ORSON SCOTT CARD

'Orson Scott Card' (born August 24, 1951)^[1] is an American author, working in several genres, but primarily known for his science fiction work. His ''Ender's Game'' and its sequel ''Speaker for the Dead'' both won the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award, making Card the only author (as of 2007) to win both of science fiction's top prizes in consecutive years.
His writing contains detailed characterization and moral issues. Card has written, "We care about moral issues, nobility, decency, happiness, goodness—the issues that matter in the real world, but which can only be addressed, in their purity, in fiction."^[2]

Contents

Early life

Career

Personal views

Political writing

Political identification

Environment and science

Sexuality

Family

Awards

See also

References

External links

About Card

By Card

Fan sites

Other

Early life

Card is descended from Charles Ora Card, a son-in-law of Brigham Young and founder of Cardston, Alberta. This is the first Mormon Pioneer settlement in Canada, where Charles Card and others fled the United States because of religious persecution. Card was born in Richland, Washington, and raised in Santa Clara, California as well as Mesa, Arizona and Orem, Utah. He served a LDS mission 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,^[3] an environment that played a significant role in ''Ender's Game''.

Career

His 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 dabbled in 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 LDS 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.
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'' and published in the August 1977 issue. Meanwhile, he started writing half-hour audioplays on LDS Church history, 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, and has resided there ever since. In October of that year, a new contract for the Alvin Maker "trilogy" (now up to 6 books) allowed him to return to freelancing.
Card's first published fiction (under the pseudonym of Byron Walley) was "Gert Fram",^[4] a short story published in the July 1977 issue of ''Ensign'', and the novelette ''"Ender's Game"''^[5] (later expanded into the ''Ender's Game'' novel), published in the August issue of Analog Science Fiction that same year. Card's launch in the publishing industry was with science fiction books (''Hot Sleep'' and ''Capitol'') and later the fantasy book ''Hart's Hope''. However, he remains best known for the seminal novel ''Ender's Game'', which has remained popular since its publication in 1985.
''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 2007) 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'', and the 2005 release of ''Shadow of the Giant''. Card has also announced a 'Christmas in Battle School' book,^[6] ''Shadows in Flight'', a book that connects the "Shadow" series and "Speaker" series together, and '', a book that takes place after ''Shadow of the Giant'' and before the short story "Investment Counselor". Furthermore, Card recently announced that ''Ender's Game'' will soon be made into a movie.
He has since branched out into contemporary fiction, such as ''Lost Boys'', ''Treasure Box'' and ''Enchantment''. Other works include the novelization of the James Cameron film ''The Abyss'', the alternate histories ''The Tales of Alvin Maker'' and ''Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus'', the comic book ''Ultimate Iron Man'' for Marvel Comics' Ultimate Marvel Universe series, and ''Robota'', a collaboration with ''Star Wars'' artist Doug Chiang. ''Empire'', his latest novel, is about a near future civil war in the United States. Outside the published fiction world, Card contributed dialog to two video games, the ''The Secret of Monkey Island'' and ''The Dig'' in the early 1990s.^[7]
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'' and ''Realms of Fantasy'', sell books to major publishers (Judson Roberts' ''Strongbow Saga'' trilogy is one of many examples), etc.
In 2005, Card accepted a permanent appointment as "distinguished professor" at Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista, Virginia, a small liberal arts college with a Latter-Day Saint influence. (It is run by a group of LDS people, but unlike the BYU schools, is not owned by 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 his students' essays he decided to stop teaching regularly at the university to spend time with his youngest child who still lives at home.^[8]
In the fall of 2005, Card also launched ''Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show''^[9]. 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 became the new editor as of 1 June 2006.
Card also serves as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest^[10]

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. Though he praises Fox News for aspects of their news coverage he maintains his cynicism, as when he saw they were broadcasting soldiers' messages back to loved ones at home and said, "I thought of what it meant to them... and being human, I was touched. At the same time, being a cynical critic of pretty much everything, the thought flashed through my mind: So Fox News is profiting from the love and loneliness and fear of our military people."^[11] Card is also known for his strong support for the State of Israel.

Political identification

Card identifies himself as a Democrat, which he asserts is because he is pro-gun control/anti-National Rifle Association, is highly critical of free-market capitalism, and believes the Republican party in the South continues to tolerate racism. Card encapsulated his views thus:^[12]
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.^[13] 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,^[14] has stated there is a need for moderation in tax cuts,^[15] and opposes unfettered deregulation.
On November 6, 2006, just one day before a major election in the United States, Card wrote an opinion piece for RealClearPolitics, in which he encourages voters to support the Republicans:

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..^[16]
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.^[17]

Sexuality

Card is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is opposed to premarital sex. He 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."^[18]
He believes homosexuality to be a sin, and has called same-sex marriage a "potentially devastating social experiment."^[19] In his essay "The Hypocrites of Homosexuality" he advocates laws against homosexual sex, "not to put homosexuals in jail," but to encourage gay men and women to have sex only in secret "so as not to shake the confidence of the community in the polity's ability to provide rules." In the same essay, he claims to have a number of homosexuals as dear friends and speaks out against the use of "ugly words like faggot."^[20] Homoeroticism is a main theme of his book ''Songmaster''.

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.^[21] Currently Card and his wife live with their youngest living child, Zina, in Greensboro, North Carolina.^[22]
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.''^[23]

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 Association for Mormon Letters

★ 1985; Ender's Game; Nebula Award 85, Hugo Award 86, Hamilton-Brackett Award 86, SF Chronicle Readers Poll Award 86

★ 1987; 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

See also

★ List of works by Orson Scott Card

★ Signature Books

★ LDS fiction

References

1. Orson Scott Card
2. Uncle Orson's Writing Class - The "Maguffin"
3. Who Is Orson Scott Card?
4. Gert Fram
5. Short Stories by Orson Scott Card - Ender's Game
6. Precious Books, Christmas Songs, Catalogs - Uncle Orson Reviews Everything
7. Interview with Author Orson Scott Card.
8. Uncle Orson Reviews Everything
9. Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show
10. Writers of the Future contest.
11. War Watch: The Most Careful of All Wars Orson Scott Card
12. War Watch: Judges, filibusters, and Hillary Orson Scott Card
13. War Watch: Where Do the Parties Go Now? Orson Scott Card
14. War Watch: Anti-Americans, Paradise, and Cheap Tuition Orson Scott Card
15. Civilization Watch: When Progress Stops Being Progress Orson Scott Card
16. Civilization Watch: Don't You Dare Ask for Proof Orson Scott Card
17. WorldWatch: Creation and Evolution in the Schools Orson Scott Card
18. Freakonomics Orson Scott Card
19. Civilization Watch: Homosexual "Marriage" and Civilization Orson Scott Card
20. The Hypocrites of Homosexuality Orson Scott Card
21. More about Orson Scott Card from Hatrack River, Card's official site
22. About Orson Scott Card from Hatrack River
23. ''Posing as People'' from Hatrack River

External links

About Card

★ The official Orson Scott Card website -includes popular discussion forums frequented by thousands of fans.

★ Biography at the Orson Scott Card website

★ Detailed bibliography at the Orson Scott Card website

★ "Orson Scott Card: Criminalize Homosexual Behavior" - A criticism of Card's viewpoint on homosexuality

★ "Why I Am Teaching at SVU... and Why SVU is Important" by Orson Scott Card

By Card

★ Intergalactic Medicine Show - Online science fiction magazine published by Orson Scott Card. Features a new Ender's world story in every issue.

★ Strong Verse - Online poetry magazine published by Orson Scott Card

★ The Ornery American - Orson Scott Card's political site; includes his column

★ Riots of the Faithful - Contains Card's criticism of Muslim reaction to Newsweek's report of Qur'an desecration

★ "The Hypocrites of Homosexuality" - Card's controversial essay about homosexuality

★ "Under the Influence" an essay by Card on ''Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith'' and its Jedi religious concepts

★ Orson Scott Card's work at Marvel.com

★ Uncle Orson Reviews Everything, February 18, 2007 - Card's statement regarding this Wikipedia article. (Ninth paragraph under the heading ''The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations''.)

★ All in a good cause Card's view of the Hockey stick controversy, March 8, 2007

Fan sites

★ "Philotic Web" A Fan resource website and community.

★ "Ansible Wikia" An introduction to Orson Scott Card's; Works, Current Events, Characters, Locations, and Lingo.

★ on the forthcoming film

★

Other

★ Creating the Innocent Killer - An essay by John Kessel critical of the morality expressed in Card's writing.

★ "Demonizing Literature" - John Kessel's response to Card's critique of "literary fiction."

★ Ender and Hitler: Sympathy for the Superman (20 Years Later) - Elaine Radford's analysis of the Ender and Hitler connection.

★

★ An audio interview with Orson Scott Card

★

★ Interview at SFFWorld.com

★ Interview part 1 at actusf.com

★ Interview part 2 at actusf.com

★ Interview at Gaming Today