with the band Stalking Horses[5] and has had multiple albums released through independent labels.[6] She also volunteers as director at large for the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) and hosts the Baltimore Science Fiction Society's Dangerous Voices Variety Hour reading series.[7]
Pinsker says her writing is heavily influenced by the science fiction and literary fiction which filled her parents' home,[6] adding she is one of the rare authors who read "short stories as much as novels" when she was young.[5] Among her early influences as an author were the works of Ursula K. Le Guin[6] and Kate Wilhelm.[7] Later influences on her fiction include Octavia Butler, Karen Joy Fowler, Kij Johnson, and Kelly Link.[7]
Pinsker started out publishing her short fiction in magazines such as Asimov's Science Fiction, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Lightspeed, Strange Horizons, Daily Science Fiction, the Journal of Unlikely Cartography, and Fireside. Anthologies containing her stories include Long Hidden, How to Live on Other Planets, Queers Destroy Science Fiction,[8] and Whose Future Is It?.[9] Among the collections of the "year's best" stories which include her stories are The Best Science Fiction of the Year Volume 2, Year's Best Weird Fiction Vol 2, Year's Best Young Adult Speculative Fiction 2015, The Year's Best YA Speculative Fiction and The Year's Best Military and Adventure Fiction 2015.[8]
In 2019, her debut novel A Song for a New Day was published. The novel follows the life of a musician in a future where pandemics and terrorism makes public events such as concerts illegal. In 2020, it won the Nebula Award for Best Novel of 2019.[1]
Pinsker's fiction has been called "thoughtful, subtle",[10] "creepy"[11] and "dreamlike".[12] Speaking of her fiction, Pinsker says "It is a good time to be someone who has something to say about a group or a personal experience that hasn't been touched on before. Science fiction looks at the world through a slightly different lens, so it's fun to put that lens onto new experiences."[13]
Year
Title
First published
Reprinted/collected
Notes
2012
Queen for a Day
Pinsker, Sarah (2012). "Queen for a Day". City Paper.
Smashing Bottles
Pinsker, Sarah (2012). "Smashing Bottles". Emprise Review.
Broken Stones
Sarah, Pinsker (March 2012). "Broken Stones". Every Day Fiction.
Twenty Ways the Desert Could Kill You
Pinsker, Sarah (July 2012). "Twenty Ways the Desert Could Kill You". Daily Science Fiction: 20–22.
The Ants Go Marching
Pinsker, Sarah (November 2012). "The Ants Go Marching". Stupefying Stories. 2 (1).
2013
A Beastly Game
Pinsker, Sarah (May 31, 2013). "A Beastly Game". Electric Spec. 8 (2).
In Joy, Knowing the Abyss Behind
Pinsker, Sarah (July 1–8, 2013). "In Joy, Knowing the Abyss Behind". Strange Horizons.
Join Our Team of Time Travel Professionals
Pinsker, Sarah (July 2013). "Join Our Team of Time Travel Professionals". Daily Science Fiction: 18.
Excerpted Electronic Archives from the Founding of the Demon Pitted Track Roller Derby Association
Pinsker, Sarah (December 2013). "Excerpted Electronic Archives from the Founding of the Demon Pitted Track Roller Derby Association". Every Day Fiction.
2014
Monsters, Beneath the Bed and Otherwise
Pinsker, Sarah (January 2014). "Monsters, Beneath the Bed and Otherwise". Fierce Family: 153–165.
The Transdimensional Horsemaster Rabbis of Mpumalanga Province
Pinsker, Sarah (February 2014). "The Transdimensional Horsemaster Rabbis of Mpumalanga Province". Asimov's Science Fiction. 38 (2): 68–79.
They Sent Runners Out
Pinsker, Sarah (February 2014). "They Sent Runners Out". Fireside Magazine (10).
A Stretch of Highway Two Lanes Wide
Pinsker, Sarah (March–April 2014). "A Stretch of Highway Two Lanes Wide". F&SF. 126 (3&4): 110–120.
Headlong
Pinsker, Sarah (March 20, 2014). "Headlong". The Future Embodied: Evolution of the Human Body.
There Will Be One Vacant Chair
Pinsker, Sarah (May 2014). "There Will Be One Vacant Chair". Long Hidden: Speculative Fiction from the Margins of History: 259–267.
How a Map Works
Pinsker, Sarah (June 2014). "How a Map Works". The Journal of Unlikely Cartography (9): 5–13.
The Sewell Home for the Temporally Displaced
Pinsker, Sarah (June 2014). "The Sewell Home for the Temporally Displaced". Lightspeed (49).
The Low Hum of Her
Pinsker, Sarah (August 2014). "The low hum of her". Asimov's Science Fiction. 38 (8): 70–73.
Merriam, Joanne, ed. (2015). How to live on other planets : a handbook for aspiring aliens. Upper Rubber Boot Books.
No Lonely Seafarer
Pinsker, Sarah (September 2014). "No Lonely Seafarer". Lightspeed (52).
Notes to My Past and/or Alternate Selves
Pinsker, Sarah (November 2014). "Notes To My Past And/Or Alternate Selves". Unidentified Funny Objects 3.
2015
Beauty & the Baby Beast
Pinsker, Sarah (January 2015). "Beauty & the Baby Beast". Daily Science Fiction: 9–11.
Songs in the Key of You
Pinsker, Sarah (January 2015). "Songs in the Key of You". Asimov's Science Fiction. 39 (1): 65–68.
When the Circus Lights Down
Pinsker, Sarah (March–April 2015). "When the Circus Lights Down". Uncanny Magazine (3).
Last Thursday at Supervillain Supply Depot
Pinsker, Sarah (April 2015). "Last Thursday at Supervillain Supply Depot". Daily Science Fiction: 10–12.
Remembery Day
Pinsker, Sarah (May 2015). "Remembery Day". Apex (72).
Today's Smarthouse in Love
Pinsker, Sarah (May–June 2015). "Today's Smarthouse in Love". F&SF. 128 (5&6): 49–54.
Our Lady of the Open Road
Pinsker, Sarah (June 2015). "Our Lady of the Open Road". Asimov's Science Fiction. 39 (6): 84–105.
Novelette
In the Dawns Between Hours
Pinsker, Sarah (June 2015). "In the Dawns Between Hours". Lightspeed (61).
Pay Attention
Pinsker, Sarah (July 2015). "Pay Attention". Accessing the Future.
And We Were Left Darkling
Pinsker, Sarah (August 2015). "And We Were Left Darkling". Lightspeed (63).
What Wags the World
Pinsker, Sarah (November 2015). "What Wags the World". Daily Science Fiction: 16.
2016
Sooner or Later Everything Falls into the Sea
Pinsker, Sarah (February 2016). "Sooner or Later Everything Falls into the Sea". Lightspeed (69).
The Mountains His Crown
Pinsker, Sarah (March 2016). "The Mountains His Crown". Beneath Ceaseless Skies (195).
Left the Century to Sit Unmoved
Pinsker, Sarah (May 16, 2016). "Left the Century to Sit Unmoved". Strange Horizons.
Clearance
Pinsker, Sarah (June 2016). "Clearance". Asimov's Science Fiction. 40 (6): 16–21.
Down Beneath the Bridge Yet Unbuilt
Pinsker, Sarah (August 2018). "Down Beneath the Bridge Yet Unbuilt". Shattered Prism (2).
Talking to Dead People
Pinsker, Sarah (September–October 2016). "Talking to Dead People". F&SF. 131 (3&4): 7–18.
Under One Roof
Pinsker, Sarah (September–October 2016). "Under One Roof". Uncanny Magazine (12).
A Song Transmuted
Pinsker, Sarah (November 2016). "A Song Transmuted". Cyber World. Hex Publishers.
2017
The Ones Who Know Where They Are Going
Pinsker, Sarah (March 2017). "The Ones Who Know Where They Are Going". Asimov's Science Fiction. 41 (3&4): 67–69.
Pinsker, Sarah (March–April 2017). "And Then There Were (N-One)". Uncanny Magazine (15): 49–97.
The Smoke Means It's Working
Pinsker, Sarah (May 2017). "The Smoke Means It's Working". Behind the Mask: An Anthology of Heroic Proportions. Meerkat Press.
Wind Will Rove
Pinsker, Sarah (September–October 2017). "Wind will rove". Asimov's Science Fiction. 41 (9&10): 14–36.
Remember This for Me
Pinsker, Sarah (November 2017). "Remember This for Me". Catalysts, Explorers & Secret Keepers: Women of Science Fiction. Museum of Science Fiction.
2018
The Court Magician
Pinsker, Sarah (January 2018). "The Court Magician". Lightspeed.
Do As I Do, Sing As I Sing
Pinsker, Sarah (March 2018). "Do As I Do, Sing As I Sing". Beneath Ceaseless Skies (246).
I Frequently Hear Music in the Very Heart of Noise
Pinsker, Sarah (March–April 2018). "I Frequently Hear Music in the Very Heart of Noise". Uncanny Magazine (21).
Escape from Caring Seasons
Pinsker, Sarah (May 2018). "Escape from Caring Seasons". Twelve Tomorrows: 157–180.
Lost and Found
Pinsker, Sarah (December 2018). "Lost and Found". Whose Future Is It?.
2019
That Our Flag Was Still There
Pinsker, Sarah (March 2019). "That Our Flag Was Still There". If This Goes On. Parvus Press.
The Narwhal
Pinsker, Sarah (March 2019). "The Narwhal". Sooner or Later Everything Falls into the Sea.
Everything is Closed Today
Pinsker, Sarah (May 21, 2019). "Everything is Closed Today". Do Not Go Quietly.
The Blur in the Corner of Your Eye
Pinsker, Sarah (July–August 2019). "The Blur in the Corner of Your Eye". Uncanny Magazine (29).
2020
La Mer Donne
Pinsker, Sarah (March 2020). "La Mer Donne". Avatars Inc.
Bigger Fish
Pinsker, Sarah (March 2020). "Bigger Fish". Made to Order.
Notice
Pinsker, Sarah (June 2020). "Notice". Us in Flux.
Two Truths and a Lie
Pinsker, Sarah (June 17, 2020). "Two Truths and a Lie". Tor.com.
Tru Luv
Pinsker, Sarah (December 2020). "Tru Love". Escape Pod (765).
2021
Pinsker, Sarah (March–April 2021). "Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather". Uncanny Magazine (39).
A Better Way of Saying
Pinsker, Sarah (November 10, 2021). "A Better Way of Saying". Tor.com.