View source for Arwen Elys Dayton

{{short description|Speculative fiction writer}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Arwen Elys Dayton
| image              = Author Arwen Elys Dayton at San Diego Comi-Con, 2014 01.jpg
| caption            = Arwen Elys Dayton at [[San Diego Comic-Con]], 2014.
| nationality        = American
| occupation         = Novelist
| notable_works      = [[Seeker (series)]]; [[Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful]]
| spouse             = [[Sky Dayton]]
| website            = {{url|http://www.arwenelysdayton.com}}
}}
'''Arwen Elys Dayton''' is  an American author of [[science fiction]], [[fantasy]] and [[speculative fiction]]. The author of seven published works, she is best known for her award-winning novel ''[[Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful]]'' and for her [[Seeker (series)|''Seeker'' trilogy]]. Her 2012 novel ''Resurrection'' was an [[Amazon.com]] Kindle best seller, reaching #1 and #2 on national and international sales charts. The rights to her 2015 novel ''Seeker'' were purchased by [[Columbia Pictures]] in 2013. Her 2018 novel, ''Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful'', was cited by Tom Shippey of ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' as one of the best science fiction novels of 2018. She is married to tech entrepreneur [[Sky Dayton]] and lives in Oregon's Willamette Valley.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/books/2018/12/need-a-gift-for-a-book-lover-here-are-17-titles-by-oregon-authors-to-consider.html|title=Need a gift for a book lover? Here are 17 titles by Oregon authors to consider|last=Wang|first=Amy|date=4 December 2018|work=Oregon Live|access-date=28 May 2019}}</ref>
==Background==
Dayton was named [[Arwen]] after an elf in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.<ref name="sf1"/>  She began writing around the age of 7 or 8, when her teacher asked her to write a one-page story. As a child she enjoyed reading adventure and fantasy stories, and at the age of 8 envisaged a story about a prince arriving on a spaceship from another planet to rescue his little sister;  several elements of her original idea weaved their way into her novel many years later,  ''Resurrection''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sfreader.com/r/industry-news/interviews/interview-with-arwen-elys-dayton/|title=Interview with Arwen Elys Dayton|newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=6 March 2017|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> At the age of 12 she read the book ''[[The King Must Die]]'', by [[Mary Renault]], which had a major impact on the budding writer, describing it as "having everything, Greek mythology brought into real life... heroes, gods, humans, love, romance, adventure".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFWRm_t9ZTw|title=Arwen Elys Dayton on the book she's most influenced by...and a sneaky writing tip! | publisher=Read It Forward|date=7 December 2015|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref>
After graduating from high school at 16, Dayton worked as a tutor for a year in Europe. She returned to the US to attend [[Stanford University]], but instead took a job as a magazine article writer. Her articles led to being hired as a writer on the [[PBS]] show ''The Eddie Files''.<ref name="sf1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.sfsite.com/07b/res108.htm|title=The SF Site Featured Review: Resurrection|publisher=SF Site|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref>
Dayton is married to tech entrepreneur, [[Sky Dayton]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/2006/03/helio/|title=Sky Dayton Gets Mobile|work=WIRED|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> and they live on the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]] with their three children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/weblog/2017/07/arwen-elys-dayton-discusses-the-seeker-series-including-disruptor.html|title=Arwen Elys Dayton Discusses the Seeker Series|publisher=Children's Book Review|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> With her husband she has invested in startups such as digital data studio Fresno in 2017.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/fresno-funding-8-million-rob-goldberg-1202575881/|author=Spangler, Todd|title=Fresno, Data-Driven Digital Studio Startup, Raises $8 Million in Seed Funding (EXCLUSIVE)|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=28 September 2017|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref>
==Career==
While working as a writer for the PBS show ''The Eddie Files'', Dayton began working on her first novel, ''Sovereign's Hold'',<ref name="sf1"/> which was published by Windstorm in 2000.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZgBtPgAACAAJ|title=Sovereign's Hold|last=Dayton|first=Arwen Elys|date=2000|publisher=Windstorm|isbn=9781883573164|language=en}}</ref> According to ''Library Journal'', "Dayton's first novel features intriguing characters and a plot worthy of the best space operas".<ref>''Library Journal'' (2000), Library Journal, Cahners Business Information.</ref>
Dayton first came to widespread attention with her novel ''Resurrection'', set against the backdrop of [[ancient Egypt]], fusing ancient Egyptian history and archaeology with the possibility of advanced civilizations in a nearby galaxy.”<ref>{{Cite news|author=Calo, Jeanette|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-review-arwen-elys-dayton-skillfully-blends-times-2012may08-story.html|title=REVIEW: Arwen Elys Dayton skillfully blends times and worlds in 'Resurrection'|publisher=The San Diego Tribune|date=8 May 2012|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> It features the character of Pruitt, a lone warrior fighting to save her people from extermination, who must journey across time and the stars to find a lost technology. Reviewer Lisa DuMond wrote: "This tale of planets, civilizations, and alternate histories offers some theories you probably never considered. It's a look into past, present, and future that seems strangely... probable." Though she  described the "flashbacks, flashforwards, several flashsideways" as "unsettling", she concluded that it was an "engaging story, intriguing speculation, and a lively style".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sfsite.com/07b/res108.htm|title=Resurrection|publisher=SF Site|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> The novel was published by [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]]'s 47North, and became  a Kindle best-seller after hitting #2 on the overall charts.<ref name="HR13"/>
[[File:Arwen Elys Dayton at Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon.jpg|thumb|right|Dayton at a ''Seeker'' book signing at Powell's Books in [[Portland, Oregon]] in 2015]]
In February 2015, Dayton released the novel ''Seeker'', a fantasy novel set in a shadowy dystopian future.<ref name="Express">{{cite news|url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/554116/new-Hunger-Games-set-to-base-filming-in-Scotland-tourism-boost|title=Sci-fi trilogy "should be filmed in Scotland"|newspaper=Daily Express|date=25 January 2015|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> It follows three young apprentices: Quin, John and Shinobu, as they undergo training to become the "Seeker", to right the wrongs of the world.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/apr/05/review-arwen-elys-dayton-seeker|title=Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton - review |newspaper=The Guardian|date=5 April 2015|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> Dayton extensively researched the novel in Scotland, where the first third of the story is set, and stated that "when I drive through smaller villages and through open land, I know I'm seeing Scotland much as it was hundreds of years ago, and much as it will be in times to come".<ref name="Express"/> ''[[USA Today]]'' noted the different responses of the three characters to the "disillusionment experienced when lies of childhood are revealed as frightening truths of a really messed-up adult reality".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2015/02/20/serena-chase-recommended-fantasy-wibberley-laureano-dayton/|title=Must-read romantic fantasy: 'Sacrificed,' 'Beneath the Forsaken City,' 'Seeker'|date=20 February 2015|newspaper=USA Today|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' called ''Seeker'' a "powerful beginning to a complex family saga".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-385-74407-2|title=Children's Book Review: Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton. Delacorte|work=PublishersWeekly.com|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> though the reviewer for ''The Guardian'' was less enthusiastic, believing that the second half of the novel was stronger.<ref name="Guardian"/>  ''[[Teen Vogue]]'' included the novel in their 2015 "13 YA Debuts to Have on Your Radar This Year" list.<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Tejeda, Valerie|url=https://www.teenvogue.com/gallery/young-adult-book-debuts-to-have-on-your-radar-in-2015#6|title= 13 YA Debuts to Have on Your Radar This Year|magazine=[[Teen Vogue]]|date=28 January 2015|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> As early as 2013 it was announced that [[Columbia Pictures]] had purchased the rights to the novel and that [[Mark Gordon (film)|Mark Gordon]] was attached to produce a film adaptation. President of production, Hannah Minghella, stated: "The best science fiction and fantasy stories are a metaphor for a grounded universal truth and Arwen perfectly captures the emotionally complex awakening all young people have that the world is not black and white, parents are not perfect and ultimately we all have to be Seekers of our own truth".<ref name="HR13">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/columbia-picks-up-movie-rights-430487|title=Columbia Picks Up Movie Rights to YA Novel 'Seeker' (Exclusive)|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|date=22 March 2013|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref>
In November 2015, Dayton released an e-Novella entitled ''The Young Dread'', revolving around a character who was a child in the 1400s but is still alive today, and aged only into a teen.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/537357/the-young-dread-by-arwen-elys-dayton/|title=The Young Dread by Arwen Elys Dayton|publisher=PenguinRandomhouse.com|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> In 2016, Penguin Random House published ''Traveler'', the sequel to ''Seeker''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/233626/traveler-by-arwen-elys-dayton/|title=Traveler|publisher=Penguin Random House|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> According to Isabella Biedenharn of  ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' magazine: "Traveler continues the story of Quin Kincaid, a Seeker who, on the night of her Oath, learned that her family's legacy is not quite what it seemed".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2015/08/19/traveler-sequel-seeker/|title=See the cover and read an excerpt from 'Traveler,' the sequel to 'Seeker' -- exclusive|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=19 August 2015|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> The third book in the series, ''Disruptor'', was published in 2017. ''Booklist'' wrote "Readers of the first two volumes will find their long-awaited conclusion here, and Dayton will have found fans for life."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/233627/disruptor-by-arwen-elys-dayton/9780385378598|title=Disruptor|publisher=Penguin Random House|access-date=28 November 2018}}</ref> ''Teen Reads'' notes that ''Disruptor'' is written from different perspectives and even reveal the thoughts of secondary characters such as Maud, Dex and Nott. They wrote that "some chapters are short yet powerful, which leave the reader in complete suspense and anticipation".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.teenreads.com/reviews/disruptor-seeker-book-3|title=Disruptor (Seeker, Book 3)|publisher=Teenreads.com|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref>
In December 2018, Dayton released ''[[Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful]]'', which explores the ethical question of how far humans will go in their pursuit of physical perfection.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/570018/stronger-faster-and-more-beautiful-by-arwen-elys-dayton/9780525580959/|title=Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton|publisher=Penguin Random House|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> Her interest in genetic engineering began in 2009 when she read an article in ''[[The New Yorker]]'' about synthetic biology and the scientists who were fusing together body parts to create new life.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/read-an-exclusive-excerpt-from-new-sci-fi-story-collection-stronger-faster-and-more|title=Read an exclusive excerpt from new sci-fi story collection, 'Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful'|publisher=Syfy.com|date=30 November 2018|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> Sadie Trombetta of ''Bustle'' described the book as "powerful, poignant", writing: "six interconnected narratives come together to tell a larger story about a distant future where science and technology have made it possible to attain the kind of perfection humans have always craved. It is a twisted and sometimes terrifying exploration of the incredible possibilities of genetic manipulation and life extension that begs an important question: How far are we willing to go to become the perfect human specimen, and at what point does that perfection start to interfere with our humanity?"<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Trombetta, Sadie|url=https://www.bustle.com/p/stronger-faster-more-beautiful-is-a-novel-about-what-happens-when-humans-achieve-perfection-13013846|title=Stronger, Faster, And More Beautiful' Is A Novel About What Happens When Humans Achieve "Perfection"|magazine=[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]]|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> In a starred review, book review magazine ''[[Kirkus Reviews]]'' wrote that the book was "imaginative and incisive ... [and] asks readers to ponder what makes us human and if we’ll know when we’ve crossed the line, becoming something else."<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/arwen-elys-dayton/stronger-faster-and-more-beautiful/|title=Stronger, Faster and More Beautiful|publisher=[[Kirkus Reviews]]|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> ''Publishers Weekly'' also gave the book a starred review, stating that "Dayton's brilliant collection of stories is best described as a scientific Twilight Zone".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-525-58095-9|title=Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful|publisher=Publishers Weekly|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref> In the UK, the ''[[Financial Times]]'' wrote of the book, "There's some lovely writing from Dayton, especially her first-person narratives, and the thought-provoking ideas are grounded in warm, credible characterisation."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/08ec3e58-2569-11e9-b20d-5376ca5216eb|title=Short review: Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton|last=Lovegrove|first=James|date=February 15, 2019|work=Financial Times|access-date=February 20, 2019}}</ref> Tom Shippey of ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' cited the book as one of the best science fiction novels of 2018,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/science-fiction-best-of-2018-1544190198|title=Science Fiction: Best of 2018|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=7 December 2018|access-date=29 January 2019}}</ref> while Constance Grady of ''Vox'' named it one of the 16 best books of 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/12/21/18138004/16-best-books-2018|title=The 16 best books I read in 2018|website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref>
== Bibliography ==
* ''Sovereign's Hold'' (June 2000)
* ''Resurrection'' (January 2012)
* ''[[Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful]]'' (December 2018)
=== The ''Seeker'' series ===
{{see also|Seeker (series)}}
* ''Seeker'' – Book 1 (February 2015)
* ''Traveler'' – Book 2 (January  2016)
* ''Disruptor'' – Book 3 (February 2017)
*''The Young Dread: A Seeker Novella'' (November 2015)
== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}
== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180831061326/http://www.arwendayton.com/ Official website]
*[http://sfreader.com/r/industry-news/interviews/interview-with-arwen-elys-dayton/ Interview] with the San Francisco Chronicle
*[http://www.teenreads.com/authors/arwen-elys-dayton/news/interview-030515 Author Interview, with Teenreads]
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dayton, Arwen Elys}}
[[Category:20th-century American novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century American novelists]]
[[Category:American women novelists]]
[[Category:American fantasy writers]]
[[Category:American science fiction writers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:20th-century American women writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women writers]]