Julian May

Author Julian May was born on July 10, 1931 in Chicago, Illinois and was the oldest of four kids. As a child, she was known as Judy May; which she would alter and use as one of her pen names (Judy Ditky). Her parents are named Matthew May (his full last name was Majewski) and Julia Feilen May. She grew up in Elmwood Park, Illinois, which is a suburb of Chicago. For awhile, she published a fanzine called “Interim Newsletter” after getting into the science fiction fandom in her late teens. She sold her very first story in 1950 to John W. Campbell’s Astounding Science Fiction, the story was called “Dune Roller”. The story appeared the next year (published under the name J. C. May) along with her own illustrations. She chaired a World Science Fiction Convention (the tenth, which was held in Chicago) in the year 1952. In the year 2015, she was inducted into First Fandom’s Hall of Fame that took place at the 73rd World Science Fiction Convention. From 1953, until his death, she was married to Thaddeus “Ted” Ditky, who was one of the earliest anthologists of science fiction stories. The couple met in 1951 when they both went to a science fiction convention. The couple had three children, the youngest was born in the year 1958.