Barton Paul Levenson

Barton Paul Levenson
Born	(1960-05-09)May 9, 1960 Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
Pen name	BPL
Occupation	Writer
Nationality	United States
Genre	Fantasy, Science fiction
Website
bartonpaullevenson.com

Barton Paul Levenson (May 9, 1960–present) is an American writer of science fiction, fantasy and the macabre.^[1] He is a long-standing member of one of Pittsburgh's oldest Science-Fiction and Fantasy Writer's Workshops, Carnegie-Mellon University-based Pittsburgh Worldwrights,^[2] which includes Pittsburgh science fiction writer Kenneth Chiacchia among its members.

Background

Levenson was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He started writing in 1974.^[1] He is a 1983 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh^[1] He became a Christian in 1984.^[3] His first work of fiction was a short story, "Twenty Peasants," published in Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine in 1991.^[4] Levenson is a two-time winner of the "Confluence Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Story Contest" for "Virtual Bridges" and "Reality Forbidden", cited herein.^[5] He is a former member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc.^[6] Levenson's first separate novel in paperback format, I Will, was released in June 2010.^[7] One of Levenson's most intriguing characters, Khuminay, has returned again in "Khuminay and the Servant" in 'Cosmic Crime Stories' and now in "Khuminay and the Axe-Wielding Psycho, which will appear in Electric Spec, both cited hereinbelow. This follows on the heels of the long awaited on-again, off-again novel "Year of the Human", cited herein.

Style

Reviewers consider Levenson's writing complex.^[8] It is often in the first-person and it sometimes takes on other genders^[9] or species.^[10] Levenson's works often contain Christian Parables,^[11][12] cat-like aliens^[13] and complex scientific concepts.^[14] Levenson's focus on Science Fiction started when he was eight years old, when his parents took him to the film 2001: A Space Odyssey^[15] He has described his writing process in a 2010 interview with author Sonya Clark, stating that he starts writing with either a broad plot outline in mind, or even one daydreamed scene. Often, the process will fail and the result is an incomplete work.^[15] His work is inspired by authors ranging from C.S. Lewis to Edgar Allan Poe.^[1] In "The Closet" Chiaroscuro, 2003,^[16] humankind's unwillingness to accept the consequences of their own choices is examined. Several of his stories are based in Pittsburgh, often in different eras. For example; in "The Boogie-Woogie, Time-Traveling, Cyborg Blues" he chooses Pittsburgh in the 1930s as a back-drop.

Controversy

One of Levenson's most cited essays, "The Ideology of Robert A. Heinlein."^[17] has been reprinted in several languages (See Essays herein-below). Levenson argues that Heinlein was making a case for the value of fascism. Levenson has been writing about Climate issues for many years. His colloquoys can often be found on: Real Climate ^[18] Levenson's first peer-reviewed scientific article as sole author was published in 2011: "Planet Temperatures with Surface Cooling Parameterized." in Advances in Space Research 47, 2044–2048, a COSPAR Publication of Elsevier, cited herein below. Levenson's Japan-themed story: "Temple Cat", cited herein-below, is reprinted in the charity anthology: "Healing Waves" from Sky Warrior Book Publishing and edited by Phyllis Irene Radford, who is donating all proceeds from the sales to disaster relief in Japan.^[19]

Bibliography

Novels

• "Dark Gods of Alter Telluria" Assent Publishing, 2014^[20]
• "The Celibate Succubus" Barking Rain Press, 2013^[21]
• "Year of the Human" Solstice Publishing, February, 2012^[22]
• "Max and Me." Lyrical Press, June 2010.^[23]
• "I Will." Virtual Tales, June 2010.^[24]
• "Ella the Vampire." Lyrical Press, December 2008^[25] (See discussion of the basis of the novel).^[26]

Novellas

• "Parole." Lyrical Press: March 2009^[23]

Short Fiction

• "Stealing a Starship" Electric Spec, 2015^[27]
• "Aquilonia, My Zelky" Perihelion SF, 2015^[28]
• "Khuminay and the Axe-Wielding Psycho" Electric Spec, 2014^[29]
• "Changing the Past," Daily SF, Aug 27, 2014^[30]
• "Investigation of Murder" Stone Thread Publishing, Anthology - "The Least He Could Do", 2013,^[31]
• "In the Machine" Stone Thread Publishing, Anthology - "Things You Can Create", 2013^[32]
• "Henry Fairfield" Cosmos Online, Luna Media Pty Ltd, 2013^[33]
• "The Commoner and the Queen." Anotherrealm, 2013^[34]
• "Lifting" Cosmos Online, Luna Media Pty Ltd, 2012^[35]
• "Arlena's House" Interstellar Fiction, 2012^[36]
• "The Beautiful Young Man" Vampires 2, 2012^[37]
• "The Wall" Anotherrealm, 2012^[38]
• "Sheep Lie!" Ray Gun Revival 2011^[39]
• "Ballad" Ray Gun Revival 2011^[39]
• "Sophie and the Supernova." in the Anthology 'Cheer Up, Universe!' (paperback) Whortleberry Press 2011^[40]
• "Gauntlet" Andromeda Spaceways In-flight Magazine (Australia) 2011^[41]
• "Brianna the Pie Girl" in the Anthology: 'WTF?!', Pink Narcissus Press, 2011^[42]
• "Khuminay and the Servant" in 'Cosmic Crime Stories', published by Karen L. Newman July 2011.^[43]
• "An Exercise in Logic" in the Anthology 'Infinite Space, Infinite God II' (paperback) 2011^[44]
• "Khuminay and the Shapeshifter" in the Anthology 'Space Cops', compiled by David Reilly June 2009.^[45]
• "The Boogie-Woogie, Time-Traveling, Cyborg Blues" 'Electric Spec' February 2009^[46]
• "Colonizing Mars" 'M-Brane' 2008^[47]
• "The Primitives" 'Wrong World' (Audio) 2008^[48]
• "Second Visit" 'Whispering Spirits' Issue Number 19 - November 20, 2008^[49]
• "Raid" Atomjack Issue Number 11 - August 2008 ^[50]
• "Wisdom." Anathema On-Line Anthology, January, 2008^[51]
• "Wifey." Written Word, Holiday Edition 2007^[52]
• "The Fate of the Crystal Eye." In the anthology Forbidden Speculation (2007)^[53]
• "Side Trip." Science Fiction Trails, #2, 2007
• "Katie Belle." Whispering Spirits, October 2007
• "Dedication Day." Art & Prose, October 2007
• "The Rescue." Beyond Centauri, Issue 18, 2007^[54]
• "Problem in Logic." Staffs & Starships, Issue 1, 2007^[55]
• "The Extraordinary Circumstances On Board H.M.S. Steadfast." Cicada, January–February 2007.
• "The Curse." In the anthology Shadow Regions^[56](2006)
• "Rain and Revenge." RAGE Machine Issue #2,^[57] March 2006
• "The Intruder." In the anthology, Travel Guide to the Haunted Mid-Atlantic Region^[58](2006)
• "Pet Cat." In the anthology Animal Magnetism^[59] (2005)
• "All the Horrible Dragons." The Sword Review, December 2005.
• "Undead." Insidious Reflections, July 2005.
• "The Problem of Pain." The Sword Review, July 2005. Forum
• "The Horror in the Monkey-Squeezing Room." ScienceFictionFantasyHorror.com, June 2005.
• "Temple Cat." Cricket, Vol. 32 Issue 10, p20-26, June 2005.^[60]
• "The Closet." Chiaroscuro, March 2003, see also podcast Read by British Actor Alasdair Stuart Pluggd TV.
• "Writer's Block." Dark Seasons, January 2003.
• "Along with Captain Gooding." Future Orbits, Vander Neut Publications LLC June 2002.
• "Scrunched Up." Future Orbits, Vander Neut Publications LLC February 2002.
• "Sometimes We Lie." Eternity On-Line, March 2000. ...Reprinted in the anthology Leaps of Faith 2003, (Writer's Cafe Press.)
• "The Physics of Space Beer Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Clones." Maelstrom, April 1999.
• "Reality Forbidden." Confluence Program Book 1998 (First Prize Winner).
• "Virtual Bridges." Confluence Program Book 1997 (First Prize Winner).
• "Twenty Peasants." Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine,^[61] August 1991.

Short Fiction - Publisher Out of Business Prior to Publication

• "The Starship Pilot", in the anthology 'Warrior Wisewoman IV', Roby James Editor, 2012^[62]

Poems

• "Do Red Dwarfs Have Habitable Planets?" Astropoetica Volume 7.1, Spring 2009^[63]
• "Off-Topic." Astropoetica Volume 4.2, Spring 2006

Essays

• "The Ideology of Robert A. Heinlein." The New York Review of Science Fiction, June 1998. ...Reprinted in Gigamesh (Spain) 1999. ...Reprinted in Ikarie (Czech Republic) 2003. "In a scorching analysis, Barton Paul Levenson has attempted to show that his [Robert A. Heinlein's] final point was a version of fascism (Levenson, 1998)." p. 59, X, Y, Z, T: Damien Broderick^[64]

Book reviews

• "S. L. Viehl's Stardoc." The New York Review of Science Fiction, November 2002.
• "Jeffrey Sackett's Candlemas Eve." The New York Review of Science Fiction, March 2001.
• "James White's The Dream Millennium." The New York Review of Science Fiction, April 1999.

Non-Fiction and scientific

• "Why Hart Found Narrow Ecospheres--A Minor Science Mystery Solved." Levenson, B.P. 2015. Astrobiology, 15, 327-330
• "Planet Temperatures with Surface Cooling Parameterized." Levenson, B.P. 2011. Advances in Space Research, 47, 2044–2048.^[65]
• "Analysis of the August 17, 1989 Total Lunar Eclipse." The Strolling Astronomer (J. Am. Lunar Planetary Soc.) 38, 61-64. Graham, Francis G. and B.P. Levenson 1995.
• "An Examination of Jules Verne's Moon Gun, 'Columbiad'." Selenology 7, 19-21. Levenson, B.P. 1988.
• "Social Design Considerations for a Lunar Colony." Selenology 6, 22-28. Levenson, B.P. 1987.
• "Statistical Data on Orthoselection for Intelligence." Tripolitan (J. Tripoli Sci. Assn.) 15, 5-10. Levenson, B.P. 1983.

Awards

• "StorySouth Million Writers Award" 2009 Notable Stories 2009 "The Boogie-Woogie, Time-Traveling, Cyborg Blues" by Barton Paul Levenson^[66]

Reviews

• A Succubi's Tale - "A Review of The Celibate Succubus by Barton Paul Levenson" Tera December 22, 2013 ^[67]
• Rise Reviews - "I Will by Barton Paul Levenson" Beatrice Underwood-Sweet January 1, 2011^[68]
• Toni V. Sweeney - "Max and Me by Barton Paul Levinson" Toni V. Sweeney August 19, 2010^[69]
• Bookwenches - "Max and Me" Bobby D. Whitney August 17, 2010^[70]
• Manic Readers - "Ella The Vampire" Stacey May 2, 2010^[71]
• Marginalia - "The Boogie-Woogie, Time-Traveling, Cyborg Blues" Boudica June 16, 2009^[72]
• E Book Guru - "Parole" Staff March 23, 2009^[73]
• You Gotta Read Reviews - "Parole" Stephanie March 12, 2009^[74]
• Emmatyville - "Parole" Emma Wayne Porter March 2, 2009^[75]
• Dark Diva Reviews - "Ella The Vampire" Jennifer Campbell February 23, 2009^[76]
• You Gotta Read Reviews - "Ella The Vampire" Tami February 22, 2009^[77]
• Literary Nymphs - "Parole" Scandalous Minx February 18, 2009^[78]
• Toasted Scimitar - "Raid" Staff August 12, 2008^[79]
• Blogtide Rising - "Problem in Logic" Deven D Atkinson January 4, 2008^[80]
• Horror World - "The Curse" Joe Kroeger January 2007^[81]
• Tangent Online - "All the Horrible Dragons" Paul Abbamondi October 14, 2006^[82]
• Oz Horror Scope (Australia) - "The Curse" Miranda Siemienowicz August 9, 2006^[83]
• Tangent Online - "The Curse" Janice Clark December 24, 2005^[84]

Interviews

• "The Celibate Succubus: Barton Paul Levenson" Book Signing at Rickert and Beagle Books, Dormont, Pennsylvania, November 16, 2013 "Barton Paul Levenson Book Signing" - YouTube
• "Monday's Friend: Barton Paul Levenson" Imaginary Friends, Sara Jayne Townsend, July 8, 2013^[85]
• "Books and Tales Author Interview: Barton Paul Levenson" Books and Tales, Annette Gisby, May 30, 2012^[21]
• "Page Readers Talks with Barton Paul Levenson" BlogTalkRadio - Hosted by Page Readers, February 2010 ^[86]
• "Interview with B.P. Levenson" Art & Prose Magazine, October 2007, p. 40. #61 Showcase Writer

References

1. 1 2 3 4 Art & Prose Magazine, October 2007, p. 40. #61 Showcase Writer, Interview with B.P. Levenson
2. ↑ "Pittsburgh Worldwrights Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Writer's Workshop". Mary Soon Lee. Pittsburgh, PA 2005. Retrieved 10/4/2010.  Check date values in: |access-date=, |date= (help)
3. ↑ Art & Prose Magazine, October 2007, p. 40. #61 Showcase Writer, Interview with B.P. Levenson
4. ↑ "Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine, Fiction Index, Na-Zz in "CyberSpace Spinner Archive of Horror and Fantasy Fiction"". hycyber.com. 2000. Archived from the original on 7 October 2010. Retrieved 10/4/2010.  Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
5. ↑ "Goldstrom, Jean. ""Parsec" Pittsburgh's Premiere Science Fiction Organization For the promotion of literary Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and other Speculative Fictions". The Influence of Confluence Convention report. Kevin Geiselman, Web Designer. Pittsburgh, PA 2010. Retrieved 10/04/10.  Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
6. ↑ Knight, Damon. "Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America". "Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc.". Archived from the original on 4 October 2010. Retrieved 10/04/2010.  Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
7. ↑ "Levenson, Barton. "I Will" page, "Virtual Tales". Law, Dave; Diehl, June; George, Jake; Gormley, Sherri - Directors 2009. ISBN 978-1-935460-10-7. LCCN 2010920010. Retrieved 10/04/2010.  Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
8. ↑ See commentary at: Levenson, Barton. "Red Jack Books". "Wisdom". Heidi Lampietti, Editor 2009. Retrieved 10/04/2010.  Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
9. ↑ "Ella The Vampire" cited herein
10. ↑ "Temple Cat" cited herein
11. ↑ "Sometimes We Lie" cited herein
12. ↑ (See the in-depth review by Joe Wetterling, titled "Old Heresies vs New Prophets" about "An Exercise in Logic" from the Anthology "Infinite Space, Infinite God II") http://www.baptizedimagination.com/2011/04/old-heresies-vs-new-prophets.html
13. ↑ "Rain and Revenge" cited herein
14. ↑ "The Physics of Space Beer..." cited herein
15. 1 2 "Sonya Clark". Sonya Clark. 2010-10-27. Retrieved 2011-07-20. 
16. ↑ cited herein
17. ↑ "The Ideology of Robert A. Heinlein." The New York Review of Science Fiction, June 1998
18. ↑ http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2011/02/from-blog-to-science/comment-page-5/
19. ↑ https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/89580?ref=MHBonham
20. ↑ http://www.assentpublishing.com/AuthorAnnouncements.aspx
21. 1 2 http://booksandtales.blogspot.com/2012/05/today-we-have-interview-with-sciene.html
22. ↑ http://www.solsticepublishing.com/
23. 1 2 "Lyrical Press", cited above.
24. ↑ Virtual Tales, cited above.
25. ↑ "Levenson, Barton. "Lyrical Press, Ella The Vampire". Ella The Vampire. Frank and Renee Rocco - Publishers/Owners New York 2010. Retrieved 11/17/10.  Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
26. ↑ You Gotta Read Guest: A Sit down with Barton Paul Levenson
27. ↑ http://www.electricspec.com/issues/volume-10-issue-4-november-30-2015/stealing-a-starship-by-barton-paul-levenson.asp
28. ↑ http://www.perihelionsf.com/1511/fiction_8.htm
29. ↑ http://electricspec.com/
30. ↑ http://dailysciencefiction.com/hither-and-yon/alternative-history/barton-paul-levenson/changing-the-past
31. ↑ http://stonethreadpublishing.com/contest-iii/
32. ↑ http://stonethreadpublishing.com/contests/specfic-ii/
33. ↑ http://www.cosmosmagazine.com
34. ↑ http://www.anotherealm.com
35. ↑ http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/fiction/6003/lifting
36. ↑ http://interstellarfiction.com/
37. ↑ http://www.vampires2.com/
38. ↑ http://www.anotherealm.com/2012/ar070112.php
39. 1 2 http://www.raygunrevival.com/
40. ↑ Ahmed Khan, ed. (2011). Cheer up Universe! [Paperback]. Whortleberry Press. Retrieved 8/12/2011.  Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
41. ↑ http://www.andromedaspaceways.com/
42. ↑ http://www.duotrope.com
43. ↑ http://samsdotpublishing.com/cosmiccrimestoriesgl.htm
44. ↑ Karina L. Fabian (Editor), Robert Fabian (Editor), ed. (2010). Infinite Space, Infinite God II [Paperback]. Paladin Timeless Books (November 15, 2010). ISBN 978-1-60619-231-3. Retrieved 10/4/2010.  Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
45. ↑ Amazon.com: Space Cops (9781442178908): David B. Riley: Books
46. ↑ The Boogie-Woogie, Time-Traveling, Cyborg Blues by Barton Paul Levenson
47. ↑ M-Brane Sf
48. ↑ www.wrongworld.com
49. ↑ Whispering Spirits Digital Magazine
50. ↑ Levenson, Barton. (no longer online) "Atomjack" Check |url= value (help). "Raid". Adicus Ryan Garton, Editor. Retrieved 2/02/2011.  Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
51. ↑ Wisdom
52. ↑ Written Word
53. ↑ http://www.theopinionguy.com/shortstorycontest.html
54. ↑ Bestsellers
55. ↑ Premier Issue of Staffs & Starships | Sheer Speculation
56. ↑ Publisher: Surreal Books (Cavern Press) 2006 edited by César Puch
57. ↑ eBook Publisher: TIME m a c h i n e Books, March, 2006, Thomas, Hughes and Mackenzie, editors
58. ↑ Publisher: NSP BOOKS Copyright: © 2006
59. ↑ Publisher: SFH Charity Anthologies Copyright: © 2005 by S.A. Parham and W. Olivia Race
60. ↑ Cited in Britannica Online Snow Leopard
61. ↑ http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?61042
62. ↑ http://www.norilana.com/norilana-ww-guidelines.htm
63. ↑ http://www.astropoetica.com
64. ↑ Dimensions of Science Fiction. Holicong, PA: Wildside Press 2004
65. ↑ J. Lastovicka, ed. (2011). "Planet Temperatures with Surface Cooling Parameterized in Advances in Space Research 47, 2044-2048". Elsevier. Retrieved 2011-1-28.  Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
66. ↑ http://electricspec.com/about-us/awards/awards.asp
67. ↑ http://www.succubus.net/blog/2013/12/22/a-review-of-the-celibate-succubus-by-barton-paul-levenson
68. ↑ I Will by Barton Paul Levenson | Rise Reviews
69. ↑ Welcome To The Toniverse
70. ↑ August 2010 Reviews - BookWenches
71. ↑ Manic Readers - Review of Ella The Vampire by Barton Paul Levenson - THE source for books, reviews and authors
72. ↑ Boudica Marginalia
73. ↑ http://www.ebookguru.org/index.php/2009/03/parole-by-barton-paul-levenson-fiction-ebook-review/
74. ↑ You Gotta Read Reviews: Review - Parole by Barton Paul Levenson
75. ↑ Emmatyville
76. ↑ Dark Diva Reviews: Ella the Vampire by Barton Paul Levenson
77. ↑ You Gotta Read Reviews: Review - Ella the Vampire by Barton Paul Levenson
78. ↑ Literary Nymphs Reviews Only: Parole
79. ↑ The Toasted Scimitar: Procrastination Central
80. ↑ Review: Staffs & Starships, V1 #1, 2007 « Blogtide Rising
81. ↑ Horror World Reviews
82. ↑ The Sword Review, #9, December 2005
83. ↑ HorrorScope: Review: Shadow Regions anthology
84. ↑ Shadow Regions edited by César Puch
85. ↑ http://sayssara.wordpress.com/2013/07/08/mondays-friend-barton-paul-levenson/
86. ↑ http://www.blogtalkradio.com/page-readers/2010/02/19/page-readers-talks-with-barton-paul-levenson

External links

• Official Web site
• Barton Paul Levenson at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database