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Orson Scott Card
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Orson Scott Card (born August 24, 1951)
is descended from Charles Ora Card, a son-in-law of Brigham Young.
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Orson Scott Card (born August 24, 1951)
Early life
Card is descended from Charles Ora Card, a son-in-law of Brigham Young. Card was born in Richland, Washington, and raised in Santa Clara, California as well as Mesa, Arizona and Orem, Utah. He served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brazil and graduated from Brigham Young University and the University of Utah; he also spent a year in a Ph.D. program at the University of Notre Dame. Card lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, an environment that played a significant role in Ender's Game.
Career
Card's writing career began primarily as a poet, studying with Clinton F. Larson at Brigham Young University. During his studies as a theatre major, he began "doctoring" scripts, adapting fiction for readers theatre production, and finally writing his own one-act and full-length plays, several of which were produced by faculty directors at BYU. He also explored fiction writing, beginning with stories that eventually evolved into The Worthing Saga.
After returning to Provo, Utah, from his LDS mission in Brazil, Card started the Utah Valley Repertory Theatre Company, which for two summers produced plays at "the Castle," a Depression-era outdoor amphitheater behind the then-active state mental hospital in Provo; his company's were the first plays ever produced there. Meanwhile, he took part time employment as a proofreader at BYU Press, then made the jump to full time employment as a copy editor. In 1976, in the midst of a paid acting gig in the Church's musical celebrating America's Bicentennial, he secured employment as an assistant editor at the Church's official magazine, Ensign, and moved to Salt Lake City. It was while working at Ensign that Card published his first piece of fiction. His short story "Gert Fram" appeared in the July 1977 fine arts issue of that magazine under the pseudonym Byron Walley.
Science fiction
He first wrote the short story "Ender's Game" while working at the BYU press, and submitted it to several publications. It was eventually purchased by Ben Bova at Analog Science Fiction and Fact and published in the August 1977 issue. Meanwhile, he started writing half-hour audioplays on the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the New Testament, and other subjects for Living Scriptures in Ogden, Utah; on the basis of that continuing contract, some freelance editing work, and a novel contract for Hot Sleep and A Planet Called Treason, he left Ensign and began supporting his family as a freelancer.
He completed his master's degree in English at the University of Utah in 1981 and began a doctoral program at the University of Notre Dame, but the recession of the early 1980s caused the flow of new book contracts to temporarily dry up. He returned to full-time employment as the book editor for Compute! Magazine in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1983. In October of that year, a new contract for the Alvin Maker "trilogy" (now up to 6 books) allowed him to return to freelancing.
Ender's Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead were both awarded the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award, making Card the only author (as of 2008) to win both of science fiction's top prizes in consecutive years. Card continued the series with Xenocide, Children of the Mind, Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant, and the 2007 release of A War of Gifts. Card has also announced his plan to write Shadows in Flight, a book that connects the "Shadow" series and "Speaker" series together, and Ender in Exile, a book that takes place after Ender's game and before Speaker for the Dead. Furthermore, Card recently announced that Ender's Game will soon be made into a movie. The film does not currently have a director lined up to work on Ender's Game. Wolfgang Petersen had previously been scheduled to direct the movie but has since moved on to other projects. It will be produced by Chartoff Productions. Card is writing the screenplay himself.
Other works include the alternate histories The Tales of Alvin Maker, Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus, The Homecoming Saga, Robota, a collaboration with Star Wars artist Doug Chiang, and Empire, which is about a near-future civil war in the United States.
Other genres
He has since branched out into other areas of fiction with novels such as Lost Boys, Treasure Box and Enchantment. Other works include the novelization of the James Cameron film The Abyss and the comic book Ultimate Iron Man for Marvel Comics' Ultimate Marvel Universe series. Outside the published fiction world, Card contributed dialog to two video games, The Secret of Monkey Island and The Dig in the early 1990s.
In 2000, Card published the first novel in The Women of Genesis series. This series explores the lives of the principal women mentioned in the first book of the Bible and includes Sarah (2000), Rebekah (2002), and Rachel and Leah (2004).
In the fall of 2005, Card also launched Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show. He edited the first two issues, but found that the demands of teaching, writing, and directing plays for his local church theatre group made it impossible to respond to writers' submissions in a timely manner; former Card student and experienced freelance writer and editor Edmund Schubert took over as editor on June 1, 2006.
Pseudonyms
Over the years Orson Scott Card has used a total of six pseudonyms. These are in order of appearance Frederick Bliss, P.Q. Gump, Byron Walley, Brian Green, Noam D. Pellume, and Scott Richards.
Frederick Bliss and P.Q. Gump
The names Frederick Bliss and P.Q. Gump were used by Card when he was asked to write an overview of Mormon playwrights "Mormon Shakespears: A Study of Contemporary Mormon Theatre" for Spring 1976 issue of Sunstone magazine. According to Card he used these pseudonyms because the article included a brief reference to himself and his play "Stone Tablets".
Byron Walley
The name Byron Walley was used by Card on his first published piece of fiction "Gert Fram" which appeared in the July 1977 fine arts issue of Ensign magazine. According to Card he used this name because he had a non-fiction article, "Family Art", a poem, "Looking West", and a short play, "The Rag Mission", appearing in the same issue. Card also used the name Byron Walley in stories he published in Friend magazine, New Era magazine and in the anthology Dragons of Darkness.
Stories by Byron Walley
- "Gert Fram", Ensign magazine, July 1977
- "Bicicleta", Friend magazine, October 1977
- "The Best Family Home Evening Ever", Friend magazine, January 1978
- "Billy's Box", Friend magazine, February 1978
- "I Think Mom and Dad Are Going Crazy, Jerry", New Era magazine, May 1979
- "Middle Woman", Dragons of Darkness, Ace Books, 1981
Brian Green
The name Brian Green was also used by Card in the July 1977 fine arts issue of Ensign magazine. He used this name for his short play "The Rag Mission" because he had three other pieces appearing in the same issue.
Noam D. Pellume
The name Noam D. Pellume was used by Card for his short story "Damn Fine Novel" which appeared in the October 1989 issue of The Green Pages. "Nom de plume" is the French term for "pen name" or "pseudonym".
Scott Richards
Card wrote the novel "Zanna's Gift" (2004) under the pen name Scott Richards, saying, "I was trying to establish a separate identity in the marketplace, but for various reasons the marketing strategy didn't work as we'd hoped."
On writing
Teaching
In 2005, Card accepted a permanent appointment as "distinguished professor" at Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista, Virginia, a small liberal arts college run based on the principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Card has cited his frustration with dismal teaching methodology for creative writing in most universities as a reason for accepting this position, along with his desire to teach the techniques of effective fiction writing to writers whose values are more harmonious with his own. Card has worked closely with colleagues to develop new and effective ways to educate aspiring writers and has published two books on the subject. He was eager for the opportunity to apply these techniques in a university environment—his assorted workshops did not allow the follow-through he desired. After being affected by stories of his students' parents in some of their essays, he decided to stop teaching regularly at the university to spend time with his youngest child who still lives at home. This however, has been changed because he is returning back to school to teach the Spring semester of 2009.
Literary Boot Camp
Since 2001, Card has run an annual, one-week intensive critique workshop for aspiring writers called "Literary Boot Camp." Participants are picked from applicants who submit a sample of their fiction writing. The week-long workshop is paired with a weekend lecture-style workshop open to all comers. Graduates have gone on to win major science fiction and fantasy contests (for instance, the now-defunct Phobos contest and the Writers of the Future contest), sell many stories to the SF and fantasy magazines such as Asimov's Science Fiction and Realms of Fantasy, sell books to major publishers (Judson Roberts' Strongbow Saga trilogy is one of many examples), etc.
Books on writing
Card has written two books on the subject of creative writing. The first of these books was Characters and Viewpoint published in 1988. The second was How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy published in 1990. Both of the books were published by Writer's Digest Books and remain in print. He was also a cowriter for How to Write a Million.
Writers of the Future
Card also serves as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest The Writers of the Future contest is a science fiction and fantasy story contest for amateur writers originated by L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1980s.
Personal views
Political writing
Card is active as a critic, political writer, and speaker. Shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks Card began to write a weekly column named variously "War Watch", "World Watch", or "Civilization Watch", depending upon the topic. The column is published in the Greensboro Rhinoceros Times. Card also writes an "Uncle Orson Reviews Everything" column. Both columns are archived on Card's websites. Card is a vocal supporter of many aspects of George W. Bush's leadership style, the war on terror, aspects of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and aspects of the USA PATRIOT Act.
Card was attending Mormon worship service in California on June 29, 2008 when a letter from President Thomas S. Monson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was read out, asking all active members to "do all you can" to support the California Proposition 8 (2008) by "donating of your means and time...to preserve the sacred institution of marriage." In response to that letter, Card began a series of articles as part of his regular column in the Mormon Times "to address, one by one, my compelling secular arguments in favor of giving permanent heterosexual pairings a monopoly on legally recognized status in all societies".
Political identification
Card identifies himself as a Democrat because he is pro-gun control/anti-National Rifle Association, highly critical of free-market capitalism, and because he believes that the Republican party in the South continues to tolerate racism. Card encapsulated his views thus:
He has described himself as a Moynihan Democrat, and later as a "Tony Blair" Democrat, saying he has to look outside the U.S. for someone representative for his views now that Moynihan has died and the Democrats oppose Bush. He has written columns condemning extremist liberals as being part of what's wrong with America, and praises Zell Miller for trying to save the Democratic Party. During the 2004 election Card wrote many articles supporting the Bush/Cheney ticket, criticizing John Kerry, and lambasting his own state's senator, John Edwards, as being absurd, insincere, and an opportunistic shill. Prior to the 2004 presidential race, Card had written that his state needed to regain control from people like Edwards and advocated running a strong primary opponent against Edwards should he run for reelection to the Senate. He has also been a staunch defender of Fox News, stating that "It's a good feeling to hear about our war from people who actually think it would be a good thing if we win." Card also publicly endorses children of illegal immigrants receiving in-state college tuition rates and has stated there is a need for moderation in tax cuts.
On November 6, 2006, just one day before a major election in the United States, Card wrote an for RealClearPolitics, in which he encourages voters to support the Republicans:
On October 20, 2008, less than two weeks before the Presidential election in the United States, Card wrote an for The Greensboro Rhino Times, where he chastises the US media for hiding the true blame for the 2008 credit crisis and for mis-directing public perception in favor of Senator Barack Obama. In the 2008 Presidential election, Card supported Republican John McCain.
Environment and science
Although he supports government-funded research into alternative energy sources and the phasing out of fossil fuel use, Card has also frequently criticized precipitate action on global warming, and has voiced the suggestion that scientific evidence against global warming is suppressed because global warming has become an academic orthodoxy that discourages opposing evidence.
His short story "Angles" also features scientists fearing to pursue research because it would run counter to scientific dogma. Similarly, he has voiced distrust of Darwinism as dogma in opposition to Intelligent Design (which he also distrusts, for entirely different reasons). While criticizing scientists for claiming that Darwinism explains "completely how evolution works," Card also said that "real science does not—and never can—prove or even support" Intelligent Design.
Premarital sex
Card has written that an increase in crime in USA of the 1970s and 1980s "might well have been the result" of what he calls "the New Morality and the Pill" because they may have increased the number of babies born to "the people with poor impulse control" who are "most likely to be irresponsible parents."
Homosexuality
Card has called same-sex marriage a "potentially devastating social experiment" and argued that same-sex marriage is not necessary to ensure equal rights, since "Any homosexual man who can persuade a woman to take him as her husband can avail himself of all the rights of husbandhood under the law." He also notes that "gay activism as a movement is no longer looking for civil rights, which by and large homosexuals already have." He also says he is against "changing the word 'marriage' to apply to something it's never applied to." With regard to the acceptance of legal same-sex marriage in Massachusetts and California, Card writes that "The first and greatest threat from court decisions in California and Massachusetts, giving legal recognition to "gay marriage," is that it marks the end of democracy in America. These judges are making new law without any democratic process; in fact, their decisions are striking down laws enacted by majority vote." and asserts "How long before married people answer the dictators thus: Regardless of law, marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it down, so it can be replaced with a government that will respect and support marriage, and help me raise my children in a society where they will expect to marry in their turn."
Elsewhere he writes:
Writing of the LDS Church's attitude towards homosexuals, he argues that because the Church leaders and prophets teach against homosexual behavior, it is hypocritical for a practicing homosexual to claim to be a Church member but still deny that their behavior is sinful.
Card's views on homosexuality and on civil rights for American homosexuals have led some to describe him as homophobic. Card disputes those who call these views homophobic, stating he does not advocate "harsh personal treatment of individuals who are unable to resist the temptation to have sexual relations with persons of the same sex",
and that he views homosexuals as "human beings with as complex a combination of good and evil in them as I find within myself." Speaking of tolerance, he says "That we must treat sinners kindly is true; that we must courageously and firmly reject sin is also true." Speaking of homophobic violence: "I think there is no room in America for violence directed against any group (or any individual) for any reason short of immediate defense against physical attack - which doesn't often come up with homosexuals." Card also says he is attacked for being too tolerant of homosexuals.
Card himself identifies his position as "walking a middle way, which condemns the sin but loves the sinner". Card says that when homosexuality appears in his fiction (as in Songmaster and The Ships of Earth) it is not to argue for or against homosexuality, but rather "to create real and living characters". He asserts that essays such as and are "the mildest of comments critical of the political agenda of homosexual activists". Card has criticized author J.K. Rowling and Hollywood films for portraying homosexuals in a shallow manner, saying he was "appalled" by the way the film Mamma Mia! "trivialized and ridiculed" homosexuals.
Family
He and his wife Kristine are the parents of five children, each with at least one name of authors he and his wife admire. Their children's names are Michael Geoffrey (Geoffrey Chaucer), Emily Janice (Emily Brontë and Emily Dickinson), Charles Benjamin (Charles Dickens), Zina Margaret (Margaret Mitchell) and Erin Louisa (Louisa May Alcott). Charles, afflicted with cerebral palsy, died shortly after his seventeenth birthday and their daughter, Erin, died the day she was born. Currently Card and his wife live with their youngest living child, Zina, in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The life of their son Charles influenced some of Card's fiction, most notably the Homecoming series, Lost Boys and Folk of the Fringe. Their daughter, Emily, along with two other writers adapted Card's short stories "Clap Hands and Sing", "Lifeloop" and "A Sepulchre of Songs" for the stage in Posing as People.
In 2008, he appeared in the short film THE DELIVERY which starred his daughter Emily. He plays an author reading an audiobook in this film which won First Place in Fantasy at Dragon*Con Film Festival. He wrote an original story, The Emperor of the Air, specifically for the short film by Gabrielle de Cuir and Stefan Rudnicki.
Awards
- 1978; John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer; from the World Science Fiction Convention
- 1981; Songmaster; Hamilton-Brackett Memorial Award 81
- 1984; Saints; named Book of the Year by the Association for Mormon Letters
- 1985; Ender's Game; Nebula Award 85, Hugo Award 86, Hamilton-Brackett Award 86, SF Chronicle Readers Poll Award 86
- 1986; Speaker for the Dead; Nebula Award 86, Hugo Award 87, Locus Award 87, SF Chronicle Readers Poll Award 87
- 1987; "Eye for Eye"; Hugo award 88; "Japanese Hugo" 89
- 1987; "Hatrack River"; Nebula finalist 86, Hugo finalist 87, World Fantasy Award winner 87
- 1988; Seventh Son, Hugo finalist 88, World Fantasy finalist 88, Mythopoeic Society Award 88, Locus Award (best fantasy novel) 88
- 1989; Hugo & Nebula Finalist; Red Prophet
- 1991; Hugo Award; How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy (Writer's Digest Books, 90)
- 1995; Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel; for Alvin Journeyman
- 2008; YALSA Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Contribution to Young Adult Literature; for Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow
See also
Sources
- Dragons of Darkness, Edited by Orson Scott Card, Ace Books, 1981.
- Maps in a Mirror, Orson Scott Card, Tor Books, 1990.
- at www.sunstoneonline.com.
- at www.lds.org.
- at www.lds.org.
- at www.lds.org.
Further reading
- Card Catalogue: The Science Fiction and Fantasy of Orson Scott Card, Michael R. Collings, Hypatia Press, 1987, ISBN 0940841010
- In the Image of God: Theme, Characterization and Landscape in the Fiction of Orson Scott Card, Michael R. Collings, Greenwood Press, 1990, ISBN 0-313-26404-X
- The Work of Orson Scott Card: An Annotated Bibliography and Guide, Michael R. Collings and Boden Clarke, 1997
- Storyteller: The Official Guide to the Works of Orson Scott Card, Michael R. Collings, Overlook Connection Press, 2001, ISBN 1-892950-26-X
External links
About Card
By Card
- - Online science fiction magazine published by Orson Scott Card. Features a new Ender's world story in every issue.
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- - Contains Card's criticism of Muslim reaction to Newsweek's report of Qur'an desecration
- - An essay by Card confronting homosexual agenda within the LDS community, particularly, and the American polity
- an essay by Card on Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith and its Jedi religious concepts
- by Orson Scott Card
- - "Women of Genesis" series.
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- - Card's statement regarding this Wikipedia article. (Ninth paragraph under the heading The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations.)
- Card's view of the Hockey stick controversy, March 8, 2007
- - About how to retain good programmers, and comparing it to beekeeping.
Other
- - An essay by John Kessel critical of the morality expressed in Card's writing.
- - John Kessel's response to Card's critique of "literary fiction."
- - A criticism of Card's viewpoint on homosexuality
- - Elaine Radford's analysis of the Ender and Hitler connection.
- - Donna Minkowitz at Salon Books
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- An introduction to Orson Scott Card
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