John Steakley

John William Steakley, Jr. (July 26, 1951 – November 27, 2010) was an American author, best known for his science fiction writing. He published two major novels, Armor (1984) and Vampire$ (1990); the latter was the basis for John Carpenter's Vampires movie. He published four short science fiction and fantasy stories.

Background

Born in Cleburne, Texas, Steakley lived most of his life in Texas, aside from brief spells in South America and Hollywood in his youth. Steakley's father owned a Chevrolet dealership in Dallas from 1962 until he sold it in 1999. Steakley attended St. Mark's School and graduated from Colorado Academy, a boarding school in Denver. He then went on to study at Westminster College in Missouri, and at Southern Methodist University, where he received his BA in English.

In 1988, Steakley married photographer Lori Jones; they held their wedding reception in the showroom of a local Subaru dealership. He was an avid golfer and in the mid-1990s carried a single-digit handicap. He died after a five-year battle with liver disease.