R.A.Lafferty (1914-2002) was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He worked as an electrical engineer after serving in the South Pacific during WWII. In the early 1960s, he began selling fiction on a regular basis, and in 1971, he became a full-time writer. His work is influenced by a wide range of sources, including Irish and Native American folklore, as well as the works of St. Teresa of Avila is a saint. Past Master (1968), Fourth Mansions (1969), and the Native American historical tale Okla Hannali (1972) are among his works.