Farewell, Patricia McKillip — Gone at 74

Patricia A. McKillip, July 2, 2011, at Westercon 64, San Jose, CA {image via Wikipedia}

Award winning fantasy author Patricia A. McKillip has passed away, leaving us on May 6, 2022 at the age of 74. She was best-known for The Riddlemaster trilogy (The Riddle-Master of Hed (1976), Heir of Sea and Fire (1977), and Harpist in the Wind (1979). Harpist in the Wind won the Locus Award and was a finalist for the Hugo and the World Fantasy Award.

Her other works included the Cygnet duology: The Sorceress and the Cygnet (1991) and The Firebird and the Cygnet 993). She wrote Moonflash(1984) and The Moon and the Face (1985).

McKillip was nominated for the Mythopoeic Award a record fifteen times and won four times, with Something Rich and Strange (1994), Ombria in Shadow 92002), Solstice Wood (2006), and Kingfisher (2016). She was nominated for the World Fantasy Award five times, and won twice, for The Forgotten Beasts of Eld (1974) and Ombria in Shadow (2002). She was nominated twice for the Nebula Award, In 2008 she was granted the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Patricia Anne McKillip was born February 29, 1948 in Salem Oregon. She was educated in California, attending the College of Notre Dame, Belmont, and San Jose State University, and earning a BA in 1971 and an MA in English in 1972. She is survived by her husband David Lunde, to whom we offer our condolences. As the Vulcans say, “We grieve with thee.”

Summer is nearly upon us. If you’re looking for some good summer reading, you might want to visit your local library and check out her books.

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Susan Macdonald

Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.

Susan Macdonald

Susan Macdonald is the author of the children's book "R is for Renaissance Faire", as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in "Alternative Truths", "Swords and Sorceress #30", Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, "Cat Tails" "Under Western Stars", and "Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid". Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio's web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.