C. J. Cherryh

Carolyn Janice Cherry (born September 1, 1942), known by the pen name C. J. Cherryh, is an American author of science fiction and fantasy. Since her first publications in 1976 she has written more than eighty books, including the Hugo Award–winning novels Downbelow Station and Cyteen, and the long-running Foreigner series. Trained in classics (BA, University of Oklahoma) and with an MA from Johns Hopkins University, Cherryh is noted for detailed worldbuilding, linguistic and cultural depth, and psychologically complex characters. She lives near Spokane, Washington and remains active in publishing and at genre conventions.