A Writer I Must Share With You

Cafe Society
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Octavia Estelle Butler was an American science fiction writer and author. She was the recipient of both the Hugo and Nebula awards and in 1995 the first science-fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship.

Octavia E. Butler on Habit, Freedom, Writing, and More.

Choose your leaders
with wisdom and forethought.

To be led by a coward
is to be controlled
by all that the coward fears.
… (Most of the poem removed; see RickJay moderator note)

2018, Eisner Award for Best Adaptation from Another Medium - Kindred, by Octavia Butler, adapted by Damian Duffy and John Jennings (Abrams ComicArts)

2012, Solstice Award, Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America.

2010, Inductee Science Fiction Hall of Fame.

2000, PEN American Center Lifetime Achievement Award in Writing.

1999, Nebula Award for Best Novel – Parable of the Talents.

1995, MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant.

1985, Hugo Award for Best Novelette – Bloodchild.
1985, Locus Award for Best Novelette – Bloodchild
1985, Science Fiction Chronicle Award for Best Novelette – Bloodchild.

1984, Hugo Award for Best Short Story – Speech Sounds.
.
1984, Nebula Award for Best Novelette Bloodchild.

1980, Creative Arts Award, L.A. YWCA.

I was in my marathon research, reading mode to learn and to understand what I need to learn. I wasn’t able to sleep because I was so focused and the Google fu was with me.

I wanted to invite Octivia to come and visit here on the Dope, and share her thoughts and wisdom with everyone. I wish she could show us and others that visit here, we don’t have to be so rough, crude, rude.and rage at each other just to make our point.

I know in my heart she had the power and grace to show us there is another way to discuss
the issues which are tearing our country apart. Sadly she has passed on.

You will be missed.

[moderator note - formatting fixed and last paragraph corrected at user’s request]

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Moved to Cafe Society (from IMHO).

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I read her novel “Kindred” years ago and was impressed. Butler died way too young (58). Thanks for posting the poem, which has a lot of resonances now.

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Indeed it does! There’s going to be a movie coming out soon, I believe Netflix.

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shhh1313, you may not post an entire poem or a very large section of one in this manner; you have violated the owner’s copyright, which the SDMB doesn’t allow. Excerpts may be used from copyrighted works as per fair use laws, but a whole poem is not fair use.

I have removed most of the text of the poem from your post.

RickJay
Moderator

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Thanks for sharing. I haven’t read any of her stuff yet, but I probably should make a note to do so.

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She is absolutely the best and died way too young. Her extensive Wikipedia page is worth checking out.

I’m the world’s foremost hater of the whole vampire genre, and she got me to love her vampire book (Fledgling)

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THANKS! Will do…
WOW

maintained a longstanding relationship with the Huntington Library and bequeathed her papers including manuscripts, correspondence, school papers, notebooks, and photographs to the library in her will.[33] The collection, comprising 9062 pieces in 386 boxes, 1 volume, 2 binders and 18 broadsides, was made available to scholars and researchers in 2010.[34]

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:open_mouth: Deep down in her soul she knew that a civil uprising was going to come. She nailed it. Ya’ know when I was 16 my Aunt told me in my lifetime their would be another civil war.

“One prediction you may have missed, however, offers us a much more sober take on the rise of a frightening neo-fascist during a time of fear and civil unrest. As Twitter user @oligopistos pointed out, in the second book of her Earthseed series, The Parable of the Talents (1998), Hugo and Nebula-award winning science fiction writer Octavia Butler gave us Senator Andrew Steele Jarret, a violent autocrat in the year 2032 whose “supporters have been known… to form mobs.” Jarret’s political opponent, Vice President Edward Jay Smith, “calls him a demagogue, a rabble-rouser, and a hypocrite,” and—most presciently—Jarret rallies his crowds with the call to “make America great again.”

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I’ve been a fan since I came across “Speech Sounds” and “Bloodchild” when they were up for Nebula Awards and started checking out her novels. So many great ones. I’m especially impressed by Wild Seed (the only book that ever brought tears to my eyes), The Parable of the Sower (sadly prophetic), Kindred, and Fledgeling (often overlooked).

I met her briefly once at a convention. I was thrilled when she remembered my name the next day when I was in the audience.

She died far too soon. It would have been interesting to see where she was going with the sequel to Fledging.

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Aye; a truly giant talent coupled with a massive intellect and a strong sense of ethics. Her work will continue to resonate and relate for decades to come.

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I haven’t read Wild Seed yet, but I will. What an honor that you met her.

@RealityChuck