K D Wentworth with husband Richard Kearns

Science fiction writer and Tulsa native Kathy "K.D." Wentworth dies at 61

BY TIM STANLEY World Staff Writer
Sunday, April 22, 2012
4/22/2012 4:52:28 AM

For Kathy Wentworth, it started with "The Wizard of Oz" and the science-fiction novels of Andre Norton.

Though only in the fourth grade when she discovered them, the Tulsa native suddenly knew that she, too, wanted to become a science-fiction writer.

But the yellow brick road to writing fame would have a few twists in it.

It would be many years, with Wentworth well into a teaching career, before she finally gave writing a serious shot.

Committing to write two hours every night, she persevered through many rejections before eventually winning a prestigious contest.

Her winning entry from the contest, "Daddy's Girls," would become her first published story and the first of many to follow.

A former elementary school teacher-turned-author who would go on to publish nine novels and more than 50 short stories under the name K.D. Went-worth, Kathy Diane Went-worth died Wednesday of complications from cancer and pneumonia. She was 61.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Moore's Southlawn Funeral Home.

Wentworth's novels include the two-volume "House of Moon Chronicles" and most recently, with co-author Eric Flint, "The Course of Empire" and its sequel "The Crucible of Empire."

Of the short stories she sold to various publications, three stories were finalists for the Nebula Award.

Although a few were mystery stories, no genre could ever supplant science-fiction fantasy in Wentworth's heart.

Her husband, Richard Kearns, said: "Kathy had a theory about writing: that every writer has this inner person - she named hers 'Fred' - that talks to you and tells you what to write. That basically was her metaphor for her imagination. And 'Fred' only spoke to her in science fiction."

A University of Tulsa graduate who taught elementary classes for Keystone Public Schools, Went-worth published her first story after being named one of the winners of the international Writers of the Future contest in 1988.

Never forgetting her own start, Wentworth would dedicate much of her time to encouraging other would-be writers.

She later began working as a judge for Writers of the Future and also taught regularly at the event's summer workshop.

Every year, a box of some 1,200 short-story entries would arrive at her home, each of which she would read. Narrowing the field to a few semifinalists, she would write them each a critique and offer encouragement.

Close friend Elspeth Bloodgood said Wentworth "was a gifted writer and very passionate about her craft. And she was very anxious to share that passion" with other writers and fledgling writers.

Born in Tulsa, Kathy Wentworth moved around a lot as a child, attending 13 schools before eventually graduating from high school in New York.

"She missed Tulsa," Kearns said. "Her grandparents were here, and she was very close to them. Once she came back to attend TU, she settled here and never left again."

Wentworth was involved for several years with the former Conestoga science-fiction convention in Tulsa.

A founding member of Oklahoma Science Fiction Writers, she was also active with Science Fiction Writers of America and served as the organization's secretary in 2000 and 2003.

Discussing her favorite genre once with the Tulsa World, Wentworth said science fiction fascinated her because "it makes the world so much bigger."

Her survivors include her husband, Richard Kearns, and one brother, Clayton Wentworth.

The family asks that memorial donations be made to the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary in South Dakota.

Original Print Headline: Science-fiction writer persevered to attain dream
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