Jack Cady
Jack Cady was an American author born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1932, who became notable for his contributions to the genres of horror and fantasy. After serving in the Coast Guard, he pursued higher education and earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville in 1961. Cady's diverse career included roles as a tree climber and truck driver before he transitioned to teaching, ultimately spending thirteen years at Pacific Lutheran University in Washington, where he taught creative writing. Throughout his literary career, he published nine novels, with works like *The Hauntings of Hood Canal* and *The Off Season* showcasing intricate real-world settings from Washington's Olympic Peninsula. His writing garnered significant recognition, earning prestigious awards such as the Nebula Award, the Philip K. Dick Award, and the Bram Stoker Award, along with the World Fantasy Award in 2004 for best fantasy collection. Despite his acclaim, some critics noted that his varied genre explorations may have limited his audience reach. Cady passed away on January 13, 2004, in Port Townsend, Washington, leaving behind a legacy of imaginative storytelling.
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Jack Cady
Writer
- Born: March 20, 1932
- Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio
- Died: January 13, 2004
- Place of death: Port Townsend, Washington
Biography
Jack Cady was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1932. He served in the Coast Guard and later earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville in Kentucky in 1961. Cady worked as a tree climber and truck driver before settling on teaching as a profession. He taught English at numerous institutions before accepting a position at Pacific Lutheran University in Washington, where he taught creative writing for thirteen years before his retirement.
Over the course of his career, Cady published nine novels that blended the genres of horror and fantasy, including The Hauntings of Hood Canal and The Off Season. Much of Cady’s fiction features descriptive real-world settings from areas around his adopted home in the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. His fiction won most of the major honors given to science fiction and fantasy writers, such as the Nebula Award, the Philip K. Dick Award, and the Brahm Stoker Award. He also received the World Fantasy Award for best fantasy collection in 2004. Although his work has received critical acclaim, some critics maintain he failed to reach a large audience because he wrote in a wide range of genres. Cady died on January 13, 2004, in Port Townsend, Washington.