Michael Damian Thomas
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Michael Damian Thomas is an American magazine editor and
podcaster A podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. For example, an episodic series of digital audio or video files that a user can download to a personal device to listen to at a time of their choosing. ...
. Thomas has won seven
Hugo Awards The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. The Hugo is widely considered the premier ...
, a
British Fantasy Award The British Fantasy Awards (BFA) are awarded annually by the British Fantasy Society (BFS), first in 1976. Prior to that they were known as The August Derleth Fantasy Awards (see August Derleth Award). First awarded in 1972 (to ''The Knight of ...
, and a
Parsec Award The Parsec Awards were a set of annual awards created to recognize excellence in science fiction podcasts and podcast novels. The awards were created by Mur Lafferty, Tracy Hickman and Michael R. Mennenga and awarded by FarPoint Media. They were ...
as co-publisher and co-editor-in-chief of ''
Uncanny Magazine ''Uncanny Magazine'' is an American science fiction and fantasy online magazine, edited and published by Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas, based in Urbana, Illinois. Its mascot is a space unicorn. The editors-in-chief, who originally ...
'' with his wife, Lynne M. Thomas. He has also been active as an advocate for disabled children in Illinois.


Early life

Thomas attended the
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, or IMSA, is a three-year residential public secondary education institution in Aurora, Illinois, United States, with an enrollment of approximately 650 students. Enrollment is generally offered to inc ...
(IMSA), a public magnet school in Aurora, Illinois, in 1992. In 2018, IMSA gave him the Alumni Titan Award, recognizing his contributions as "an enthusiastic and energetic champion who has invested significantly in the IMSA community". He graduated from
Parkland College Parkland College is a public community college in Champaign, Illinois. It is part of the Illinois Community College System serving Community College District 505 which includes parts of Coles, Champaign, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquo ...
in 1998, and worked on the Parkland literary journal.


Career

Thomas was managing editor at ''Apex Magazine'' from 2012 until 2013, and an associate editor at
Mad Norwegian Press Mad Norwegian Press is an American publisher of science-fiction guides and novels. The company has worked with authors such as Harlan Ellison, Peter David, Diana Gabaldon, Tanya Huff, Emma Bull, Elizabeth Bear, Mary Robinette Kowal, Seanan McGu ...
. In 2014, he and Lynne M. Thomas began ''Uncanny Magazine'', as "a home for emotional, strongly written, experimental stories and provocative nonfiction" and poetry. He is co-host of the podcast of the same name, and has contributed to other podcasts, including the ''SF Squeecast'' with Elizabeth Bear,
Paul Cornell Paul Douglas Cornell (born 18 July 1967) is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as ''Doctor Who'' fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield. As well as ''Docto ...
,
Seanan McGuire Seanan McGuire (pronounced SHAWN-in; born January 5, 1978 in Martinez, California) is an American author and filker. McGuire is known for her urban fantasy novels. She uses the pseudonym Mira Grant to write science fiction/ horror and the pseudon ...
, and Catherynne M. Valente, and ''Down and Safe'', a '' Blake’s 7'' podcast with Amal El-Mohtar, Scott Lynch, and L. M. Myles. Thomas has been the co-editor of several collections of stories and essays, including ''Glitter & Mayhem'' (2013 with John Klima and Lynne M. Thomas), and ''Queers Dig Time Lords: A Celebration of Doctor Who by the
LGBTQ ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is ...
Fans Who Love It'' (2014, with Sigrid Ellis), and ''The Best of Uncanny'' (2019, with Lynne M. Thomas). Thomas has taken a particular interest in disability issues. He chaired the City of
DeKalb DeKalb or De Kalb may refer to: People * Baron Johann de Kalb (1721–1780), major general in the American Revolutionary War Places Municipalities in the United States * DeKalb, Illinois, the largest city in the United States named DeKalb **DeKal ...
Advisory Commission on Disabilities and the DeKalb County Local Interagency Networking Council, and served on the planning committee of the Aicardi Syndrome Family Conference. In 2017, the Thomases and Mary Robinette Kowal crafted the "SF/F Convention Accessibility Pledge", a list of three basic accessibility requirements for signers' participation in conventions as participants, panelists, or guests. In 2018 and 2019, ''Uncanny Magazine'' published the theme issues ''Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction'' and ''Disabled People Destroy Fantasy'', exclusively featuring the works of disabled editors and authors.


Bibliography

* with Sigrid Ellis (editors), ''Queers Dig Time Lords: A Celebration of Doctor Who by the
LGBTQ ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is ...
Fans Who Love It'' (Mad Norwegian Press, 2013). * with John Klima and Lynne M. Thomas (editors), ''Glitter & Mayhem'' (
Apex Publications ''Apex Magazine'', also previously known as ''Apex Digest'', is an American horror and science fiction magazine. This subscription webzine, ''Apex Magazine'', contains short fiction, reviews, and interviews. It has been nominated for several awa ...
, 2013). * with Catherynne M. Valente,
Seanan McGuire Seanan McGuire (pronounced SHAWN-in; born January 5, 1978 in Martinez, California) is an American author and filker. McGuire is known for her urban fantasy novels. She uses the pseudonym Mira Grant to write science fiction/ horror and the pseudon ...
and Elizabeth Bear, ''Harvest Season: An Anthology by the SF Squeecast'' (ISFiC Press, 2014). * with Lynne M. Thomas (editors), ''The Best of Uncanny'' (Subterranean Press, 2019).


Awards

Thomas has been nominated for multiple Hugo Awards between 2013 and 2020, for work on ''Apex Magazine'', ''Uncanny Magazine'', and the anthology ''Queers Dig Time Lords'' (2014). He has been nominated for the
World Fantasy Award The World Fantasy Awards are a set of awards given each year for the best fantasy fiction published during the previous calendar year. Organized and overseen by the World Fantasy Convention, the awards are given each year at the eponymous ann ...
seven times, and for
Locus Awards The Locus Awards are an annual set of literary awards voted on by readers of the science fiction and fantasy magazine '' Locus'', a monthly magazine based in Oakland, California. The awards are presented at an annual banquet. In addition to the p ...
six times. Awards won by Michael Damian Thomas include the following: * 2016
Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine The Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine is given each year to a periodical publication related to science fiction or fantasy that meets several criteria having to do with the number of issues published and who, if anyone, receives payment. The awar ...
: ''Uncanny Magazine'' (with Lynne M. Thomas, Michi Trota, Erika Ensign, and Steven Schapansky) * 2016
Parsec Award The Parsec Awards were a set of annual awards created to recognize excellence in science fiction podcasts and podcast novels. The awards were created by Mur Lafferty, Tracy Hickman and Michael R. Mennenga and awarded by FarPoint Media. They were ...
for Best Speculative Fiction Magazine or Anthology Podcast: ''The Uncanny Magazine Podcast'' (with Lynne M. Thomas, Erika Ensign, Amal El-Mohtar, C. S. E. Cooney, Deborah Stanish, and Steven Schapansky) * 2017
Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine The Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine is given each year to a periodical publication related to science fiction or fantasy that meets several criteria having to do with the number of issues published and who, if anyone, receives payment. The awar ...
: ''Uncanny Magazine'' (with Lynne M. Thomas, Michi Trota, Julia Rios, Erika Ensign, and Steven Schapansky) * 2018
Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine The Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine is given each year to a periodical publication related to science fiction or fantasy that meets several criteria having to do with the number of issues published and who, if anyone, receives payment. The awar ...
: ''Uncanny Magazine'' (with Lynne M. Thomas, Michi Trota, Julia Rios, Erika Ensign, and Steven Schapansky). * 2018 Hugo Award for Best Editor Short Form (with Lynne M. Thomas) * 2019
Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine The Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine is given each year to a periodical publication related to science fiction or fantasy that meets several criteria having to do with the number of issues published and who, if anyone, receives payment. The awar ...
: ''Uncanny Magazine'' (with Lynne M. Thomas, Michi Trota, Erika Ensign, Steven Schapansky, Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, and Dominik Parisien) * 2019
British Fantasy Award The British Fantasy Awards (BFA) are awarded annually by the British Fantasy Society (BFS), first in 1976. Prior to that they were known as The August Derleth Fantasy Awards (see August Derleth Award). First awarded in 1972 (to ''The Knight of ...
for Best Magazine / Periodical (with Lynne M. Thomas, Michi Trota, Erika Ensign, Steven Schapansky, Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, and Dominik Parisien) * 2020
Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine The Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine is given each year to a periodical publication related to science fiction or fantasy that meets several criteria having to do with the number of issues published and who, if anyone, receives payment. The awar ...
: ''Uncanny Magazine'' (with Lynne M. Thomas, Michi Trota, Chimedum Ohaegbu, Erika Ensign, Steven Schapansky) * 2022
Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine The Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine is given each year to a periodical publication related to science fiction or fantasy that meets several criteria having to do with the number of issues published and who, if anyone, receives payment. The awar ...
: ''Uncanny Magazine'' (with Lynne M. Thomas, Chimedum Ohaegbu, Elsa Sjunneson, Erika Ensign, Steven Schapansky)


Personal life

Since 2017, the Thomases have lived in Urbana, Illinois with their daughter Caitlin, who has
Aicardi syndrome Aicardi syndrome is a rare genetic malformation syndrome characterized by the partial or complete absence of a key structure in the brain called the corpus callosum, the presence of retinal lacunes, and epileptic seizures in the form of infanti ...
.


References


External links


The Official Website of Michael Damian Thomas
(official website)
''Uncanny Magazine''
Thomas's current Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine
SF Squeecast
Thomas's podcast.
Down and Safe, a Blake’s 7 podcast
Thomas's other podcast. * Jason Sandford
"Interview with Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas of Uncanny Magazine"
(January 3, 2020), a blog interview with the Thomases {{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Michael Damian American editors Science fiction editors Hugo Award-winning editors American podcasters People from Illinois Living people Year of birth missing (living people)