McDonald, Sandra 1966–

PERSONAL:

Born 1966. Education: Ithaca College, B.S.; University of Southern Maine, M.F.A.

ADDRESSES:

Home—FL. E-mail—[email protected]; [email protected].

CAREER:

Worked variously as a Hollywood assistant, software instructor, bureaucrat, and college professor. Military service: Served as a lieutenant with the U.S. Navy for eight years.

MEMBER:

Science Fiction Writers of America, Florida Writers Association.

WRITINGS:

The Outback Stars (science fiction novel), Tor (New York, NY), 2007.

Contributor of stories to various periodicals, including Realms of Fantasy, Strange Horizons, Talebones, Chizine, and Lone Star Stories.

SIDELIGHTS:

Sandra McDonald is a former U.S. Navy lieutenant who has transferred her experience to her first novel, The Outback Stars, described by Science Fiction and Fantasy World Web site reviewer Rob H. Bedford as "part space opera, part romantic military fantasy." One of the protagonists is Jodenny Scott, a female captain who has been injured in an accident in which many friends were lost. Space has been conquered through the use of Alcheringa, a transportation system that allows faster-than-light travel and which was designed by an ancient alien culture. Jodenny finds a place on a ship whose crew consists of many undesirable characters. Still suffering from guilt over the disaster, Jodenny is faced with mysterious happenings on the Aral Sea, one of the many huge freighters that travel in space between worlds, including missing officers and robots and a petty officer who has visions. The other protagonist, who eventually becomes romantically linked to Jodenny, is Terry Myell, who is also running from his past. Australian myth influences the plot.

Booklist reviewer Regina Schroeder concluded: "McDonald's characters are surprisingly interesting." A Publishers Weekly contributor wrote that McDonald "neatly ties the alien mystery with other plot threads at the end."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, March 15, 2007, Regina Schroeder, review of The Outback Stars, p. 33.

Library Journal, March 15, 2007, Jackie Cassada, review of The Outback Stars, p. 64.

Publishers Weekly, February 26, 2007, review of The Outback Stars, p. 65.

ONLINE

Ficlets,http://ficlets.com/ (October 1, 2007), Scalzi, "Author Interview: Sandra McDonald."

Outback Stars Web site,http://www.theoutbackstars.com (October 1, 2007).

Sandra McDonald Home Page,http://homepage.mac.com/samcdonald (October 1, 2007).

Science Fiction and Fantasy World,http://www.sffworld.com/ (July 30, 2007), Rob H. Bedford, review of The Outback Stars.