Shelley Parker-Chan Explained

Shelley Parker-Chan is an Australian fantasy novelist best known for their debut novel, She Who Became the Sun and its sequel, He Who Drowned the World, which form The Radiant Emperor Duology.[1]

Early life

Parker-Chan was born in New Zealand to a Malaysian-Chinese mother and a white father.[2] Parker-Chan uses they/them pronouns, is queer and genderqueer,[3] [4] and was named after Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.[5] They did graduate work on the subjects of war crimes and restorative justice,[6] and previously worked as a diplomat, representing the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Timor-Leste, and as an international development adviser for gender equality and LGBTQ rights in Indonesia.

Personal life

As of 2023, they live in Melbourne, Australia.[7] They are married and have a daughter.

Awards

Parker-Chan won the 2022 Astounding Award for Best New Writer[8] and the British Fantasy Award (the Robert Holdstock Award for Best Fantasy Novel and the Sydney J. Bounds Award for Best Newcomer).[9]

YearWorkAwardCategoryResultRef
2021She Who Became the SunAurealis AwardFantasy Novel[10]
Goodreads Choice AwardsDebut Novel[11]
Fantasy[12] [13]
Indie Next ListAugust—
Otherwise Award—
2022Astounding Award—
British Book AwardDebut Book of the Year
British Fantasy AwardFantasy Novel (Robert Holdstock Award)[14]
Newcomer (Sydney J. Bounds Award)
Ditmar AwardNovel
Dragon AwardAlternate History Novel
Hugo AwardNovel[15]
Lambda Literary AwardTransgender Fiction[16]
Locus AwardFirst Novel[17]
2023He Who Drowned the WorldIndie Next List?—
2024Dragon AwardFantasy Novel
Locus AwardFantasy Novel

Biblio

The Radiant Emperor Duology

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://famouswritingroutines.com/interviews/interview-with-shelley-parker-chan/ Famous Writing Routines. Interview with Shelley Parker-Chan: “Absorb the vibe through osmosis.” March 3, 2023.
  2. https://amp.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/books/article/3156555/keanu-reeves-was-all-we-had-literary-fantasy-author South China Morning Post. 'Keanu Reeves was all we had': literary fantasy author Shelley Parker Chan on growing up without role models as a queer Asian kid in Australia.
  3. https://www.liminalmag.com/interviews/shelley-parker-chan “Interview #205, Shelley Parker-Chan"
  4. https://www.smh.com.au/culture/books/everyone-is-going-to-be-gay-and-terrible-the-first-australian-novel-nominated-for-a-hugo-20220429-p5ah5j.html ‘Everyone is going to be gay and terrible’: The first Australian novel nominated for a Hugo
  5. https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2022/06/interview-with-shelley-parker-chan-she-who-became-the-sun/ Fantasy Hive interview. “Interview With Shelley Parker-Chan (She Who Became the Sun).”
  6. https://locusmag.com/2021/07/spotlight-on-shelley-parker-chan/ “Spotlight on Shelley Parker-Chan.”
  7. https://famouswritingroutines.com/interviews/interview-with-shelley-parker-chan/ Interview with Shelley Parker-Chan
  8. Web site: 2022-09-04 . 2022 Hugo Awards . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220905072855/https://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2022-hugo-awards/ . 2022-09-05 . 2022-09-04 . World Science Fiction Society.
  9. https://www.starburstmagazine.com/shelley-parker-chan-wins-british-fantasy-award/ “Shelley Parker-Chan Wins British Fantasy Award.”
  10. Web site: aaconvenor . 6 April 2022 . 2021 Aurealis Awards Shortlist Announcement . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220604180259/https://aurealisawards.org/2022/04/06/2021-aurealis-awards-shortlist-announcement/ . 4 June 2022 . 28 June 2022 . Aurealis Awards.
  11. Web site: 28 June 2022 . Best Debut Novel 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220625202612/https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-debut-novel-2021 . 25 June 2022 . 28 June 2022 . Goodreads.
  12. Web site: Wong . Kat . 2 May 2022 . 'Everyone is going to be gay and terrible': The first Australian novel nominated for a Hugo . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220502020749/https://www.smh.com.au/culture/books/everyone-is-going-to-be-gay-and-terrible-the-first-australian-novel-nominated-for-a-hugo-20220429-p5ah5j.html . 2 May 2022 . 28 June 2022 . The Sydney Morning Herald.
  13. Web site: 28 June 2022 . Best Fantasy 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220625202050/https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-fantasy-books-2021 . 25 June 2022 . 28 June 2022 . Goodreads.
  14. Web site: 17 Sep 2022 . British Fantasy Awards 2022: Winners announced . The British Fantasy Society.
  15. Web site: 7 April 2022 . 2022 Hugo Award Finalists Announced . 2022-04-18 . The Hugo Awards . en.
  16. Web site: Current Finalists . 2022-03-16 . Lambda Literary . en.
  17. Web site: 25 June 2022 . 2022 Locus Awards Winners . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220626184212/https://locusmag.com/2022/06/2022-locus-awards-winners/ . 26 June 2022 . 28 June 2022 . Locus.

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