Patricia Oren Kearney Cadigan (born September 10, 1953) is a British-Americanscience fiction author, whose work is most often identified with thecyberpunk movement.[1] Her novels and short stories often explore the relationship between the human mind and technology. Herdebut novel,Mindplayers, was nominated for thePhilip K. Dick Award in 1988.[2][3]
In the 1960s Cadigan and a childhood friend "invented a whole secret life in which we were twins from the planet Venus", she toldNational Public Radio.[4] "The Beatles "came to us for advice about their songs and how to deal with fame and other important matters." She goes on to say: "On occasion, they would ask us to use our highly developedshape-shifting ability to become them, and finish recording sessions and concert tours when they were too tired to go on themselves." The Venusian twins had othersuperpowers, that they would sometimes use to help outSuperman,Wonder Woman and other heroes, she said.[4]
Cadigan met her first husband, Rufus Cadigan, while in college; they divorced shortly after she graduated from KU in 1975. That same year, Cadigan joined the convention committee forMidAmeriCon, the34th World Science Fiction Convention being held inKansas City,Missouri, over the 1976Labor Day weekend; she served on the committee as the convention's guest liaison to writer guest of honorRobert A. Heinlein, as well as helped to develop programming for the convention. At the same time, she also worked for fantasy writerTom Reamy at his Nickelodeon Graphics Arts Service studio, where she daily typset various jobs. She also prepared the type galleys for MidAmeriCon's various publications, including the convention's hardcover program book. Following Reamy's death on 4 November 1977, Cadigan went to work as a writer for Kansas City, MO'sHallmark Cards company. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, she also edited thesmall press fantasy and science fiction magazinesChacal and laterShayol with her second husband, Arnie Fenner.[3] She and Fenner’s son, Robert, was born in 1985.
Cadigan emigrated to London in 1996, where she is married to her third husband, Christopher Fowler (not to be confused withthe author of the same name). She became a UK citizen in late 2014.[5][3]
Cadigan sold her first professional science fiction story in 1980. Her success as an author encouraged her to become a full-time writer in 1987.
Cadigan's first novel,Mindplayers, introduces what becomes the common theme to all her works: her stories blur the line between reality and perception by making the human mind a real, explorable place. Her second novel,Synners, expands upon the same theme; both feature a future where direct access to the mind via technology is possible. While her stories include many of the gritty, unvarnished characteristics of the cyberpunk genre, she further specializes in this exploration of the speculative relationship between technology and the perceptions of the human mind.[6][1]
Robert A. Heinlein dedicated his 1982 novelFriday in part to Cadigan following her being the guest liaison to him at the 34thWorldcon in Kansas City.[7]
In 2013, Cadigan announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer.[8] She underwent surgery after an early diagnosis, suffered a relapse some years after, and recovered after extensive chemotherapy.[9]
"The Sorceress in Spite of Herself", (ss)Asimov's Dec. 1982
"50 Ways to Improve Your Orgasm", (ss)Asimov's April 1992
"Mother's Milt", (ss) OMNI Best Science Fiction Two, ed. Ellen Datlow, OMNI Books 1992
"True Faces", (nv)F&SF April 1992
"New Life for Old", (ss) Aladdin: Master of the Lamp, ed. Mike Resnick & Martin H. Greenberg, DAW 1992
"The Coming of the Doll", (ss)F&SF June 1981
"The Pond", (ss) Fears, ed. Charles L. Grant, Berkley 1983
"The Boys in the Rain", (ss)Twilight Zone June 1987
"In the Dark", (ss) When the Music's Over, ed. Lewis Shiner, Bantam Spectra 1991
"Johnny Come Home", (ss)Omni June 1991
"Naming Names", (nv) Narrow Houses, ed. Peter Crowther, Little Brown UK 1992
"A Deal with God", (nv) Grails: Quests, Visitations and Other Occurrences, ed.Richard Gilliam, Martin H. Greenberg & Edward E. Kramer, Unnameable Press 1992
"Dispatches from the Revolution", (nv)Asimov's July 1991;read online
