Julian May facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Julian Clare May
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Julian May at the 1952 World Science Fiction Convention
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| Born | July 10, 1931 Chicago, Illinois, US |
| Died | October 17, 2017 (aged 86) |
| Pen name | Bob Cunningham, Judy Dikty, Lee N. Falconer, John Feilen, Wolfgang Amadeus Futslogg, Matthew G. Grant, Granny Roseboro, Ian Thorne, Jean Wright Thorne, George Zanderbergen, The Editors of Creative |
| Occupation | Novelist, science writer |
| Genre | fantasy, science fiction, horror, science, children's |
| Spouse | T. E. Dikty (1953–1991) |
Julian Clare May (born July 10, 1931 – died October 17, 2017) was an American writer. She wrote many books, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, and children's books. She also used several other names for her writing.
Julian May is most famous for her book series Saga of Pliocene Exile (also known as Saga of the Exiles) and Galactic Milieu Series.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Writing
Julian May grew up in Elmwood Park, Illinois, near Chicago. She was the oldest of four children. As a child, people called her Judy May.
When she was a teenager, she became very interested in science fiction. She even published her own fan magazine, called a fanzine, named Interim Newsletter.
First Published Story
In 1950, Julian May sold her first professional story. It was a short story called "Dune Roller." It appeared in a magazine called Astounding Science Fiction in 1951. She used the name "J. C. May" for this story and even drew the pictures for it.
A Pioneer in Science Fiction Conventions
In 1952, Julian May made history. She led the Tenth World Science Fiction Convention in Chicago. This made her the first woman ever to lead a "Worldcon," which is a big science fiction gathering.
She met her future husband, Ted Dikty, at a convention in Ohio. They got married in January 1953. After selling one more short story, she took a break from writing science fiction for several years.
Writing for Children and Encyclopedias
Julian May and her husband, Ted Dikty, had three children. Their last child was born in 1958.
Starting in 1954, Julian May wrote many science articles for encyclopedias. She also wrote for other encyclopedia companies. In 1957, she and her husband started a company to help small publishers.
Many Books for Young Readers
Between 1956 and 1981, Julian May wrote over 250 books. Most of these were non-fiction books for children and young adults. She wrote about science, history, and even short biographies of famous people. She used her own name and many other names for these books.
Her short story "Dune Roller" was made into a movie in 1972. The movie was called The Cremators.
Returning to Science Fiction
In the early 1970s, Julian May moved to Oregon. She started to reconnect with the world of science fiction fans. In 1976, she went to a science fiction convention called Westercon 29. It was her first convention in many years.
She made a special "space suit" for the convention's costume party. This suit was covered in shiny diamonds. Making it made her think about what kind of character would wear such a suit.
Creating Famous Series
Soon, she started collecting ideas for a new series. This would become the Galactic Milieu Series. In 1978, she began writing what would become the Saga of Pliocene Exile.
The first book in that series was The Many-Colored Land. It was published in 1981. She continued the series with Intervention in 1987. Then, in 1992, she started the Galactic Milieu Series. This series included books like Jack the Bodiless, Diamond Mask, and Magnificat.
In August 2015, Julian May was honored for her contributions to science fiction. She was added to the First Fandom Hall of Fame. This happened at the 73rd World Science Fiction Convention.
