# Jay Lake

> science fiction writer (1964–2014)

**Wikidata**: [Q720669](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q720669)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Lake)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/jay-lake

## Summary
Jay Lake was an American science fiction writer and novelist (1964–2014) known for a body of novels and short fiction that received multiple Hugo and Locus Award nominations. He won the Astounding Award for Best New Writer (2004) and his posthumous collection Last Plane to Heaven: The Final Collection won the Locus Award for Best Collection (2015).

## Biography
- Born: 1964-06-06, Taiwan
- Nationality: United States
- Education: University of Texas at Austin
- Known for: Science fiction novels and short fiction; multiple Hugo and Locus nominations and award recognition
- Field(s): Literary activity; science fiction; science fiction literature; computer programming; product management; writing in English

## Contributions
From a professional writing career beginning in 2001, Jay Lake produced novels, novellas, and short fiction that were repeatedly recognized by major genre awards. His short fiction "Into the Gardens of Sweet Night" was a Hugo Award nominee for Best Novelette in 2004. He received the Astounding Award for Best New Writer in 2004. Lake's novels earned Locus Award nominations: Rocket Science (Locus Award for Best First Novel, 2006), Trial of Flowers (Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, 2007), Mainspring (Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, 2008), Escapement (Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, 2009), and Green and Madness of Flowers (Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, 2010). His novella "The Stars Do Not Lie" was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novella in 2013, and "The Weight of History, the Lightness of the Future" was a Locus Award nominee for Best Novella in 2013. Posthumously, Last Plane to Heaven: The Final Collection received the Locus Award for Best Collection in 2015. In addition to his literary work, Lake is recorded as having professional involvement in computer programming and product management.

## FAQs
### Q: Who was Jay Lake?
A: Jay Lake was an American science fiction writer and novelist, born in Taiwan in 1964, who published novels, novellas, and short fiction and earned multiple award nominations and honors.

### Q: What are some of Jay Lake's notable works?
A: Notable works cited in award records include Rocket Science (nominated Locus Best First Novel, 2006), Trial of Flowers (nominated Locus Best Fantasy Novel, 2007), Mainspring (nominated Locus Best SF Novel, 2008), Escapement (nominated Locus Best SF Novel, 2009), and the novellas "The Stars Do Not Lie" (Hugo nominee, 2013) and "Into the Gardens of Sweet Night" (Hugo nominee, 2004).

### Q: What awards did Jay Lake receive?
A: He received the Astounding Award for Best New Writer in 2004. His final collection, Last Plane to Heaven: The Final Collection, won the Locus Award for Best Collection in 2015.

### Q: When and how did Jay Lake die?
A: Jay Lake died on 2014-06-01 in Portland. The recorded cause of death was colorectal cancer and the manner of death is described as natural causes.

## Why They Matter
Jay Lake’s significance in contemporary science fiction rests on a sustained output of novels and shorter works that repeatedly attracted attention from the field’s major awards. Beginning his published career in 2001, Lake moved quickly into the sphere of recognized writers, receiving the Astounding Award for Best New Writer in 2004 and earning multiple Locus and Hugo nominations across novels, novellas, and short fiction over the next decade. These nominations document consistent peer and critical recognition for titles such as Rocket Science, Trial of Flowers, Mainspring, and Escapement, and for shorter works like "Into the Gardens of Sweet Night" and "The Stars Do Not Lie." The posthumous Locus Award for Best Collection in 2015 for Last Plane to Heaven: The Final Collection underscores ongoing esteem for his body of work. Lake’s combination of fiction writing and recorded involvement in programming and product management reflects a cross-disciplinary profile; his published output and award history mark him as a notable voice in early-21st-century science fiction whose works continue to be cited in genre histories and award records.

## Notable For
- Receiving the Astounding Award for Best New Writer (2004).
- Hugo Award nominations: Best Novelette ("Into the Gardens of Sweet Night", 2004) and Best Novella ("The Stars Do Not Lie", 2013).
- Multiple Locus Award nominations across novels and novellas (2006–2013) for titles including Rocket Science, Trial of Flowers, Mainspring, Escapement, Green, and Madness of Flowers.
- Posthumous winner of the Locus Award for Best Collection for Last Plane to Heaven: The Final Collection (2015).
- Career as a science fiction writer beginning in 2001 and professional association with programming and product management.

## Body
### Early life and education
- Born 1964-06-06 in Taiwan.
- Educated at the University of Texas at Austin.
- Held United States citizenship.
- Given name recorded as Jay; family name Lake.

### Career overview
- Start of documented work period: 2001.
- Occupations recorded: novelist, writer, science fiction writer, programmer, manager.
- Fields of work include literary activity, science fiction literature, computer programming, and product management.
- Wrote primarily in English.

### Major works and award nominations
- "Into the Gardens of Sweet Night" — nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novelette (2004).
- Astounding Award for Best New Writer — recipient (2004).
- Rocket Science — nominated for Locus Award for Best First Novel (2006).
- Trial of Flowers — nominated for Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel (2007).
- Mainspring — nominated for Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (2008).
- Escapement — nominated for Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (2009).
- Green and Madness of Flowers — nominated for Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel (2010).
- "The Stars Do Not Lie" — nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novella (2013).
- "The Weight of History, the Lightness of the Future" — nominated for Locus Award for Best Novella (2013).
- Last Plane to Heaven: The Final Collection — Locus Award for Best Collection (2015, posthumous).

### Awards and honors
- Astounding Award for Best New Writer, 2004.
- Multiple Locus Award nominations across years 2006–2013.
- Hugo Award nominations in 2004 and 2013.
- Locus Award for Best Collection (Last Plane to Heaven: The Final Collection), 2015.

### Personal and death
- Died 2014-06-01 in Portland.
- Cause of death recorded as colorectal cancer.
- Manner of death recorded as natural causes.

### Identifiers and online presence
- Website: http://www.jlake.com/
- Writing language: English.
- ISNI: 0000000114947674.
- VIAF: 85683103.
- ISFDB author id: 20627.
- IMDb id: nm5447966.
- Numerous library and national authority identifiers (GND: 1021065137; Library of Congress authority id: no2006098412; Open Library: OL2827578A).

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. BnF authorities
4. Czech National Authority Database
5. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2015)
6. International Standard Name Identifier
7. Internet Speculative Fiction Database
8. NooSFere
9. Babelio
10. Open Library
11. [Source](https://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2013-hugo-awards/)
12. [Source](https://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2004-hugo-awards/)
13. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2008)
14. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2009)
15. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2007)
16. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2010)
17. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2006)
18. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2013)
19. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2014)
20. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2012)
21. [Source](https://nebulas.sfwa.org/award-year/2012/)
22. [Source](https://nebulas.sfwa.org/award-year/2008/)
23. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/World_Fantasy_Awards_2005)
24. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/World_Fantasy_Awards_2006)
25. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2003)
26. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2004)
27. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2005)
28. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2011)
29. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Theodore_Sturgeon_Memorial_Award_2013)
30. Goodreads