Hi, I’m Cadwell Turnbull, author of the science fiction novel The Lesson and No Gods, No Monsters. 

The Lesson is set in my native U.S. Virgin Islands after an alien colonization. Described as “a compelling tale of invasive occupation and emotional uprising. . . complex and enthralling” in Library Journal‘s starred review, The Lesson was included in the best of 2019 lists for Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, and featured in Locus‘ 2019 Recommended Reading List for First Novel.

My short fiction can be found in the pages of Asimov’s Science Fiction, Lightspeed, and Nightmare to name a few. My Nightmare story “Loneliness is in Your Blood” was selected for The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2018. My Asimov’s novelette “Other Worlds and This One” was also selected as a notable story for the anthology. My short story “Jump” was selected for the Year’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2019 and featured on LeVar Burton Reads.

The Lesson was the recipient of the 2020 Neukom Institute Literary Award in the debut category. It has also been optioned by AMC for a television series in collaboration with The Mission Entertainment.

Since its publication, The Lesson has been nominated for a SOVAS Award in fiction, an Audie Award in Science Fiction, and an AAMBC Literary Award. The novel has been shortlisted for the 2020 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award and longlisted for the 2020 Massachusetts Book Award.

My latest novel No Gods, No Monsters has received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, and Booklist, as well as positive reviews from NPR and The New York Times.

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Press Kit

Author Bio (short)

Cadwell Turnbull is the award-winning author of The Lesson and No Gods, No Monsters. His short fiction has appeared in The Verge, Lightspeed, Nightmare, Asimov’s Science Fiction and several anthologies, including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2018 and The Year’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2019. His novel The Lesson was the winner of the 2020 Neukom Institute Literary Award in the debut category. The novel was also shortlisted for the VCU Cabell Award and longlisted for the Massachusetts Book Award. His novel No Gods, No Monsters is the winner of a Lambda and a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award. Turnbull lives in Raleigh and teaches at North Carolina State University.

Author Bio (longer)

Cadwell Turnbull is the award-winning author of The Lesson and No Gods, No Monsters. He is a graduate from the North Carolina State University’s Creative Writing M.F.A. in Fiction and English M.A. in Linguistics. Turnbull is also a graduate of Clarion West 2016. His short fiction has appeared in The Verge, Lightspeed, Nightmare, and Asimov’s Science Fiction and a number of anthologies. His Nightmare story “Loneliness is in Your Blood” was selected for The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2018. His Lightspeed story “Jump” was selected for The Year’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2019 and was featured on LeVar Burton Reads. His novel The Lesson was the winner of the 2020 Neukom Institute Literary Award in the debut category. It was also shortlisted for the VCU Cabell Award and longlisted for the Massachusetts Book Award. His novel No Gods, No Monsters is the winner of a Lambda and a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award. Turnbull teaches creative writing at North Carolina State University.

Author Bio (longest)

Cadwell Turnbull is the award-winning author of The Lesson and No Gods, No Monsters. He is a graduate from the North Carolina State University’s Creative Writing M.F.A. in Fiction and English M.A. in Linguistics. Turnbull is also a graduate of Clarion West 2016. His short fiction has appeared in The Verge, Lightspeed, Nightmare, and Asimov’s Science Fiction and a number of anthologies, including The Dystopia Triptych and Twelve Entanglements. His Nightmare story “Loneliness is in Your Blood” was selected for The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2018. His Lightspeed story “Jump” was selected for The Year’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2019 and was featured on LeVar Burton Reads. His novel The Lesson was the winner of the 2020 Neukom Institute Literary Award in the debut category. The Lesson was shortlisted for the VCU Cabell Award and longlisted for the Massachusetts Book Award. His novel No Gods, No Monsters is the winner of a Lambda and a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award. Turnbull grew up in the U.S. Virgin Islands and currently lives in Raleigh where he teaches creative writing at North Carolina State University.

Author Photos

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