Sheila Williams (born 1956) is an American science fiction editor who is the editor of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine.
Early life and education
Sheila Williams grew up in a family of five in western Massachusetts. Her mother had a master's degree in microbiology. Williams’ interest in science fiction came from her father, who read Edgar Rice Burroughs books to her as a child. After studying at the London School of Economics in her junior year, she studied at and received a bachelor's degree from Elmira College in Elmira, New York. Williams received her Master's degree in philosophy from Washington University in St. Louis.
Career
She became interested in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (as it was then titled) while in graduate school at Washington University. In 1982, Williams was hired at the magazine, and worked with Isaac Asimov for ten years. While working there, she co-founded the Dell Magazines Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing (at one time called the Isaac Asimov Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy writing). In 2004, with the retirement of Gardner Dozois, she became the editor of the magazine.
Along with Gardner Dozois, Williams also edited the "Isaac Asimov's" anthology series. She also co-edited A Woman's Liberation: A Choice of Futures by and About Women (2001) with Connie Willis. Williams has edited a retrospective anthology of fiction published by Asimov's: Asimov's Science Fiction: 30th Anniversary Anthology. Booklist called the book "A gem, and a credit to editor Williams." Most recently, she edited Enter a Future: Fantastic Tales from Asimov's Science Fiction.
Williams won the Hugo Award for Best Short Form Editor in 2011 and 2012.
She was awarded a 2017 Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award by the SFWA.
Personal life
Williams is married to David Bruce and has two daughters.
Williams was hospitalized after suffering a brain aneurysm in early January, 2026.
Bibliography
Anthologies
Essays and reporting
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10. Isaac Asimov's robots
LCCN
98812529
Type of material
Book
Main title
Isaac Asimov's robots / edited by Gardner Dozois and Sheila Williams.
Edition
Ace ed.
Published/Created
New York : Ace Books, c1991.
Description
xiv, 209 p.; 18 cm.
ISBN
0441373763 (pbk.) :
CALL NUMBER
CPB Box no. 1127 vol. 5 Copyright Pbk Coll FT MEADE
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11. Isaac Asimov's Skin deep
LCCN
97821127
Type of material
Book
Main title
Isaac Asimov's Skin deep / edited by Gardner Dozois and Sheila Williams.
Edition
Ace ed.
Published/Created
New York : Ace Books, c1995.
Description
227 p.; 18 cm.
ISBN
0441001904 (pbk.) :
CALL NUMBER
CPB Box no. 816 vol. 23 Copyright Pbk Coll FT MEADE
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12. Isaac Asimov's solar system
LCCN
2001553610
Type of material
Book
Main title
Isaac Asimov's solar system / edited by Gardner Dozois and Sheila Williams.
Edition
Ace ed.
Published/Created
New York, NY : Ace Books, c1999.
Description
290 p.; 18 cm.
ISBN
0441006981 (pbk.) :
CALL NUMBER
CPB Box no. 1752 vol. 17 FT MEADE
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13. Isaac Asimov's utopias
LCCN
2002553732
Type of material
Book
Main title
Isaac Asimov's utopias / edited by Gardner Dozois and Sheila Williams.
Published/Created
New York : Ace Books, c2000.
Description
x, 278 p.; 17 cm.
ISBN
0441007848
Links
Contributor biographical information http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy1209/2002553732-b.html
CALL NUMBER
CPB Box no. 1829 vol. 17 FT MEADE
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14. Isaac Asimov's valentines
LCCN
99200831
Type of material
Book
Main title
Isaac Asimov's valentines / edited by Gardner Dozois and Sheila Williams.
Edition
Ace ed.
Published/Created
New York : Ace Books, 1999.
Description
243 p.; 18 cm.
ISBN
0441006027 (pbk.)
Shelf Location
FLS2014 027000
CALL NUMBER
PS648.S3 I857 1999 OVERFLOWA5S
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15. Isaac Asimov's vampires
LCCN
97810896
Type of material
Book
Main title
Isaac Asimov's vampires / edited by Gardner Dozois and Sheila Williams.
Published/Created
New York : Ace Books, 1996.
Description
257 p.; 18 cm.
ISBN
0441003877 :
CALL NUMBER
CPB Box no. 272 vol. 23 Copyright Pbk Coll FT MEADE
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16. Isaac Asimov's werewolves
LCCN
00514816
Type of material
Book
Main title
Isaac Asimov's werewolves / edited by Gardner Dozois and Sheila Williams.
Published/Created
New York : Ace Books, c1999.
Description
243 p.
ISBN
0441006612
CALL NUMBER
CPB Box no. 1659 vol. 3 Copyright Pbk Coll FT MEADE
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17. The Loch Moose monster : more stories from Isaac Asimov's science fiction magazine
LCCN
91036291
Type of material
Book
Main title
The Loch Moose monster : more stories from Isaac Asimov's science fiction magazine / foreword by Joan D. Vinge; edited by Sheila Williams.
Published/Created
New York : Delacorte Press, c1993.
Description
285 p.; 24 cm.
ISBN
0385306008 :
Shelf Location
FLM2014 036745
CALL NUMBER
PS648.S3 L63 1993 OVERFLOWA5S
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18. Tales from Isaac Asimov's science fiction magazine : short stories for young adults
LCCN
86007591
Type of material
Book
Main title
Tales from Isaac Asimov's science fiction magazine : short stories for young adults / selected by Sheila Williams and Cynthia Manson; with an introduction by Isaac Asimov.
Published/Created
San Diego : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1986.
Description
ix, 298 p.; 22 cm.
ISBN
0152842098
CALL NUMBER
PZ5 .T24 1986 FT MEADE
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PZ5 .T24 1986 FT MEADE
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19. Why I left Harry's all-night hamburgers, and other stories from Isaac Asimov's science fiction magazine
LCCN
89023675
Type of material
Book
Main title
Why I left Harry's all-night hamburgers, and other stories from Isaac Asimov's science fiction magazine / edited by Sheila Williams and Charles Ardai; foreword by Isaac Asimov.
Published/Created
New York : Delacorte Press, c1990.
Description
ix, 285 p.; 25 cm.
ISBN
0385300441 :
CALL NUMBER
PZ5 .W625 1990 FT MEADE
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20. A woman's liberation : a choice of futures by and about women
LCCN
2001017794
Type of material
Book
Main title
A woman's liberation : a choice of futures by and about women / edited by Connie Willis and Sheila Williams.
Published/Created
New York : Warner Books, c2001.
Description
xvi, 302 p.; 21 cm.
ISBN
0446677426
Links
Publisher description http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0914/2001017794-d.html
Shelf Location
FLS2014 008216
CALL NUMBER
PS648.F4 W65 2001 OVERFLOWA5S
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