Kate Elliott (writer)

For the actress, see Kate Elliott (actress).

Kate Elliott is the pen name of American fantasy and science fiction writer Alis A. Rasmussen (born 1958).^[1]

Alis A. Rasmussen
Born	1958 (age 66–67)
Pen name	Kate Elliott
Occupation	Writer
Nationality	American
Period	1980s–present
Genre	Fantasy, science fiction
Spouse	Jay Silverstein

Writing

Although Rasmussen's first novels The Labyrinth Gate (1988) and The Highroad (1990) (a science fiction trilogy) failed to become bestsellers, additional publishers liked her manuscripts. However, they wanted a fresh name unconnected with the sales figures of the previous books. Starting in 1992 under the new name of Kate Elliott, her sales have flourished.^[2] The Crown of Stars series has been featured in the Science Fiction Book Club.

Elliott published the first of her Jaran series in 1992, although she began the first draft in 1980. Heather Massey's review of Jaran describes it as "a science fiction romance classic",^[3] while Todd Richmond in an SF Site review calls the series "an epic masterpiece".^[4] The Highroad (as Alis Rasmussen) trilogy is set in the same universe as Jaran as a prequel.^[5]

The 1996 collaboration between Elliott, Melanie Rawn, and Jennifer Roberson on The Golden Key was coordinated primarily via fax machine.^[6]

In 2020, Elliott published Unconquerable Sun, the first novel in a gender-bending space opera trilogy based on Alexander the Great.^[7]

Personal life

A native of Junction City, Oregon, Rasmussen moved to Oakland, California to attend Mills College. There she became active in the Society for Creative Anachronism where she pursued medieval sword fighting.

Rasmussen, her archaeologist husband Jay Silverstein, and their three children live in Hawaii.^[8][9]

Bibliography

As Alis A. Rasmussen

• The Labyrinth Gate (1988) fantasy, ISBN 0-671-69793-5
• The Highroad Trilogy science fiction
  1. A Passage of Stars, Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy (1990), ISBN 0-553-28372-3
  2. Revolution's Shore (1990), ISBN 0-553-28544-0
  3. The Price of Ransom (1990), ISBN 0-553-28788-5

As Kate Elliott

• The Spiritwalker Trilogy fantasy series
  • Cold Magic, Orbit, ISBN 1841498815, 9781841498812 (2010)
  • Cold Fire, Orbit, ISBN 1841498831, 9781841498836 (September, 2011)
  • Cold Steel, Orbit, ISBN 031608090X, 978-0316080903 (July 2, 2013)
  • The Beatriceid (novelette, 2015)
• Crossroads fantasy series
  • Spirit Gate, Tor Books, ISBN 0765310554, 9780765310552 (2007)
  • Shadow Gate, Tor Books, ISBN 0765310562, 9780765310569 (2008)
  • Traitors' Gate, Tor Books, ISBN 0765310570, 9780765310576 (2009)
• Crown of Stars fantasy series
  • King's Dragon, DAW, ISBN 0886777275, 978-0886777272(1997), finalist for 1997 Nebula Award for Best Novel
  • Prince of Dogs, DAW, ISBN 0886777704, 978-0886777708 (1998)
  • The Burning Stone (1999)
  • Child of Flame (2000)
  • The Gathering Storm (2003)
  • In the Ruins (Aug 2005)
  • The Crown of Stars, DAW, ISBN 9780756411930, 978-0756411930 (Feb 2006)
• The Golden Key (1996), a collaboration with Melanie Rawn and Jennifer Roberson; World Fantasy Award finalist for Best Novel of 1996
• The Novels of the Jaran science fiction series
  • Jaran (1992)
  • An Earthly Crown (1993)
  • His Conquering Sword (1993)
  • The Law of Becoming (1994)
• Court of Fives young adult fantasy series; Andre Norton Award nominee for Best Book of 2016
  • Court of Fives, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, ISBN 0316364193, 978-0316364195(2015)
  • Poisoned Blade (2016)
  • Buried Heart (2017)
  • Night Flower (novella, 2015)
  • Bright Thrones (novella, 2017)
• Black Wolves fantasy series, sequel to Crossroads series
  • Black Wolves, Orbit, ISBN 0316368695, 9780316368698 (2015)
  • Dead Empire (canceled)^[10]
  • Demon War (canceled)^[10]
• Magic the Gathering trading card game, fantasy series
  • Core Set 2019 eight-episode short story cycle
  • Throne of Eldraine: The Wildered Quest (2019)
• The Sun Chronicles science fiction adventure series
  • Unconquerable Sun, ISBN 1800243200, 978-1800243200 (2020)
  • Furious Heaven (2023)
  • Lady Chaos (2026)
• Servant Mage (novella), Tordotcom, ISBN 1250769051, 978-1250769053 (January 2022)
• The Keeper's Six, Tordotcom, ISBN 1250769078, 978-1250769077 (January 2023)

Short stories

• "My Voice Is In My Sword" in Weird Tales from Shakespeare (1994), reprinted in Apex Magazine (2015)
• "The Memory of Peace" in Enchanted Forests (1995)
• "A Simple Act of Kindness" in The Shimmering Door (1996)
• "With God to Guard Her" in Return to Avalon (1996)
• "The Gates of Joriun" in Tarot Fantastic (1997)
• "Making the World Live Again" in Zodiac Fantastic (1997)
• "Sunseeker" in 30th Anniversary DAW Books Science Fiction (2002)
• "Riding the Shore of the River of Death" in A Fantasy Medley (2009), reprinted in Epic: Legends of Fantasy (2012)
• "Leaf and Branch and Grass and Vine" in Fearsome Journeys (2013)
• "Everything in the World Wants Something" in Book Smugglers (2017)
• "A Compendium of Architecture and the Science of Building" in Lightspeed Magazine (2018)
• "The Tinder Box" at Tor.com (2021)
• The Very Best of Kate Elliott (2015) short story collection (includes the first 9 shorts above plus others)