Michael H. Payne
Encyclopedia
Michael H. Payne is an American science fiction
and fantasy
writer, cartoonist, and reviewer. He holds an M.A. in Classics
from the University of California, Irvine
, and has hosted the Darkling Eclectica, a radio program originally on Saturday mornings, now on Sunday afternoons, on KUCI
for more than 25 years.
Payne's novel The Blood Jaguar (Tor Books, 1998) and most of his short stories utilize talking animal
characters: his novelette "Crow's Curse" won third place in the Writers of the Future
contest in 1991 and his short story "Familiars" won the Ursa Major Award in 2002. His cartoons as well, published in the New Horizons anthology from Shanda Fantasy Arts and on his websites, take animals, give them intelligence, and examine what sorts of multi-cultural societies they might form.
As a reviewer, Payne is a past contributor to Tangent magazine, both in its original print edition and in its early online form, and his capsule book reviews began appearing in 1999 on the website of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
before being moved in August 2009 to the "members only" section of the site's discussion forum: Payne is the head co-ordinator for SFWA's Circulating Book Plan. He is also the Registrar for the Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards and is a participant in the Daily Grind Iron Man Challenge with his webcomic
Daily Grind. He lives on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, California
, where he works for the public library and is a cantor and guitar player at the local Catholic church.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
writer, cartoonist, and reviewer. He holds an M.A. in Classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
from the University of California, Irvine
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
, and has hosted the Darkling Eclectica, a radio program originally on Saturday mornings, now on Sunday afternoons, on KUCI
KUCI
KUCI is a college radio station broadcasting a Variety format. Licensed to Irvine, California, USA, the station serves the Orange County area...
for more than 25 years.
Payne's novel The Blood Jaguar (Tor Books, 1998) and most of his short stories utilize talking animal
Talking animals in fiction
Talking creatures are a common theme in mythology and folk tales, as well as children's literature. Fictional talking creatures often are anthropomorphic, possessing human-like qualities but appearing as a creature...
characters: his novelette "Crow's Curse" won third place in the Writers of the Future
Writers of the Future
Writers of the Future is a science fiction and fantasy story contest that was originated by L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1980s. Hubbard...
contest in 1991 and his short story "Familiars" won the Ursa Major Award in 2002. His cartoons as well, published in the New Horizons anthology from Shanda Fantasy Arts and on his websites, take animals, give them intelligence, and examine what sorts of multi-cultural societies they might form.
As a reviewer, Payne is a past contributor to Tangent magazine, both in its original print edition and in its early online form, and his capsule book reviews began appearing in 1999 on the website of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, or SFWA is a nonprofit association of professional science fiction and fantasy writers. It was founded in 1965 by Damon Knight under the name Science Fiction Writers of America, Inc. and it retains the acronym SFWA after a very brief use of the SFFWA...
before being moved in August 2009 to the "members only" section of the site's discussion forum: Payne is the head co-ordinator for SFWA's Circulating Book Plan. He is also the Registrar for the Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards and is a participant in the Daily Grind Iron Man Challenge with his webcomic
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
Daily Grind. He lives on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he works for the public library and is a cantor and guitar player at the local Catholic church.