Andrew J. Offutt

Born in Kentucky in 1934, Andrew J. Offutt built a long, busy career as a writer and editor whose work ranged across science fiction, fantasy, and other genres. Reliable sources agree that he began publishing in the 1950s, and that his first widely noted story, "And Gone Tomorrow," won an If magazine contest in 1954.

Offutt became especially well known to fantasy readers for heroic and sword-and-sorcery fiction, including work connected to Conan, and for editing the influential Swords Against Darkness anthology series. He also published under several versions of his own name and many pseudonyms, which gives a sense of just how wide-ranging and prolific his career was.

Within the field, he was more than just a productive author: he served twice as president of the Science Fiction Writers of America. He died on April 30, 2013, leaving behind a large body of adventurous, hard-to-classify work that still stands out for its energy and variety.