Catherine Asaro

Catherine Asaro
Photo by John Cannizzo
Occupation	writer
Citizenship	USA
Education	chemistry, physics, chemical physics
Alma mater	UCLA, Harvard University
Genre	Science Fiction, Fantasy
Notable works	Saga of the Skolian Empire
Notable awards	Nebula Award (2001) Nebula Award (2008)
Website
http://www.catherineasaro.net/

Catherine Asaro is an American science fiction and fantasy author. She is best known for her books about the Ruby Dynasty set in the Skolian Empire, known as the Saga of the Skolian Empire.

Biography

Catherine Asaro was born in Oakland, California. She has a B.S. with highest honors in chemistry from UCLA and an A.M. in physics and a Ph.D. in chemical physics both from Harvard University. She was a physics professor until 1990, after which she began scientific consulting.

When not writing and making appearances at conventions and signings, Catherine teaches math. She has coached various nationally ranked teams with home, private, and public school students, in particular the Howard Area Homeschoolers and the Chesapeake team for the American Regions Mathematics League (ARML). Her students have placed at the top levels in numerous national competitions, including the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO) and the United States of America Mathematical Talent Search (USAMTS). Asaro is also a member of SIGMA, a think tank of speculative writers that advises the government as to future trends affecting national security.

A former ballerina, Catherine Asaro has performed with ballets and in musicals on both coasts and in Ohio. She founded and served as artistic director and a principal dancer for two dance groups at Harvard: Mainly Jazz and the Harvard University Ballet. After she graduated, her undergraduate students took over Mainly Jazz and made it into a club at the college. She has completed two terms as president of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) (2003-2005). Her husband is John Kendall Cannizzo, an astrophysicist at NASA. They have one daughter, a ballet dancer and mathematician.

Saga of the Skolian Empire series

The Saga of the Skolian Empire, informally called the Skolian Saga, is a series of novels, novelettes and novellas revolving around characters from an interstellar empire known as the Skolian Empire and their power struggle with the rival Eubian Concord. The plot of the book unfolds over several generations of characters and revolves around political intrigues, but also contains interesting subplots regarding physics, bio-enhancements, virtual computer networks, and romance.

Political background

The Ruby Dynasty, (ancient rulers of the Skolian Empire) while possessing empathic and telepathic abilities enhanced by "pico" and "nano" technology, comprise a monarchy plagued by internal struggle and conflict with the elected Assembly.

The Eubian Traders, on the other hand, while larger in number and more successful economically, comprise a society built entirely of a slave hierarchy run by Aristos, who have been genetically engineered and have no capability for compassion, but rather experience pleasure in the form of "transcendence" through the projected suffering of powerful psions that have been kidnapped from the Skolian Imperialate.

A third but much smaller group, the Allieds, are an extension of a present-day Earth civilization who enter space travel only to find all worlds are already inhabited and thriving under either the Skolian or Eubian Empire. Their role in the series is that of a neutral party, interested only in the cessation of hostilities.

The Diamond Star Project

The Diamond Star Project is a collaboration between Catherine Asaro and the rock musicians Point Valid. The project resulted in a CD, Diamond Star (Starflight Music, April 2009), which is a "soundtrack" for the book, Diamond Star. The novel tells the story of Del-Kurj, a Ruby Dynasty prince who would rather be a rock singer than sit on the throne. The lyrics to the songs appear in the novel Diamond Star and were the inspiration for the CD.

Diamon Star CD cover

Point Valid is an alternative band originating in Baltimore, Maryland, with Hayim Ani on vocals and guitar, Adam Leve on drums and Max Vidaver on guitar. Ani wrote most of the music for the CD, and Asaro wrote most of the lyrics, as well as music for three songs. Ani also contributed three original compositions, both music and lyrics. Most of the vocals are by Ani, with a few by Asaro. The CD has twelve songs, eleven originals and a cover of "Sound of Silence". Asaro, who didn't know how to sing, took voice lessions in preparation for the recordings, and continues to train and perform. In 2009, the Diamond Star Project expanded to include Donald Wolcott, a jazz pianist who accompanies Asaro in concerts.

This project is the first instance of a musical work that was not inspired by a book afterwards, but was created at the same time as the book and in close collaboration with the author. Asaro has described how the collaboration inspired her work, as exemplified by the song "Emeralds," which she wasn't able to finish until she and Ani were in the studio recording his vocals.

Published works

Saga of the Skolian Empire in order of publication

Note that the stories were published in non-chronological sequence, from the perspective of the characters.

1. "Light and Shadow" (novelette appearing in Analog, ed. Stanley Schmidt) (1994)
2. Primary Inversion (1995) - exclusive updated version available free at WebScription.net
3. Catch the Lightning (1996)
4. The Last Hawk (1997)
5. The Radiant Seas (1998)
   • "Aurora in Four Voices" (novella appearing in Analog, ed. Stanley Schmidt) (1998)
6. Ascendant Sun (2000)
   • "A Roll of the Dice" (novella appearing in Analog, ed. Stanley Schmidt) (2000)
7. The Quantum Rose (2000) (also serialized in Analog, ed. Stanley Schmidt) (1999)
   • "Ave de Paso" (short story appearing in anthology Redshift: Extreme Visions of Speculative Fiction, ed. Al Sarrantonio, (2001), and in Fantasy: the Best of 2001, ed. Robert Silverberg and Karen Haber, (2002))
8. Spherical Harmonic (2001)
9. The Moon's Shadow (2003)
10. Skyfall (2003)
    • "Stained Glass Heart" (novella appearing in anthology Irresistible Forces, ed. Catherine Asaro) (2004)
    • "Walk in Silence" (novella appearing in Analog, ed. Stanley Schmidt) (2004)
11. Schism (2004)
    • "The Edges of Never-Haven" (short story appearing in anthology Flights: Extreme Visions of Fantasy, ed. Al Sarrantonio) (2004)
    • "The City of Cries" (novella appearing in Down These Dark Spaceways, ed. Mike Resnick) (2005)
    • "The Shadowed Heart" (novelette appearing in anthology The Journey Home, ed. Mary Kirk (2005), and Best New Paranormal Romance, ed. Paula Guran, (2006))
12. The Final Key (2005)
    • "The Ruby Dice" (novella appearing in Baen's Universe, ed. Eric Flint) (2006)
13. The Ruby Dice (2008)
14. Diamond Star (2009)

Reading order by internal chronology

Note: the name(s) between the parentheses denotes the main character.

1. Skyfall (Roca Skolia, Eldrinson Althor Valdoria)
2. "The City of Cries" (Major Bhaaj, P.I.)
3. "Stained Glass Heart" (Havyrl Torcellei Valdoria)
4. Schism (Sauscony Lahaylia Valdoria)
5. The Final Key (Sauscony Lahaylia Valdoria/rest of her family)
6. "The Edges of Never-Haven" (Denric Winward Valdoria)
7. "Light and Shadow" (Kelricson Garlin Valdoria)
8. "Aurora in Four Voices" (Sauscony Lahaylia Valdoria)
9. "Walk in Silence" (Jess Fernandez)
10. The Last Hawk (Kelricson Garlin Valdoria)
11. Primary Inversion (Sauscony Lahaylia Valdoria) (This was the first published book)
12. The Radiant Seas (Sauscony Lahaylia Valdoria/rest of her family)
13. "The Shadowed Heart" (Jason Harrick)
    • Aftermath of Radiant War - the following stories have a great deal of overlap but follow different characters
    1. Ascendant Sun (Kelricson Garlin Valdoria)
    2. The Quantum Rose (Kamoj Argali, Havyrl Torcellei Valdoria)
    3. Spherical Harmonic (Dyhianna Selei)
    4. The Moon's Shadow (Jaibriol Qox Skolia)
14. Diamond Star (Del-Kurj Arden Valdoria)
15. "A Roll of the Dice" (Jeremiah Coltman)
16. "The Ruby Dice" (novella, Kelricson Garlin Valdoria)
17. The Ruby Dice (full length novel, Jaibriol Qox Skolia and Kelricson Garlin Valdoria)
18. "Ave de Paso" (Akushtina Santis Pulivok)
19. Catch the Lightning (Akushtina Santis Pulivok, Althor Vyan Selei)

Other works

• Lost Continent (aka Aronsdale) series (Romantic fantasy)

1. "Moonglow" novella (Charmed Destinies, ed. Mary Theresa Husey (2003))
2. The Charmed Sphere (2004)
3. The Misted Cliffs (2005)
4. The Dawn Star (2006)
5. The Fire Opal (2007)
6. The Night Bird (2008)

• “Dance in Blue” novelette (Christmas Forever, ed. David Hartwell, (1993) and Wondrous Beginnings, ed. Steven Silver (2003))
• The Veiled Web (1999)
• The Phoenix Code (2000)
• Sunrise Alley (2004)
• Alpha (2006)
• "The Space-Time Pool" (Analog novella, 2008)
• "The Topaz Desert" (Lace and Blade, ed. Deborah Ross, 2008)

Collections including works by other authors

• Charmed Destinies, ed. Mary Theresa Hussey (2003)
• Irresistible Forces, ed. Catherine Asaro (2004)
• Projections: Science Fiction in Literature & Film, ed. Lou Anders. Nonfiction (2004)
• The Journey Home, ed. Mary Kirk (2005)
• Down These Dark Spaceways, ed. Mike Resnick (2005)
• Year Million, ed. Damien Boderick. Nonfiction (2008)

Awards

• Catch the Lightning, winner, Sapphire Award, best novel, 1997
• Catch the Lightning, winner, UTC Readers Choice Award, best novel, 1997
• The Radiant Seas, winner, RT Book Club Reviewer's Choice Award, Best Science Fiction Novel 1999
• "Aurora in Four Voices", winner, AnLab (Analog Reader's Poll), 1999 (also Hugo and Nebula nominee)
• "Aurora in Four Voices", winner, HOMer Award, best novella
• "Aurora in Four Voices", winner Sapphire Award, best novella
• The Veiled Web, winner, HOMer Award, best novel, 2000
• The Veiled Web, winner, Prism Award, best novel, 2000
• The Veiled Web, winner, National Reader's Choice Award, 2000
• The Quantum Rose was the winner of the 2001 Nebula Award for Best Novel.
• The Quantum Rose, winner, Affaire de Coeur Award, Best Science Fiction (2001)
• "A Roll of the Dice", winner, AnLab (Analog Reader's Poll), 2001 (also Hugo and Nebula nominee)
• "A Roll of the Dice", winner, HOMer, 2001
• Spherical Harmonic, winner, Affaire de Coeur Reader/Writer Poll for Best Futuristic (2002)
• Ascendant Sun, winner, RT Book Club Reviewer's Choice Award, Best Science Fiction Novel 2003
• Skyfall, winner, RT Book Club Reviewer's Choice Award, Best Science Fiction Novel 2003
• "Walk in Silence", winner, AnLab (Analog Reader's Poll), 2004 (also Hugo and Nebula nominee)
• "Walk in Silence", winner, Prism Award, best novella, 2004
• "Walk in Silence", Outstanding Achievement Award, WRW, Washington D.C., 2005
• "The City of Cries", winner, Prism Award, Best Novella, 2006
• "The City of Cries", winner, Prism Award, The Best of the Best, 2006
• "The City of Cries", winner, Book Buyers Best, novella, 2006
• "The Space-Time Pool" was the winner of the 2008 Nebula Award for Best Novella.

External links

• Catherine Asaro's official site
• All of Catherine Asaro's audio interviews on the podcast The Future And You (in which she describes her expectations of the future)
• Asaro interview at Blogging the Muse
• Asaro interview from Second Life
• Catherine Asaro at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Bibliography on SciFan
• Catherine Asaro's online fiction at Free Speculative Fiction Online
• Article - "Catherine Asaro: Space Opera = Physics + Romance"
• Catherine Asaro: The Skolian Empire
• Reviews at FantasyLiterature.net
• Sigma website at www.sigmaforum.org
• Examiner interview with Asaro