Nina Allan

Nina Allan was born in Whitechapel, London, grew up in the Midlands and West Sussex, and studied Russian literature at the University of Exeter and Corpus Christi College, Oxford. She wrote her first short story at the age of six. Recurring obsessions include old clocks and rare insects, forgotten manuscripts and abandoned houses. Writers who have inspired and continue to inspire her include among many others Vladimir Nabokov, Iris Murdoch, Joyce Carol Oates, Paul Auster, J. G Ballard, Roberto Bolano, M. John Harrison and of course Christopher Priest, her partner and first reader. They live and work in the historic seaside town of Hastings, East Sussex.

Nina's stories have appeared regularly in premier British speculative fiction magazines Interzone, Black Static and Crimewave, and have featured in the anthologies Best Horror of the Year #2, The Year’s Best SF #28 and The Year’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2012 and 2013. Her story ‘Angelus’ won the Aeon Award in 2007, and short fiction of hers has shown up on BFS and BSFA shortlists on several occasions.

A first collection of her short fiction, A Thread of Truth, was published by Eibonvale Press in 2007, followed by her story cycle The Silver Wind in 2011. Her most recent books are Microcosmos (NewCon Press March 2013) and Stardust: The Ruby Castle Stories (PS Publishing April 2013). She has recently completed work on a novel, What Happened to Maree, set in an alternate and near-future version of southeast England. She is about to make a start on something new.

Photo used by permission from the author.