Dana Cameron

Dana Cameron (born 1965) is an American archaeologist, and author of award-winning crime fiction and urban fantasy.

Life and career

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Dana Cameron began her professional career as an historical archaeologist specializing in British and New English cultural history from 1607-1760. She presently lives in Beverly, Massachusetts.^[1]

Her archaeological training and experiences in the field led her to write fiction; the first of six archaeology mysteries was published in 2002. The novels feature amateur sleuth Professor Emma Fielding and all are set in fictional towns in New England, with the exception of Grave Consequences, which takes place in a fictional town in the southeast of England. Each novel features some aspect of archaeological research and considers how the past and the present are enmeshed. One Emma Fielding short story, “Mischief in Mesopotamia,” was published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine in 2012. Shortlisted for the prestigious Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Award, Dana Cameron has won multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards.

Cameron's short stories are also informed by her research, with historical and fantastic elements an integral part of the world-building. Her stories cover the range from traditional mystery, historical, noir, thriller, and urban fantasy, and often follow a character through several stories. “The Night Things Changed” eventually led to a series of urban novels set in the urban fantasy Fangborn universe, featuring vampires, werewolves, and oracles dedicated to secretly fighting evil. The protagonist, Zoe Miller, is an archaeologist who is forced to accept that she is also werewolf and Fangborn and must use those powers, along with her archaeology training, to keep artifacts with potentially world-ending power from falling into the hands of human and Fangborn foes.

Cameron’s professional affiliations include the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime (she served on the board and as Vice President and President of the New England Chapter), The Femmes Fatales (a circle of writers including Donna Andrews, Charlaine Harris, Dean James (a/k/a Miranda James), Toni L.P. Kelner, Catriona McPherson, Kris Neri, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Mary Saums, Marcia Talley, and Elaine Viets), and the American Crime Writers League.

Published works

Emma Fielding Archaeology Mysteries

• Site Unseen (2002). ISBN 0380819546
• Grave Consequences (2002). ISBN 0380819554
• Past Malice (2003) ISBN 0380819562
• A Fugitive Truth (2004). ISBN 0060554622
• More Bitter Than Death (2005). ISBN 0060554630
• Ashes and Bones (2006). ISBN 0060554673

Fangborn Urban Fantasy

• Seven kinds of Hell (2013). ISBN 978-1611097955
• Pack of Strays (2014). ISBN 978-1477819777
• Hellbender (2015).

Short stories

• “The Lords of Misrule,” in Sugarplums and Scandal (2006)
• "Mischief in Mesopotamia," in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (2012)

Fangborn

• “The Night Things Changed” in Wolfsbane and Mistletoe (2008)
• “Swing Shift” in Crimes By Moonlight (2010)
• "Love Knot" in The Wild Side (2011)
• "Pattern Recognition" in Murder and Mayhem in Muskego (2012)
• "Finals" in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine (2013)
• "The Serpent's Tale" in Amazon Kindle Short (2013)
• "The God's Games" in Games Creatures Play (2014)

Anna Hoyt "Colonial Noir"

• “Femme Sole,” in Boston Noir (2009)
• "Disarming" in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (2011)
• "Ardent" in Cape Cod Noir (2011)

"a/k/a Jayne" thrillers

• "One Soul at a Time" in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (2012)
• "Dialing In" in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (2013)

Awards and honors

2007: Ashes and Bones, Anthony Award(winner) Best Paperback Original “The Lords of Misrule,” Anthony Award nominee, Best Short Story

2009: “The Night Things Changed,” Agatha Award ((2008) winner), Anthony Award (nominee), Macavity Award (winner), Best Short Story

2010: “Femme Sole,” Edgar Award (nominee), Agatha Award ((2009) nominee), Anthony Award (nominee), Macavity Award (nominee), Best Short Story

2011: “Swing Shift,” Agatha Award ((2010), nominee), Anthony Award (winner), Macavity Award (winner), Best Short story

2012: “Disarming,” Agatha Award ((2011), winner), Anthony Award (winner), Macavity Award (winner), Best Short Story Toast Master, Malice Domestic 24 “One Soul at Time” was named a “Black Mask” feature in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

2013: “Mischief in Mesopotamia,” Agatha Award ((2012), winner), Anthony Award (winner), Best Short Story

External links

• Dana Cameron’s official web site
• Femmes Fatales official web site

References

Gillette, Christine (September 23, 2005) “Woman of Mystery: Beverly writer releases fifth book centered on archaeologist” in The Salem News.