Bethany C. Morrow

Bethany C. Morrow is an American author. She writes speculative fiction for adult and young adult audiences and is the author of Mem (2018), A Song Below Water (2020), and the editor of YA anthology Take the Mic (2019).[2]

Bethany C. Morrow
NationalityAmerican
GenresScience fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction
Notable worksMem (2018)[1]
Years active2018-present
Website
www.bethanycmorrow.com

Early life and education

Morrow was born and raised in California.[3] She enjoyed writing and reading from childhood and names authors Christopher Pike and Lois Duncan, and the book Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry as early favorites.[3] She studied sociology in university and attended graduate school for clinical psychology before leaving to pursue a career in publishing.[3] Morrow lived in Great Britain and Montreal before returning to the United States.[3]

Career

Morrow's first novel, Mem was released in 2018. Set in Montreal in 1925, the science-fiction novel tells the story of an alternate reality where people's memories are extracted and replayed constantly by half-living creatures called Mems.[1] The book received positive critical reception and was described by Publisher's Weekly as "ambitious and insightful, raising questions about memory, trauma, and humanity."[4] Kirkus Reviews wrote, "With her dizzying concept, richly imagined narrator, ornate setting, and first-rate storytelling, Morrow offers an epiphany for readers of speculative fiction with echoes of ideas explored in films like Blade Runner and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."[1] The book was recommended by the Chicago Review of Books,[5] The Washington Post,[6] Los Angeles Times,[7] and BuzzFeed News.[8]

Her first book for young adults, Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance, was released in 2019 (Scholastic).[9][10] It is an edited anthology that "aims to provide marginalized teens visibility and validation in stories of “everyday resistance.”"[9] Wesley Jacques of the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books described Take the Mic in a review: "...too many of the stories are didactic and wrenchingly contrived, losing the plot and characters to hammer the message. Still, the sheer variety in this collection’s earnest depiction of bravery in the face of painful adversity is inspiring, making for an admirably contemporary addition to many libraries and at-home bookshelves."[11]

Morrow released her debut YA novel Sirens in June 2020.[2] The book centers on a Black high school student and siren named Tavia who attempts to her keep her identity a secret while living in Portland, where magical creatures are oppressed.[2][12] Kirkus Reviews stated in their review, "Lengthy exposition with confusing plot turns and a reveal of ethnically diverse magical beings and their powers slows the first part of the book. The action picks up toward the middle, rising to create an exciting new contemporary fantasy."[13] Fiona Hartley-Kroeger wrote in a review for the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, "Morrow skillfully balances acerbic social commentary and relatable teen angst with understated, heart-pounding tension...currents of racism and misogyny are palpable beneath a surface veneer of civility that threatens to erupt into violence at any moment."[14]

Works
  • Mem. 2018. Unnamed Press. ISBN 9781944700867[15]
  • Take The Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance. Editor. 2019. Scholastic. ISBN 9781338343724[16]
  • A Song Below Water. 2020. Tor. ISBN 9781250315311[17]

References
  1. "Mem". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  2. "Q&A With Bethany C. Morrow, A Song Below Water". We Need Diverse Books. 2020-06-02. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  3. "VISIBLE: Women Writers of Color: Bethany C. Morrow". The Rumpus.net. 2018-05-16. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  4. "Mem". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  5. Morgan, Adam (2018-11-28). "The 10 Best Science Fiction Books of 2018". Chicago Review of Books. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  6. Mason, Everdeen. "Review | Best science fiction and fantasy books out this month". Washington Post. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  7. "Books that are delightfully strange, frightening and have parent issues". Los Angeles Times. 2018-06-28. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  8. Rebolini, Arianna. "The 28 Best Fiction Books Of 2018". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  9. Baker, Jennifer. "Three Literary Fiction and Poetry Authors Turn to YA". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  10. TAKE THE MIC | Kirkus Reviews.
  11. Jacques, Wesley (2019). "Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance ed. by Bethany C. Morrow". Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 73 (3): 134–134. doi:10.1353/bcc.2019.0787. ISSN 1558-6766.
  12. "Bethany C. Morrow Rewrites the Siren Song". Bitch Media. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  13. A SONG BELOW WATER | Kirkus Reviews.
  14. Hartley-Kroeger, Fiona (2020). "A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow". Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 73 (10): 419–420. doi:10.1353/bcc.2020.0430. ISSN 1558-6766.
  15. Morrow, Bethany C. Mem : a novel. Los Angeles, CA. ISBN 978-1-944700-86-7. OCLC 1051089064.
  16. Take the mic : fictional stories of everyday resistance. Morrow, Bethany C. (First ed.). Watertown, MA. ISBN 978-1-338-34372-4. OCLC 1121594124.CS1 maint: others (link)
  17. Morrow, Bethany C. A song below water. New York. ISBN 978-1-250-31531-1. OCLC 1156472542.
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