Wyatt Rainey Blassingame

Wyatt Rainey Blassingame (6 February 1909 – 1985), a.k.a. W.B. Rainey, was the author of many short stories and articles for national magazines, four adult novels and dozens of juvenile nonfiction books.[1]

Wyatt Rainey Blassingame
BornFebruary 6, 1909
Demopolis, Alabama
DiedJanuary 9, 1985
Anna Maria, Florida
OccupationWriter

Early years

Blassingame was born in Demopolis, Alabama, on 6 February 1909 to Wyatt Childs Blassingame and Maude Lurton Blassingame. He was educated at Howard College, now Samford University, in Birmingham, Alabama, the University of Alabama, and New York University, graduating in 1952.[2] He served in the United States Navy during World War II and received a Bronze Star and a Presidential Unit Citation. After moving to Anna Maria, Florida, he taught at Manatee Junior College and Florida Southern College.[3]

Career

In the 1930s, Blassingame wrote for the "Weird menace" horror pulps such as Terror Tales and Dime Mystery.[4] His short stories have recently been republished in three collections edited by John Pelan, published by Dancing Tuatara Press.[5] Four of his juvenile nonfiction books were written for the Landmark book series: The French Foreign Legion, The U.S. Frogmen of World War II, Combat Nurses of World War II, and Medical Corps Heroes of World War II.[6] Blassingame made every effort to make his books as accurate as possible, and disapproved of fictionalizing juvenile history merely for the benefit of drama. Many of his books were chosen as Junior Book-of-the-Month selections, Junior Literary Guild selections and other honors.[7]

Death

He died in his Florida home in 1985.

Family

He married Gertrude Olsen in 1936 and had two daughters, Peggy and April.

References
  1. "Summary Bibliography: Wyatt Blassingame". www.isfdb.org. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  2. "Author Information | Alabama Literary Map". alabamaliterarymap.lib.ua.edu. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  3. "Wyatt Rainey Blassingame papers". digital.lib.usf.edu. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  4. Ashley, Mike. Who’s Who in Horror and Fantasy fiction. London : Elm Tree Books, 1977.(p. 37) ISBN 0241895286
  5. "John Pelan's Dancing Tuatara Press". www.ramblehouse.com. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  6. "Landmark Books | Series | LibraryThing". www.librarything.com. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  7. Commire, Anne. Something About the Author, Volume 1. Gale Research 1971
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