Lynn Abbey

Lynn Abbey (born September 18, 1948; birth name Marilyn Lorraine Abbey) is an American computer programmer and author. Born in Peekskill, New York, she attended the University of Rochester, where she began as an astrophysics major. She earned an A.B. (1969) and an M.A. (1971) in European history, but shifted to computer programming as a profession "when my advisor pointed out that, given the natural rise and fall of demographic curves, tenured university faculty positions were going to be as scarce as hen's teeth for the next twenty-five years and my education was turning into an expensive hobby. (He was right, too.)" She had married Ralph Dressler July 14, 1969; they were divorced October 31, 1972. During this period she also became a member of science fiction fandom. Abbey began publishing in 1979 with Daughter of the Bright Moon and the short story "The Face of Chaos," part of a Thieves World shared world anthology. On August 28, 1982 she married Robert Asprin, editor of the Thieves World books, and became his co-editor. She also contributed to other shared world series during the 1980s, including Heroes in Hell and Merovingen Nights. She began writing for TSR, Inc. around 1994 while continuing to write novels and editing anthologies. Her works for TSR include stories set in the Forgotten Realms and the Dark Sun settings. Lynn Abbey wrote for TSR's Dark Sun series starting with The Brazen Gambit. Abbey and Asprin divorced in 1993 and Abbey moved to Oklahoma City. She continued to write novels during this period, including original works as well as tie-ins to role playing games for TSR. In 2002, she returned to Thieves World with the novel Sanctuary and also began editing new anthologies, beginning with Turning Points. She has lived in Leesburg, Florida since 1997.