Kij Johnson is an American writer of fantasy. She has worked extensively in publishing: managing editor for Tor Books and TSR, collections editor for Dark Horse Comics, and content manager working on the Microsoft Reader. In her time at Wizards of the Coast, she was also continuity manager for Magic: The Gathering and creative director for AD&D settings Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms. She is an associate director for the Center for the Study of Science Fiction at the University of Kansas, and serves as a final judge for the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award. Johnson is the author of three novels and more than 30 short works of fiction. She is the winner of the 1994 Theodore Sturgeon Award for "Fox Magic", the 2001 Crawford Award from the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts for best new fantasist, the 2008 World Fantasy Award for "26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss", the 2009 Nebula Award for "Spar", the 2010 Nebula for "Ponies", and the 2012 Nebula and Hugo awards for best novella for "The Man Who Bridged the Mist". She was a finalist for the 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Hugo Awards; the 2008, 2010 and 2011 Nebula Awards; and the 2004, 2009 and 2011 World Fantasy Awards. [More at Wikipedia]

January 20th, 1960 in Harlan, Iowa (Age 64)