A Short Biography of Octavia Butler

Octavia Butler was born on June 22, 1947 in Pasadena, California. Her father, Laurice Butler, died shortly thereafter, ending his life as a shoeshine man, husband, and father. Her mother, Octavia M. Butler, raised her only daughter, as she desperately tried to make ends meet. 
As a child, Butler's interest in writing grew and eventually she settled on the science-fiction genre. She began writing at the age of ten and by twelve she had written her first story after watching a terrible science fiction movie (Devil Girl from Mars) and realizing that she could do better.
Between 1965 and 1968 she attended Pasadena College, and received her Associate of Arts edge. In 1969 she attended California State University accompanied by Writers Guild classes to improve upon her skill. In  1970 she attended the Clarion Science Fiction Workshop, and attributes her talent to this endeavor rather than to her five years of higher education.
In 1971 she published her first story, "Crossover". However, it wasn't until 1976 that she published her first acclaimed novel, Patternmaster. For a complete list of works by Octavia Butler click on "Other Works by Octavia Butler".
Octavia Butler has now been writing for forty years. Awards that she has received include the Hugo Award twice, the Nebula award, and the Locus Award. In 1995 she was the recipient of the MacArthur "genius" grant.