Chris Urie is a writer and editor from Ocean City, NJ. He has written and published everything from city food guide articles to critical essays on video game level design. He currently lives in Philadelphia with an ever expanding collection of books and a small black rabbit that has an attitude problem.
That luminous sphere hanging over us in the night sky has long been the source of fascination, conspiracy, dreams, and adventure. Stories have been spun on moonbeams and grounded in moon rocks. It sits in the sky as a reminder of both our history and the future. Countless authors have looked up to see bases, […]
INTERVIEW by Chris Urie in Issue 125 – February 2017
Finding yourself within a story is a rite of passage for any reader. There’s that magical moment when you find the analog to a piece of your own soul within the pages of a book. You find yourself with an expanding sense of empathy for characters whose feelings, memories, and experiences are familiar to your […]
INTERVIEW by Chris Urie in Issue 124 – January 2017
Authors contain multitudes. They encompass many worlds, characters, images, intangibles, and emotions. But sometimes an author literally contains a multitude. James S.A. Corey is one such author. James S.A. Corey is the collective pseudonym of Daniel Abraham and Ty Frank. They are the minds behind the blockbuster series The Expanse, which has been adapted for […]
INTERVIEW by Chris Urie in Issue 123 – December 2016
Authors are eclectic collectors. They gather various interests, knowledge of dubious use, and esoteric hobbies that they then synthesize into a mad scientist brew of characters and story. Sprinkle in a bit of history, lesser known facts, and a dash of fantastical engineering and you may have the newest novel by Bruce Sterling. Pirate Utopia […]
INTERVIEW by Chris Urie in Issue 122 – November 2016
Sometimes the reality is stranger than fiction and sometimes fiction helps to shed some philosophical light on reality. Both are entwined, influencing each other and the author placing one word after the other. Lauren Beukes is one such author that has the imagination and the journalistic chops to craft both stories of marauding art installations […]
INTERVIEW by Chris Urie in Issue 121 – October 2016
Stories and jazz music go hand in hand. Imagination lays the foundation built on a feeling until structure emerges. The plot twists, the characters evolve, and what you end up with is something far more than the sum of its parts. Peter S. Beagle has always been an author with an ear for beautiful writing. […]
INTERVIEW by Chris Urie in Issue 120 – September 2016
The Internet seems to be fueled by feline antics. Everywhere you look, there’s a kitten stuck in a piece of toast, a tabby karate kicking a dog, or a Siamese cat rocking out to dubstep. If you peel back the layers of the Internet, you’re sure to find a cat tangled up in Ethernet wires […]
INTERVIEW by Chris Urie in Issue 119 – August 2016
Worlds in upheaval are a staple of fantasy literature. Warring factions collide as they grasp for power. But what happens when it is the actual Earth beneath your feet that is roiling and about to explode? What about when the skies have gone dark, the weather has turned against the people, and the planet itself […]
Variety is the spice of short fiction. Within an hour, you can have an adventure under the seas of Europa, navigate Faerie, and be back on earth in time for an airship heist. One writer who has consistently surprised and delighted with his odd and eloquent stories is Michael Swanwick. Not So Much, Said the […]
Fantasy is a genre steeped in history. Mammoth novels outline thousand year dynasties and shorter works hint at machinations decades in the making. Their imagined histories lend a level of immersion and context for the reader. But when our own history is woven into the fabric of the fantastic, you find yourself reading a slightly […]
Science fiction has always been a way to shrug off the shackles of our terrestrial imaginations and expand our minds out beyond the stars. Out there in the swirling heavens, the possibilities for life and the answers to its mysteries are endless. James Gunn’s newest novel explores the outer reaches of the galaxy while asking […]
If there ever was an argument in favor of sci-fi influencing scientific advancement, the work of David Brin would surely be a cornerstone. From his novels and ambitious short fiction to his research into cometary studies, optics, and spacecraft design, David Brin is not only dreaming about the future, but, in some ways, helping to […]
There’s a dividing line, however fuzzy, between magic and science. The mysteries and miracles are pitted against the hard numbers and plausible explanations. Fantasy versus Science Fiction. Charlie Jane Anders’ new novel explores this boundary and finds it to be thinner and more porous than we originally thought. To shove All The Birds In The […]
INTERVIEW by Chris Urie in Issue 113 – February 2016
Life, death, and prophecy are common themes. When an author approaches them from a new angle, it’s like seeing a familiar photograph with a fresh set of eyes. In the case of Lawrence M. Schoen’s new novel, we get to see through a fresh set of animal eyes. Barsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard was recently released […]
INTERVIEW by Chris Urie in Issue 112 – January 2016
I first came across the beautiful artwork of Julie Dillon right here at Clarkesworld. Since the September 2010 Issue, her illustrations have graced the cover of this magazine fifteen times. Her style is unique and instantly recognizable for its engaging use of color and naturally flowing shapes. From elemental giants to cyborgs in need of […]
INTERVIEW by Chris Urie in Issue 110 – November 2015
I met Fran Wilde years ago through a mutual friend and fantasy author. In the time that I’ve known her, she’s published brilliant short fiction and incisive articles on the art of fiction. Her debut novel Updraft, was released from Tor Books this past September. Updraft is the story of Kirit Densira and her attempt […]
INTERVIEW by Chris Urie in Issue 109 – October 2015
Sometimes a short story can contain an entire solar system. Catherine M. Valente’s “The Radiant Car Thy Sparrows Drew” is one such story. Published in the August 2009 issue of Clarkesworld, it served as the spark for her latest novel. Radiance, out from Tor Books on October 20th, is a wildly ambitious novel that not […]
INTERVIEW by Chris Urie in Issue 108 – September 2015
The first story I ever read by Seth Dickinson was published right here in Clarkesworld. With “Morrigan in the Sunglare,” I was introduced to an author concerned with complexities and subtleties, power, and hate. His stories dive deep under the emotional and societal surface to explore the more challenging parts of being human. The Traitor […]
