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Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1997)
Windling, Terri

Tagged: Author, Editor.

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(1958-    ) US editor, illustrator and book publisher whose passion for Fairytale contributed to a recent revival and reassessment of the field. Windling's influence has been most noticeable as an editor. She became an editor at Ace Books in 1979 and produced four Anthologies, the Elsewhere trilogy, Elsewhere (anth 1981), II (anth 1982) and III (anth 1984), all with Mark Alan Arnold, and Faery! (anth 1985). These showed her wide knowledge of Fantasy beyond standard Genre-Fantasy boundaries and helped broaden the understanding of a field that had become moribund during the 1970s. She developed the Ace Fantasy line of books, which showcased the early work of Steven R Boyett, Emma Bull, M Lucie Chin and Charles de Lint, and enticed Jane Yolen into writing novel-length work for adults. Windling also launched the MagicQuest YA series, mostly reprint, bringing into paperback for the first time work by Paul R Fisher, Elizabeth Marie Pope, and Ruth Nichols, alongside work by Diana Wynne Jones, Tanith Lee and Yolen, and publishing the first work of Patricia C Wrede. Before leaving Ace Windling established the Fairy Tales series, starting with Steve Brust's The Sun, the Moon and the Stars (1987). During this period she also edited, with Mark Alan Arnold, the Bordertown Shared-World series, including the anthologies Borderland (anth 1986), Bordertown (anth 1986) and Life on the Border (anth 1991), the last edited solo. These are set on the border between the human world and Faerie and include punk Elves.

In 1987 Windling went freelance, serving as Consulting Editor to Tor Books and developing their fantasy line. She also started, with Ellen Datlow, the Year's Best Fantasy and Horror series (anth 1988-current) with Windling selecting the fantasy and Datlow the horror. The series runs The Year's Best Fantasy: First Annual Collection (anth 1988; vt Demons and Dreams: The Best Fantasy and Horror 1 1989 UK), The Year's Best Fantasy: Second Annual Collection (anth 1989; vt Demons and Dreams: The Best Fantasy and Horror 2 1990 UK), with a permanent title switch to The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror: Third Annual Collection (anth 1990), Fourth (anth 1991), Fifth (anth 1992), Sixth (anth 1993), Seventh (anth 1994), Eighth (anth 1995) and Ninth (anth 1996). Windling's reading for these volumes is extensive, encompassing the widest possible range of new fantasy, and her selection is the most comprehensive available. Also with Datlow, Windling has edited a series of modern fairytales – mostly Revisionist Fantasy with a strong element of FeminismSnow White, Blood Red (anth 1993), Black Thorn, White Rose (anth 1994) and Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears (anth 1995). Solo, Windling compiled The Armless Maiden and Other Tales for Childhood's Survivors (anth 1995), intended to draw attention to the plight of abused children. The volume includes Windling's first published fiction, "The Green Children", drawn from Folklore. Windling's first novel, The Wood Wife (1996), uses a well known folktale as a basis for Contemporary Fantasy.

Windling's impact on fantasy since the 1980s has helped establish a wider awareness and understanding of the field. [MA]

Terri Windling

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