Well Known Science Fiction Writers
H. G. Wells (1866-1946): English author, futurist, essayist, historian, socialist, and teacher.
Born September 21, 1866, in Bromley, Kent County, England, Herbert George Wells grew up in a poor family. At an early age he became an avid reader and before long would realize that he was destined to write fiction that would prevent its readers to put his books down. In 1883 Wells won a scholarship to the Normal School of Science. It was then he discovered his interest in science and its consequences or reactions to the world. When he wasn't able to complete scholarship requirements he therefore lost his scholarship and moved in with his aunt and uncle Wells and tutored part-time and studied part-time at his uncle's school. After years of liaisons with numerous women, Wells used many of these women as potential characters in his stories. His first published: Select Conversations with and Uncle. Everything afterwards fell right into place and then he published many more books that would make him one of the most popular Science Fiction writers of the 20th Century. [1]
Douglas Adams (1952-2001): Douglas Noel Adams was born in Cambridge on March 11, 1952. Douglas' parents got divorced and he moved to Brentwood with his mother and younger sister Sue. From 1959 to 1970, Douglas went to Brentwood School in Essex. There, he was more interested in the field of science than in the arts. The moment he thought seriously about writing for the first time was at the age of ten. He tried his luck as a comedy writer. He joined forces with Graham Chapman and John Lloyd on many projects, but most were failures and never saw the light of day. On February 4, 1977 he met Simon Brett and decided to produce a comedy radios series. Thus the Hitchicker's Guide to the Galaxy was born. [2]
Ray Bradbury (1920-): Ray Bradbury has been known as "one of America's greatest creative geniuses." He takes real- life experiences that are ordinary and makes them extraordinary. Bradbury's science fiction talent is clearly defined in his 1950s publication of The Martian Chronicles. Shortly after, Bradbury released Farenheit 451 which is another literary work he is most famous for. Ray Bradbury has won the O. Henry Memorial Award, the Benjamin Franklin Award, the Aviation- Space Writer's Award and many more. [3,4]
Jules Verne: Jules Verne was born in Nates, France on February 8, 1828 and is known as the Father of Science Fiction. He wrote Journey to the Center of the Earth, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Around the World in Eighty days, all of which had a great influence on Science fiction as we know it today. All three of these works have been made into movies as well. Jules Verne died in Amiens, France, on March 24, 1905 at the age of 77. [5]
Orson Scott Card (1951-): Card is a popular science fiction author. He has received the Nebula and Hugo awards two years in a row for his novels Ender's Game and Speaker of the Dead. [6] Although Card possessed an interest in books from an early age, he went to Brigham Young University on a Presidential Scholarship with the intent to major in archaeology. He ended up changing his major to theatre, which helped him write. The award-winning Ender's Game was written to pay debts incurred due to a failed attempt by Card to run his own theatre company. Card now lives in Greensboro, N.C. with wife Kristine and daughter Zina. [7]
Suzanne Collins (1962-): Suzanne Collins’ inspirations for writing The Hunger Games trilogy include everything from Greek mythology and her childhood experiences to reality TV, war coverage, and just sheer tiredness. Collins says that the idea of The Hunger Games came to her one night when she was watching TV. She was flipping through the channels and reality TV was on one channel and on the next was war coverage. In her tiredness, Collins’ mind combined the two together into what eventually became The Hunger Games trilogy. Collins also says that as a child, she was fascinated by the Greek myth Theseus and the Minotaur, which also helped to shape the nature of The Hunger Games. Her father was in the Air Force, a historian, and had a degree in Political Science. Collins says that her father always wanted the kids to know not just the battlefield, but also why the battle occurred. She said this was part of her inspiration in the story behind why the games take place. [8]
Suzanne Collins has written all kinds of books: children’s books, middle school age books, and young adult books. Her children’s books include Year of the Jungle and When Charlie McButton Lost Power. Her middle school books include the Gregor the Overlander series and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo: Fire Proof. Her young adult books and bestseller is The Hunger Games trilogy. [9]
Rick Yancey: Rick Yancey had a very interesting life. His father was a lawyer. When he was in seventh grade, he wrote his first short story. He got an "A" on it. He was very proud of himself. He enjoyed writing and then he started writing plays. Later he taught English and did some acting and directing at a local theatre. When he got married his wife and best friend enjoyed a screenplay he wrote and told him it would be a excellent book. [10] One day he and his wife were having a conversation. He asked her what her greatest fear was. Without hesitation, she told him "being abducted by aliens." She said she would be terrified and afraid that no one would believe her. This led to the writing of his latest YA bestseller, The 5th Wave. [11]
1. "H. G. Wells Biography and Works."The Literature Network.2000. 9 Dec. 2008
<http://www.online-literature.com/wellshg/>.
2. Frater, Jamie. "Top 10 Most Influential Science Fiction Writers." 3 Mar. 2008. Listverse. 2009. 11 May 2009. <http://listverse.com/literature/top-10-most-influential-science-fiction-writers/>
3. Gutierrez-Folch, Anita. "Happy Birthday, Ray Bradbury." 22 Aug. 2008. Finding Dulcinea 11 May 2009.
<http://www.findingdulcinea.com>
4. Jepsen, Chris and Richard Johnston. "A Brief Biography." 2001. Ray Bradbury Online 1 May 2009
<http://www.spaceagecity.com/bradbury/bio.html>
5. "Jules Verne." 11 May 2009. Wikipedia. 11 May 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Ver
6. Heller, Terry and Gerald S. Argetsinger. "Orson Scott Card." Critical Survey of Short Fiction, Second Revised Edition. Pasadena: Salem, 2001. 1-5. Literary Reference Center. Web. 8 May 2012.
7. "About Orson Scott Card." Hatrack River - The Official Website of Orson Scott Card. Hatrack River Enterprises, 2012. Web. 15 May 2012.
8. "A Conversation with Suzanne Collins." Interview by Sheila M. Everett. Scholastic. Scholastic, n.d. Web. 3 Dec.
2013.
9. "Suzanne Collins." NoveList Plus. EBSCO Industries, 2013. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.
10.Yancey, Rick. "About." RickYancey.com. 2013. Web. 02 Dec, 2013.
11. Lodge, Sally. "Putnam Rolls Out Cover of Yancey's The Wave 5th Wave." PublisherWeekly. PWxyz, 01 Nov, 2012. Web. 02 Dec, 2013.