Joseph E. (Joseph Everidge) Kelleam

Born in Boswell, Oklahoma, Joseph Everidge Kelleam was an American writer whose first known science fiction story, Rust, appeared in Astounding Science-Fiction in 1939. Reference sources also describe him as a civil servant as well as an occasional but memorable contributor to the genre.

Kelleam wrote short fiction and novels during the classic magazine era of science fiction. His books include Overlords from Space (1956), The Little Men (1960), and Hunters Out of Space, which was serialized in Amazing Stories before appearing in book form. His fiction is often grouped with mid-century adventure SF: alien threats, strange discoveries, and fast-moving plots.

Although he never became one of the field's biggest household names, Kelleam has remained part of science fiction history through bibliographies, encyclopedia entries, and later reprints. For audiobook listeners, he offers a window into the energetic, imaginative style that helped define pulp and early paperback science fiction.