Peter Watts (author)

His first novel Starfish (1999) reintroduced Lenie Clarke from his short story "A Niche" (1990); Clarke is a deep-ocean power station worker physically altered for underwater living and the main character in the sequels: Maelstrom (2001), βehemoth: β-Max (2004) and βehemoth: Seppuku (2005). The last two volumes constitute one novel, but were published separately for commercial reasons. Starfish, Maelstrom, and βehemoth make up a trilogy usually referred to as "Rifters" after the modified humans designed to work in deep-ocean environments.

His novel Blindsight, released in October 2006, was nominated for a Hugo Award. The novel was described by Charles Stross: "Imagine a neurobiology-obsessed version of Greg Egan writing a first contact with aliens story from the point of view of a zombie posthuman crewman aboard a starship captained by a vampire, with not dying as the boobie prize." Echopraxia (2014) is a "sidequel" about events happening on Earth and elsewhere concurrent with the events in Blindsight.

Watts has made some of his novels and short fiction available on his website under a Creative Commons license. He believes that doing so has "actually saved [his] career outright, by rescuing Blindsight from the oblivion to which it would have otherwise been doomed. The week after [he] started giving Blindsight away, sales tripled."

In addition to writing novels and short stories, Watts has also worked in other media. He was peripherally involved in the early stages of the animated science fiction film and television project Strange Frame. He also worked briefly with Relic Entertainment on one of the early drafts of the story that would eventually, years later, become Homeworld 2. However, the draft Watts worked on bears no resemblance to the one used for the released game. More recently, he has been recruited by Crytek as a writer and art consultant on Crysis 2. Technological elements from Blindsight have been referenced in the fictional Crysis 2 "Nanosuit Brochure"; the creative director of BioShock 2 has cited Watts's work as an influence on that game.

File:Peter Watts in Helsinki 2013 C IMG 4148.JPG, Finland]]

In December 2009, Watts was detained at the Canada–United States border by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to perform a reportedly random search of the rental vehicle he was driving. Watts is alleged to have assaulted a CBP Officer and was turned over to local authorities to face charges. According to an officer, the authorities used pepper spray to subdue Watts after Watts became aggressive toward officers. According to Watts, he was assaulted, punched in the face, pepper-sprayed, and thrown in jail for the night. The officer later admitted in court that he had punched Watts. A jury found Watts guilty of obstructing a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer. He faced a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. Watts blogged about his sentence saying that because of how the law was written, his asking, "What is the problem?", was enough to convict him of non-compliance. In April 2010, he was given a suspended sentence and a fine.{{cite web |first=David |last=Nickle |work=The Devil's Exercise Yard |title=Peter Watts is Free |url=http://davidnickle.blogspot.com/2010/04/peter-watts-is-free.html |date=26 April 2010}} However, due to immigration laws,{{cite web |website=trac.syr.edu|publisher=Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse |title=Aggravated Felonies and Deportation |url=http://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/155/ |year=2006}} Watts' felony conviction prevents him from re-entering the United States.{{cite web |first=Madeline |last=Ashby |website=Tor.com |title=Sometimes, we win. |url=http://www.tor.com/2010/04/27/sometimes-we-win/ |date=27 April 2010}}

In February 2011, Watts contracted the rare disease necrotizing fasciitis in his leg, which he has blogged about on his website.{{cite web|last=Watts|first=Peter|title=Flesh Eating Fest '11|url=http://www.rifters.com/crawl/?category_name=flesh-eating-fest-11|website=Rifters.com}}

He married fellow Canadian author Caitlin Sweet in August 2011.

• Starfish (July 1999, Tor Books, {{ISBN|978-0-312-86855-0}})
• Maelstrom (October 2001, Tor Books, {{ISBN|978-0-312-87806-1}})
• βehemoth (published in two volumes):
• βehemoth: β-Max (July 2004, Tor Books, {{ISBN|978-0-7653-0721-7}})
• βehemoth: Seppuku (December 2004, Tor Books, {{ISBN|978-0-7653-1172-6}})

• Blindsight (October 2006, Tor Books, {{ISBN|978-0-7653-1218-1}})
• Echopraxia (August 2014, Tor Books, {{ISBN|978-0-7653-2802-1}})
• Firefall (August 2014, Head of Zeus, {{ISBN|978-1-7840-8046-4}}). Omnibus edition of Blindsight and Echopraxia.

• Crysis: Legion (released on 22 March 2011. Novelization of the video-game Crysis 2)
• Peter Watts Is an Angry Sentient Tumor: Revenge Fantasies and Essays (November 12, 2019, Tachyon Publications)

• Ten Monkeys, Ten Minutes (November 2002, Tesseract Books, {{ISBN|978-1-895836-74-5}})
• Beyond the Rift (2013,[http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/peter-watts-beyond-the-rift-cover-art-and-synopsis-reveal Peter Watts – Beyond the Rift cover art and synopsis reveal] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112130510/http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/peter-watts-beyond-the-rift-cover-art-and-synopsis-reveal |date=12 November 2013 }} at Upcoming4.me Tachyon Publications, {{ISBN|978-1-61696-125-1}})

The Sunflower series of stories concerns the voyage of a jumpgate-building ship named Eriophora:

• "The Island" (The New Space Opera 2, 2009)
• "Hotshot" (Reach for Infinity, 2014){{cite web |url=http://www.tor.com/2014/06/12/book-review-anthology-reach-for-infinity-jonathan-strahan/ |title=Step into the Stars: Reach for Infinity, ed. Jonathan Strahan |work=Tor.com |first=Niall |last=Alexander |date=12 June 2014 |access-date=13 December 2015}}
• "Giants" (Clarkesworld Magazine, September 2014)
• The Freeze-Frame Revolution (2018, Tachyon Publications, {{ISBN|978-1-61696-252-4}})
• "Hitchhiker" (2018, story fragment, published online. Link was in The Freeze-Frame Revolution){{Cite web|url=https://rifters.com/Eriophora-Root-Archive-Log-Ahzmundin--frag/derelict.htm|title=Araneus|website=rifters.com|access-date=2019-11-21}}
• "Strategic Retreat" (2021, story fragment, published online){{Cite web|url=https://www.rifters.com/crawl/?p=9879|title=Strategic Retreat|website=rifters.com|access-date=2022-01-19}}

The chronological order within the Sunflower universe is: "Hotshot", The Freeze-Frame Revolution, "Giants", "The Island", "Hitchhiker", "Strategic Retreat".

• "A Niche" (Tesseracts, 1990)
• "Nimbus" (On Spec, 1994)
• "Flesh Made Word" (Prairie Fire Magazine, 1994)
• "Fractals" (On Spec, 1995)
• "Bethlehem" (Tesseracts 5, 1996)
• "The Second Coming of Jasmine Fitzgerald" (Divine Realms, 1998)
• "Home" (On Spec, 1999)
• "Bulk Food" (On Spec, 2000) with Laurie Channer
• "Ambassador" (Ten Monkeys, Ten Minutes, 2002)
• "A Word for Heathens" (ReVisions, 2004)
• "Mayfly" (Tesseracts 9, 2005) with Derryl Murphy
• "Repeating the Past" (Nature Magazine, 2007)
• "The Eyes of God" (The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction: Volume 2, 2008)
• "Hillcrest v. Velikovsky" (Nature Magazine, 2008)
• "The Things" (Clarkesworld Magazine, January 2010){{cite web|last1=Newitz|first1=Annalee|title=An incredible short story told from the perspective of the alien in John Carpenter's The Thing|date=14 October 2011 |url=http://io9.com/5849758/an-incredible-brilliant-short-story-told-from-the-perspective-of-the-aliens-in-john-carpenters-the-thing|publisher=io9|access-date=26 June 2015}}{{cite web|last1=Burnham|first1=Karen|title=Short Story Club: The Things by Peter Watts|date=12 June 2011 |url=http://www.locusmag.com/Roundtable/2011/06/short-story-club-the-things-by-peter-watts/|publisher=Locus Online|access-date=26 June 2015}}
• "Malak" (Engineering Infinity, edited by Jonathan Strahan, December 2010){{cite web |url=http://www.locusmag.com/Reviews/2010/12/lois-tilton-reviews-short-fiction-early-december/#enginfinity |title=Lois Tilton reviews Short Fiction, early December |work=Locus |first=Lois |last=Tilton |author-link=Lois Tilton |date=7 December 2010 |access-date=6 January 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://sciencefiction.com/2011/04/11/book-review-engineering-infinity-ed-jonathan-strahan/ |title=Book Review: Engineering Infinity (ed) Jonathan Strahan |first=Nigel |last=Seel |publisher=ScienceFiction.com |date=11 April 2011 |access-date=6 January 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.tangentonline.com/print--other-reviewsmenu-263/anthologies-reviewsmenu-107/1528-engineering-infinity-edited-by-jonathan-strahan |title=Engineering Infinity, edited by Jonathan Strahan |first=Robert E. |last=Waters |website=Tangent |date=8 March 2011 |access-date=6 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413081542/http://www.tangentonline.com/print--other-reviewsmenu-263/anthologies-reviewsmenu-107/1528-engineering-infinity-edited-by-jonathan-strahan |archive-date=13 April 2017 |url-status=dead }}
• "Firebrand" (Twelve Tomorrows, 2013)
• "The Colonel" (Tor.com, 29 July 2014) (Canonically a part of the Firefall series set after the beginning of Blindsight.)
• "Collateral" (Upgraded, 2014)
• "Colony Creature" (2015)
• "ZeroS" (Infinity Wars, edited by Jonathan Strahan, September 2017)
• "Incorruptible." (Flight 008, edited by K. Cramer/Xprize Foundation 2018)
• "Kindred" (Infinity's End, edited by Jonathan Strahan, July 2018)
• "Gut Feelings" (Toronto 2033, November 2018)
• "Cyclopterus" (Mission Critical, edited by Jonathan Strahan, July 2019)
• "The Wisdom of Crowds" (Special 11th edition of Šum, journal for contemporary art criticism and theory, 2019)
• "The Last of the Redmond Billionaires" (New Decameron Project, edited by J. Walton, 2020)
• "Test 4 Echo" (Made To Order: Robots and Revolution, edited by Jonathan Strahan, 2021)
• "[https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/critical-mass/ Critical Mass]" (Lightspeed 146, July 2022)
• "[https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/contracting-iris/ Contracting Iris]" (Lightspeed 154, March 2023)
• "Defective" (Life Beyond Us: An Original Anthology of SF Stories and Science Essays, edited by J. Nováková, 2023)
• "Prompt Injection" (World Building: Gaming and Art in the Digital Age, edited by Hans Obrist September 2024)

• Winner 1992 Prix Aurora Award (tied with Breaking Ball by Michael Skeet)

• Nominee 2000 Campbell Award{{cite web| url = http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2000| title = 2000 Award Winners & Nominees| work = Worlds Without End| access-date=22 December 2011}}

• Nominee 2007 Hugo Award for Best Novel[http://www.nippon2007.us/hugo_press_release.html Official announcement]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113212755/http://www.nippon2007.us/hugo_press_release.html |date=13 January 2008 }}
• Nominee 2007 Campbell Award{{cite web| url = http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2007| title = 2007 Award Winners & Nominees| work = Worlds Without End| access-date=22 December 2011}}
• Nominee 2007 Locus Award for Best SF Novel
• Shortlisted 2010 Geffen Award
• Winner 2014 Tähtivaeltaja Award{{Cite web|url=https://www.ts.fi/kulttuuri/627442|title=Sokeanäkö sai tieteiskirjojen Tähtivaeltaja-palkinnon|date=8 May 2014|website=Turun Sanomat}}
• Winner 2014 Seiun Award for Best Translated Novel{{Cite web|url=https://locusmag.com/2014/07/2014-seiun-award-winners/|title=2014 Seiun Award Winners|date=21 July 2014}}

• Winner 2010 Hugo Award for Best Novelette{{Cite web|url=https://locusmag.com/2010/09/2010-hugo-awards-winners/|title=2010 Hugo Awards Winners|date=5 September 2010}}
• Nominee 2010 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award{{cite web |url=http://www.sfadb.com/Theodore_Sturgeon_Memorial_Award_2010 |title=Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award 2010 |work=Science Fiction Awards Database |publisher=Locus}}
• Nominee 2010 Locus Award for Best Novelette[http://www.locusmag.com/News/2010/04/locus-awards-finalists.html 2010 Locus Awards Finalists] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140612110433/http://www.locusmag.com/News/2010/04/locus-awards-finalists.html |date=12 June 2014 }} – Locus Online

• Finalist 2010 Parsec Award for Best Speculative Fiction Story (Short Form)
• Nominee 2010 BSFA Award for Best Short Story
• Winner 2010 Shirley Jackson Award for Best Short Story
• Nominee 2011 Hugo Award for Best Short Story
• 3rd Place 2011 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award
• Finalist 2011 Locus Award for Best Short Story

{{reflist|30em|refs=

{{cite web |publisher=ISFDB |url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?Peter_Watts |title=Peter Watts - Summary Biography |access-date=7 October 2014}}

{{cite news |work=The LOCUS Index to SF Awards |title=1992 Aurora Awards |url=http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/Aurora1992.html |access-date=19 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114162047/http://locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/Aurora1992.html |archive-date=14 January 2010 |df=dmy-all }}

{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Plant |work=The Independent |title=BioShock 2: The interview |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/gaming/bioshock-2-the-interview-1885879.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/gaming/bioshock-2-the-interview-1885879.html |archive-date=26 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |date=1 February 2010 | location=London}}

{{cite web |publisher=Crynet Systems |url=http://www.crynetsystems.com./files/NanoBrochure_final_small.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007000432/http://www.crynetsystems.com/files/NanoBrochure_final_small.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 October 2009 |title=Nanosuit Brochure }} (page 7)

{{cite web |first=Charlie |last=Stross |title=Trivia: Who are the business people? |url=http://james-nicoll.livejournal.com/296494.html?thread=2957102#t2957102 |date=31 January 2006 |access-date=14 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721162527/http://james-nicoll.livejournal.com/296494.html?thread=2957102#t2957102 |archive-date=21 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }}

{{cite news |first=Gerald |last=Jonas |work=The New York Times |title=Science Fiction: Across the Universe |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/20/books/review/020JONASL.html?scp=1&sq=peter+watts+fiction&st=nyt |date=20 March 2005 |access-date=19 March 2010}}

{{cite web |first=Alyx |last=Dellamonica |publisher=Tor.com |title=Echopraxia: The Latest Attempt by Peter Watts to Stomp Your Assumptions to Death |url=http://www.tor.com/blogs/2014/08/book-review-echopraxia-peter-watts |date=26 August 2014 |access-date=7 October 2014}}

{{cite web |first=Peter |last=Watts |publisher=Rifters.com |title=Rip-Off Alert |url=http://www.rifters.com/crawl/?p=213 |date=24 January 2009 |access-date=19 March 2010}}

{{cite web |publisher=reddit.com |title=IamA Science Fiction Author named Peter Watts. I am not any of those other Peter Wattses. AMA, within reason. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2enwks/iama_science_fiction_author_named_peter_watts_i/ |date=26 August 2014 |access-date=7 October 2014}}

{{cite web |title=Production Crew |url=http://strangeframe.com/behind-the-scenes/production-crew/ |access-date=9 October 2014}}

{{cite web |first=Peter |last=Watts |publisher=Rifters.com |title=Please Stand By for an Important If Ultimately Uninformative Announcement |url=http://www.rifters.com/crawl/?p=557 |date=16 July 2009 |access-date=19 March 2010}}

{{cite web |first=Peter |last=Watts |publisher=Rifters.com |title=Not the Best of Possible Worlds. |url=http://www.rifters.com/crawl/?p=932 |date=11 December 2009 |access-date=19 March 2010}}

{{cite news |first=Kristin |last=Rushowy |work=Toronto Star |title=War of words ends in author's arrest at border; Toronto science fiction writer accused of assault following 'altercation' at U.S. border crossing |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/738193--war-of-words-ends-in-author-s-arrrest-at-border |date=13 December 2009 |access-date=19 March 2009}}

{{cite news |work=Port Huron Times-Herald |title=Watts guilty of Blue Water Bridge assault |url=http://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20100319/NEWS05/100319004/Watts+guilty+of+Blue+Water+Bridge+assault |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204213455/http://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20100319/NEWS05/100319004/Watts+guilty+of+Blue+Water+Bridge+assault |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 February 2013 |date=19 March 2010 |access-date=21 June 2013 }}{{subscription required}}

{{cite journal|last=Novakova |first=Julie |title=Human Nature: A Conversation with Peter Watts |journal=Clarkesworld Magazine |issue=August 2014 |url=http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/watts_interview/ |access-date=12 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017012037/http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/watts_interview/ |archive-date=17 October 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}

}}

{{Portal|Science Fiction|Books|Canada|Biography}}

• {{Official website|http://www.rifters.com/}}
• {{isfdb name|name=Peter Watts}}
• {{cite news|url=http://trashotron.com/agony/columns/2004/07-06-04.htm |title=Tripping the Rifters: An Interview with Writer Peter Watts|author=Kleffel, Rick | work=The Agony Column |date=July 6, 2004}}
• {{cite web |author=McCalmont, Jonathan|url=http://www.sfdiplomat.net/sf_diplomat/2007/02/interview_peter.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212074402/http://www.sfdiplomat.net/sf_diplomat/2007/02/interview_peter.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 February 2012|date=11 February 2007|website=SF Diplomat|title=Interview—Peter Watts on consciousness, first person narratives and how the future belongs to sociopaths}}

{{Hugo Award Best Novelette}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watts, Peter}}

Category:Living people

Category:1958 births

Category:21st-century Canadian short story writers

Category:21st-century Canadian male writers

Category:Canadian biologists

Category:Canadian male novelists

Category:Canadian male short story writers

Category:Canadian science fiction writers

Category:Creative Commons-licensed authors