Marion Zimmer Bradley

Marion Zimmer Bradley was an American author born on June 3, 1930, in Albany, New York. She was the youngest of three children and grew up in a household that valued education and reading. Her mother was a teacher, and her father was a railroad engineer. Bradley began writing at a young age and published her first story at the age of 17. She attended Hardin-Simmons University in Texas and later transferred to the University of Hawaii, where she earned a degree in psychology. Bradley's writing career spanned over four decades, during which she wrote over 60 novels and numerous short stories. She is best known for her science fiction and fantasy works, including the Darkover series, which she began in 1958. The series is set on a fictional planet called Darkover and explores themes of gender, power, and identity. Bradley's other notable works include The Mists of Avalon, a retelling of the Arthurian legend from the perspective of the female characters, and The Firebrand, a novel about the Trojan War from the pe