Linda Addison (poet) - Career

Career

In 1996, Addison’s short story “Little Red in the Hood” was published in Tomorrow Speculative Fiction and was listed as an Honorable Mention in the annual Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror anthology (1997).

During her time at Carnegie Mellon, Addison became a fan of legendary Science-Fiction author Isaac Asimov and began regularly submitting short stories for publication to Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine. At the NEW YORK IS BOOK COUNTRY FESTIVAL, Addison met influential Science Fiction Author and Editor Frederik Pohl. As their discussion turned to publication, Pohl advised that in order to get published in Science Fiction “every one has to write a how the dinosaurs died story.” Addison took the advice and from a short story drafted a poem entitled “Why the Dinosaurs Died” it was published in Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine in 1997. Addison went on to be published a total of four times in Asimov’s Magazine between 1997 -1999.

In 1997, Addison published her first Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror collection of short stories, journal entries and poetry entitled Animated Objects. Animated Objects features an introduction by Science Fiction and Fantasy writer Barry N. Malzberg.

African American editor Sheree Thomas put the call out for African American Speculative Fiction writers to submit for a collection that became the groundbreaking anthology: Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction From the African Diaspora Addison’s work was featured along with Octavia E. Butler, Samuel Delaney, Tananarive Due and Walter Mosley. Addison went on to be included in Dark Dreams and Dark Thirst.

Inspired by transformation, a forced reevaluation of her core belief system following the breakdown of her marriage, like a phoenix Addison created the Bram Stoker Award winning poetry collection, Consumed, Reduced to Beautiful Grey Ashes. Addison was the first African American to win this prestigious award. The first book signing for this collection was held on September 11, 2001 at the Barnes and Noble at Rockefeller Center. The first poem in the collection is entitled “Fire/Fight,” although the collection came from Addison’s personal journals and reflections previous to the events of 9/11, critics and fans of the book could not help but connect certain themes to current events, like loss, devastation in conjunction with rebirth, rebuilding and the resilience of the human spirit.

In 2007, her third book of poetry and second Bram Stoker Award winning collection was released: Being Full of Light, Insubstantial. This emotional tour de force was inspired by events beyond Addison’s control. Her beloved mother, Janet was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and Addison felt strangely pulled to her office on January 1, 2007. She describes the experience “as something she had never felt before, it was as if a voice came to her in meditation and gently whispered... 100 poems.” The collection that poured from her was an amalgamation of reprints and new poetry. Addison completed her “100th poem” on March 14, 2007.

Addison is a member of the Horror Writers Association (HWA) and annually attends the Northeastern Writers’ Conference (Camp Necon) and has participated in panels with Harlan Ellison, Jack Ketchum and L.A. Banks.

Addison was "Poet Guest of Honor" at The World Horror Convention in 2005.

Addison’s writing has been featured in Essence Magazine, and she is currently the poetry editor for Space and Time Magazine.

Addison has participated in Ellen Datlow’s Fantastic Fiction Reading Series at KGB Bar in NYC.

In March 2012, Addison won her third Bram Stoker Award for How To Recognize A Demon Has Become Your Friend, her latest collection of reprints, new poems and short stories.