Esther Friesner

Esther M. Friesner
Esther Friesner in 2006.
Born	July 16, 1951 New York City
Occupation	Author
Nationality	United States
Genre	Fantasy

Esther Mona Friesner-Stutzman, née Friesner (born July 16, 1951) is an American science fiction and fantasy author. She is best known for her humorous style of writing, both in the titles and the works themselves.

Friesner attended the Hunter College High School, a public magnet high school in New York City, as well as Vassar College. She holds a Ph.D. in Spanish and was a college professor at Yale University before becoming a writer.

In addition to short stories, Friesner has published a number of novels and is a prolific editor of anthologies. Among her recent books are Nobody's Princess, which takes the Greek legend of Helen of Sparta and gives it a new beginning, and its sequel, Nobody's Prize. She is a frequent guest of honor at science fiction conventions, having appeared at Bubonicon, Arisia, Boskone, Baycon and Albacon in the 1990s and into the 21st century.

Friesner is credited as one of the founders of a parody movement in the 1980s called cyberprep.

Friesner was named Outstanding New Fantasy Writer by Romantic Times in 1986. She won the Skylark Award in 1994. She has been nominated a number of times for the Hugo and Nebula awards, winning the Nebula Award for Best Short Story in 1995 and 1996 for, respectively, "Death and the Librarian" and "A Birth Day".

These are collections of short stories edited by Friesner and contributed by multiple authors, usually including Friesner herself.