Ardath Mayhar

Ardath Mayhar began her writing career as a poet when she was nineteen. She began writing science fiction in 1979 after returning with her family to Texas from Oregon. She wrote over 60 books ranging from science fiction to horror to young adult to historical to westerns, with some work under the pseudonyms Frank Cannon, Frances Hurst and John Killdeer. She was nominated for the Mark Twain Readers Award and had numerous nominations for awards in almost every fiction genre; she won many awards for poetry. In 2008 she was chosen by Science Fiction Writers of America as their Author Emeritus. Mayhar also owned and operated The View From Orbit Bookstore in Nacogdoches, Texas with her husband Joe until his death in the 1990s; she later sold the bookstore. Until her health prevented it, Mayhar's reputation was such that she still spoke regularly in the area, drawing large crowds whenever she taught and spoke.