After leaving molecular biology, Derek worked with street kids in Central America before finding himself in the Canadian foreign service. He now writes science fiction in Gatineau, Québec. His space opera novels "The Quantum Magician" and "The Quantum Garden" were published by Solaris Books. The first, an Ocean's Eleven in space, was a finalist for the Aurora, the Locus and the Chinese Nebula Awards. In August, 2020, his space opera novel set in the clouds of Venus "The House of Styx" will be released in ebook and audio, and in hardcover in April, 2021. "The House of Styx" received a starred review from Publishers' Weekly. His internet home is www.DerekKunsken.com and he tweets from @derekkunsken.