Ken Grimwood

Ken Grimwood studied at Bard College, Indian Springs School and Emory University. The recorded working language is English. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are fantasy. Works named in the authority record are Replay. Distinctions recorded are World Fantasy Awards and World Fantasy Award for Best Novel.

• Name — Ken Grimwood • Birth Name — Kenneth Milton Grimwood • Born — 27 February 1944 • Birthplace — Dothan, Alabama, United States • Died — 6 June 2003 • Place of death — Santa Barbara, California, United States • Occupation — Writer • Notable Works — Replay

Grimwood was born in Dothan, Alabama. His family moved to Pensacola, Florida, where he grew up. In his early years, Grimwood took an interest in EC Comics and radio journalism. He attended and graduated in 1961 from Indian Springs School, a private school near Birmingham, Alabama. That summer he went to Paris to study at the Sorbonne. He attended Emory College in Atlanta from 1961 to 1963. In the mid-1960s, Grimwood worked in news at WLAK in Lakeland, Florida. Heading north, he returned to college, studying psychology at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. He also contributed short fiction to Bard's student publication, Observer in 1969, and graduated in 1970. Grimwood moved to Los Angeles, California. He wrote some of his early novels while working as nightside editor at KFWB News 980 radio in the city. The success of Replay enabled him to leave that job and pursue writing full-time.

Grimwood was married for a period; he and his wife did not have children. Among his friends was Tom Atwill (a relative of the actor Lionel Atwill). Atwill described Grimwood's "free spirit lifestyle" and recalled,

Grimwood's debut novel, Breakthrough (Ballantine, 1976), is a blend of science fiction, reincarnation and horror elements that concluded with an unpredictable twist ending. Cured of epilepsy by a breakthrough in medical technology, 26-year-old Elizabeth Austin has miniature electrodes implanted in her brain. She can control her seizures by pressing an external remote to activate the electrodes. Adjusting to a normal life, she is ready to patch up a troubled marriage and resume her abandoned career. However, as part of the implant operation, Elizabeth gave her consent for the insertion of extra electrodes, featuring experimental functions unknown to science. When one of those electrodes is stimulated, Elizabeth experiences memories which are not her own. She discovers the remote has given her the ability to eavesdrop on her previous life 200 years in the past, and she keeps this a secret from her doctor. Intrigued, she finds the earlier existence appealing and begins to spend more and more time there. Eventually, she discovers that the woman in the past is a murderess who is plotting to kill Elizabeth's husband in the present. In writing this novel, Grimwood did extensive research into brain surgery and epilepsy.

Grimwood used the pseudonym Alan Cochran for his novel Two Plus Two (Doubleday, 1980). The storyline follows two Los Angeles detectives investigating a trio of murders that they learn involve members of a swingers club.

Grimwood's novel Replay (Arbor House, 1986), explored the life of 43-year-old radio journalist Jeff Winston after his death. He awakens in 1963 in his 18-year-old body. He begins to relive his life with intact memories of the previous 25 years. This happens repeatedly with different events in each cycle. In this novel, Grimwood refers back and offers a clue to the identity of the author of Two Plus Two: in one passage the main character of Replay hides his identity by using the name "Alan Cochran". The time-loop concept of Replay has been referred to as a precursor of Harold Ramis's comedy-drama film Groundhog Day (1993), starring Bill Murray.

Grimwood explored his fascination with cetacean intelligence, encounters with dolphins and research into intraspecies dolphin communication for his novel Into the Deep (William Morrow, 1995). It is about a marine biologist struggling to crack the code of dolphin intelligence. It features lengthy passages written from the point of view of several dolphin characters. To research "the willful denial and gratuitous cruelty" involved in tuna fishing, Grimwood secretly infiltrated the crew of a tuna boat based in San Diego, California. The publisher described the book:

Other novels include The Voice Outside (1982), exploring mind control and telepathy-inducing drugs; and Elise (1979). Born in Versailles in 1683, Elise is immortal because of her DNA. The story traces her experiences with various lovers and husbands through the centuries. Elise is now regarded as a rare book and sells at collector prices.

At age 59, Grimwood died of a heart attack at his home in Santa Barbara, California. In this period, he was working on a sequel to Replay. He is included in the Guide to Santa Barbara Authors and Publishers at the University of California, Santa Barbara. There is at least one unpublished Grimwood novel, a collaboration with Tom Atwill.

He also worked under the name Alan Cochran. The authorities additionally record the heading Kenneth Milton Grimwood. His recorded language was English.

Ken Grimwood is recorded as writer and novelist.