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Kate Wilhelm

ケイト・ウィルヘルム

Kate Wilhelm

Aliases: Katie Gertrude Meredith / Katie Wilhelm

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1928-06-08 （Toledo, Ohio, United States）
Died
2018-03-08 （Eugene, Oregon, United States） age 89
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Toledo, Ohio (birth) → Louisville, Kentucky (schooling) → Eugene, Oregon (long-term residence)

Career

Occupations
Author, Editor, Writer
Active Years
1956-2018
Memberships
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA)
Influenced By
John W. Campbell (possible influence)
Influenced
Writers mentored at Clarion and Milford (many contemporary authors)

Education

High school in Louisville, Kentucky
Period: 1940s
Year of Graduation: 1946
Country: United States
Recorded as having graduated high school in Louisville. No confirmed college attendance.

Awards

Nebula Award for Best Short Story
1969
Work: The Planners
Category: 短編
Organization: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA)
Result: winner
Hugo Award for Best Novel
1977
Work: Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang
Category: 長編
Organization: World Science Fiction Society
Result: winner
Locus Award for Best Novel
1977
Work: Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang
Category: 長編
Organization: Locus Publications
Result: winner
Nebula Award for Best Novelette
1986
Work: The Girl Who Fell into the Sky
Category: ノヴェレット
Organization: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA)
Result: winner
Nebula Award for Best Short Story
1987
Work: Forever Yours, Anna
Category: 短編
Organization: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA)
Result: winner
Hugo Award (Best Related Work)
2006
Work: Storyteller: Writing Lessons & More from 27 Years of the Clarion Writers' Workshop
Category: 関連書籍
Organization: World Science Fiction Society
Result: winner
Locus Award (Best Nonfiction)
2006
Work: Storyteller: Writing Lessons & More from 27 Years of the Clarion Writers' Workshop
Category: ノンフィクション
Organization: Locus Publications
Result: winner
Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame
2003
Organization: Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame
Result: inducted
SFWA Solstice Award
2009
Organization: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA)
Result: recipient

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang

1976 Science fiction (dystopia / cloning ethics)

A novel exploring a community rebuilt through cloning technology, focusing on identity, humanity, and the social and ethical consequences of reproductive cloning.

cloningcommunity vs individualethical dilemmassurvival

The Planners

1968 Short science fiction

A short piece examining planning and bureaucracy, and the role of the individual within organized systems.

planningindividual vs systemfreedom

Storyteller: Writing Lessons & More from 27 Years of the Clarion Writers' Workshop

2005 Nonfiction (writing craft)

A collection of lectures and lessons from 27 years at the Clarion Writers' Workshop, offering practical advice on writing and mentoring.

writing instructioncraftworkshop culture

Bibliography

  • More Bitter Than Death (1962)
  • The Clone (1965, with Theodore L. Thomas)
  • Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang (1976)
  • The Planners (short story, 1968)
  • Storyteller (2005)

Translations of Works

Style & Themes

Literary Style
meticulous plottingfocus on psychological characterizationblend of science fiction and mystery modes
Recurring Motifs
individual vs communityethical dilemmas (especially technological)memory and identity

Legacy

Kate Wilhelm was a writer who bridged science fiction and mystery, winning multiple Nebula and Hugo awards. She significantly contributed to writer development through Clarion and Milford workshops and left a lasting impact on the SF community; SFWA's Solstice Award was later renamed in her honor.

Academic Societies

  • Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA)

Archives

  • University of Oregon: Kate Wilhelm papers

Trivia

  • She helped establish the Clarion Writers' Workshop with her husband Damon Knight and Robin Scott Wilson.
  • She worked across science fiction and mystery genres and won numerous genre awards.
  • In 2016 SFWA renamed the Solstice Award the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award.