Sean Williams (author)


Sean Llewellyn Williams is an Australian author of science fiction who lives in Adelaide, South Australia. Several of his books have been New York Times best-sellers.
WWW seanwilliams.com

Early life and education

Williams was born in Whyalla, South Australia on 23 May 1967.
He studied sciences and music at Pulteney Grammar School and matriculated third in his year, topping the state for Musical composition. That same year, he won the Young Composer's Award for a theme and three variations for string quartet with flute, oboe and trumpet soloists called "Release of Anger".
He then went to the Adelaide University and studied a Bachelor of Economics and wrote for the student newspaper On Dit. He completed a Master of Arts in Creative Writing at the Adelaide University in 2005. In 2013, he was awarded a PhD from the same institution.

Writing career

He is the author of over 140 published short stories and 60 books, including Twinmaker and the Troubletwisters series. He has co-written three books in the Star Wars: New Jedi Order series. His novelisation of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed debuted at #1 on the "New York Times" bestseller list.

Other roles

Williams was Chair of the SA Writers' Centre from 2001 to 2003, and is one of only three lifetime members of that institution. Williams has also tutored for the Clarion South Workshop, was a previous winner of the Writers of the Future contest, and remains a judge for the same.
In 2017, Williams visited Casey Station on an Arts Fellowship awarded by the Australian Antarctic Division.
Since 2019, Williams has taught Creative Writing at Flinders University.
Under the pseudonym, theadelaidean, Williams makes ambient and experimental music released mainly through Projekt Records. In July 2024, Projekt released the double CD Parallels, his first collaboration with Steve Roach. Some of Williams' music has appeared in film and on the stage, such as for the award-nominated short film "Life Savings" and the score for the 2023 Australian Ruby Awards-nominated multimedia work Bárbaros. A presentation of his album Hyperaurea appeared in the 2024 Adelaide Fringe.

Awards

Williams is a multiple recipient of both the Ditmar and Aurealis Awards.

Novels

''Evergence'' (with Shane Dix)

''The Books of the Change''

''Orphans'' (with Shane Dix)

  • Echoes of Earth - Winner, Best Australian Novel, 2002 Ditmar Award
  • Orphans of Earth
  • ''Heirs of Earth''

''Star Wars: New Jedi Order'' (with Shane Dix)

''Star Wars''

''The Books of the Cataclysm''

''Geodesica'' (with Shane Dix)

''The Broken Land''

The Changeling - Shortlisted for Best Young Adult Novel, and Best Children's Novel, in the 2008 Aurealis Award.The Dust Devils - Shortlisted for the Best Children's Novel, in the 2008 Aurealis Award.
  • ''The Scarecrow''

''Astropolis''

Saturn Returns - Winner, Best Novel, 2008 Ditmar Award & Nominee, 2008, Philip K. Dick AwardEarth Ascendant
  • ''The Grand Conjunction''

''The Fixers''

Castle of the Zombies Planet of the Cyborgs Last of the Vampires
  • ''Invasion of the Weird''

[Troubletwisters series] (with [Garth Nix])

The Magic The Monster The Mystery
  • ''The Missing''

[Have Sword, Will Travel series] (with [Garth Nix])

Have Sword, Will Travel
  • ''Let Sleeping Dragons Lie''

''Twinmaker Series''

Twinmaker: Jump Twinmaker: Crash
  • ''Twinmaker: Fall''

Others

Collections

Doorways to Eternity A View Before Dying New Adventures in Sci-Fi - Winner, Best Collected Work, 2000 Ditmar AwardLight Bodies Falling Magic Dirt: The Best of Sean Williams - Winner, Best Collection, 2008 Aurealis AwardThe View from the End of the World Little Labyrinths: Speculative Microfictions Uncanny Angles
  • ''The Sky Inside''

Notable short stories