Parke Godwin

He was the grandson of Harry Post Godwin.

• Name — Parke Godwin • Born — 28 January 1929 • Birthplace — New York City, U.S. • Died — 19 June 2013 • Place of death — Auburn, California, U.S. • Occupation — Novelist • Genre — Science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction • Notable Works — Sherwood, Firelord, Waiting for the Galactic Bus, "The Fire When It Comes.”

Godwin is known for his novels of legendary figures placed in realistic historical settings, written in a lyrical yet precise prose style and sardonic humor. His retelling of parts of the Arthur legend, Firelord in 1980, Beloved Exile in 1984, and The Lovers: The Legend of Tristan and Yseult in 1999 (under the pseudonym Kate Hawks) is set in the 5th century during the collapse of the Roman Empire, and his reinterpretation of Robin Hood (Sherwood, 1991, and Robin and the King, 1993) takes place during the Norman Conquest and features kings William the Conqueror and William Rufus as major characters. His other well-known works include Waiting for the Galactic Bus (1988) and its sequel, The Snake Oil Wars, which is also known as The Snake Oil Variations, in 1989. These were humorous critiques of American pop culture and religion. His short fiction has appeared in several anthologies. His short story "Influencing the Hell out of Time and Teresa Golowitz" was the basis of an episode of the television series The Twilight Zone. Godwin was also at various times a radio operator, a research technician, a professional actor, an advertising man, a dishwasher and a maitre d' hotel. In 2011, he was the Guest of Honor at the World Fantasy Con. He was placed in a close care facility in 2012 due to a decline in his long- and short-term memory. He died in 2013.

• The Masters of Solitude, 1978 (with Marvin Kaye) • Wintermind, 1982 (with Marvin Kaye) The novel A Cold Blue Light, 1983 (with Marvin Kaye), is sometimes listed as the third volume of the trilogy, but is unrelated. The third volume, Singer Among The Nightingales, was partially written by Godwin and Kaye before their respective deaths, but never completed.

• Firelord, 1980 • Beloved Exile, 1984 • The Lovers: The Legend of Trystan and Yseult, 1999 (as Kate Hawks) The Firelord books deal with the Arthurian legend and events before and after the time of King Arthur. Firelord is about Arthur's rise and his relationship with his powerful wife, Guenevere. Beloved Exile follows Guenevere after Arthur's death as different factions fight for control of Britain. Godwin's third novel featuring Arthurian material, The Lovers: The Legend of Trystan and Yseult, was published in 1999 under the pseudonym Kate Hawks.

• Waiting for the Galactic Bus, 1988 • The Snake Oil Wars: or Scheherazade Ginsberg Strikes Again, 1989 (also published under the title The Snake Oil Variations)

• Sherwood, 1991. Historical novel with fantasy elements. • Robin and the King, 1993 (also published under the title Return to Nottingham: A Novel)