At the age of ten, Carolyn Janice Cherry found a passion for writing after the cancellation of her favorite television show, “Flash Gordon.” She became frustrated with the lack of good science fiction, started writing her own, and never stopped.

A speculative fiction powerhouse, C.J. Cherryh has published more than 80 books since the mid-1970s. She rose to immediate acclaim with her win of the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1977 after the publication of her first books, “Gate of Ivrel” (part of what became her “Morgaine” series) and “Brothers of Earth.”

Become a Subscriber

Please purchase a subscription to continue reading this article.

Subscribe Now

Cherryh’s alien cultures, descriptions of otherworldly environments, and creatures and their distinctive personalities show a finesse at world-building that has evolved into the Alliance-Union universe, including the “Chanur” novels, the “Foreigner” series, and her standalone fantasy novels.

Cherryh received a Bachelor of Arts in Latin from the University of Oklahoma with academic specializations in archaeology, mythology, and the history of engineering. In 1965, she received a Master of Arts in classics from The Johns Hopkins University. Her career would see her add an “h” to the end of her last name to make it sound less romantic and go by her initials to prosper in what was at that time a male-dominated field.

Cherry was still a teacher in 1979 when her short story "Cassandra" won the Best Short Story Hugo award. She quit in order to focus on writing full time, turning out six additional novels in the late 1970s, including the “Faded Sun” trilogy.

In 1981, her perhaps best-known work, “Downbelow Station” was released. The story details the growing tensions between Earth and multiple distant stations and worlds, and the war that breaks out in the Alliance-Union universe. The series includes dozens of novels, several of which have been broken down into smaller sub-series that cover smaller story arcs. Cherryh has often said that the series can be read in any order.

“Downbelow Station” netted her the Hugo Award for Best Novel, and she won another for 1988’s “Cyteen.” She was also named the 32nd Damon Knight Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, joining the ranks of Ursula K. Le Guin, Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and Connie Willis.

Posted in: Art