Ellen Kushner
AUTHOR

Ellen Kushner

LGBTQ+
Tap the gear icon above to manage new release emails.
After college, I wanted to be a writer, but there aren't any jobs like that, and I knew I'd be a lousy waitress because I'd drop things and be rude to people. Happily, I lucked into jobs as a fantasy editor for Jim Baen at Ace Books, and then got kidnapped by David G. Hartwell to work at Pocket/Simon & Schuster. I quit to write my first novel, Swordspoint, which took longer than I thought it would, so I supported myself writing Choose-Your-Own-Adventure (tm) books. But writing is a lonely business, and I love being onstage. So after I wrote my second novel, Thomas the Rhymer, I moved to Boston to become an announcer for WGBH public radio, later becoming the writer and host of PRI's national series Sound & Spirit. During that time I wrote The Fall of the Kings with Delia Sherman, and pulled an old manuscript out of a drawer, something I'd started after Swordspoint, about Alec's teenage niece, and my agent said I should finish it, so I did. I call it TPOTS (pronounced "teapots"), but its real name is The Privilege of the Sword. About this time, it became clear I was writing all the Riverside novels out of order, a practice I continue to this day, as I am currently working with a bunch of friends on Tremontaine, a collective serial published by Serial Box online, and SAGA Press in dead tree format. I love reading my own work aloud, and have been hideously indulged by "Neil Gaiman Presents" & producer SueMedia, who allowed me to read all 3 Riverside novels into a microphone for Audible. I am proud to have been one of the original writers on Terri Windling’s shared world "Bordertown" series, so I convinced Holly Black recently to co-edit Welcome to Bordertown, inviting younger writers who grew up with the series to join some of us old-timers on the Border where Elves on Motorbikes is pretty common. I sometimes teach creative writing at Clarion, the Odyssey Workshop, and Hollins University’s Children’s Literature summer M.F.A. program, where students say I do not coddle them, but I do bring them Turkish Delight, so that's OK. I now live in New York City with my wife, the writer, teacher, editor & best friend Delia Sherman. We have no cats, just plane tickets and theater stubs.
Read more Read less

Try Audible membership today. Start enjoying the benefits.

Try Audible for free with an audiobook of your choice.
Try Premium Plus free
Automatically renews at AUD $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Fall of the Kings

Most popular
View Details

Most Popular

Product list
  • The Privilege of the Sword cover art

    Non-member price: $27.99 or 1 Credit

    Sale price: $27.99 or 1 Credit

    Try for $0.00
  • Swordspoint cover art

    Non-member price: $27.99 or 1 Credit

    Sale price: $27.99 or 1 Credit

    Try for $0.00
  • The Fall of the Kings cover art

    Non-member price: $33.99 or 1 Credit

    Sale price: $33.99 or 1 Credit

    Try for $0.00
  • Tremontaine: Book 2 cover art

    Non-member price: $33.99 or 1 Credit

    Sale price: $33.99 or 1 Credit

    Try for $0.00