S. P. Meek facts for kids

Quick facts for kids S. P. Meek
S. P. Meek c.1930
Born	April 8, 1894 Chicago, IL
Died	June 10, 1972 Palm Beach, FL
Occupation	writer, military officer
Nationality	American
Genre	science fiction, children's books

Sterner St. Paul Meek (born April 8, 1894, in Chicago, Illinois – died June 10, 1972) was an American military chemist and a writer. He wrote both exciting science fiction stories and popular children's books, often about animals. He used different names for his books, like Capt. S.P. Meek and later Col. S. P. Meek.

About S. P. Meek

Meek went to several universities to study. He earned degrees in 1914 and 1915, focusing on subjects like metals and engineering. He continued his studies at other famous schools, including MIT. In 1927, he got married and later had a son.

When the United States joined World War I in 1917, Meek became a chemist and an expert in military equipment. He worked on small arms and ammunition research from 1923 to 1926. Later, from 1941 to 1945, he was the Chief Publications Officer for the Ordnance Department. He retired from the military in 1947 as a colonel. After that, he became a full-time writer.

Meek's Writing Career

Meek sold his first story, "Taming Poachers," to a magazine called Field and Stream in 1928. From 1929 to 1933, he wrote many science fiction stories and short novels. These appeared in popular magazines known as pulp magazines, such as Astounding Science Fiction and Amazing Stories. Many of his science fiction stories were part of a popular series called Dr. Bird and Operative Carnes. Meek mostly stopped writing science fiction in 1933, with only one more story published in 1939.

Like other early science fiction writers, Meek used his stories to describe new scientific ideas. For example, in his stories "Submicroscopic" and "Awlo of Ulm," he imagined that atoms were like tiny solar systems.

Meek quickly became popular with readers of pulp magazines. Editors were eager to publish his work. In 1930, the editor of Astounding Science Fiction, Harry Bates, even listed Meek as one of "some of the finest writers of fantasy in the world." However, as science fiction writing changed and improved during the Golden Age of Science Fiction, Meek's older stories became more of historical interest.

After Meek stopped writing science fiction, many readers wondered what happened to him. It turned out he had started writing children's books. Between 1932 and 1956, he published over twenty children's books. These books were usually about dogs or horses. Many of them were inspired by his own experiences in the military. One of his first children's books was Jerry, the Adventures of an Army Dog.

Works by S. P. Meek

Science Fiction Stories

• Futility. Amazing Stories, July, 1929.
• The Red Peril. Amazing Stories, September, 1929.
• The Perfect Counterfeit, Scientific Detective, January, 1930.
• Stolen Brains. Astounding Stories of Super-Science, October, 1930.
• The Ray of Madness. Astounding Stories of Super Science, April 1930.
• The Sea Terror. Astounding Stories of Super Science, December 1930.
• The Thief of Time. Astounding Stories of Super Science, February 1930.
• The Cave of Horror. Astounding Stories of Super Science, January 1930.
• Beyond The Heaviside Layer. Astounding Stories of Super Science, July 1930.
• Cold Light. Astounding Stories of Super Science, March 1930.
• Stolen Brains. Astounding Stories of Super Science, October 1930.
• The Attack From Space. Astounding Stories of Super Science, September 1930.
• The Port of Missing Planes. Astounding Stories of Super Science, August 1931.
• The Black Lamp. Astounding Stories of Super Science, February 1931.
• When Caverns Yawned. Astounding Stories of Super Science, May 1931.
• Submicroscopic. Amazing Stories, August, 1931.

The Atlantis Series

• The Drums of Tapajos. Amazing Stories, 1930. New York, Avalon Books, 1961, 224pp.
• Troyana, Amazing Stories, 1932. New York, Avalon Books, 1961, 224pp.

Collections of Stories

• Arctic Bride. [London, Utopian Publications Ltd.], [1944]
• The Monkeys Have No Tails in Zamboanga. New York, W. Morrow & Company, 1935, 288pp.

Children's Novels

• Jerry, the Adventures of an Army Dog. New York, London, The Century co, 1932, 235pp.
• Frog: The Horse That Knew No Master, New York, Grosset & Dunlap, 1933, 302pp.
• Gypsy Lad: the Story of a Champion Setter. New York, W. Morrow, 1934, 314pp.
• Franz : A Dog of the Police. Wm. Penn Publishing, 1935, 319pp.
• Dignity: a Springer Spaniel. Wm. Penn Publishing, 1937, 304pp.
• Island Born [as by J. P. Meek], New York, Godwin, 1937, 271 pp.
• Rusty, A Cocker Spaniel. Philadelphia, The Penn publishing company, 1938, 296pp.
• Gustav, a Son of Franz: a Police Dog in Panama. The Penn Publishing Co., 1940, 296pp.
• Pat: the Story of a Seeing Eye Dog. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1947, 190pp.
• Boots, the Story of a Working Sheep Dog. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1948, 234pp.
• Midnight, a Cow Pony. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1949, 217pp.
• Ranger, a Dog of the Forest Service. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1949, 232pp.
• Hans, A Dog of the Border Patrol, New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1950, 253pp.
• Surfman: The Adventures of a Coast Guard Dog, New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1950, 267pp.
• Pagan, A Border Patrol Horse. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1951, 238pp.
• Red, a Trailing Bloodhound. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1951, 225pp.
• Boy, An Ozark Coon Hound. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1952, 238pp.
• Rip, a Game Protector. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1952, 266pp.
• Omar, a State Police Dog. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1953, 240pp.
• Bellfarm Star: the Story of a Pacer. New York, Dodd, Mead, 1955, 213pp.
• Pierre of the Big Top: the Story of a Circus Poodle. New York, Dodd, Mead, 1956, 208pp.

Images for kids

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  Meek's "The Red Peril" was the cover story in the September 1929 issue of Amazing Stories.

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  Meek's "Trapped in the Depths" was the cover story in the debut issue of Wonder Stories in 1930.