World Fantasy Award-nominated Elsa Sjunneson defines herself as "a partially deafblind bicoastal raised speculative fiction writer and editor. " Originally from Seattle, WA., she is a graduate of both Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA and Sarah Lawrence College (in the Women's History program) in New York. She has written short stories for venues including *Fireside* and *Uncanny Magazine*; she co-edited the September/October 2018 special issue of *Uncanny* (titled *Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction*). This issue, designed to restore the disability experience to the science fiction narrative, won Sjunneson the 2019 Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine, the 2019 Aurora Award for Best Related Work-English, and the 2019 British Fantasy Award for Best Magazine/Periodical.
She has also been the Assistant Editor and Managing Editor of *Fireside Quarterly* and *Uncanny*'s non-fiction editor. She has also been part of the creative team behind Serial Box’s *Marvel's Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire*,and has worked on game design products such as *Changeling*, *Wraith*, *The Fate Accessibility Toolkit*, and *Dead Scare*. Her comic story about Peggy Carter will be featured in 2021's *Women of Marvel* giant-size comic book.
Sjunneson, who won the 2021 Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer, is also a noted writer of non-fiction pieces, which have appeared in venues such as Tor.com, the *Boston Globe*, and *Uncanny*. She is a fierce activist for the disabled and for correcting the media misrepresentation of disabled people. Her first full-length work, *Being Seen: One Deafblind Woman’s Fight to End Ableism* was released in October 2021.
She founded and wrote the popular blog Feminist Sonar from 2011-2016, where she laid groundwork for many discussions on disability in popular discourse. As an activist for disability rights, she has worked with New Jersey 11th for Change and the New York Disability Pride Parade.
Published
This collection contains materials from and relating to author, editor, and disability advocate Elsa Sjunneson. Materials include examples of Sjunneson's writing, including her juvenilia, and audiovisual recordings of her school dramatic work and performances.
Donated by Elsa Sjunneson, March 2021.
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Published
*Series I: Writings*
1-1/1: Daily journal, 2020
1-1/2: *The Feminist Papers* [Gonzaga University Women's Studies Program literary magazine], with poem "An Ally" by Sjunneson, Spring 2008
1-1/3: *Homo Sapiens Meta Lupus* [high school student film by Sjunneson and Anne Jewell], on VHS videocassette, undated
1-1/4: "Little Miss Theatre Historian: An Autobiography for the Women's History Program", illustration, 2009?
1-1/5: Journal - Literary London Program, 2007
1-1/6: MA Thesis: "Legal Morality, Stripped Down: Burlesque, Obscenity Law, and Gender Conflict in America", typescript draft with handwritten edits, and partial typescript with handwritten edits, September 2011
1-1/7: *The Mad Printer* [school poetry magazine], with pieces "The Pond" and "My Woes and Worries" by Sjunneson, June 1998 (2 copies)
1-1/8: Notebook, 2003
1-1/9: Notebook and roleplaying notes, 2003 - 2004
1-1/10: *Outspoken* [school literary magazine], with pieces by Sjunneson, 1995 - 1997
Published
1-2/1: Submission for *The Vagina Monologues*, typescript, 2008
1-2/2: "The Boa in the Museum" (by Jesse Bernstein, 'for Elsa'), partial transcript draft with handwritten edits, undated
1-2/3: "Military Service Record" (play), typescript draft with handwritten edits, undated
1-2/4: "Of Mice and Manners, A Book of Manners", typescript, undated
1-2/5: School writings, 2002 - 2003, undated
1-2/6: *Something Nocturnal* (co-written by Sjunneson, as 'Ravenna Mcquill'), typescript draft with handwritten edits, undated
1-2/7: "Song of Marsila", with piece "Elsa's Song of Marsila", 1996?
1-2/8: Speech on LGBT rights, partial typescript draft with handwritten edits, undated
1-2/9: *Two Worlds and a Transport Spell* (unpublished early work by Sjunneson, as "Ravenna S. Silverwing"), typescript, with hand-drawn illustration, undated
1-2/10: Juvenilia - "The Atlantic World, Part 2", 2001?
1-2/11: Juvenilia - *Black Is A Badge of Honor* (play), typescript draft with handwritten reader comments and typescript critique, December 2003
1-2/12: Juvenilia - *Dancing on the River* (play), typescript, undated
1-2/13: Juvenilia - "The History of the Atlantic World, 1500-1800", 2001
1-2/14: Juvenilia - "My Life: An Autobiography", undated
*Series II: Correspondence*
2-2/15: Correspondence, 2000, 2002, 2017, undated
*Series III: Other Materials*
2-3/16: *The Crane Wife* [Gonzaga University Theater production, 2008], recording of performance by Sjunneson, on DVD, 2008
2-3/17: Gonzaga University theater materials, 2008, undated
2-3/18: "Hogwarts Exchange Program" MWRPG materials, undated
2-3/19: Nametag for Sjunneson, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, undated
2-3/20: *Voices!: The Student Newsletter of ACT's Young Playwright's Program*, November 2003
2-3/21: Washington Ensemble Theatre [Seattle, WA] program for *blahblahblahBANG!*, December 2007
Published
2-1/1: *American Horror Story: Asylum* (FX, 2012 - 2013), poster inscribed to Sjunneson by Naomi Grossman, 2012?