J. A. Lawrence

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Judith Ann Lawrence
Bornc. March 1940
New York, New York
Pen nameJ. A. Lawrence, Judy Blish
NationalityAmerican
GenreScience Fiction
Years active1968–2009
SpouseJames Blish
Relatives
  • John Frederick Brock "Jack" Lawrence, father
  • Muriel Florence Bodkin, mother

Judith Ann Blish (née Lawrence — born c. March 1940), also credited as Judith L. Blish and Judy Blish, is an American sketch artist and short fiction writer. She is most known for her work on the Bantam Books series of Star Trek episode novelizations, with her husband James Blish, and the anthology Mudd's Angels. She has been active in preserving, and promoting her husband's work.

Early life[edit]

Lawrence was born on March 1940 to New York City-based pulp writers Jack Lawrence and Muriel Bodkin.[1] She met science fiction writer James Blish, sometime after his divorce from Virginia Kidd. They married in 1964.[2] She moved with her husband to Oxford, England, in 1968. Her mother joined them in Oxford sometime later.[1]

She currently lives in Athens, Greece.

Career[edit]

Lawrence illustrated the covers to editions of Black Easter and The Day After Judgment. She also sketched the cover of Fugue for a Darkening Island by Christopher Priest. She contributed two covers to the Kalki science fiction fanzine,[3] and the cover for the April 1972 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction.[4] Lawrence's short fiction was regularly published by Galaxy Science Fiction, and included in several short fiction anthologies.

Star Trek[edit]

Due to James Blish's failing health, he was unable to complete the work on the Star Trek episode novelizations for Bantam Books. Lawrence, with help from her mother, began contributing sometime in 1972.[5] However, her contributions to the Star Trek book series were uncredited until the release of Star Trek 11, in 1977.[6] The final volume in the series, Mudd's Angels, was released in 1978, and included two episode adaptations, and an original novella, by Lawrence.

Bibliography[edit]

Cover Art[edit]

  • Black Easter (September 1969), by James Blish. Doubleday.
  • Kalki: Studies in James Branch Cabell, Vol. II, No. 4(a) (1968).
  • The Vanished Jet (1968), by James Blish. Weybright & Talley.
  • Kalki: Studies in James Branch Cabell, Vol. V, No. 2 (1971).
  • The Day After Judgment (January 1971), by James Blish. Doubleday.
  • Fugue for a Darkening Island (21 February 1972), by Christopher Priest. Faber and Faber ISBN 0-571-09794-4.
  • The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Vol 42, No. 4 (April 1972).
  • Jack of Eagles (18 June 1973), by James Blish. Faber and Faber ISBN 0-571-10276-X.

Short Fiction[edit]

Star Trek[edit]

Lawrence is credited for the following:

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Hanley, Terence E. (2013-10-08). "Tellers of Weird Tales: Muriel Cameron Bodkin (1903-1994)". Tellers of Weird Tales. Retrieved 2018-01-06.
  2. ^ "New York, New York City Marriage Licenses Index, 1950-1995". FamilySearch. James Blish and Judith Ann Lawrence, 1964, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States; from Reclaim the Records, The NYC Marriage Index (http://www.nycmarriageindex.com : 2016); citing New York City Clerk's Office. 2017-06-19. Retrieved 2018-01-06. (Registration required (help)).
  3. ^ "Summary Bibliography: J. A. Lawrence". Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Al von Ruff. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
  4. ^ "Lawrence, J A". Science Fiction Encyclopedia. SFE Ltd. 4 Mar 2016. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
  5. ^ Ayers, Jeff (14 Nov 2006). Voyages of Imagination : The Star Trek Fiction Companion. New York: Pocket Books. p. 9. ISBN 1-4165-0349-8.
  6. ^ Ketterer, David (Sep 1987). Imprisoned in a Tesseract: The Life and Work of James Blish. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press. p. 25. ISBN 0-87338-334-6.

External links[edit]