Nick Gevers: Other Earths

Paul Parklives in Massachusetts with his family and occasionally teaches at Williams College. Since finishing four novels set in an alternate version of eastern Europe (the Roumania Quartet— A Princess of Roumania , The Tourmaline , The White Tyger , The Hidden World ), he has been writing short fiction. “A Family History” came out of a fundraiser for the Clarion West workshops, during which he auctioned off on eBay certain elements of an as yet unwritten story—the theme, the title, the various locations, the characters, the genre, etc. The winners would provide these things, and he would write a story that incorporated them. “A Family History” is the result.

Lucius Shepardwas born in Lynchburg, Virginia, grew up in Daytona Beach, Florida, and lives in Vancouver, Washington. His short fiction has won the Nebula Award, the Hugo Award, The International Horror Writers Award, the National Magazine Award, the Locus Award, the Theodore Sturgeon Award, and the World Fantasy Award. His latest works are a short novel, Softspoken , a career retrospective, The Best of Lucius Shepard , and Viator Plus , a collection of newer work from PS Publishing in Britain.

Benjamin Rosenbaumgrew up in Arlington, Virginia. He wanted to be either a superhero, a scientist, or a writer. He didn’t want to be the kind of scientist who carefully studies and contemplates natural phenomena, however; he wanted to be the kind who builds giant ray guns. As for being a superhero, while he does have superpowers, he reports that they are not very impressive, and he could never design a costume to his liking. He therefore decided to be a writer. He says, “Typically, when you ask writers why they write, they look at you dourly and say, ‘I have to. I am driven to do so. If you do not absolutely have to write, spare yourself this misery.’ Not me. I don’t have to write. I write because I love it. I’m grateful for every minute I get to do it. It’s like being a superhero, but you don’t need a costume.”