Andrew Porter and Old Earth Books’ Michael Walsh both wrote to let us know that horror/sf writer Ed Bryant is in personal financial difficulty. The “loosely formed organization consisting of friends, students, mentors, and neighbors of Ed Bryant,” known as Friends of Ed (FOE), has posted friendsofed.org to tell the world about Bryant and solicit donations for a “third party trust fund” established for Bryant with the Colorado Fund for People with Disabilities. In addition to his fiction writing, Bryant is a reviewer and critic, and a teacher and mentor.
Bryant’s financial difficulties are the result of heart bypass surgery in 2004, a limited income stream, and “predatory actions by individuals who took advantage of Ed’s kindness.”
Testimonials by Ellen Datlow and Melanie Tem attest to Bryant’s value to the community, and ask for support.
Bryant won Nebulas for the best short story in 1979 and 1980 (for “Stone” and “giANTS”), as well as the International Horror Guild’s Living Legend Award in 1997. Additionally, he’s been a finalist for five other Nebulas, two World Fantasy Awards, three Hugos, and three Stoker Awards.