Editing Howard Waldrop

{{Short description|American author of science fiction (1946–2024)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
| name         = Howard Waldrop
| image        = Howard Waldrop.jpg
| caption      = Waldrop in 2007
| birth_name   =
| birth_date   = {{birth date|1946|9|15|mf=y}}
| birth_place  = [[Houston, Mississippi]], U.S.
| death_date   = {{death date and age|2024|1|14|1946|9|15|mf=y}}
| death_place  = [[Austin, Texas]], U.S.
| occupation   = Fiction writer
| genre        = Science fiction
| movement     =
| awards       = [[Nebula Award]] (1980)<br />[[World Fantasy Award]] (1981)
| notableworks = "The Ugly Chickens", "Night of the Cooters" 
| influences   = 
| influenced   =
| website      = 
}}

'''Howard Waldrop''' (September 15, 1946 – January 14, 2024) was an American [[science fiction]] author who worked primarily in [[Short story|short fiction]]. He received the [[World Fantasy Award—Life Achievement|World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement]] in 2021.

==Early life ==
Born in [[Houston, Mississippi]],<ref name=SFE/> Waldrop spent most of his life in [[Texas]]. He moved to [[Washington (state)|Washington]] state for several years, but returned to [[Austin, Texas|Austin]]. 

As a child, he corresponded with ''[[A Game of Thrones]]'' author [[George R. R. Martin]] about their shared love of comic books. He was an avid [[fly fishing|fly fisherman]]. He was a member of the [[Turkey City Writer's Workshop]], attended the [[Rio Hondo Writing Workshop]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.infinitematrix.net/columns/waldrop/waldrop12.html|title=The Infinite Matrix &#124; Howard Waldrop &#124; Week 12|website=www.infinitematrix.net|accessdate=December 11, 2024}}</ref> and taught at the [[Clarion Workshop]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Clarion Workshop Writers 2003|url=http://www.msu.edu/~clarion/writerinfo/03writerinfo.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030817213822/http://www.msu.edu/~clarion/writerinfo/03writerinfo.html|archive-date=August 17, 2003}}</ref>

==Career==
Waldrop was a frequent attendee of [[ArmadilloCon]], the local science fiction convention held annually in Austin. He was the [[Toastmaster]] at the inaugural ArmadilloCon #1 (1979) and again at ArmadilloCon #29  (2007); he was Guest of Honor at ArmadilloCon #5 (1983).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fact.org/con-history/|title=Con History – F.A.C.T.|accessdate=December 11, 2024}}</ref>

Waldrop was one of three writer Guests of Honor at the 1995 [[World Fantasy Convention]]<ref>{{cite web|title=History of the World Fantasy Conventions |url=http://worldfantasy.org/retro.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081231201820/http://www.worldfantasy.org/retro.html |archive-date=2008-12-31 }}</ref> held in [[Baltimore]] and at [[Readercon]] 15<ref>{{cite web|title=Readercon15 Program|url=http://readercon.org/previous/r15-prog.htm|access-date=November 27, 2011|archive-date=August 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817234645/http://www.readercon.org/previous/r15-prog.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> held in [[Burlington, Massachusetts]], in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fanac.org/conpubs/Readercon/Readercon%2015/index.html|title=Readercon 15|accessdate=December 11, 2024}}</ref>

Waldrop was Professional Writer Guest of Honor at [[Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society|Loscon]] 46 in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|title=2019 Loscon Guests of Honor Announced|date=September 15, 2018 |url=https://file770.com/2019-loscon-guests-of-honor-announced/}}</ref>

In 2004 he started writing movie reviews with [[Nova Express (fanzine)|Lawrence Person]] for ''[[Locus Online]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lawrenceperson.com/bib.html|title=Lawrence Person's Bibliography|website=www.lawrenceperson.com|accessdate=December 11, 2024}}</ref>

Waldrop died from a stroke in Austin, on January 14, 2024, at the age of 77.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lawrenceperson.com/?p=23015|title=Howard Waldrop: 1946-2024 « Lawrence Person's Futuramen|accessdate=December 11, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Howard Waldrop (1946–2024) |url=https://locusmag.com/2024/01/howard-waldrop-1946-2024/ |access-date=15 January 2024 |publisher=Locus |date=15 January 2024}}</ref>

==Style==
Waldrop's stories combine elements such as [[Alternate history|alternative history]], American [[popular culture]], the [[Southern United States|American South]],<ref name=film>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/why-george-r-r-martin-223813493.html?.tsrc=fp_deeplink|title=Why George R.R. Martin Broke the “Cardinal Rule of Hollywood” for a Childhood Friend|date=December 5, 2024|website=Yahoo Entertainment|accessdate=December 11, 2024}}</ref> old movies (and [[character actor]]s), [[classical mythology]], and [[Rock and roll|rock 'n' roll]] music. His style is sometimes obscure or elliptical: ''Night of the Cooters'' is a [[pastiche]] of [[H. G. Wells]]' ''[[The War of the Worlds]]'' told from the perspective of a small town Texas sheriff (a homage to [[Slim Pickens]]) who faces a Martian cylinder crashing down near his town; "Heirs of the Perisphere" involves robotic [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] characters waking up in the far future; "Fin de Cyclé" describes the [[Dreyfus affair]] from the perspective of bicycle enthusiasts.

Waldrop's work is frequently out-of-print, though still available for sale [[Online shopping|online]]; several of his books have been reprinted in [[Omnibus edition|omnibus editions]].

Several of his stories have been nominated for the genre's awards; "The Ugly Chickens" — about the extinction of the [[dodo]] — won a [[Nebula Award]] for best novelette in 1980, and also a [[World Fantasy Award—Short Fiction|World Fantasy Award for Short Fiction]] in 1981; this is perhaps his best known work. In 2021, he won the [[World Fantasy Award—Life Achievement|World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement]].<ref name=SFADB/>

==Film adaptations==
Several of his stories are being adapted to film.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ford |first=Lily |date=2024-12-05 |title=Why George R.R. Martin Broke the “Cardinal Rule of Hollywood” for a Childhood Friend |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/george-r-r-martin-howard-waldrop-ugly-chickens-game-of-thrones-1236078329/ |access-date= |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Bibliography ==

=== Novels and novellas ===
*''[[The Texas-Israeli War: 1999]]'' (with [[Jake Saunders (writer)|Jake Saunders]], 1974) ([[Ballantine Books|Ballantine]] mass market, 1986, {{ISBN|0-345-33994-0}})
*''[[Them Bones (novel)|Them Bones]]'' (Ace, 1984, {{ISBN|0-441-80557-4}})
*''[[A Dozen Tough Jobs]]'' (novella) (Mark V Ziesing hardcover, 1989, {{ISBN|0-929480-01-5}})
*''The Search for Tom Purdue'' (announced)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.locusmag.com/2003/Issue11/Waldrop.html|title=Locus Online: Howard Waldrop interview excerpts|website=www.locusmag.com|accessdate=December 11, 2024}}</ref>
*''The Moone World'' (announced)<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080113112424/http://www.wheatlandpress.com/]</ref>

===Short story collections===
*''[[Howard Who?]]'' (Doubleday hardcover, 1986) (2006 trade paperback reprint from [[Small Beer Press]], {{ISBN|1-931520-18-6}})
*''All About Strange Monsters of the Recent Past'' (Ursus Imprints, signed/numbered/slipcased hardcover, 1987), (Ace mass market, 1991, {{ISBN|0-441-16069-7}}); mass-market UK edition reprinted under the title ''Strange Things In Close-Up'', 1991
*''Night of the Cooters: More Neat Stories'' (Zeising/Ursus Imprints hardcover, 1990) (Ace mass market, 1993, {{ISBN|0-441-57473-4}})
*''Going Home Again'' (Eidolon trade paperback, 1997, {{ISBN|0-9586864-0-8}})
*''Dream Factories and Radio Pictures'' (e-book, 2001 at [http://www.electricstory.com ELECTRICSTORY] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200117045045/http://www.electricstory.com/ |date=January 17, 2020 }}; printed trade paperback from Wheatland Press, 2003)
*''Custer's Last Jump and Other Collaborations'' (Golden Gryphon hardcover, 2003, {{ISBN|1-930846-13-4}}) (includes Waldrop's collaborations with [[Steven Utley]], [[Bruce Sterling]], [[Leigh Kennedy]], [[George R. R. Martin]], and others.)
*''Heart of Whitenesse'' (Subterranean Press, hardcover, 2005, {{ISBN|1-59606-018-2}})
*''Things Will Never be the Same: Selected Short Fiction 1980-2005'' ("best of" collection from [[Old Earth Books]], 2007, {{ISBN|1-882968-36-0}}, trade paperback; {{ISBN|1-882968-35-2}} for 300-copy limited edition hardcover)<ref name="oldearthbooks.com">{{Cite web|url=http://oldearthbooks.com/howard_waldrop.htm|title = Howard Waldrop - Old Earth Books}}</ref>
*''Other Worlds, Better Lives: Selected Long Fiction 1989-2003'' ([[Old Earth Books]], 2008, {{ISBN|1-882968-38-7}}, trade paperback; {{ISBN|1-882968-37-9}} for 300-copy signed/limited edition hardcover)<ref name="oldearthbooks.com"/>
*''Horse of A Different Color: Selected Stories'' (2008-2013) [[Small Beer Press]] trade paperback, {{ISBN|978-1-61873-073-2}})
*''H'ard Starts: The Early Waldrop'' ([[Subterranean Press]], 2023, {{ISBN|978-1-64524-116-4}} for 750-copy signed/limited edition hardcover)

===Short stories===
*"Thirty Minutes Over Broadway!" lead off story in [[List of Wild Cards books and short stories|''Wild Cards I: Wild Cards'']], Bantam, 1986 (multiple volume ongoing series currently in print from [[Tor Books]].)
*"Thin, On the Ground" in [http://www.fact.org/wfc2006/book/order.htm ''Cross Plains Universe''], [[MonkeyBrain Books]], 2006.
*"The Dead Sea-Bottom Scrolls" in ''[[Old Mars]]'' (anthology), [[Tor Books]], 2013.<ref name="SF Signal Mars 2013">{{cite web |url=http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2013/02/toc-old-mars-edited-by-george-r-r-martin-and-gardner-dozois-2/ |title=TOC: ''Old Mars'' Edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois |first=John |last=DeNardo |work=[[SF Signal]] |date=February 14, 2013 |access-date=September 26, 2014 |archive-date=December 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224133311/http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2013/02/toc-old-mars-edited-by-george-r-r-martin-and-gardner-dozois-2/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Tor Mars 2013">{{cite web |url=http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/10/book-review-old-mars-george-rr-martin-gardner-dozois |title=Mars as We Thought it Could Be: ''Old Mars'', edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois |first=Robert H. |last=Bedford |website=[[Tor.com]] |publisher=Macmillan |date=October 8, 2013 |access-date=September 26, 2014}}</ref> Nominated for a [[Locus Award]].<ref name="Locus 2014">{{cite web |url=http://www.locusmag.com/News/2014/06/2014-locus-awards-winners-2/ |title=2014 Locus Awards Winners |work=[[Locus (magazine)|Locus]] |date=June 28, 2014 |access-date=September 26, 2014}}</ref>
*"[[Ike at the Mike]]" (''[[Omni (magazine)|Omni]]'', June 1982)

===Chapbooks===
*''The Soul-Catcher'' (self-published, 1967)
*''You ''Could'' Go Home Again'' ([[Cheap Street Press|Cheap Street]] signed/numbered/tray cased very limited hardcover edition, 1993)
*''Custer's Last Jump'' (with [[Steven Utley]]) ([[Ticonderoga Publications]], 1996)
*''Flying Saucer Rock and Roll'' ([[Cheap Street Press|Cheap Street]] signed/numbered tray cased very limited hardcover edition, 2001)
*''A Better World's in Birth!'' ([[Golden Gryphon]], 2003)
*''The Horse of a Different Color (You Rode In On)/The King of Where-I-Go'' ([[Washington Science Fiction Association|WSFA]], 2006); saddle-stitched trade paperback given out to members of the 2005 [[Capclave]], though not printed in time to be distributed there (not available/sold separately after publication)

== References ==
{{reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name=SFE>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/waldrop_howard |title=Waldrop, Howard |last1=Clute |first1=John |author1-link=John Clute |last2=Nicholls |first2=Peter |author2-link=Peter Nicholls (writer)|encyclopedia=[[The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction]] |editor1-last=Clute |editor1-first=John |display-editors=etal |date=July 22, 2021 |publisher=Gollancz |edition=3rd}}</ref>
<ref name=SFADB>{{cite web |url=http://www.sfadb.com/Howard_Waldrop |title=Howard Waldrop Awards |work=[[Science Fiction Awards Database]] |publisher=Locus Science Fiction Foundation |date=December 21, 2021}}</ref>
}}

== External links ==
* {{ISFDB name|id=Howard_Waldrop|name=Howard Waldrop}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/19970102211251/http://sff.net/people/Waldrop/ A Woodsman's Guide to Howard Waldrop] 
* [http://www.lexal.net/scifi/scifiction/classics/classics_archive/waldrop/waldrop1.html The Ugly Chickens] (online at lexal.net)
* [https://www.freesfonline.de/authors/Howard_Waldrop.html Howard Waldrop stories online]
* {{imdb name|12885066}}

{{Nebula Award Best Novelette}}
{{World Fantasy Award Best Short Fiction}}
{{World Fantasy Award Life Achievement}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Waldrop, Howard}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:2024 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American novelists]]
[[Category:American male novelists]]
[[Category:American science fiction writers]]
[[Category:American alternate history writers]]
[[Category:Nebula Award winners]]
[[Category:World Fantasy Award–winning writers]]
[[Category:Novelists from Texas]]
[[Category:American male short story writers]]
[[Category:20th-century American short story writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American short story writers]]
[[Category:People from Houston, Mississippi]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male writers]]