Octavia E. Butler

Octavia Estelle Butler (1947–2006) was an American author. Born in Pasadena, California, she wrote her first short stories as a child. Although she was diagnosed with dyslexia during childhood, she studied at Pasadena City College and California State University, Los Angeles. In 1969 and 1970, she attended two writers’ workshops, where she came into contact with Harlan Ellison, among others. Her first novel was published in 1976. Her work, which received multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards, repeatedly explored questions of gender and cultural identity.