John Steakley
| John Steakley | |
|---|---|
| Born |
July 26, 1951 Cleburne, Texas |
| Died | November 27, 2010 (aged 59) McKinney, Texas |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | USA |
| Genre | Science fiction, Horror |
John William Steakley, Jr. (July 26, 1951 – November 27, 2010) was an American author, best known for his science fiction writing. He published two major novels, Armor (1984) and Vampire$ (1990); the latter was the basis for John Carpenter's Vampires movie. He published four short science fiction and fantasy stories.
Born in Cleburne, Texas, Steakley lived most of his life in Texas, aside from brief spells in South America and Hollywood in his youth. Steakley's father owned a Chevrolet dealership in Dallas from 1962 until he sold it in 1999. Steakley attended St. Mark's School and graduated from Colorado Academy, a boarding school in Denver. He then went on to study at Westminster College in Missouri, and at Southern Methodist University, where he received his BA in English.
In 1988, Steakley married photographer Lori Jones; they held their wedding reception in the showroom of a local Subaru dealership. He was an avid golfer and in the mid-1990s carried a single-digit handicap. He died after a five-year battle with liver disease.
His sister told the press that Steakley went to Hollywood at the invitation of screenwriter L.M. "Kit" Carson. He sold a film treatment, and played a bit part ("Local 1") in at least one film, Don't Open the Door!, but "he stayed out there a few years and just hated it." Steakley (whose childhood fantasy was reportedly to be a science fiction writer) returned to Texas, and wrote. He had his first professional short story publication, "The Bluenose Limit", in the March 1981 issue of Amazing Stories; and another, "Flyer", in the September 1982 issue. He published two major novels, Armor (1984) and Vampire$ (1990). According to his website, he worked on the incomplete Armor II for years.
...
Wikipedia