Born in Pasadena , California , on June 22 , 1947 , Octavia E. Butler was one of the most pregnant literary figures of the twentieth century . A Black woman write science fabrication — a genre typically dominated by white adult male — she became the first science fable writer to advance a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship in 1995 . Through her books , which includeKindred , Fledgling , Parable of the Sower , andSurvivor , Butler tackled issue such as climate change , gender inequality , and racial shabbiness .
“ When I began write science fabrication , when I start reading , heck , I was n’t in any of this stuff I read , " ButlertoldThe New York Timesin 2000 . " The only Black people you found were occasional characters or characters who were so feeble - witted that they could n’t make do anything , anyway . I write myself in , since I ’m me and I ’m here and I ’m compose . ” Even if you ’ve show all of her work , there are still some things that you might not cognise about Octavia E. Butler .
1. Octavia Butler had dyslexia.
Octavia Butler did n’t have an easy childhood . Her Father of the Church died when she was a fry , and she wasraisedby her mother ( also name Octavia ) , who earned a aliveness workings as a maidservant ; Butler wouldaccompanyher to study . She was a shy and awkward kid who was bully for being so grandiloquent . She was also dyslexic , which made schoolworkdifficult . Still , her dyslexia did n’t arrest her from reading the discarded books her mother brought home from study . alternatively , she devoured them . Eventually , she started writing herself , compose her first storieswhen she was 10and turning her attention to science fable three year later . " I think writer habituate perfectly everything that happens to us , and for sure if I had had a different sort of childhood and still come out a writer , I ’d be a different variety of writer , " ButlertoldInMotion clip .
2. A bad sci-fi movie inspired Octavia Butler to start writing.
It was a 1954 movie calledDevil young lady from Mars , which Butler go steady when she was about 12 class old , that ignited the future author ’s interest in scientific discipline fiction . “ As I was watch out this film , I had a series of revelations , " Butler said during a 1998talkat MIT . " The first was that ' Geez , I can compose a better story than that . ' And then I thought , ' Gee , anybody can indite a better story than that . ' And my third thought was the clincher : ' Somebody got paid for writing that awful write up . ' So , I was off and writing , and a year later on I was meddling submitting terrible pieces of fiction to innocent magazines . ”
3. Octavia Butler honed her craft at public libraries.
For Butler , run to library was aregular intimacy — she not only used them for research but even write her first novel , 1976’sPatternmaster , at the Central Library in Los Angeles . She continued to head to the slews even after becoming a successful author . “ One of my good habits that bring to worldmaking now was chafe librarians a draw , " Butlersaidin a 1985 speech . " When I could n’t think of anything to say to you today , I took my notebook computer and went to the depository library business district . There I sat at my regular table in the chronicle way and peek through a few books until ideas start to come to me . ” In 2019 , the Central Library created theOctavia Lab , a DIY Jehovah space in the library that is currently being used tomanufacture confront shieldsfor frontline workers , to observe Butler , who died in 2006 .
4. Octavia Butler worked a number of odd jobs early in her career.
“ aliveness for me was not wondrous starting out as a writer , " Butler told theSeattle Post Intelligencerin 2004 . She worked " lots of horrible little job " to support herself , washing dishes , scrutinize potato splintering , and work out the phones as a telemarketer , among other gigs . Butler woke up at 2 a.m.every dayso she could gibe in piece of writing before heading out to forge . She was n’t capable to chuck up the sponge those job and live off of her written material until the late seventies , after she receive a$5000 advanceforKindred .
5. Octavia Butler was an avid comic book reader.
ButlertoldInMotion clip that , after give some books away as a little girl and date them put down , she ’d never gotten rid of her playscript again . " I still have books from childhood , " she said . " It comforts me . " Among the titles in her collection were a number of comic books . " I have first editions of this and that , the first issue of the Fantastic Four , " she said . " I used to call for them , not in the way that people collect things now . I did n’t put them in moldable bags and never touch them . I say them and they attend pretty bad , some of them . But they ’re still worth something just because they are what they are . "
6. Octavia Butler didn’t know what to think when she won the MacArthur Fellowship.
As ButlertoldStephen Harper in a 1998 interviewMarion Zimmer Bradley ’s Fantasy Magazine , the MacArthur Fellowship — conversationally known as the " Genius Grant , " which awards a substantive clump of change to winners , which Butler was awarded in 1995 — isn’t one you’re able to submit yourself for : " You do n’t roll in the hay that your name has been put in . And unless the somebody who has put in your name want to narrate you , you do n’t get laid who that is , " she said . When she gravel the call that she had won , she was n’t trusted what to think . " I did n’t know whether the call was on the floor , " Butler recalled . " She was a very nice sounding cleaning lady , but when you do n’t enter contests and somebody call you and enounce you ’ve won a lot of money , you sort of go , Hmmmmm . I mean , I ’ve gotten birdsong like that . You know — they say you ’ve win , and all you have to do is give them your social security telephone number and your credit batting order number , and — mmm hmmmm . "
What was clear is that Butler did n’t corrupt into the hype of the honour . " hoi polloi may call these ' genius Duncan Grant , ' but nobody made me take an IQ test before I get mine , " ButlertoldtheSeattle Post Intelligencerin 2004 . " I experience I ’m no genius . "
7. Octavia Butler didn’t makethe New York TimesBestseller List until 2020.
Throughout her career , Butler wrote herself manymotivational messagesto keep going . In one journal , she wrote , " I shall be a bestselling author … So be it ! See to it ! " and identify the list she wanted her Good Book to appear on , which includedThe New York Times . In September 2020 — more than 14 year after her destruction in February 2006 at the geezerhood of 58 — she finallyachievedthat end withParable of the Sower .
