In a far future society, people change their identities, their societal roles, even their personalities based upon the masks they must don each day. But not every citizen is content to play their mandated part, longing instead to discover who they are beneath their masks: sinner, gentleman, or beast. Winner of the 2009 Nebula Award for Best Novelette and nominated for the 2010 Hugo Award for Best Novelette, the 2010 WSFA Small Press Award, and the 2009 BSFA Award for Best Short Story. “…an elegantly strange slipstreamish fantasy” —Gardner Dozois, Locus “This far future science fiction tale is an exploration of self identity and the masks we all wear in public…a beautifully written and fast-paced tale” —Jason Sanford “…a classy fantasy, a strange society in which the wearing of masks in not only compulsory, but one in which the mask worn confers a different daily identity…The implications of this are subtly portrayed, as is the response to those who oppose this status quo.” —Mark Watson, Best SF Reviews “Foster has created a fascinating world here.” —Sam Tomaino, SFRevu. “Foster’s story might not take the reader where they expect to go, but it’s a heady journey nonetheless, encompassing sex and death, and it is told in an accomplished manner…powerful stuff. —Martin McGrath, The Fix “…a really engrossing otherworld fantasy” —Tansy Rayner Roberts “Foster delivers an ending that isn’t what you think it might be, and raises some unsettling questions about the connection between non-conformity and sociopathy.” —Black Gate “…a colourful story of a world in which characters wear different masks each day and enact different, stylized, roles—not a new idea, but handled newly, with a dark ending.” —Rich Horton “…yet another in a run of massively inventive, intelligent stories from Eugie.” —Alasdair Stuart “…a blast of sensory overload…Eugie Foster as usual doesn’t shy away from the darker and more unpleasant side of human nature…a wondrous, sickening, startling story that is sure to stick in the mind.” —Gareth D. Jones, SF Crowsnest
Author
I grew up in the Midwest, although I call home a mildly haunted, fey-infested house in metro Atlanta that I share with my husband, Matthew. After receiving my Master of Arts degree in Developmental Psychology, I retired from academia to pen flights of fancy. I also edit legislation for the Georgia General Assembly, which from time to time I suspect is another venture into flights of fancy. I received the 2009 Nebula Award for Best Novelette, the 2011 and 2012 Drabblecast People’s Choice Award for Best Story, and was named the 2009 Author of the Year by Bards and Sages. The Dragon and the Stars anthology, edited by Derwin Mak and Eric Choi, with my story, “Mortal Clay, Stone Heart,” won the 2011 Aurora Award for Best English Related Work. My fiction has also received the 2002 Phobos Award; been translated into eight languages; and been a finalist for the Hugo, Washington Science Fiction Association, and British Science Fiction Association awards. My short story collection, Returning My Sister’s Face and Other Far Eastern Tales of Whimsy and Malice, was published in 2009 and has been used as a textbook at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of California-Davis. Check out my fiction index for a list of all my published and forthcoming works. I am represented by literary agent William Reiss of John Hawkins & Associates, Inc., and I’m a voting member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), the non-profit writers organization founded by Damon Knight in 1965 and presenter of the Nebula awards. I also keep a blog where I indulge in self-absorbed musings and document my writing progress, and I post regular updates on Twitter, Google+, and Facebook.
