Ardath Mayhar facts for kids

Ardath Frances Hurst Mayhar (born February 20, 1930 – died February 1, 2012) was a talented American writer and poet. She wrote over 60 books! Her stories covered many exciting genres, like science fiction, horror, young adult, historical fiction, and westerns. Sometimes, she used different names, called pseudonyms, like Frank Cannon, Frances Hurst, and John Killdeer. Ardath Mayhar started writing fantasy stories in 1973 and full novels in 1979 after moving back to Texas with her family.

Mayhar also loved sharing her writing knowledge. She taught through Writer's Digest courses and wrote an acclaimed book called Through a Stone Wall: Lessons from Thirty Years of Writing.

Life and Inspiration

Ardath Mayhar was born in Timpson, Texas. When she was 15, she found a fantasy book called The Face in the Abyss by Arthur Merritt. This book, found in a small rural shop, truly inspired her to become a writer. You can read all about her early life in her autobiography, Strange View from a Skewed Orbit.

In 1985, she shared some thoughts about her life: "I spent most of my adult life working on a dairy farm, writing poetry, and looking up at the stars. It was hard work with the cows, milking machines, and hay. At 43, I changed my path. I realized that many people didn't enjoy poetry because of how it was taught. So, I started writing fantasy novels, and I haven't stopped since!"

She was influenced by famous writers like Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, Ayn Rand, Andre Norton, William Faulkner, and many classic science fiction authors.

From Farm to Bookstore

Ardath Mayhar eventually left the dairy farm to run a bookstore. She owned The View From Orbit Bookstore in Nacogdoches, Texas, with her husband, Joe. This store was very important for students at Stephen F. Austin State University and people in East Texas. It offered a wide variety of books and even computer services from Joe, which were hard to find in the area back then.

Her Amazing Books

When Ardath Mayhar moved back to Texas, she became a very active fantasy and science fiction writer. She lived near the Attoyac River, close to Sam Rayburn Lake, in the Big Thicket area. Her imaginative stories from this time are often compared to those by Andre Norton and Clifford D. Simak.

Stories for Young Readers

Ardath Mayhar wrote many books for young people, often called 'young adult' novels today. These books were split into two types:

• Her 'East Texas' series, which had settings from her home region.
• Her fantasy stories for young readers.

She often featured strong, determined young girl heroes in her books. This was unique at a time when it wasn't common for authors to do so. She wrote these characters simply because they reflected her own background and beliefs.

Respected by Other Writers

Ardath Mayhar was highly respected by other writers. She often spoke at events and drew large crowds. She also attended fan conventions, where famous authors like Harlan Ellison treated her like royalty. Ellison once stopped everything to make sure she was comfortable and included in conversations. Her work was also praised by the well-known author Andre Norton.

Her Collected Writings

The main collection of Ardath Mayhar's papers is kept at the East Texas Research Center at Stephen F. Austin State University. Another collection of her writings is at The University of Southern Mississippi. These collections help people study her work.

Awards and Recognition

Ardath Mayhar was nominated for the Mark Twain Readers Award. She won the Balrog Award for a horror poem in a collection called Masques I. She was also nominated for many other awards in almost every type of fiction and won many awards for her poetry.

She wrote or co-wrote many books, including:

^† With Ron Fortier