Baker was born on May 10, 1938, in San Francisco,[1] daughter of Frank and Margaret Sklensky. She earned a BA from Mills College in 1960 and a master's degree in Libranianship from the University of Washington in 1966.[2] Her husband, Gordon P. Baker, was a doctor. She had four sons, Seth, Eliot,[3] Brett, and Jason.[2] Baker began her writing life during a period when she was responsible to drive her four sons to their four schools every day. "I felt like a car appliance," she said in an interview with Gale Contemporary Authors, "[and] to remind myself that I was not, I signed up for a weekly writing class."[2] As her career continued, she developed a hands-on research style for her books, typified by this anecdote: "Since Quarreling's hero was a slave, I talked to street kids who sold themselves to live. I was so touched by these boys' plight ... my hero became one of them." Critical reactions to her work could sting, but Baker was outspoken about not giving up: "[O]n good days, I no longer feel like an appendage of my station wagon or anything else. I feel like me. And I like it."[2] Baker died in Seattle on June 4, 1991.[1] The Sharon Baker Memorial Award was for a time administrated by the Pacific Northwest Writers Association.[4]
Themes and critical responseedit
The first book of the Naphar series, Quarreling, They Met The Dragon, won second prize in the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference Novel Contest in 1982,[2] though the novel did not earn universal praise: writing for Library Journal, Jackie Cassada noted, "The strong emphasis on sex unfortunately fails to mesh comfortably with the story's plot."[5]Mary Turzillo, writing in the 1988 edition of Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Review Annual, begins her review of the second book in the series (Journey to Membliar) with, "This is not a perfect book." Some critique aside, however, the review is on the whole positive. "I wouldn't want to live on Naphar," Turzillo says, "but I recommend the vicarious pleasure of Sharon Baker's narrative about its society." Turzillo considered that the second book of the series outperformed the first, that "the themes of betrayal and loss are powerful," and that Baker's "growth as an artist suggests high promise."[6] Turzillo compared Baker's poetic writing style to that of British sci-fi writer Tanith Lee. Writing in the New York Review of Science Fiction, Brian Stableford's longform review of the second and third installments of the Naphar series concludes its lengthy deliberations over Baker's combining of science fiction and fantasy elements with: "By virtue of importing and carefully developing the skeptical sciencefictional viewpoint within the emotionally-charged fantasy of self-development, [Baker] attains a particular blend of the two which does benefit from a kind of literary synergy."[7]
^ abClute, John (3 January 2017). "Baker, Sharon". The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
^ abcdeStone, Les (1986). May, Hal (ed.). "Contemporary Authors". Contemporary Authors; A Bio-Bibliographical Guide to Current Writers in Fiction, General Nonfiction, Poetry, Journalism, Drama, Motion Pictures, Television and Other Fields. Detroit: Gale Research Company: 34–35. ISSN 0010-7468.
^Lacitis, Erik (February 1, 1991). "Home Front: Parents Watch the News, Wait and Worry". Seattle Times. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
^Publications, Europa (2003). International Who's Who of Authors and Writers 2004. Psychology Press. ISBN9781857431797.
^Cassada, Jackie (1984). "Quarreling, They Met The Dragon (Book)". Library Journal. 109: 1961 – via EBSCOHost.[dead link]
^Brizzi, Mary Turzillo (1988). Collins, Robert A. (ed.). Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Review Annual 1988. London: Meckler Corporation. pp. 88–89. ISBN0-88736-249-4.
^Stableford, Brian. "The Spring of the Twin Moons (review)." The New York Review of Science Fiction, #9, May 1989, page 18, [1]
External linksedit
at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
at the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Review Index
sharon, baker, 1938, 1991, science, fiction, writer, author, naphar, trilogy, born, 1938, 1938san, francisco, california, united, statesdied, 1991, june, 1991seattle, washington, united, statesnationalityamericanperiod1983, 1991genrescience, fictionnotable, wo. Sharon Baker 1938 1991 was a science fiction writer author of the Naphar trilogy Sharon BakerBorn 1938 05 10 May 10 1938San Francisco California United StatesDied 1991 06 04 June 4 1991Seattle Washington United StatesNationalityAmericanPeriod1983 1991GenreScience fictionNotable worksThe Naphar series Contents 1 Biography 2 Themes and critical response 3 Bibliography 4 References 5 External linksBiography editBaker was born on May 10 1938 in San Francisco 1 daughter of Frank and Margaret Sklensky She earned a BA from Mills College in 1960 and a master s degree in Libranianship from the University of Washington in 1966 2 Her husband Gordon P Baker was a doctor She had four sons Seth Eliot 3 Brett and Jason 2 Baker began her writing life during a period when she was responsible to drive her four sons to their four schools every day I felt like a car appliance she said in an interview with Gale Contemporary Authors and to remind myself that I was not I signed up for a weekly writing class 2 As her career continued she developed a hands on research style for her books typified by this anecdote Since Quarreling s hero was a slave I talked to street kids who sold themselves to live I was so touched by these boys plight my hero became one of them Critical reactions to her work could sting but Baker was outspoken about not giving up O n good days I no longer feel like an appendage of my station wagon or anything else I feel like me And I like it 2 Baker died in Seattle on June 4 1991 1 The Sharon Baker Memorial Award was for a time administrated by the Pacific Northwest Writers Association 4 Themes and critical response editThe first book of the Naphar series Quarreling They Met The Dragon won second prize in the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference Novel Contest in 1982 2 though the novel did not earn universal praise writing for Library Journal Jackie Cassada noted The strong emphasis on sex unfortunately fails to mesh comfortably with the story s plot 5 Mary Turzillo writing in the 1988 edition of Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Review Annual begins her review of the second book in the series Journey to Membliar with This is not a perfect book Some critique aside however the review is on the whole positive I wouldn t want to live on Naphar Turzillo says but I recommend the vicarious pleasure of Sharon Baker s narrative about its society Turzillo considered that the second book of the series outperformed the first that the themes of betrayal and loss are powerful and that Baker s growth as an artist suggests high promise 6 Turzillo compared Baker s poetic writing style to that of British sci fi writer Tanith Lee Writing in the New York Review of Science Fiction Brian Stableford s longform review of the second and third installments of the Naphar series concludes its lengthy deliberations over Baker s combining of science fiction and fantasy elements with By virtue of importing and carefully developing the skeptical sciencefictional viewpoint within the emotionally charged fantasy of self development Baker attains a particular blend of the two which does benefit from a kind of literary synergy 7 Bibliography editQuarreling They Met The Dragon 1984 ISBN 0 380 89201 4 Journey to Membliar 1987 ISBN 0 380 75114 3 Burning Tears of Sassurum 1988 ISBN 0 380 75113 5References edit a b Clute John 3 January 2017 Baker Sharon The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Retrieved 4 October 2017 a b c d e Stone Les 1986 May Hal ed Contemporary Authors Contemporary Authors A Bio Bibliographical Guide to Current Writers in Fiction General Nonfiction Poetry Journalism Drama Motion Pictures Television and Other Fields Detroit Gale Research Company 34 35 ISSN 0010 7468 Lacitis Erik February 1 1991 Home Front Parents Watch the News Wait and Worry Seattle Times Retrieved October 19 2017 Publications Europa 2003 International Who s Who of Authors and Writers 2004 Psychology Press ISBN 9781857431797 Cassada Jackie 1984 Quarreling They Met The Dragon Book Library Journal 109 1961 via EBSCOHost dead link Brizzi Mary Turzillo 1988 Collins Robert A ed Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Review Annual 1988 London Meckler Corporation pp 88 89 ISBN 0 88736 249 4 Stableford Brian The Spring of the Twin Moons review The New York Review of Science Fiction 9 May 1989 page 18 1 External links editat the Internet Speculative Fiction Database at the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Review Index at Locusmag com Portals nbsp Biography nbsp Books nbsp Writing Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sharon Baker amp oldid 1217665792, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
