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Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Authors

Ellen Asher

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Ellen Asher

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Full Name: Ellen Asher
Born:  
Occupation: Editor
Nationality: American
Links:



Biography

Ellen Asher is an American science fiction editor who grew up in New York City and began editing science fiction at New American Library from 1970 to 1972. She served as editor-in-chief of the Science Fiction Book Club (SFBC) for thirty-four years, from February 8, 1973, through June 1, 2007 -- thereby fulfilling her life's ambition of beating John W. Campbell's record as the person with the longest tenure in the same science fiction job. In early 2007, the multinational media corporation, Bertelsmann, bought a controlling portion of Bookspan, of which the SFBC is an affiliate. In the subsequent restructuring, Asher was given an early retirement.

As editor-in-chief of the SFBC, Asher was personally responsible for selecting the monthly offerings to subscribers, and oversaw the publication of anthologies and omnibuses of works that had previously been published as individual works. In 1984, she sat as a judge for the World Fantasy Awards. In 2001, she received the New England Science Fiction Association (NESFA) Edward E. Smith Memorial Award, and in 2007 she was the recipient of NESFA's Skylark Award and a World Fantasy Special Award: Professional for her work with the SFBC. In April 2009, she became, in a minuscule way, a published author -- with a short essay in Nebula Awards Showcase 2009, edited by Ellen Datlow. Asher received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2009, and was a Guest of Honor at Renovation, the 69th World Science Fiction Convention, in 2011.

Now that she has retired, Asher amuses herself by sleeping late, meeting friends for lunch, and reading only books she actually enjoys. She also rides horses and takes ballet classes, and does about as well at both as you'd expect of a middle-aged editor who grew up in New York City. Her hobbies are growing things in flower pots on the window sill and not watching television. She occasionally performs some freelance editorial work.


Works in the WWEnd Database

 Non Series Works

 (1982)