SFWA’s In Memoriams are meant to memorialize writers through celebrating their literary legacies. Sometimes, as in this case, we do not hear about a writer’s passing at the time it happens, but we still wish to take a moment and remember them as a member of the science fiction and fantasy publishing community.

H. Paul Honsinger (21 January 1960 – 23 August 2020) was a military science fiction novelist and SFWA member best known for his Man of War military thriller series, full of gritty and accurate depictions of military culture. He had a passion for knowledge, interdisciplinary research, and connecting those concepts with what he called realistic and plausible science fiction or “military science fiction done right” in his words.

Honsinger was proud of being a leader, starting when he was still in high school. He later took leadership roles with the American Legion Louisiana Boys State, the Louisiana Governor’s Program for Gifted Children, and other organizations over the years. He moved on from a career in law to become a full-time writer and was married to fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal romance author Kathleen Honsinger, who writes under the pen name Laura Jo Phillips. Honsinger’s Man of War series was originally self-published and successful enough to draw the eye of 47North, which reissued them in new editions. 

Known as a family man, Honsinger also loved to connect his diverse studies, which included lifelong devotions to space, astronomy, weather, singing, cooking, military history, international tactics, and collecting handguns and military rifles. The string tie he wore in his author photos was made from a Texas Ranger badge handed down from his ancestors. He especially enjoyed researching and discussing science, and his answers to complex questions posted online were often republished on major journalistic websites.

H. Paul Honsinger lived 60 years.