About Me
My Work
My first novel was published in 1984, and in the 37 years since then I have published more than 30 original novels and a handful of short stories, most with queer themes and characters, as well as authorized tie-in work for Star Trek: DS9, Star Trek: Voyager, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Star Wars Rebels, and Rooster Teeth’s anime series gen:LOCK.
I won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1986, and won Lambda Literary Awards for Trouble and Her Friends, Shadow Man, Point of Dreams (with long-time partner and collaborator, the late Lisa A. Barnett), and Death By Silver, written with Amy Griswold. I have also been shortlisted for the Tiptree Award, for Shadow Man. I won Spectrum Awards for Death By Silver, Fairs’ Point, Shadow Man, and for the short story “The Rocky Side of the Sky.”
Recently, I have collaborated with Jo Graham on the Order of the Air, a series of occult adventure novels set in the 1930s (Lost Things, Steel Blues, Silver Bullet, Wind Raker, and Oath Bound) and with Amy Griswold on a pair of gay Victorian fantasies with murder, Death By Silver and A Death at the Dionysus Club. I have also continued the acclaimed Points series, fantasy mysteries set in the imaginary city of Astreiant, most recently with Point of Sighs. My latest short story, “Sirens,” appeared in the collection Retellings of the Inland Seas, and my text-based game for Choice of Games, A Player’s Heart, came out in 2019. My most recent solo novel, Water Horse, came out in June, 2021.
My Background
I was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, and studied history at Harvard College. I earned my PhD from Brandeis University in the comparative history program with a dissertation titled “The Victory of the Ancients: Tactics, Technology, and the Use of Classical Precedent.” I also met my late partner, Lisa A. Barnett, and sold my first novel, The Game Beyond, quickly becoming a part-time graduate student and an — almost — full-time writer.
After Lisa's death in 2006, I moved to North Carolina to be closer to friends and family, and immersed myself in the community I found there.
Join My Journey
Follow me on Twitter as @bluterraplane. If you're a fan of the Points novels, I have a Patreon for the series where I post sketches and snippets of work in progress for patrons. Otherwise, check back here for updates.
