Kate Wilhelm (June 8, 1928 – March 8, 2018) was an American author. She wrote novels and stories in the science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres, including the

Hugo Award The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. The Hugo is widely considered the premier a ...

–winning ''

Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang ''Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Kate Wilhelm, published in 1976. The novel is composed of three parts, "Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang," "Shenandoah," and "At the Still Point," and is set in a po ...

''. Wilhelm established the Clarion Workshop along with her husband Damon Knight and writer Robin Scott Wilson.

Life

Katie Gertrude Meredith was born in

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...

, daughter of Jesse and Ann Meredith. She graduated from high school in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

, and worked as a model, telephone operator, sales clerk, switchboard operator, and underwriter for an insurance company. She married Joseph Wilhelm in 1947 and had two sons. The couple divorced in 1962 and Wilhelm married Damon Knight in 1963. She and her husband lived in

Eugene, Oregon Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast. As of the 2020 United States Census, Eu ...

, until his death in 2002 and she remained there until her own death in 2018.

Career

Her first published short fiction was "The Pint-Size Genie" in the October 1956 issue of ''

Fantastic The fantastic (french: le fantastique) is a subgenre of literary works characterized by the ambiguous presentation of seemingly supernatural forces. Bulgarian-French structuralist literary critic Tzvetan Todorov originated the concept, characte ...

'', edited by Paul W. Fairman (assisted by Cele Goldsmith, who was responsible for looking at unsolicited submissions to the magazine). The next year, her first accepted story, "The Mile-Long Spaceship", was published in

John W. Campbell John Wood Campbell Jr. (June 8, 1910 – July 11, 1971) was an American science fiction writer and editor. He was editor of ''Astounding Science Fiction'' (later called ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'') from late 1937 until his death ...

's ''

Astounding Science Fiction ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William C ...

'', and ten of her speculative fiction stories were published during 1958 and 1959. Her debut novel was a murder mystery, ''More Bitter Than Death'' (Simon & Schuster, 1963), and her science fiction novel debut, ''The Clone'' (1965) by Wilhelm and Theodore L. Thomas, was a finalist for the annual

Nebula Award The Nebula Awards annually recognize the best works of science fiction or fantasy published in the United States. The awards are organized and awarded by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), a nonprofit association of profe ...

. Her work has been published in '' Quark/'', ''

Orbit In celestial mechanics, an orbit is the curved trajectory of an object such as the trajectory of a planet around a star, or of a natural satellite around a planet, or of an artificial satellite around an object or position in space such as a p ...

'', '' The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction'', '' Locus'', '' Amazing Stories'', '' Asimov's Science Fiction'', '' Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine'', ''

'', '' Omni'', ''

Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine ''Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine'' (AHMM) is a bi-monthly digest size fiction magazine specializing in crime and detective fiction. ''AHMM'' is named for Alfred Hitchcock, the famed director of suspense films and television. History ''AHMM'' ...

'', ''

Redbook ''Redbook'' is an American women's magazine that is published by the Hearst Corporation. It is one of the " Seven Sisters", a group of women's service magazines. It ceased print publication as of January 2019 and now operates an article-comprise ...

'' and ''

Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Food and drink * Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo" History * Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953 Hotels and resorts * Cosmopoli ...

''. She and her second husband, Damon Knight, mentored many authors and helped to establish the

Clarion Writers Workshop Clarion is a six-week workshop for aspiring science fiction and fantasy writers. Originally an outgrowth of Damon Knight's and Kate Wilhelm's Milford Writers' Conference, held at their home in Milford, Pennsylvania, United States, it was founded i ...

and the

Milford Writer's Workshop The Milford Writer's Workshop, or more properly Milford Writers' Conference, is an annual science fiction writer's event founded by Damon Knight, among others, in the mid-1950s, in Milford, Pennsylvania. It was so named because Knight, Judith Merr ...

. After his death in 2002, Wilhelm continued to host monthly workshops, as well as lecturing at other events, until her death.

Recognition

The

Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame The Museum of Pop Culture or MoPOP is a nonprofit museum in Seattle, Washington, dedicated to contemporary popular culture. It was founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2000 as the Experience Music Project. Since then MoPOP has organized ...

inducted Wilhelm in 2003, its eighth class of two deceased and two living writers. In 2009, she received one of three inaugural Solstice Awards from the

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, doing business as Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, commonly known as SFWA ( or ) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization of professional science fiction and fantasy writers. While ...

(founded by Knight in 1965), which recognize "significant impact on the science fiction or fantasy landscape". The Nebula Award trophy was designed for the first awards by J. A. Lawrence, based on a sketch by Wilhelm. She also won a few annual genre awards for particular works: *

Nebula Award for Best Short Story The Nebula Award for Best Short Story is a literary award assigned each year by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) for science fiction or fantasy short stories. A work of fiction is defined by the organization as a short stor ...

, 1968, "The Planners" * Hugo Award for Best Novel and

Locus Award for Best Novel Winners of the Locus Award for Best Novel, awarded by ''Locus'' magazine. Awards presented in a given year are for works published in the previous calendar year. The award for Best Novel was presented from 1971 (when the awards began) to 1979. S ...

, both 1977, ''

'' * Nebula Award for Best Novelette, 1986, "The Girl Who Fell into the Sky" *

, 1987, "Forever Yours, Anna" * Hugo Award (best related book) and Locus Award (best nonfiction), both 2006, ''Storyteller: Writing Lessons and More from 27 Years of the Clarion Writers' Workshop'' (Small Beer Press, 2005; ) The Hugo- and Locus Award-winning novel ''Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang'' was also a finalist for the Nebula Award, winner of the short-lived Jupiter Award from science fiction instructors, and third place for the academic

John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel The John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, or Campbell Memorial Award, is an annual award presented by the Center for the Study of Science Fiction at the University of Kansas to the author of the best science fiction no ...

. In 2016, the SFWA renamed the Solstice Award the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award.

Works

Barbara Holloway mysteries

Holloway is an attorney in Eugene, Oregon. She and her semi-retired lawyer father, Frank Holloway, solve mysteries that combine detective fiction with courtroom drama. *''Death Qualified: A Mystery of Chaos'' (1991) *''The Best Defense'' (1994) *''For the Defense'' also named ''Malice Prepense'' in hardbound editions (1996) *''Defense for the Devil'' (1999) *''No Defense'' (2000) *''Desperate Measures'' (2001) *''Clear and Convincing Proof'' (2003) *''The Unbidden Truth'' (2004) *''Sleight Of Hand'' (2006) *''A Wrongful Death'' (2007) *''Cold Case'' (2008) *''Heaven is High'' (2011) *''By Stone, By Blade, By Fire'' (2012) *''Mirror, Mirror'' (2017)

Constance Leidl and Charlie Meiklejohn mysteries

Meiklejohn is a former arson detective turned private investigator. His wife, Leidl, is a professional psychologist. Together they solve cases. *''The Hamlet Trap'' (1987) *''The Dark Door'' (1988) *''Smart House'' (1989) *''Sweet, Sweet Poison'' (1990) *''Seven Kinds of Death'' (1992) *''Whisper Her Name'' (2012)

Collections

*''A Flush of Shadows: Five Short Novels'' (1995) – includes "With Thimbles, With Forks, and Hope", "Torch Song", "All for One", "Sister Alice", and "Gorgon Fields" *''The Casebook of Constance and Charlie'' Volume 1 (1999) – includes "The Hamlet Trap", "Smart House", and "Seven Kinds of Death" *''The Casebook of Constance and Charlie'' Volume 2 (2000) – includes "Sweet, Sweet Poison" and "The Dark Door", plus shorter stories "Christ's Tears", "Torch Song", and "An Imperfect Gift"

Short Stories in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

*''"Christ's Tears"'' April 1996 *''"An Imperfect Gift"'' Aug 1999 *''"His Deadliest Enemy"'' Mar/Apr2004

Standalone mystery/suspense novels

* ''More Bitter Than Death'' (1962) * ''The Clewiston Test'' (1976) * ''Fault Lines'' (1977) * ''Oh, Susannah!'' (1982) * ''Justice for Some'' (1993) * ''The Good Children'' (1998) * ''The Deepest Water'' (2000) * ''Skeletons: A Novel of Suspense'' (2002) * ''The Price of Silence'' (2005) * ''Death of an Artist'' (2012)

Non-fiction

* Storyteller: Writing Lessons & More from 27 Years of the Clarion Writers' Workshop (2005)

Poems

* ''Alternatives'' (1980) * ''Four Seasons'' (1980) * ''No One Listens'' (1980) * ''The Eagle'' (1980)

Editor

* ''Clarion SF'' – anthology of 15 short stories by authors such as Damon Knight, Robert Crais, and Vonda N. McIntyre * '' Nebula Award Stories 9'' - anthology of Nebula Award-winning and nominated stories

SF novels, noted stories and collections

* ''The Mile-Long Spaceship'' (1963) * '' The Clone'' (1965) – 1966 Nebula Award nominee, Best Novel * ''The Nevermore Affair'' (1966) * ''Andover and the Android'' (1966) * '' Baby, You Were Great'' (1967) – 1968 Nebula Award nominee, Best Short Story * ''The Killing Thing'' (1967) * ''The Planners'' (1968) – 1969 Nebula Award winner, Best Short Story * ''The Downstairs Room'' (1968) – collection of 14 SF short stories * ''Let the Fire Fall'' (1969) * ''The Year of the Cloud'' (1970) * ''April Fool's Day Forever'' (1970) – 1971 Nebula Award nominee, Best Novella * ''A Cold Dark Night with Snow'' (1970) – 1971 Nebula Award nominee, Best Short Story * ''Abyss: Two Novellas'' (1971) – contains "The Plastic Abyss" (1992 Nebula Award nominee, Best Novella) and "Stranger in the House" * ''Margaret and I'' (1971) -1972 Nebula Award nominee, Best Novel * ''City of Cain'' (1974) * '' The Infinity Box'' (1975) – collection of 9 SF short stories, including 1992 Nebula Award nominee "The Infinity Box", for Best Novella * ''

'' (1976) –

Hugo Hugo or HUGO may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Hugo'' (film), a 2011 film directed by Martin Scorsese * Hugo Award, a science fiction and fantasy award named after Hugo Gernsback * Hugo (franchise), a children's media franchise based on a ...

and

Locus Award The Locus Awards are an annual set of literary awards voted on by readers of the science fiction and fantasy magazine ''Locus'', a monthly magazine based in Oakland, California. The awards are presented at an annual banquet. In addition to the pl ...

winner;

Nebula A nebula ('cloud' or 'fog' in Latin; pl. nebulae, nebulæ or nebulas) is a distinct luminescent part of interstellar medium, which can consist of ionized, neutral or molecular hydrogen and also cosmic dust. Nebulae are often star-forming regio ...

nominee, Best Novel * ''Somerset Dreams and Other Fiction'' (1978) – collection of 8 shorter SF stories/novellas * ''Juniper Time'' (1979) – 1980 Nebula Award nominee, Best Novel * ''The Winter Beach'' (1981) – 1982 Nebula Award nominee, Best Novella * ''A Sense of Shadow'' (1981) * ''Listen, Listen'' (1981) – contains four novellas: "Julian", "With Thimbles, With Forks and Hope", "Moongate", and "The Uncertain Edge of Reality" * '' Welcome, Chaos'' (1983) * '' Huysman's Pets'' (1985) * ''Forever Yours, Anna'' (1987) – 1988 Nebula Award winner, Best Short Story * ''Crazy Time'' (1988) * ''Children of the Wind'' (1989) – contains "Children of the Wind", "The Gorgon Field" (1986 Nebula Award nominee, Best Novella), "A Brother to Dragons, A Companion of Owls", "The Blue Ladies", and "The Girl Who Fell into the Sky" (1987 Nebula Award winner, Best Novelette)https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?57858 Retrieved 17 December 2022. * ''Cambio Bay'' (1990) * ''Naming the Flowers'' (1992) – 1994 Nebula Award nominee, Best Novella * ''And the Angels Sing'' (1992) – collection of 12 SF short stories * ''I Know What You're Thinking'' (1994) – 1995 Nebula Award nominee, Best Short Story * ''Fear is a Cold Black'' (2010) – collection of Wilhelm's early SF short stories * ''Music Makers'' (2012) – collection of 5 stories: "Music Makers", "Shadows on the Wall of the Cave", "Mockingbird", "The Late Night Train", and "An Ordinary Day with Jason" * ''The Bird Cage'' (2012) – collection of 4 stories: "The Bird Cage", "Changing the World", "The Fountain of Neptune", and "Rules of the Game"

References

External links

Former official website at the Internet Archive
* *

LoA reprint including story notes and an illustration by Ed Emshwiller
Infinity Box Press
Wilhelm's publishing company
Kate Wilhelm
at

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

Authorities — with 58 catalog records
Guide to the Kate Wilhelm Papers at the University of Oregon
* Battistella, Maureen Flanaga
Kate Wilhelm (1928-2018), Oregon Encyclopedia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilhelm, Kate 1928 births 2018 deaths 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American novelists 21st-century American women writers American fantasy writers American mystery writers American psychological fiction writers American science fiction writers American women novelists Hugo Award-winning writers Nebula Award winners Novelists from Ohio Novelists from Oregon Science Fiction Hall of Fame inductees The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction people Women mystery writers Women science fiction and fantasy writers Writers from Eugene, Oregon Writers from Toledo, Ohio