Sniegoski, Thomas E. (Tom Sniegoski)

PERSONAL:

Born in MA; married; wife's name LeeAnne.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Stoughton, MA. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Novelist, comic-book writer, and journalist.

WRITINGS:

NOVELS

Angel: Soul Trade, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 2001.

(With Christopher Golden) Force Majeure, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2002.

(With Christopher Golden) Monster Island, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2003.

Hellboy: The God Machine, Pocket Star (New York, NY), 2006.

A Kiss before the Apocalypse, ROC (New York, NY), 2008.

Dancing on the Head of a Pin, ROC (New York, NY), 2009.

Mean Streets (novella), Noah's Orphans (New York, NY), 2009.

Lobster Johnson: The Satan Factory, Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2009.

"THE FALLEN"; NOVEL SERIES

The Fallen, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2003.

Leviathan, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2003.

Aerie, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2003.

Reckoning, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2004.

"OUTCAST"; NOVEL SERIES

(With Christopher Golden) The Un-Magician, Aladdin (New York, NY), 2004.

(With Christopher Golden) Dragon Secrets, Aladdin (New York, NY), 2004.

(With Christopher Golden) Ghostfire, Aladdin (New York, NY), 2005.

(With Christopher Golden) Wurm War, Aladdin (New York, NY), 2005.

"MENAGERIE"; NOVEL SERIES

(With Christopher Golden) The Nimble Man, Berkley (New York, NY), 2004.

(With Christopher Golden) Tears of the Furies, Berkley (New York, NY), 2005.

(With Christopher Golden) Stones Unturned, Berkley (New York, NY), 2006.

(With Christopher Golden) Crashing Paradise, Berkley (New York, NY), 2007.

"SLEEPER CONSPIRACY"; NOVEL SERIES

Sleeper Code, Razorbill (New York, NY), 2006.

Sleeper Agenda, Razorbill (New York, NY), 2006.

"BILLY HOOTEN"; NOVEL SERIES

Billy Hooten, Owlboy, illustrated by Eric Powell, Yearling (New York, NY), 2007.

The Girl with the Destructo Touch, illustrated by Eric Powell, Yearling (New York, NY), 2007.

Tremble at the Terror of Zis-Boom-Bah, illustrated by Eric Powell, Yearling (New York, NY), 2008.

The Flock of Fury, illustrated by Eric Powell, Yearling (New York, NY), 2008.

"BRIMSTONE NETWORK"; NOVEL SERIES; UNDER NAME TOM SNIEGOSKI

The Brimstone Network, Aladdin (New York, NY), 2008.

The Shroud of A'ranka, Aladdin (New York, NY), 2008.

Specter Rising, Aladdin (New York, NY), 2009.

OTHER

(With Christopher Golden and Stephen R. Bissette) Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Monster Guide (nonfiction), Pocket (New York, NY), 2000.

Author of comic books, including: (with Mark Masztal) Swords of Shar Pei, Caliber Comics (Westland, MI), 1991, Guns of Shar Pei, Caliber Comics, 1992, and Gutter Rat, Caliber Comics, 1993; Chains of Chaos, Harris Comics (New York, NY), 1994; (with Jim Valentino) Shadowhawk/Vampirella: Creatures of the Night, Harris Comics, 1995; The Rook, illustrated by Kirk Van Wormer, Harris Comics, 1995; Vampirella Strikes, Harris Comics, 1995; (with Jim Valentino) The Others, Image Comics, 1995; (with Christopher Golden) Vampirella: Death and Destruction, illustrated by Amanda Conner, Harris Comics, 1996; (with Mark Masztal) Dogs o' War, Crusade Comics, 1996; Temptress, illustrated by Eric Powell, Caliber Comics, 1997; (with Christopher Golden) Shi: Masquerade, Crusade Comics, 1997; Shi: Black, White, and Red, illustrated by Jay G. Jones, Crusade Comics, 1997; King Zombie, illustrated by Jacen Burrows, Caliber Comics, 1997; (with Christopher Golden) Waterworld, Acclaim Comics, 1997; Blast Corps, Dark Horse Comics (Milwaukie, OR), 1998; Stupid, Stupid Rat-Tails: The Adventures of Big Johnson Bone, illustrated by Jeff Smith, Cartoon Books (Columbus, OH), 1999; (with Christopher Golden) Night Tribes, illustrated by Joyce Chin, Wildstorm (La Jolla, CA), 1999; (with Christopher Golden) Wolverine/Punisher: Revelation, Marvel (New York, NY), 1999; (with Christopher Golden) Star Trek: The Next Generation: Embrace the Wolf, Wildstorm, 1999; (with Christopher Golden) Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Giles and Buffy/Angel: Past Lives, Dark Horse Comics, both 2000; (with Christopher Golden) Batman: Real World, DC Comics (New York, NY), 2000; (with Randy Green) Dollz, Image Comics, 2001; (with Golden and Mike Mignola) B.P.R.D: The Hollow Earth, Dark Horse Comics, 2002; Chastity: Heartbreaker, Chaos Comics, 2002; Daredevil/Shi; Riblet; Hellboy: Weird Tales; Devil Dinosaur, Marvel, 2005; (with Christopher Golden) Monster War, Dynamite Entertainment; (with Christopher Golden) Talent, Boom! Studios, 2007; and (with Christopher Golden) The Sisterhood, Archaia Studios Press, 2007.

Also author of comic miniseries, including Jade: Turn Loose the Dragon and Jade: Redemption, Chaos Comics. Contributor to comic anthologies, including Taboo No. 1, Aardvark-Vanaheim, 1989.

Contributor to literary journals, including Haunts and Northeastern Literary Magazine. Also author, with Christopher Golden, of scripts for "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" video games for Electronic Arts and Microsoft X-Box game system.

ADAPTATIONS:

The Fallen was adapted as a television miniseries, ABC Family, 2007-08.

SIDELIGHTS:

Thomas E. Sniegoski is a popular and prolific novelist, comic-book writer, and journalist. Working in the comics industry for more than two decades, Sniegoski has contributed to several series, including "Batman" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation," as well as numerous original titles. He also works with collaborators such as Christopher Golden, with whom he created the popular "Outcast" fantasy novel series for young adults. In an interview on the Bildungsroman Web site, Sniegoski commented: "People want something good—something entertaining, thought-provoking, exciting, and funny—for their hard-earned cash, and I don't blame them one bit. When I buy a book, that's exactly what I'm looking for. I want the writer to have done his job. It's what I bring to every book I write, whatever the age group."

One of Sniegoski's best-known novel series, the "Fallen" quartet, focuses on the Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and mortal women. In the opening work, The Fallen, eighteen-year-old Aaron Corbet suddenly develops strange and unusual powers. Contacted by a pair of mysterious strangers, Aaron learns that he is at the heart of a battle between the fallen angels and The Powers, a race of angels that seek to destroy the Nephilim. In Leviathan, Aaron must use his angelic powers to help the people in a small Maine town conquer a diabolical beast. Two other novels, Aerie and Reckoning, conclude the series, which was adapted for television and earned critical praise. In School Library Journal, Kim Carlson described The Fallen as a "fast-paced fantasy."

The Un-Magician, the first work in Sniegoski's "Outcast" series, introduces Timothy Cade, the only resident of Arcanum who cannot perform magic. Timothy does possess some incredible mechanical skills, however, and he also proves to be immune to enchantments. Those abilities make the youngster a worthy adversary to the evil Nicodemus, who plans to overthrow the Parliament of Mages. Tasha Saecker, writing in School Library Journal, stated that "the premise is clever," adding that Sniegoski and Golden "have created a unique story filled with adventure." In Dragon Secrets, Timothy comes to the rescue of his friend, Verlis, an imprisoned member of the Wurm clan of magicians who are descended from dragons. Farida S. Dowler, writing in School Library Journal, complimented the "ornate, suspense-filled installment in the series." The battle for control of Arcanum continues in Ghostfire and Wurm War.

Originally planned as a comic book, Sniegoski's middle-grade fantasy Billy Hooten, Owlboy centers on the title character, an intelligent but nerdy youngster who is often bullied at school. When Billy responds to a cry for help from a cemetery near his home, he meets Archebold, a goblin who resides in Monstros City, an underground world that is being overrun by a host of hideous creatures since its protector, Owlboy, disappeared. Donning the special goggles and elaborate costume of the missing superhero, Billy ventures into Monstros City, where he does battle with a gang of Slovakian rot-toothed hopping monkey demons. According to Tim Wadham in School Library Journal, "Sniegoski clearly knows his superhero stories and fills this book with tropes that hark back to Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, October 15, 2004, Kristine Huntley, review of The Nimble Man, p. 395.

Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2004, review of The Un-Magician, p. 685; July 1, 2007, review of Billy Hooten, Owlboy.

Publishers Weekly, February 3, 2003, review of The Fallen, p. 77; March 31, 2008, review of A Kiss before the Apocalypse, p. 43.

School Library Journal, December, 2002, Julie Webb, review of Force Majeure, p. 138; May, 2003, Kim Carlson, review of The Fallen, p. 160; October, 2003, Susan L. Rogers, review of Leviathan, p. 178; October, 2004, Tasha Saecker, review of The Un-Magician, p. 165; April, 2005, Farida S. Dowler, review of Dragon Secrets, p. 130; September, 2007, Tim Wadham, review of Billy Hooten, Owlboy, p. 208.

ONLINE

Thomas E. Sniegoski Home Page,http://www.sniegoski.com (November 10, 2008).

Bildungsroman,http://slayground.livejournal.com/ (July 2-23, 2006), interview with Sniegosk; (November 5, 2007) interview with Sniegosk; (July 16, 2007), interview with Sniegoski.