Picture a Canadian storyteller who weaves tales of demon-fighting cats and unravels the mysteries of empire through literature—meet Siobhan Carroll! A science fiction and fantasy author with a scholar’s heart, Carroll bridges the Romantic Century’s turbulent past with modern speculative fiction, inviting readers to explore empire, community, and the natural world through her captivating narratives.
Born in 1980, Carroll’s unique blend of academic rigor and imaginative storytelling has earned her accolades, including the 2020 Eugie Award for her fantasy novelette For He Can Creep. Whether she’s analyzing British literature or crafting fantastical worlds, her work sparks curiosity and wonder.
The Making of Siobhan Carroll
Raised in Vancouver, Siobhan Carroll’s love for storytelling bloomed early. By age eight, she was dreaming of becoming an author, sketching horse-filled adventures she called her “novel.” She published her first short story at 20, kicking off a career that would blend her passion for literature with speculative fiction. After earning a Ph.D. in English from Indiana University, she joined the University of Delaware in 2008, where she now serves as an Associate Professor, specializing in British literature from 1750 to 1850.
Carroll’s academic journey, enriched by her Clarion West training and the Online Writing Workshop (OWW), shaped her ability to weave historical depth into her fiction. Her scholarly focus on the “Romantic Century” informs her stories, which often explore how literature shapes our understanding of the world.
Siobhan Carroll’s Unforgettable Stories
Carroll’s fiction is a delightful mix of historical insight and fantastical flair. Her standout work, For He Can Creep (Tor.com, 2019), follows Jeoffry, a cunning cat battling Satan to save a poet’s soul in a 19th-century asylum. This dark fantasy novelette, brimming with wit and feline charm, won the 2020 Eugie Award and was a finalist for the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy Awards.
Other notable stories include The Correspondence Between the Governess and the Attic (Lightspeed, 2013), a reimagining of Jane Eyre as a fantasy tale, and Wendigo Nights (Fearful Symmetries, 2014), a chilling exploration of survival and myth. Her nonfiction book, An Empire of Air and Water: Uncolonizable Space in the British Imagination, 1750-1850 (2015), examines how literature shaped British imperial identity through “atopias”—uncolonizable spaces like the North Pole and the atmosphere. Carroll’s writing, whether fiction or scholarship, is marked by her ability to make complex ideas accessible and engaging.
Her stories often blend the speculative with the historical, drawing on her expertise in Romantic-era literature. Themes of empire, exploration, and environmental agency run through her work, inviting readers to question how stories shape our worldviews.
Why Siobhan Carroll Matters
Siobhan Carroll’s impact lies in her ability to bridge academia and speculative fiction, offering fresh perspectives on how literature influences culture. Her scholarship redefines our understanding of British identity and imperialism, while her fiction captivates readers with its imaginative depth. By teaching science fiction and fantasy writing, she inspires new voices to explore the genre’s potential as a critical lens.
Carroll’s work resonates with readers who love stories that challenge assumptions about history and humanity. Her exploration of “atopias” and her fantastical tales continue to shape how we think about the past and imagine the future.
- Born: 1980, Vancouver, Canada
- Key Works: For He Can Creep, An Empire of Air and Water, Wendigo Nights
- Awards: 2020 Eugie Award, Delaware Division of the Arts Fellowship (2016)
Snag For He Can Creep and dive into Siobhan Carroll’s spellbinding blend of history and fantasy!