Genre authors, like genre fiction, often get no respect. Traditional biographical dictionaries tend to focus on established authors with literary credentials, and if genre writers are included, they are certainly not the focus of the book. Yet genre fans hunger for information about their favorite writers. This compilation focuses exclusively on genre fiction authors, more specifically today's most popular genre authors. It profiles representatives from all major genres (mystery/detective, crime, adventure/suspense, thriller, horror, fantasy, science fiction, western, historical, women's,...

Here's a one stop resource, containing 100 profiles of your favorite contemporary African American writers, along with complete lists of their works. Focusing on writers who have made their mark in the past 25 years, this guide stresses African American writers of popular and genre literature-from Rochelle Alers and Octavia Butler, and Samuel Delaney to Walter Mosley, and Omar Tyree, with a few classic literary giants also included. Short profiles provide an overview of the author's life and summarize his or her writing accomplishments. Many are accompanied by black-and-white photos of the...

Profiles of and reading lists for 100 of today's most popular nonfiction authors have been gathered together in this affordable, single source reference, which covers representatives from all major nonfiction genres--true adventure, true crime, travel and environmental narrative, science, history, life stories, and investigative writing. While focusing on such contemporary authors as Sebastian Junger, Frances Mayes, Joan Didion, Bill Bryson, and Anne Lamott, a few classics whose works are still in print and widely read (e.g., Truman Capote, M.F.K. Fisher, and Carl Sagan) are also included....

It takes a special kind of author to write a gripping suspense story or blockbuster thriller. With its powerful language and nonstop, heart-pounding action, this genre has taken today readers by storm and almost always dominates the bestseller lists--whether with legal and political thrillers, spy/espionage stories, or psychological suspense.

"100 Most Popular Thriller and Suspense Writers: Biographical Sketches and Bibliographies" profiles today's most popular writers of this exciting genre. While focusing on such contemporary authors as Dan Brown, Tom Clancy, Alan Furst, John Grisham,...

"100 Most Popular Science Fiction Authors: Biographical Sketches and Bibliographies" gives readers a chance to learn more about the extraordinary writers behind the mind-bending major works in the speculative genre. The 100 authors in this volume are the most accomplished in the field popular with readers, influential to other authors, and favorites among educators and librarians.

"100 Most Popular Science Fiction Authors" provides a brief biography for each writer, a guide to his or her writings, and a list of recent interviews and essays for further research. Coverage of each...

This book examines 100 of today's top mystery novels and mystery authors hailing from countries such as the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy, South Africa, and Australia. Equally valuable to students writing research papers, readers craving new authors or more information about their favorite authors, and teachers seeking specific types of fiction to support curricula, "100 Most Popular Contemporary Mystery Authors: Biographical Sketches and Bibliographies" provides revealing information about today's best mysteries and authors--without any "spoilers."

Each of the...