C. L. Polk
C. L. Polk | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1969 (age 56–57) |
| Occupation | Author |
| Genre | Fantasy fiction |
| Notable works | Witchmark Even Though I Knew the End |
| Notable awards | World Fantasy Award Nebula Award |
| Website | |
| clpolk | |
C. L. Polk (born 1969) is a Canadian author of fantasy fiction, known for their debut novel Witchmark which won the World Fantasy Award in 2019. Polk's 2022 novella Even Though I Knew the End won the Nebula Award for Best Novella, and several of their other works have received nominations for speculative fiction awards.
Early life and career
Polk was born in 1969 in New Westminster, British Columbia and grew up in Surrey and Edmonton.[1] They began writing in their thirties, publishing short fiction in magazines such as Abyss & Apex in the early 2000s.[1] Polk was influenced by the works of fantasy author Tanith Lee, in particular the Tales from the Flat Earth,[2] the historical mystery and fantasy novels of Barbara Hambly, and the Valdemar novels by Mercedes Lackey.[3][4]
Polk's first novel Witchmark was the first entry in the Kingston Cycle. It was written in 2014 and published in 2018.[1] Witchmark won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel,[5] and received nominations for several awards including the Nebula[6] and Locus Awards.[7] In 2019, Polk was listed by the CBC as one of "19 Canadian writers to watch".[8]
Stormsong, the sequel to Witchmark, was listed by CBC Books as among the Canadian fiction to watch for in 2020.[9] The third and concluding book of the series, Soulstar, was published in 2021.[10] [11] Other works by Polk include a historical fantasy set in Regency era England, The Midnight Bargain,[11] which was nominated for several speculative fiction prizes and was a contender in the 2021 edition of Canada Reads.[12]
Even Though I Knew the End, a period novella set in early 1900s Chicago about a damned woman fighting for a chance to be with the woman she loves, was nominated for multiple major awards and won the Nebula Award. Polk expressed surprise at the flood of nominations, saying that they didn't think it was "an award book."[13]
Personal life
Polk is non-binary and has referred to their gender as a "lava lamp."[14][15]
As of 2020, Polk resides in Calgary, Alberta.[16] In 2023, Polk underwent treatment with ketamine and blogged about their experience. Their intent was to manage Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder impacting their life and writing career. Polk continues to focus on fantasy with queer, romantic, and adventurous themes. [17]
Awards
Bibliography
The Kingston Cycle
- Witchmark (paperback ed.). Tor.com. 2018. pp. 1–318. ISBN 9781250162687.
- Stormsong (paperback ed.). Tor.com. 2020. pp. 1–346. ISBN 9780765398994.
- Soulstar (paperback ed.). Tor.com. 2021. pp. 1–304. ISBN 9781250203571.
Other novels and novellas
- The Midnight Bargain (hardcover ed.). Erewhon Books. 2020. pp. 1–384. ISBN 9781645660071.
- Even Though I Knew the End (hardcover 1st ed.). Tor.com. 2022. pp. 1–144. ISBN 9781250849458.
Short fiction
| Year | Title | Scope | Publication | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "Le Bel Homme Sans Merci" | "Le Bel Homme Sans Merci". Abyss & Apex. July–August 2003. Archived from the original on August 10, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2022. | ||
| 2005 | "Bright Wings and Wax" | "Bright Wings and Wax". Ideomancer. 4 (1). March 2005. | ||
| 2007 | "Kether Station" | "Kether Station". Jim Baen's Universe. 2 (3). October 2007. | ||
| 2020 | "St. Valentine, St. Abigail, St. Brigid" | Chen, Ruoxi, ed. (February 5, 2020). "St. Valentine, St. Abigail, St. Brigid". Tor.com. | ||
| 2021 | "The Music of the Siphorophenes" | Novelette | "The Music of the Siphorophenes". F&SF. 140 (3 & 4). March–April 2021. | |
| 2023 | "Ivy, Angelica, Bay" | Novelette | "Ivy, Angelica, Bay". Reactor. December 8, 2023. |
References
- ^ a b c "C.L. Polk: The World Turned Upside Down". Locus Magazine. Vol. 84, no. 5. May 2020. ASIN B088D6T1GB.
- ^ Colyard, K.W. (June 3, 2019). "We Asked 24 Fantasy Authors For The Book That Made Them Fall In Love With The Genre". Bustle.
- ^ M., Daryl (May 31, 2018). "Interview With an Author: C.L. Polk". Los Angeles Public Library.
- ^ Stubby the Rocket (February 12, 2020). "Writing Advice, Snack Recommendations, and Other Highlights from C.L. Polk's Reddit AMA". Tor.com. Macmillan.
- ^ a b "2019 World Fantasy Awards Winners". Locus. November 3, 2019. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
- ^ a b "2018 Nebula Awards Winners". Locus. May 18, 2019. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
- ^ a b "2019 Locus Awards Finalists". Locus. May 7, 2019. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
- ^ "19 Canadian writers to watch in 2019". CBC Books. July 1, 2019.
- ^ "47 works of Canadian fiction to watch for in spring 2020". CBC Books. February 5, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
- ^ Rockwood, Catherine (July 5, 2021). "Soulstar by C. L. Polk". Strange Horizons.
- ^ a b El-Mohtar, Amal (October 14, 2020). "Dealmakers and Wanderers: New Science Fiction and Fantasy". The New York Times.
- ^ Anderson, Porter (January 14, 2021). "CBC's 20th Season of 'Canada Reads': Five Books and Their 'Champions'". Publishing Perspectives. Frankfurter Buchmesse. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Polk, C.L. (July 10, 2023). "Nothing worth writing a post about has happened to me in months, part 1-5". Small Acts of Writing. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
- ^ Polk, C.L. "I just failed at describing my gender..." Bluesky. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ C. L. Polk (March 18, 2021). "Hello! I didn't Make a big deal announcement because it didn't seem like the right time but it will never be the right time. I caucus with women, but I am nonbinary..." Twitter. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
- ^ Coleman, Christian A. (October 2020). "Interview: C.L. Polk". Lightspeed Magazine.
- ^ Polk, C.L. (March 8, 2023). "Oh hey, lots of people, hello". Mastodon. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
- ^ "2019 Aurora Awards Winners". Locus. October 20, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ^ "Readers' Favorite Debut Author 2018". Goodreads. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ^ "31st Annual Lambda Literary Award Finalists". Lambda Literary. March 7, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ^ "2021 Ignyte Awards Winners". Locus. September 18, 2021. Archived from the original on September 19, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2025.
- ^ "2021 Locus Awards Winners". Locus. June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2025.
- ^ "2020 Nebula Awards Winners". Locus. June 5, 2021. Archived from the original on January 5, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2025.
- ^ "2021 World Fantasy Award Winners". Locus. November 7, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ^ "2022 Ignyte Awards Winners". Locus. September 19, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ "2022 Hugo, Astounding, and Lodestar Winners". Locus. September 4, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ "2022 Aurora Awards Winners". Locus. August 15, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ^ "2022 Locus Awards Winners". Locus. June 25, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ "2023 Aurora Awards and CSFFA Hall of Fame Inductees". Locus. August 21, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
- ^ "2023 Hugo, Astounding, and Lodestar Awards Winners". Locus. October 21, 2023. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
- ^ "2023 RESULTS - The Ignyte Awards". FIYAH Literary Magazine. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
- ^ "2023 Locus Awards Winners". Locus. June 25, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
- ^ "2022 Nebula Awards Winners". Locus. May 14, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
- ^ Molly Templeton (October 30, 2023). "Announcing the 2023 World Fantasy Awards Winners". Reactor. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
- ^ "Hugo, Lodestar, and Astounding Awards Winners". Locus. August 11, 2024. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ "2024 Ignyte Award Winners". Locus. November 8, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2025.