Rusch, Kristine Kathryn
Entry updated 18 November 2024. Tagged: Author, Editor.
(1960- ) US editor and author who also writes as by Kristine Grayson and as by Kathryn Wesley; married to Dean Wesley Smith. She began publishing work of genre interest with "Sing" for Aboriginal Science Fiction, February/March 1987; she won the 1990 John W Campbell Award for Best New Writer. Her work is strongly emotional in nature, some of it Young Adult, focusing on critical experiences and rites of passage in the lives of characters existing in relatively conventional sf, fantasy and horror settings. Sometimes, as in "Story Child" (September/October 1990 Aboriginal Science Fiction) – about a healing child in a Post-Holocaust society – this approach can lead her into sentimentality; but other pieces, such as "Trains" (April 1990 Asimov's) – in which a battered wife finds temporary happiness with a supernatural hipster – are genuinely moving; the powerful novelette "Millennium Babies" (January 2000 Asimov's) won a Hugo award.
Despite this activity, Rusch was considerably more prominent in the late 1980s for her editorial work as cofounder (with Dean Wesley Smith) in 1987 of Pulphouse Publishing, through which she edited the magazine/anthology series Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine, which stopped with #11 in 1993, and The Best of Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine (anth 1991). While continuing to work at Pulphouse (her responsibilities lessened but still considerable), Rusch in late 1991 became editor of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and soon edited, with Ed Ferman, The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: A 45th Anniversary Anthology (anth 1994). With Smith she edited Science Fiction Writers of America Handbook: The Professional Writer's Guide to Writing Professionally (anth 1990), which won a Locus Award; though not well organized this is dense with information and advice, within a frame that allows full recognition of a sense that writers in the new world must do much more than write: they must also be cottage entrepreneurs whose product is their career.
From the 1990s on, Rusch has written numerous Ties. many of them – like the tales contributed to various subsets of the Star Trek universe, beginning with The Big Game (1993) with Dean Wesley Smith for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – with her husband; they have worked together as a team across several series and genres. The Gallery of His Dreams (1991 chap) is a Time-Travel tale featuring the photographer Matthew B Brady (circa 1823-1896), whose work illuminated the US Civil War. The White Mists of Power (1991), her first novel, is a fantasy. Afterimage (1992) with Kevin J Anderson is sf about Identity Transfers. The Fey is a fantasy series, the Smokey Dalton sequence as by Kris Nelscott is a nonfantastic detective sequence which addresses directly a number of issues, including racism, that do not feature largely in her other work. Several other later series are devoted to fantasy romance plotlines. Of strong sf interests is the Retrieval Artist sequence beginning with The Disappeared (2002) and ending with Anniversary Day (2011) is an interstellar detective sequence where some interesting questions are posed about how Crime and Punishment issues be solved when differing species are involved. Snipers (2013) is an sf thriller involving murders and time travel, with alternating chapters set in 1913 and 2005. Her Alternate History novel The Enemy Within (as "G-Men" in Sideways in Crime, anth 2008, ed Lou Anders; exp 2014) won the Sidewise Award.
If there is some lack of focus in Rusch's work, there is no lack of competence. She is a fully professional writer. [NT/JC]
see also: Fiction River; Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America; Small Presses and Limited Editions.
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
born Oneonta, New York: 4 June 1960
works
series
Including single contributions to date to ongoing series.
Afterimage
- Afterimage (New York: Penguin Books, 1992) with Kevin J Anderson [pb/Richard Hescox]
- Afterimage/Aftershock (Stone Mountain, Georgia: Meisha Merlin Publishing, 1998) with Kevin J Anderson [expansion of above plus the novel-length "Aftershock": pb/Kevin Murphy]
The Fey
- The Sacrifice: The First Book of the Fey (New York: Bantam Books, 1996) [The Fey: pb/Dawn Wilson]
- The Fey: The Rival (New York: Bantam Books, 1997) [The Fey: pb/Yvonne Gilbert]
- The Fey: The Resistance (New York: Bantam Books, 1998) [The Fey: pb/Yvonne Gilbert]
- Victory: The Final Book of the Fey (New York: Bantam Books, 1998) [The Fey: pb/Yvonne Gilbert]
Star Trek
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
- The Big Game (New York: Pocket Books, 1993) with Dean Wesley Smith, writing together as Sandy Schofield [tie to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: pb/]
- The Long Night (New York: Pocket Books, 1996) with Dean Wesley Smith [tie to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: pb/]
Star Trek: Voyager
- The Escape (New York: Pocket Books, 1995) with Dean Wesley Smith [tie to Star Trek: Voyager: Star Trek: Voyager: pb/Dru Blair]
- Echoes (New York: Pocket Books, 1996) with Nina Kiriki Hoffman and Dean Wesley Smith [tie to Star Trek: Voyager: Star Trek: Voyager: pb/]
Star Trek (original series and subseries)
- The Rings of Tautee (New York: Pocket Books, 1996) with Dean Wesley Smith [tie to Star Trek: Star Trek: pb/]
- Treaty's Law (New York: Pocket Books, 1997) with Dean Wesley Smith [tie to Star Trek: Star Trek: pb/]
- Thin Air (New York: Pocket Books, 2000) with Dean Wesley Smith [tie to Star Trek: Star Trek: pb/]
- Shadow (New York: Pocket Books, 2001) with Dean Wesley Smith [tie to Star Trek: Star Trek: pb/]
Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Klingon (New York: Pocket Books, 1996) with Dean Wesley Smith [tie to Star Trek: The Next Generation: Star Trek: The Next Generation: pb/]
- The Soldiers of Fear (New York: Pocket Books, 1996) with Dean Wesley Smith [tie to Star Trek: The Next Generation: Star Trek: The Next Generation: pb/]
- Double Helix: Vectors (New York: Pocket Books, 1999) with Dean Wesley Smith [tie to Star Trek: The Next Generation: Star Trek: The Next Generation: pb/]
Star Trek: The Captain's Table
- The Mist (New York: Pocket Books, 1998) with Dean Wesley Smith [tie to Star Trek and later series: Star Trek: The Captain's Table: pb/]
Star Trek: Enterprise
- By the Book (New York: Pocket Books, 2002) with Dean Wesley Smith [tie to Star Trek: Enterprise: Star Trek: Enterprise: pb/]
Star Wars
- The New Rebellion (New York: Bantam Books, 1996) [tie to the Star Wars universe: Star Wars: pb/Drew Struzan]
- Star Wars: Diplomatic Corps Service Exam (New York: Ballantine Books/Del Rey, 1997) ["nonfiction": tie to the Star Wars universe: pb/]
Black Throne
- The Black Queen (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1999) [Black Throne: pb/Mark Harrison]
- The Black Throne (New York: Bantam Spectra, 2000) [Black Throne: pb/Mark Harrison]
Tenth Planet
- The Tenth Planet (New York: Ballantine Books/Del Rey, 1999) with Dean Wesley Smith [Tenth Planet: pb/Min Choi]
- Oblivion (New York: Ballantine Books/Del Rey, 2000) with Dean Wesley Smith [Tenth Planet: pb/]
- Final Assault (New York: Ballantine Books/Del Rey, 2001) with Dean Wesley Smith [Tenth Planet: pb/David Mattingly]
Smokey Dalton
- A Dangerous Road (New York: St Martin's Press, 2000) as Kris Nelscott [Smokey Dalton: hb/]
- Smoke-Filled Rooms (New York: St Martin's Press, 2001) as Kris Nelscott [Smokey Dalton: hb/]
- Thin Walls (New York: St Martin's Press, 2002) as Kris Nelscott [Smokey Dalton: hb/]
- Stone Cribs (New York: St Martin's Press, 2004) as Kris Nelscott [Smokey Dalton: hb/]
- War at Home (New York: St Martin's Press, 2005) as Kris Nelscott [Smokey Dalton: hb/]
Utterly Charming
- Utterly Charming (New York: Kensington Publishing/Zebra Books, 2000) as by Kristine Grayson [Utterly Charming: pb/]
- Thoroughly Kissed (New York: Kensington Publishing/Zebra Books, 2000) as by Kristine Grayson [Utterly Charming: pb/]
- Completely Smitten (New York: Kensington Publishing/Zebra Books, 2002) as by Kristine Grayson [Utterly Charming: pb/]
- Simply Irresistible (New York: Kensington Publishing/Zebra Books, 2003) as by Kristine Grayson [Utterly Charming: pb/Michael Crampton]
- Absolutely Captivated (New York: Kensington Publishing/Zebra Books, 2004) as by Kristine Grayson [Utterly Charming: pb/]
- Totally Spellbound (New York: Kensington Publishing/Zebra Books, 2005) as by Kristine Grayson [Utterly Charming: pb/]
- Wickedly Charming (Toronto, Ontario: Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2011) as by Kristine Grayson [Utterly Charming: pb/]
- Charming Blue (Toronto, Ontario: Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2011) as by Kristine Grayson [Utterly Charming: pb/]
Roswell
- No Good Deed (New York: Pocket Books, 2001) with Dean Wesley Smith [tie to the Roswell universe: Roswell: pb/John Vairo Jr]
- Little Green Men (New York: Simon Pulse, 2002) with Dean Wesley Smith [tie to the Roswell universe: Roswell: pb/]
Retrieval Artist
- The Disappeared (New York: Roc, 2002) [Retrieval Artist: pb/Greg Bridges]
- Extremes (New York: Roc, 2003) [Retrieval Artist: pb/Greg Bridges]
- Consequences (New York: Roc, 2004) [Retrieval Artist: pb/Greg Bridges]
- Buried Deep (New York: Roc, 2005) [Retrieval Artist: pb/Greg Bridges]
- Paloma (New York: Roc, 2006) [Retrieval Artist: pb/Greg Bridges]
- Recovery Man (New York: Roc, 2007) [Retrieval Artist: pb/]
- Duplicate Effort (New York: Roc, 2009) [Retrieval Artist: pb/]
Retrieval Artist: Anniversary Day
- Anniversary Day (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2011) [Retrieval Artist: Anniversary Day: pb/Jonathan Kort]
- Blowback (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2012) [Retrieval Artist: Anniversary Day: pb/Victor Habbick]
- A Murder of Clones (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2015) [Retrieval Artist: Anniversary Day: pb/]
- Search & Recovery (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2015) [Retrieval Artist: Anniversary Day: pb/]
- The Peyti Crisis (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2015) [Retrieval Artis: Anniversary Day: pb/]
- Vigilantes (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2015) [Retrieval Artist: Anniversary Day: pb/]
- Starbase Human (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2015) [Retrieval Artist: Anniversary Day: pb/Nicholas Burningham]
- Masterminds (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2015) [Retrieval Artist: Anniversary Day: pb/]
Diving Universe
- Diving into the Wreck (Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books/Pyr, 2009) [fixup: Diving Universe: pb/David Seeley]
- City of Ruins (Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books/Pyr, 2011) [fixup: Diving Universe: pb/David Seeley]
- Boneyards (Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books/Pyr, 2012) [fixup: Diving Universe: pb/David Seeley]
- Skirmishes (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2013) [Diving Universe: pb/]
- The Falls (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2016) [Diving Universe: pb/]
- The Runabout (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2017) [Diving Universe: pb/]
- Searching for the Fleet (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2018) [Diving Universe: pb/]
- The Renegat (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2019) [Diving Universe: pb/Philcold]
Assassin's Guild
- Assassins in Love (Toronto, Ontario: Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2012) as by Kris DeLake [tied to the series; Assassin's Guild: pb/]
- A Spy to Die For (Toronto, Ontario: Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2013) as by Kris DeLake [tied to the series; Assassin's Guild: pb/]
individual titles
- The White Mists of Power (New York: Penguin Books/Roc, 1991) [pb/Tom Canty]
- Heart Readers (London: Millennium, 1993) [hb/Tom Canty]
- Traitors (London: Millennium, 1993) [hb/Fred Gambino]
- Abyss (New York: Dell Books/Abyss, 1993) [in the Abyss line: pb/Rick Lieder]
- Alien Influences (London: Millennium, 1994) [hb/Fred Gambino]
- Aliens: Rogue (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1995) with Dean Wesley Smith, writing together as Sandy Schofield [tie to the Alien universe: pb/John Bolton]
- Sins of the Blood (New York: Dell Books, 1995) [pb/]
- The Devil's Chum (New York: Dell Books, 1996) [pb/]
- Loch Ness Leap (New York: Boulevard, 1997) with Dean Wesley Smith, writing together as Sandy Schofield [tie to the series: Quantum Leap: pb/Stephen Gardner]
- Hitler's Angel (New York: St Martin's Press, 1998) as Kris Rusch [hb/Sue Newman]
- Predator: Big Game (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1999) with Dean Wesley Smith, writing together as Sandy Schofield [tie to the Predator film universe: Predator: pb/John Bolton]
- X-Men (New York: Ballantine Books/Del Rey, 2000) with Dean Wesley Smith [tie to the Marvel Comics universe: novelizing the film X-Men (see X-Men Films): X-Men: pb/]
- The 10th Kingdom (New York: Kensington Publishing Group/Hallmark, 2000) with Dean Wesley Smith, writing together as Sandy Schofield [tie to the Television miniseries: The 10th Kingdom (2000): pb/Hallmark Entertainment]
- The 10th Kingdom: Do You Believe in Magic? (New York: HarperCollinsEntertainment, 2000) with Dean Wesley Smith, writing together as Sandy Schofield [vt of the above: pb/Hallmark Entertainment]
- Fantasy Life (New York: Pocket Star Books, 2003) [pb/Rowena Morrill]
- Snipers (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2013) [pb/]
- The Enemy Within (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2014) [short version as "G-Men" in Sideways in Crime (anth 2008) edited by Lou Anders: pb/Liz Van Steenburgh/Dreamstime]
- Visions of Sugar Plums (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2013) as Kristine Grayson [pb/]
collections and stories
series
Colliding Worlds
- Colliding Worlds Vol 1: A Science Fiction Short Story Series (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2021) with Dean Wesley Smith [coll: ten stories by each author: hb/Angela_Harburn/Depositphotos]
- Colliding Worlds Vol 2: A Science Fiction Short Story Series (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2021) with Dean Wesley Smith [coll: ten stories by each author: hb/Angela_Harburn/Depositphotos]
- Colliding Worlds Vol 3: A Science Fiction Short Story Series (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2021) with Dean Wesley Smith [coll: ten stories by each author: hb/Angela_Harburn/Depositphotos]
- Colliding Worlds Vol 4: A Science Fiction Short Story Series (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2021) with Dean Wesley Smith [coll: ten stories by each author: hb/Angela_Harburn/Depositphotos]
- Colliding Worlds Vol 5: A Science Fiction Short Story Series (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2021) with Dean Wesley Smith [coll: ten stories by each author: hb/Angela_Harburn/Depositphotos]
- Colliding Worlds Vol 6: A Science Fiction Short Story Series (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2021) with Dean Wesley Smith [coll: ten stories by each author: hb/Angela_Harburn/Depositphotos]
individual collections and stories
- The Gallery of His Dreams (Eugene, Oregon: Axolotl Press, 1991) [novella: chap: hb/George Barr]
- Stories for an Enchanted Afternoon (Urbana, Illinois: Golden Gryphon Press, 2001) [coll: hb/Thomas Canty]
- The Retrieval Artist and Other Stories (Waterville, Maine: Five Star, 2002) [coll: title story is part of the Retrieval Artist sequence, see above: hb/Ken Barr]
- The Omega Egg (Part 10 of 17): Holes in the Universe (no place given: Fictionwise, 2006) [ebook: chapter of multi-author Round-Robin novel: na/]
- Recovering Apollo 8 and Other Stories (Urbana, Illinois: Golden Gryphon Press, 2010) [coll: hb/Bob Eggleton]
- Five Fantastic Tales (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2010) [coll: pb/]
- Five Feline Fancies (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2012) [coll: pb/]
- Silent Night: A Christmas Collection (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2012) [coll: pb/]
- Five for the Winter Holidays (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2012) [coll: pb/]
- Santa and Other Christmas Criminals (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2012) [coll: pb/]
- Five Diverse Detectives (no place given: WMG Publishing, 2013) [coll: pb/]
nonfiction
- Science Fiction Writers of America Handbook: The Professional Writer's Guide to Writing Professionally (Eugene, Oregon: Pulphouse Publishing, 1990) with Dean Wesley Smith [nonfiction: anth: hb/nonpictorial]
- Characters (Eugene, Oregon: Pulphouse Publishing, 1990) [nonfiction: chap: in the publisher's Pulphouse Writer's Chapbook series: pb/nonpictorial]
works as editor
series
Fiction River
Several anthologies in this series were edited by other authors.
- Unnatural Worlds (no place given: WMG Publishing/Fiction River, 2013) edited with Dean Wesley Smith [anth: Fiction River: pb/Rashevskaya]
- Christmas Ghosts (no place given: WMG Publishing/Fiction River, 2013) edited as by Kristine Grayson [anth: Fiction River: pb/]
- Fantasy Adrift (no place given: WMG Publishing/Fiction River, 2014) [anth: Fiction River: pb/]
- Fantastic Detectives (no place given: WMG Publishing/Fiction River, 2014) [anth: Fiction River: pb/]
- Past Crime (no place given: WMG Publishing/Fiction River, 2014) [anth: Fiction River: pb/]
individual titles
- The Best of Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine (New York: St Martin's Press, 1991) [anth: Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine: pb/Tom Canty]
- The Best from Fantasy & Science Fiction: A 45th Anniversary Anthology (New York: St Martin's Press, 1994) with Edward L Ferman [anth: F&SF: hb/Alan Dingman]
- Women of Futures Past (New York: Baen Books, 2016) [anth: pb/Christine Mitzuk]
links
previous versions of this entry