Dave Wolverton (May 15, 1957–January 14, 2022), who primarily wrote fiction as David Farland, was an award-winning and bestselling science fiction and fantasy author, editor, professor, and mentor. Wolverton’s first publication was in 1985,  the short story “The Sky is an Open Highway” in The Leading Edge. Wolverton went on to be known for writing a great many works in science fiction and fantasy, perhaps most notably the Runelords and Ravenspell series. 

Wolverton won the Writers of the Future contest in 1987 with “On My Way to Paradise,” later expanded into a novel that received a Philip K. Dick Award honorable mention. He continued working with Writers of the Future throughout his life, editing their annual anthology and serving as coordinating judge of the contest until the present day.

Wolverton approached projects and community with passion, writing across SF/F genres, advocating for Writers of the Future, and inspiring a generation of highly impactful writers through his teaching at Brigham Young University and the Apex Writing Group. He worked in books, gaming, television, and movies and wrote six tie-in books for Star Wars including The Courtship of Princess Leia. 

Wolverton was known for his kindness and support, sharing and uplifting writers around him and around the world, and he will be missed by many. Dave Wolverton lived 64 years.

SFWA President, Jeffe Kennedy shares, “We’re saddened to lose a prolific writer and inspiring teacher in the SFF community.”