Michael "Mike" Diamond Resnick, better known by his published name Mike Resnick, was an American science fiction writer and editor. He won five Hugo Awards and one Nebula Award. He is best known for Santiago (1986), Kirinyaga (1991) and Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge.
Mike Resnick was born in Chicago on 5 March 1942. He graduated from Highland Park High School in 1959. He sold his first piece of writing in 1957, while still at school. He studied at the University of Chicago from 1959 to 1961. It was at this university that he met Carol L. Cain. The couple began dating in mid-December 1960. They became engaged by the end of the month. They married in 1961.
During the 1960s and early 1970s, Resnick wrote over 200 erotic novels for adults under various pen names. During that period, he edited three men's magazines and seven tabloid papers. For over a decade, Resnick wrote a weekly horse racing column. He also wrote a monthly column on purebred collies.
Resnick and Cain bred and showed collies. Cain provided uncredited assistance on much of Resnick’s science fiction writing. He also co-wrote two film scripts based on Resnick novels, Santiago (1996) and The Widowmaker. Resnick’s daughter, Laura Resnick, is also a science fiction and fantasy author.
In his fiction, Resnick often incorporated fables and legends. Africa was also a key theme in his work. She wrote frequently about Kenya and the Kikuyu people. He visited Kenya frequently and incorporated these trips into his stories.
Some of these stories used Kenyan history as an allegory. Other stories were set in Africa or featured African characters. Resnick's writing was renowned for its humour. He also enjoyed collaborative work, particularly on short fiction. By 2014, he had collaborated with 52 writers on short fiction.
Resnick also edited numerous works. He worked for National Insider from 1966 to 1969. From 1967 to 1968, he was editor-in-chief of National Features Syndicate. He later served as publisher and editor for Oligarch Press from 1969 onwards. From 1988 onwards, he edited more than 40 fiction anthologies. From 2007 to 2010, he was the executive editor of Jim Baen's Universe. From 2013, he edited Galaxy's Edge magazine.
He won Hugo Awards for “Kirinyaga” (1989), “The Manamouki” (1991) and “Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge” (1995). He also won for 'The 43 Antarean Dynasties' (1998) and 'Travels with My Cats' (2005). 'Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge' also won the 1994 Nebula Award for Best Novella. In 2012, he was a guest of honour at Chicon 7 in Chicago.
In 1995, he received the Skylark Award in recognition of his lifetime work. In 2017, he received a lifetime award from the Writers and Illustrators of the Future. Dragon Con and Arc Manor created the Mike Resnick Memorial Award in 2021.
Mike Resnick lived in Cincinnati from 1976 until his death. He died from cancer on 9 January 2020.
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