Several blogs had the news first, but the Associated Press confirms the death of noted science fiction writer Octavia Butler as a result of a fall outside her home. Butler was the first black woman to gain prominence within the genre, and the first SF writer to be awarded a MacArthur genius grant.

At BoingBoing, Cory Doctorow recalls that "her oeuvre is too modest, but will never be forgotten" and that "the field and the world has lost someone wonderful this weekend." Steven Barnes adds that "for a time, Octavia and I lived within walking distance, and she would come to the house for dinner. A lady of incredible intelligence and rather dark humor, she was also what I called "a REAL writer." She put so much more of herself into her work than I ever have, or would be capable of."