Baen Books Author Sharon Lee has been given a Robert A. Heinlein award for her work in science fiction.
Sharon Lee is an long time science fiction, fantasy, and mystery author. She was born on September 11, 1952, in Baltimore, Maryland. During the late 1970s, she attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, while working as an administrative aide to the Dean of the School of Social Work and Community Planning at the UMAB Professional Schools.
Her passion for writing emerged early. At age fourteen, she told her mother she wanted to be a writer, to which her mother replied, “Real people aren’t writers.” Lee took this as a challenge to invent herself through her craft through hard work, a theme that would resonate throughout her career. Her first published work of fiction, "A Matter of Ceremony," appeared in Amazing Stories in 1980.
Lee’s most notable contribution to literature is her collaboration with her husband, Steve Miller, whom she married in 1980. Together, they created the Liaden Universe, a sprawling space opera series that began with the action-packed novel, Agent of Change in 1988. The series of series spans generations of characters and has different threads a reader to follow to better understand Clan Korval, the group it centers upon.
Steve Miller sadly passed away last year, and one of their last collaborations, Diviner’s Bow is going to be out from Baen Books later this year.
The Baltimore Science Fiction Society issued a press release regarding her win:
Sharon Lee, novelist, is the 2025 winner of the Robert A. Heinlein Award. The award is bestowed for outstanding published works in science fiction and technical writings that inspire the human exploration of space. This award is in recognition of Ms. Lee’s body of work of over 38 novels and short stories. A majority of her space themed work is in the Liaden Universe®, written with her late husband Steve Miller, and features merchant families trading across the galaxy. The next Liaden Universe novel, Diviner’s Row, is forthcoming from Baen Books in April 2025.
The award will be formally presented during opening ceremonies on Friday, May 23, 2025 at 8:00 PM for Balticon 59, the 59th Maryland Regional Science Fiction Convention. Balticon will take place at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore Maryland. Ms. Lee will participate in the Balticon program across Memorial Day Weekend.
Balticon and the Robert A. Heinlein Award are both managed and sponsored by The Baltimore Science Fiction Society, Inc. BSFS thanks The Heinlein Society and the family of Dr. Yoji Kondo for providing funding for this award.
The Robert A. Heinlein Award is a sterling silver medallion bearing the image of Robert A. Heinlein, as depicted by artist Arlin Robins. The medallion is matched with a red-white-blue lanyard. In addition, the winner receives two lapel pins for use when a large medallion is impractical, and a plaque describing the award for home or office wall display.
The Robert A. Heinlein Award selection committee consists of science fiction writers and was founded by Dr. Yoji Kondo, a long-time friend of Robert and Virginia Heinlein. Members of the original committee were approved by Virginia Heinlein.
Virginia Heinlein authorized multiple awards in memory of her husband. Other awards include the Heinlein Prize, which is fully funded by Virginia Heinlein’s estate, and a National Space Society award for volunteer projects.
Fandom Pulse reached out to Sharon Lee to comment but she has not replied as of this writing.
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For a great alternative to mainstream science fiction, with spy thriller action, read The Stars Entwined on Amazon!
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Deserved as part of the husband-wife team.
A shame she devolved into purple hair.
Sad.
73 years old and has purple hair, should tell you everything about her.