Maria Alexander

Maria Elena Alexander is an American writer of horror and dark fantasy stories and poetry, best known for her award-winning novels Mr. Wicker and Snowed.

Maria Alexander
OccupationAuthor
LanguageEnglish
NationalityAmerican
Genredark fantasy, horror, thriller, young adult, poetry
Notable worksMr. Wicker, Snowed
Notable awardsBram Stoker Award (2014)
Bram Stoker Award (2016)
Years active1989–present
Website
mariaalexander.net

Background and Early Career

Alexander was born in Hayward, California. She first started writing at the age of eight: she contracted chicken pox and was forced to stay home with nothing to occupy her, so she began to create stories.[1] She attended Ponderosa High School,[2] and earned a bachelor's degree in English from California State University, Sacramento.

Alexander's career as a professional storyteller began in 1988, when she co-founded Dead Earth Productions, a horror Live Action Role-Playing company in the San Francisco Bay Area.[1] She was Dead Earth's Lead Writer from 1989–1996.

Alexander entered the world of online game writing in 1994, when she became World Designer and In-World Storyteller for Fujitsu America's WorldsAway project, one of the first graphical virtual worlds. Working under Randy Farmer, she created the history, mythology, and cohesive storyline for the Dreamscape.[3]

In 1997, Alexander began a film mentorship under Clive Barker and moved to Los Angeles.[4][5] Her screenplays were subsequently quarterfinalists for the Austin Film Festival in 1998 and 1999,[6] and the Nicholl Fellowship in 1999.[6][7]

Film and Fiction

In 2000, Alexander turned to short stories and poetry. Her work has appeared in Paradox Magazine, Chiaroscuro Magazine, Gothic.net, and assorted anthologies, and has been nominated for multiple awards.[8][9] She has also published numerous nonfiction articles,[10] including essays on Douglas Adams[11] and George R.R. Martin.[12]

In 2014, Alexander's debut novel, Mr. Wicker, won the 2014 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel,.[13] Her next book, a young adult novel entitled Snowed, won the 2016 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel[14] and was nominated for the 2017 Anthony Award for Best Children's/YA Novel.[15] Snowbound, the sequel to Snowed and the second book in a planned trilogy, was published in September 2018.[16]

Personal life

Alexander lives in Los Angeles, California, where, in addition to writing, she pursues her passion of sword fighting. She has studied Shinkendo, tameshigiri, stage combat, and the European small sword,[17] and appeared in a special issue of Katsujinken Magazine entitled "Women of the Sword Arts."[10] She has also written articles criticizing unrealistic portrayals of sword handling in art, fiction, and film, which has led to some controversy.[18][19]

Alexander's hands have become temporarily disabled at times, but she has been able to continue to write using speech recognition technology.[20][21]

Nominations and awards
Year Nominated Work Category Result Ref
2017 Snowed Anthony Award for Best Children's/YA Novel Nominated [15]
2016 Snowed Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel Won [14]
2014 Mr. Wicker Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel Won [13]
2012 "Mrs. Winchester" Shriekfest Best Horror Feature Screenplay Finalist [22]
2011 At Louche Ends: Poetry for the Decadent, the Damned & the Absinthe-Minded Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection Nominated [8]
2004 "The Rage of Her Return" AOL Time-Warner "Time to Rhyme" poetry contest Won [23]
2003 "King of Shadows" Moondance International Film Festival Selection, Short Story Finalist [9]
1999 "Mr. Wicker" Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Quarterfinalist [7]
1999 "Mrs. Winchester" Austin Film Festival Drama Screenplay Award Quarterfinalist [6]
1998 "Carpe Noctem" Austin Film Festival Drama Screenplay Award Quarterfinalist [6]

Bibliography

Novels
  • Snowbound (2018)
  • Snowed (2016)
  • Mr. Wicker (2014)

Collections and Anthologies
  • 12 Tales Lie: 1 Tells True (2019)
  • By the Pricking: 5 Dark Tales of Passion and Perversion (2013)
  • At Louche Ends: Poetry for the Decadent, the Damned & the Absinthe-Minded (2011)
  • Left Hanging: 9 Tales of Suspense and Thrills (2011)
  • Sins of the Sirens (2008)
  • Biting Midnight: A Feast of Darksome Verse (2002)

Short Fiction
  • "Neighborhood Watchers" (2017)
  • "Hey, Little Sister" (2016)
  • "Some Divine" (2015)
  • "Harvest of Flames" (2014)
  • "Revivified" (2012)
  • "Nickelback Ned" (2011)
  • "Saturnalia" (2011)
  • "Though Thy Lips Are Pale" (2009)
  • "In Her Mirrors, Dimly" (2008)
  • "The Last Word" (2008)
  • "Pinned" (2008)
  • "This Body of Death" (2005)
  • "Veil of Skin" (2005)
  • "The Dark River in His Flesh" (2004)
  • "Conspiracy of One" (2004)
  • "Agnus Dei" (2003)
  • "Unholywood" aka "Samantha Blazes: Psychic Detective of LA" (2003)
  • "Some Divine" (2002)
  • "The King of Shadows" (2001)
  • "When Gods Die" (2001)
  • "Bacchus Anesti" (2000)
  • "Coming Home" (2000)
  • "Black Roses and Hail Marys" (2000)

Nonfiction
  • "The Late, Great Halloween Costume Massacre" (2017)
  • "George R.R. Martin: The Man Who Put Horror in Every Home" (2017)
  • "The Witches of Winter" (2016)
  • "Four of the Dumbest Things Done with Swords in Fiction and Film" (2014)
  • "Baby Got Backbone: What Makes Strong Women Kick in Horror Films and TV Shows" (2014)
  • "Five Things I Learned Writing Mr. Wicker" (2014)
  • "What You See Is Who You Get: POV in Script-To-Book Adaptations" (2014)
  • "Why I Hate (Most) Photos and Drawings of Women With Swords" (2013)
  • "Me, Masturbation & Clive Barker" (2013)
  • "The Greatest Story Ever Interacted With" (2012)
  • "10 Reasons You HATE Poetry" (2012)
  • "Twilight Merch Update: XXX Edition" (2010)
  • "Dogma, Darth Vader and My Sexual Awakening" (2009)
  • "Rendezvous and Retail in French BDSM" (2007)
  • "Liberte, Egalite, Sexualite — French Philosophy and BDSM Culture" (2007)
  • "Susan Pevensie" (2006)
  • "Goodnight, Marvin" (2005)
  • "Bloody Awful Poetry: Why It's So Easy to Write Bad Love Poetry" (2002)
  • "Modern Madness" (1995)
  • "The Psyberpsychology of Insanity" (1994)
  • "Unscripted Theater: Guidelines for Running Cross-Genre, Live-Action Games, Dead Earth Productions" (1994)
  • "Graphology" (1992)

References
  1. "The Qwillery: Interview with Maria Alexander, author of Mr. Wicker". The Qwillery. September 19, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  2. Alexander, Maria (April 2, 2015). "Did Bullying Kill Lynda Burrill?". Goodreads. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  3. Stue (October 28, 2005). "An Interview with Oracle Vaserius". Virtual Planet News Inc. Archived from the original on May 19, 2006. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  4. Campbell, Adam Charles (October 15, 2014). "Podcast Ep. 6: From Novella to Screenplay to Novel – Adapting MR. WICKER, with Maria Alexander". Anywhere But Hollywood. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  5. Edelman, Scott (May 26, 2016). "Have a serendipitous dinner with Maria Alexander in Episode 9 of Eating the Fantastic". scottedelman.com. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  6. "Screenwriting Bibliography of Maria Alexander". mariaalexander.net. Archived from the original on August 20, 2010. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  7. "1999 Nicholl Quarterfinalists". Oscars.org. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on October 1, 2001. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  8. "Award Bibliography: Maria Alexander". Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  9. "Moondance – Contest Finalists". Moondance International Film Festival. Archived from the original on June 8, 2003. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  10. "Nonfiction". mariaalexander.net. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  11. Surrette, Gail (April 28, 2005). "The Anthology at the End of the Universe: Leading Science Fiction Authors on Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". SFRevu. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  12. Alexander, Maria (September 17, 2017). "George R. R. Martin: The Man Who Put Horror in Every Home". mariaalexander.net. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  13. "Bram Stoker Award® Winners". Horror Writers Association. May 10, 2015. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  14. "2016 Bram Stoker Award® Winners Announced". Horror Writers Association. April 30, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  15. "Anthony Award Nominees". Bouchercon 2017. Archived from the original on June 10, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  16. Alexander, Maria (January 18, 2018). "SNOWBOUND: The SNOWED Sequel Being Released September 8, 2018". mariaalexander.net. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  17. Bogran, J. H. (September 30, 2014). "Mr. Wicker by Maria Alexander". The Big Thrill, Magazine of the International Thriller Writers. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  18. Alexander, Maria (June 14, 2013). "Why I Hate (Most) Photos and Drawings of Women with Swords". mariaalexander.net. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  19. Alexander, Maria (October 2, 2014). "Four of the Dumbest Things Done with Swords in Film and Fiction". SF Signal. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  20. Bodine, Angela. "Maria Alexander – Interview". Blood Bound Books. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  21. Wytovich, Stephanie M. (November 21, 2016). "Getting Snowed in at the Madhouse with Maria Alexander". Join Me in the Madhouse. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  22. "2012 Finalists". Shriekfest 2012 International Horror, Thriller, Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film Festival and Screenplay Competition. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  23. Kosarich, Chris (June 2004). "Horror Writers Association Newsletter". Horror Writers Association. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
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