Kelly Link
Kelly Link: A Masterful Storyteller of the Weird and Wonderful
Full Name and Common Aliases
Kelly Link is a renowned American writer known for her unique blend of magical realism, science fiction, and fantasy.
Early Life and Background
Born on September 9, 1969, in Naples, Florida, Kelly Link grew up in a family that valued storytelling. Her father, George Link, was an architect, and her mother, Nancy Link, was a writer and artist. This exposure to the creative arts had a profound impact on Kelly's early life, nurturing her imagination and encouraging her to experiment with language.
Growing up, Kelly was a voracious reader, devouring books of all genres. Her love for fantasy and science fiction was sparked by authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Philip Pullman. As she entered adolescence, Kelly began writing short stories, experimenting with the boundaries between reality and fantasy.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Kelly Link is an American writer, editor, and publisher. She has made significant contributions to the literary world through her innovative fiction and non-fiction works.
Major Accomplishments
Throughout her career, Kelly Link has received numerous accolades for her writing. Some of her notable achievements include:
Pulitzer Prize finalist for short story collections (_Get in Trouble_ , 2015)
National Book Award longlist for short story collection (_Get in Trouble_, 2015)
Hugo Award winner for Best Novella (_The New Valley_, 2002)
World Fantasy Award winner for Best Novel (_Magic for Beginners_, 2004)
Notable Works or Actions
Kelly Link's writing is characterized by its unique blend of magical realism, science fiction, and fantasy. Her short stories often explore the complexities of human relationships, while her novels delve into the mysteries of identity and reality.
Some notable works include:
Get in Trouble (2015) - a collection of short stories that showcase Kelly's mastery of genre-bending fiction
Magic for Beginners (2004) - a novel that explores the intersection of magic and reality
The New Valley (2002) - a novella that won the Hugo Award for Best NovellaImpact and Legacy
Kelly Link's writing has had a profound impact on contemporary literature. Her innovative approach to storytelling has influenced a new generation of writers, encouraging experimentation with genre and form.
As a writer, Kelly continues to push the boundaries of language, exploring themes that are both deeply human and universally relatable. Her work has been translated into multiple languages, reaching readers worldwide.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Kelly Link is widely quoted and remembered for her:
Innovative storytelling: Kelly's writing often blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, creating a unique narrative experience.
Genre-bending fiction: Her work defies categorization, blending elements of science fiction, fantasy, and magical realism to create something entirely new.
Mastery of language: Kelly's prose is both precise and evocative, conjuring vivid worlds and characters that linger long after the story ends.
In conclusion, Kelly Link's remarkable life and career have left an indelible mark on contemporary literature. Her innovative storytelling, mastery of genre-bending fiction, and commitment to exploring the complexities of human experience have made her one of the most respected writers working today.
Quotes by Kelly Link
Kelly Link's insights on:
Babies weren’t babies – they were land mines; bear traps; wasp nests. They were a noise, which was sometimes even not a noise, but merely a listening for a noise; they were a damp, chalky smell; they were the heaving, jerky, sticky manifestation of not-sleep.
How could I love you? How could I love a ghost? How could I love something that I have to keep hidden in my pocket?
It’s very unlikely that a writer is going to make a living by writing. So then the question is: how do you balance work, life, and writing? If you find out, please tell me.
So what do you think? Should the toothpaste and the condiments go next to the Elmer’s glue and the hair gel and lubricants? Make a shelf of sticky things? Or should I put it with the chewing tobacco and the mouth-wash, and make a little display of things that you spit?
What happens when you get to the end of the world? Sometimes you find a party. This party has been going on for a long time. There is music, lights, people drinking and dancing. Strange things happen at these parties. It is the end of the world, after all.
I helped Master Crawford, the watchmaker, now that his sight had gone and faded to a thin pinpoint of light. That were my favorite time. I loved the beauty of all them parts working perfectly together, a little world that could be put to rights with the click of gears, like time itself answered to your fingers. “There is a beauty to the way things work. Remove one part, add another, you’ve changed the mechanism.
I’m not good at the friends thing. I’m the human equivalent of one of those baby birds that fall out of a nest and then some nice person picks the baby bird up and puts it back. Except that now the baby bird smells all wrong. I think I smell wrong.