Kirsten Beyer is an American science fiction writer, known for her novels based on the Star Trek: Voyager television series. She was a staff writer for Star Trek: Discovery, and co-creator and executive producer of Star Trek: Picard.
She has also written for the Buffyverse.
Career
Little is known of Beyer's career prior to her involvement with the Star Trek franchise. She briefly worked as an actress and dancer for stage productions in the Los Angeles-area until the mid-1990s. After corresponding with Star Trek: Voyager executive producer Jeri Taylor and expressing an interest in writing for the series, Beyer was invited to pitch for the series. Beyer had previously submitted two spec scripts which were both rejected. She later pitched stories from Voyager season five onward, but none were produced.
In 2004, Beyer was encouraged to send a query package to Pocket Books by her writing partner, Heather Jarman. Her query was accepted, and development of a new Voyager tie-in novel began. However, the editor leading the development moved on to other projects, and the novel under development was never realized. Beyer was later introduced to Marco Palmieri, editor of the Star Trek line at Pocket Books, by Jarman while both were attending the Shore Leave science fiction convention. Palmieri agreed to accept samples of her work, and invited Beyer to write for him a few days later.
Beyer's first novel with Palmieri was Fusion (2005), the second book in the Voyager: String Theory miniseries. A subplot involving the Vulcan character Tuvok was originally pitched as an episode of Voyager tentatively titled "Siren's Song". Another un-produced pitch was reworked as the short story "Isabo's Shirt", anthologized in Distant Shores (2005). Beyer became the lead writer of the Voyager novel series, replacing Christie Golden, with the release of Full Circle in March 2009. She has written eleven Voyager tie-in novels.
In May 2016, Beyer was hired as a staff writer for Star Trek: Discovery. She was recruited because of her familiarity with Star Trek canon, and her experience as a tie-in fiction writer. She has contributed to the Discovery and Star Trek: Picard comics line published by IDW. In 2020, Beyer read for the audiobook edition of To Lose the Earth.
Bibliography
Star Trek: Voyager (2005–2020)
Star Trek: Voyager tie-in novels published by Simon & Schuster. TitleDateISBNFusionOctober 25, 2005Full CircleMarch 31, 2009UnworthySeptember 29, 2009Children of the StormMay 31, 2011The Eternal TideAugust 28, 2012ProtectorsJanuary 28, 2014Acts of ContritionSeptember 30, 2014AtonementAugust 25, 2015A Pocket Full of LiesJanuary 26, 2016Architects of InfinityMarch 27, 2018To Lose the EarthOctober 13, 2020
Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2020)
Star Trek: Discovery tie-in comics published by IDW Publishing. Co-written by Mike Johnson. Beyer is credited as "Comic story writer" for most issues. IssueIssue dateCollectionDateISBNThe Light of Kahless, Issue 1November 29, 2017The Light of Kahless, 1August 8, 2018The Light of Kahless, Issue 2January 24, 2018The Light of Kahless, Issue 3March 14, 2018The Light of Kahless, Issue 4May 30, 2018Succession, Issue 1April 18, 2018Succession, Vol. 1October 9, 2018Succession, Issue 2May 23, 2018Succession, Issue 3June 27, 2018Succession, Issue 4August 1, 2018Star Trek: Discovery Annual 2018March 28, 2018Aftermath, Issue 1September 4, 2019Aftermath, Vol. 1Apr 14, 2020Aftermath, Issue 2September 25, 2019Aftermath, Issue 3November 20, 2019Captain Saru (special issue)March 13, 2019
Star Trek: Picard (2019–2020)
Star Trek: PicardCountdown comic miniseries is as a prequel to Star Trek: Picard. Artist is Angel Hernández. IssueIssue dateCollectionDateISBN1November 27, 2019Countdown, 1June 30, 20202December 18, 20193January 29, 2020
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2008)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer tie-in novels published by Simon & Schuster. TitleDateISBNOne Thing or Your MotherMarch 3, 2008Buffy the Vampire Slayer 3 (omnibus)November 16, 2010
Short fiction (2005–2009) Beyer has contributed to the following short story collections: WorkCollectionEditorDateISBN"Isabo's Shirt"Distant ShoresMarco PalmieriNovember 1, 2005"Widow's Weeds"Space GruntsDayton WardMay 14, 2009
Filmography YearTitleRole2017–2024Star Trek: DiscoveryConsulting ProducerCo-Producer (33 episodes)Staff writerStory editor (29 episodes)Episode: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum" (written by)Episode: "Saints of Imperfection" (written by)Episode: "Unification III" (written by)2019Star Trek: Short TreksEpisode: "Children of Mars" (written by)2020–2023Star Trek: PicardCo-creatorExecutive producer (11 episodes)Episode: "Remembrance" (story by)Episode: "Stardust City Rag" (written by)Episode: "Mercy" (written by)2022–presentStar Trek: Strange New WorldsCo-executive producer (10 episodes) Episode: "Among the Lotus Eaters" (written by) Episode: "Wedding Bell Blues" (written by)2026–presentStar Trek: Starfleet AcademyCo-executive producerEpisode: "Series Acclimation Mil" (written by)Episode: "300th Night" (written by)Episode: "Rubincon" (written by)
References
External links