Don Sakers


Don Sakers is an American science fiction writer and fan living in Maryland, who has written several novels and edited a short story collection. In 2009 he succeeded Thomas Easton as book reviewer for Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine. Sakers is probably best known in the science fiction community as a frequent guest speaker at science fiction conventions.
When asked about the reaction to the diversity elements in his SF, Sakers said:

Writing career and SF fandom

Sakers is the author of SF novels Dance for the Ivory Madonna and companion titles The Leaves of October, A Voice in Every Wind, Weaving the Web of Days, and A Rose From Old Terra ; and dark fantasy novel Curse of the Zwilling. He is also author of the short story "The Cold Solution" and other short fiction. Sakers was editor of Carmen Miranda's Ghost Is Haunting Space Station Three, an anthology of stories based on Leslie Fish's song of the same name; the SF Book of Days ; and the Gaylaxicon 2006 Sampler. Sakers is also the author of two gay young adult novels: Act Well Your Part and Lucky in Love. Melissa Scott called him "a left wing Heinlein."
A member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, he has written numerous obituaries for their web site, including that of Lisa A. Barnett.

''Dance for the Ivory Madonna''

According to a Publishers Weekly review, Dance for the Ivory Madonna is about;
Sakers describes the book as being about "a lot of things: friendship, toleration, a celebration of the creative spirit, a paean to unconventionality. It's about what's wrong with today's world, what's right with today's world, and what hope there is for the future. It's about how our technology affects us, and about the decisions we can make regarding those effects."
Dance for the Ivory Madonna was a Spectrum Award finalist.

Science fiction conventions

Sakers was guest of honor at the 1995 Gaylaxicon, and is a frequent guest speaker at other Gaylaxicons, Albacon, Arisia, and Boskone.

Personal life

Sakers is openly gay and has diabetes and autism. He shares a home in Anne Arundel County, Maryland with his spouse, costumer Thomas Atkinson. Their house, known as Meerkat Meade, was featured in Weird Maryland. His self-described "day job" was with the Anne Arundel County public library, where he worked for 42 years. Sakers is an active blogger.

Fiction

Scattered Worlds Mosaic

;Novels
  1. Dance for the Ivory Madonna
  2. Weaving the Web of Days
  3. The Eighth Succession
  4. Children of the Eighth Day
  5. All Roads Lead to Terra
  6. A Voice in Every Wind,
  7. A Rose From Old Terra
  8. The Leaves of October
;Short fiction