Steve Miller (science fiction writer)

Steve Miller (born July 31, 1950) is an American science fiction writer from Winslow, Maine, best known for his works set in the Liaden universe, written in collaboration with his wife Sharon Lee.

Background

Miller was born July 31, 1950 in Baltimore, Maryland. He attended Franklin High School in Reisterstown, Maryland, graduating in 1968; and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in the late 1960s and 1970s, where he was news editor and managing editor of the campus newspaper, The Retriever and founding president of the Infinity Circle, the school's first science fiction club. He served as founding Curator of the Albin O. Kuhn Library’s science fiction research collection. Miller was an active member of science fiction fandom for many years, serving as Director of Information of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society for some years, and as vice-chair of the bid committee to hold the 38th World Science Fiction Convention in Baltimore (they lost to Boston).^[1]

Miller married Baltimore-area science fiction fan Sue Nice in 1975; they divorced in 1979. He and Sharon Lee were married in 1980. In 1988, they relocated to central Maine, and now live in Winslow.

Writing

In 1973, Miller attended the Clarion West writers' workshop. He sold short fiction to semi-professional markets, and wrote for science fiction fanzines, before selling a short story, "Charioteer" to Amazing Stories (May 1978 issue).^[2] He has since published dozens of novels and over 50 short stories, as well as book reviews, essays and other non-fiction; much (though not all) in collaboration with Lee. He has also collaborated with Lee on some non-Liaden works.^[3][4]

On fan fiction

Miller and Lee strongly oppose fan fiction written in their universe. In Lee's words:

I don't want "other people interpreting" our characters. Interpreting our characters is what Steve and I do; it's our job. Nobody else is going to get it right. This may sound rude and elitist, but honestly, it’s not easy for us to get it right sometimes, and we've been living with these characters ... for a very long time ... We built our universes, and our characters; they are our intellectual property; and they are not toys lying about some virtual sandbox for other kids to pick up and modify at their whim. Steve and I do not sanction fanfic written in our universes; any such work that exists, exists without our permission, and certainly without our support.^[5]

Works

Liaden Universe novels

All written by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller.

Agent of Change Sequence

• Agent of Change (1988)^[6] ISBN 978-0441009916
• Conflict of Honors (1988) ^[7] ISBN 978-0441009640
• Carpe Diem (1989)^[8] ISBN 978-0441010226
• Plan B (1999)^[9] ISBN 978-1892065001
• I Dare (2002)^[10] ISBN 978-0441010851
• Partners in Necessity (Omnibus edition of Agent of Change, Conflict of Honors, and Carpe Diem) (2000)^[11] ISBN 978-1892065018
• Local Custom (2002)^[12] ISBN 978-0965725576
• Scout's Progress (2002)^[13] ISBN 978-0441009275
• Pilot's Choice (Omnibus edition of Local Custom and Scout's Progress) (2001)^[14] ISBN 978-1892065025
• The Dragon Variation (Omnibus edition of Local Custom, Scout's Progress and Conflict of Honors) (2010) ^[15] ISBN 978-1439133699
• Korval's Game (Omnibus edition of Plan B and I Dare) (2011)^[16] ISBN 978-1439134399

The Great Migration Duology

• Crystal Soldier (2005)^[17] ISBN 1592220843
• Crystal Dragon (2006)^[18] ISBN 978-0441015498
• The Crystal Variation (Omnibus edition of Crystal Soldier, Crystal Dragon and Balance of Trade) (20110901) ^[19] ISBN 978-1439134634

Other

• Balance of Trade (2004)^[20] ISBN 978-1592220205
• Fledgling (2009)^[21] ISBN 978-1439133439
• Saltation (2010)^[22] ISBN 978-1439134528
• Mouse and Dragon (2010)^[23] ISBN 978-1451637595
• Ghost Ship (2011)^[24][25] ISBN 978-1451637922
• Dragon Ship (2012)^[26][27] ISBN 978-1451639186

Awards and honors

Miller (along with Lee) has received various literary awards. In 2002, their Scout's Progress won the Prism Contest of the Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal chapter of the Romance Writers of America, for the best novel of Futuristic Romance; and Local Custom by Lee and Miller came in second. Scout's Progress was also given the Romantic Times Book Club Reviewers Choice Award for Best Science Fiction Novel of 2002. They won the Hal Clement Award for Best Young Adult Science Fiction in 2005 for Balance of Trade, and in 2011 Fledgling was a finalist for the same award, presented by the Golden Duck Awards for Excellence in Children’s Science Fiction Literature. In 2012, they jointly received the Edward E. Smith Memorial Award for Imaginative Fiction (the "Skylark"), from the New England Science Fiction Association.^[28]

Miller, usually with Lee, has been a Guest of Honor at a number of science fiction conventions, including: SiliCon (1998); SheVaCon (2000, 2003); Albacon (2002); Balticon and MarsCon (2003); PortConME (2004, 2010); CONduit and Trinoc*coN (2004); Penguicon and COSine (2006); Stellarcon (2009); DucKon and Oasis (2010); and ConQuesT and Chattacon (2012).^[29]

References

External links

• Official website (Liad universe, Sharon Lee, and Miller)
• Steve Miller at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Steve Miller in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, 3rd ed.
• Steve Miller at Library of Congress Authorities, with 27 catalog records