Susan Casper (1947-2017)

Writer Susan Casper died in her sleep on February 24, 2017 after a series of health complications. In announcing her death on Facebook, husband Gardner Dozois said, “She was an extremely tough woman, and fought through an unbelievable amount of stuff in the last couple of years, but this last illness was just too much for her fading strength to overcome.”

Casper co-edited Ripper! (Tor) with Dozois in 1988, but was better known for her short fiction. She published over 30 short stories and essays, including collaborations with Dozois and Jack M. Dann, beginning with “Spring-Fingered Jack” in 1983 for Fears (Berkley), edited by Charles Grant, a story which was reprinted five times in later anthologies. She appeared often in anthologies but also sold to magazines, such as “Mama” in F&SF (8/1984), “The Clowns” in Playboy (8/1985), “The Stray” and “The Cleaning Lady” both in Twilight Zone (12/1987 and 4/1988) , “Up the Rainbow” in Asimov’s (12/1994), and many more. Her fiction in collaboration with Dozois appears in the 1990 collection Slow Dancing Through Time (Ursus). Her last short fiction publication, “Old Photographs”, was in 2003 anthology Stars: Original Stories Based on the Songs of Janis Ian (Daw), edited by Janis Ian and Mike Resnick.

Casper was also a familiar and well-loved figure at conventions.

Susan Casper was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1947. She is survived by her husband Gardner Dozois and son Christopher Casper. A memorial is planned for March 11, 2017, at a location yet to be announced.