MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Andre Norton, one of science fiction's most prolific female writers until she died three years ago, intrigued her readers by creating hundreds of fantasy worlds during her 70 years of writing.
And in a decision that may have been accidental or calculated, she left her friends and fans a final puzzle: Who should control the rights to her more than 130 books, including the popular "Witch World" series?
Like a plot out of a novel, conflicting claims have erupted over the copyrights and royalties of Norton's work. One comes from the woman who cared for Norton in her later years, the other from a fan who contends he's better suited to care for Norton's literary legacy.
As courts sort out the disputes, Norton's unpublished works are on hold, leaving collaborating authors and Norton fans eager for a resolution.
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Why Alice became Andre
Norton began writing in the 1930s and defied gender stereotypes by becoming the first woman to win the Grand Master of Fantasy award from the Science Fiction Writers of America and the Nebula Grand Master Award.
Born Alice Mary Norton in Cleveland in 1912, she took up the pen name Andre because she thought it would appeal to the predominantly young, male audience for science fiction, adventure and fantasy novels.
One of those fans was Victor Horadam, who began reading Norton's work at about age 9. His enthusiasm eventually developed into a lifelong relationship with the author, and the two exchanged hundreds of letters before she died in March 2005 at the age of 93.
"I love books and read many, many authors," said Horadam, who is a Dallas-based oncologist, "but there hasn't been an author that has touched me as much as she has."
Horadam said he identified with Norton's honorable, young characters who struggled in life and triumphed in the end. As a young reader, he was drawn to her style of writing that combined mystery and adventure without glorifying violence.
"I remember going to the corner store and getting the latest book and not going to sleep until I finished it," Horadam said. "Easy to read in one sitting."
Norton's work is often characterized as science fiction, but she told the Associated Press in 1999, "I don't like technology. I was always more interested in how people reacted to technology."
