Ian Whates

Ian Whates is a successful author and editor in the fields of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. He was born in England and grew up in Cambridgeshire, where he currently resides in a peaceful village with his partner Helen and their pets. Whates' earliest memories of science fiction involve watching shows such as Dr. Who, Lost in Space, and Star Trek, and listening to radio adaptations of works like John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids. His love for science fiction led him to become a frequent visitor to his local library, where he would devour the contents of their SF section.

Whates' passion for science fiction and fantasy became evident during his school days when he wrote an SF murder mystery for a homework assignment, much to the surprise of his English teacher. His first published stories appeared in small press magazines such as Dream and New Moon Quarterly in the late 1980s. After taking a break from writing to research his chosen fields, he decided to pursue writing seriously in the early 2000s. He joined the Northampton SF Writers Group in 2004 and started submitting stories again, leading to many publications in various magazines and anthologies. His story "The Gift of Joy" was even shortlisted for the British Science Fiction Association Awards in 2007.

In addition to his writing, Whates is also an accomplished editor and publisher. He founded the independent publishing house NewCon Press in 2006 and has since published works from some of the biggest names in genre fiction. The press has received four BSFA Awards, one BSF Award, and has been included in "Year's Best" anthologies. Whates has also served as a director of the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) and the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA), and has edited Matrix, the online news and media reviews magazine, for the latter.

Whates is the author of seven novels, including four space operas and three urban fantasies with steampunk overtones, as well as two military SF novels co-authored with Milton Davis. He has also seen over sixty of his short stories published in various venues and has been shortlisted for the Philip K. Dick Award and the BSFA Awards. His novel Pelquin's Comet was an Amazon UK #1 bestseller and has been translated into several languages. He currently lives in Cambridgeshire with his partner and their cocker spaniel.