Octavia E. Butler

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Octavia E. Butler
Butler signs a copy of Fledgling in October 2005.
Butler signs a copy of Fledgling in October 2005.
BornOctavia Estelle Butler
(1947-06-22)June 22, 1947
Pasadena, California, U.S.
DiedFebruary 24, 2006(2006-02-24) (aged 58)
Lake Forest Park, Washington, U.S.
OccupationWriter
NationalityAmerican
Period1970–2006
GenreScience fiction

Octavia E. Butler was an American science fiction writer. She won many awards. She won the Hugo and Nebula awards more than once. She won the MacArthur Fellowship in 1995.[1][2]

Early life[change | change source]

Butler was born in Pasadena, California on June 22, 1947. She lost her father at a young age. Butler was raised by her mother, who worked as a maid. Butler started creating her own stories early on. Butler was dyslexic but she didn't let it challenge her from developing a love of books. She decided to make writing her life's work at the age of ten. As a child Butler was known for her shyness and her impressive height. She attended many colleges. She earned her associates degree at Pasadena City College. She also went to California State University, and University of California at Los Angeles.

Public life[change | change source]

Butler studied fiction with Harlan Ellison and became an author of books for both children and adults. She was a very good science fiction writer. Important books she wrote were Pattermaster and Mind of My Mind. She won the 1984 Best Short Story for "Speech of Sounds," and she won the Nebula Award. Octavia was known for African American Spiritrualism.

Death[change | change source]

Butler died at her home of a stroke in Seattle, Washington on February 24, 2006.

References[change | change source]

  1. Crossley, Robert. "Critical Essay." In Kindred, by Octavia Butler. Boston: Beacon, 2004. ISBN 0807083690 (10) ISBN 978-0807083697 (13)
  2. "Octavia Butler". MacArthur Foundation Fellows. Retrieved 9 October 2015.

"Octavia E. Butler". Biography.com. 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.