Octavia Butler: 1947-2006

[TechBear_Seattle]

From http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_022606WABoctaviabutler_obitSW.67c7d14f.html

SEATTLE - The King County medical examiner's office says science fiction writer Octavia Butler has died. The first science fiction writer to win a "genius grant" from the MacArthur Foundation was 58.

Investigator Brad Gill said Butler died Friday after falling and hitting her head.

The executive director of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America calls Butler the first and most prominent black woman science fiction writer.

She wrote 12 novels and won both the 1985 Hugo and 1984 Nebula awards for one and the 1999 Nebula award for another.

Butler was born in Pasadena, Calif. She decided at age 10 that she wanted to be a writer. After earning an associate's degree from Pasadena City College, she attended California State University and UCLA.

She moved to Seattle in 1999.

A more extensive obituary can be found at the Seattle Times: http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=webbutlerobit26&date=20060226&query=%22Octavia+Butler%22

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. This was posted in the book forum yesterday. I'm glad you put it in GD

One of my most favorite authors.

I just ordered Fledgling, her last book. :cry:

RIP

[tishaLA]

2. I love Kindred

She will be missed.

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. My favorite were the "Parable" stories

Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents

Parable of the Talents was particularly wrenching, centering as it did on the possible consequences of social breakdown and a Christian fundamentalist stepping in to "make things better by bringing America back to Christ." Written in 1998, it seems eerily prescient (like all good science fiction) in this age of GOP control and Christian Talibangelicals. I really wish she had been able to finish Parable of the Trickster, the book that would have made this a trilogy.