Laurence M. Janifer
Laurence M. Janifer, born Laurence Mark Harris in 1933 in Brooklyn, New York, was an influential American author known for his contributions to the science fiction and fantasy genres. His writing career began in earnest when his first short story was published in 1953, although he did not gain significant recognition until several years later. In 1959, Janifer collaborated with fellow writer Randy Garrett on the book "That Sweet Little Old Lady," marking the start of a fruitful partnership that produced several works, including "Pagan Passions."
In 1963, he adopted the pen name Janifer in honor of his Polish grandfather, and throughout the 1960s, he published various novels and short stories. Janifer is perhaps best known for his "Survivor" series, which debuted in 1977 with the novel "Survivor," featuring the character Gerald Knave. His prolific output continued into the 1980s and 1990s, even as his prominence in the literary world began to wane. Janifer's literary contributions came to an end before his passing in 2002, leaving behind a diverse body of work that continues to be appreciated by fans of speculative fiction.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Laurence M. Janifer
Writer
- Born: March 17, 1933
- Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York
- Died: July 10, 2002
- Place of death: Oakland, California
Biography
Laurence M. Janifer was born in 1933 in Brooklyn, New York. His birth name was Laurence Mark Harris. In 1953, at the age of twenty, his first short story was published in Cosmos magazine. Unfortunately, after the publication of his first short story, the author’s career did not blossom for several more years.
In 1959, he cowrote a book with Randy Garrett. That Sweet Little Old Lady was to be the first collaboration between the two writers. The two continued to work together to publish three additional novels, including Pagan Passions in 1960.
He parted ways with Garrett and began writing on his own. In 1963, Harris changed his birth name to Janifer, after his Polish grandfather. Janifer continued to write throughout the 1960’s, publishing additional books as well as short stories that found their way into anthologies.
In the 1970’s, Janifer began to write his most recognized works, the Survivor series. The series began in 1977 with the book Survivor. The series gave birth to numerous short stories that followed the life of Janifer’s main character Gerald Knave.
In the 1980’s and 1990’s, Janifer’s place seemed to have slowed down, though he continued to write numerous books during those years. His last contributions to the literary world came before his death in 2002.