Bio:Russell Davis
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Russell Davis began editing short fiction and poetry in college at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. As the Managing Editor of Sheepshead Revue (the student literary magazine), he was instrumental in revising their process and content, bringing the publication into the black for the first time in its twenty-year history. During his tenure, the first-ever retrospective anthology of student literary work was published.
Russell has co-edited/packaged a number of anthology titles with Martin H. Greenberg of Tekno Books, including: MARDI GRAS MADNESS (Cumberland House), APPRENTICE FANTASTIC, FAERIE TALES, HAUNTED HOLIDAYS , IF I WERE AN EVIL OVERLORD and MILLENNIUM 3001 (DAW), and LOST TRAILS (Pinnacle). He was also the editor of two erotica anthologies – HEAT, VOLUME 0 and HEAT, VISIBLE SKIN (both for Foggy Windows Books – see below), and under the name David Cian, was the editor for an anthology of original Transformers stories, called LEGENDS.
In April, 2000, Russell was asked to bring his knowledge of the industry and his writing contacts to Maine and launch a new publishing house called Foggy Windows Books. A multi-genre (science fiction/fantasy, mystery, romance, and westerns) house that published novels and original anthologies with semi-erotic content for married couples, Russell developed the acquisitions and editorial models, created the catalog and website presence, arranged for production and distribution and, in short, did almost everything except brew the coffee. One year after moving out, the Publisher surprised Russell by pulling the funding and closing the house (three weeks after the first shipment of books arrived at the distributor). Apparently, he'd wanted to lose money and it had become clear that the endeavor was going to make money. (If only the Publisher had mentioned this to begin with, Russell could have easily shown him how to lose money at it!)
In September, 2001, Russell was hired by FIVE STAR PUBLISHING (an imprint of Gale). Shortly thereafter, he took over editorial control of the romance and women's fiction line, now called Expressions, followed a bit later by the Speculative Fiction line. In addition to acquisitions and editing, Russell was instrumental in rebuilding the editorial focus of both lines, recreating the catalogs, and developing a new cover art process. During his tenure, several of Russell's acquisitions won major recognition with awards such as: BOOK OF THE YEAR from Native American Times (The Education of Ruby Loonfoot by Paxton Riddle); Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award - Best Small Press Mystery (Missing You by Pauline Baird Jones); ARTemus Award - Best Contemporary Romance Cover Art (Got Mick? by Amy Sandrin), BOOK OF THE YEAR, TOP TEN ROMANCES from Booklist (Seducing Mr. Heywood by Jo Manning); and more recently, two of Russell's acquisitions - Fallen From Grace by Laura Resnick and Caught in the Act by Joyce Lamb – were finalists for the coveted RITA Award. Russell was also a nominee for the PASIC (Published Authors Special Interest Chapter) Chapter of RWA for their 2nd Annual Editor of the Year Award. He left Five Star in June, 2004.
Under a variety of names and in several different genres, Russell Davis has written and edited both novels and short stories. Some of his recent short fiction has appeared in the anthologies UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS, GATEWAYS and MAIDEN, MATRON, CRONE. Wildside Press published a collection of his short fiction titled WALTZING WITH THE DEAD. He has written and sold more than a dozen novels, including TOUCHLESS, a TWILIGHT ZONE novel, a co-authored (w/John Helfers) Tom Clancy's Net Force Y/A novel, several media tie-in books under the David Cian pseudonym as well as an original vampire novel, a film novelization under the name Christopher Tracy, and most recently, a highly popular young adult series.
He lives in northern Nevada with his family, and when he's not busy writing, editing, chasing his kids or working with horses, he maintains a blog dedicated to Western novels and related subjects at http://westernsfortoday.blogspot.com.