Madeleine L'Engle -- young adult and adult books Kate Wilhelm -- science fiction, literary fiction, mysteries
Then there are the examples of people who wrote one "science fiction" book and who really, really shouldn't have, e.g. P.D. James.
Mal: We're still flying. Simon: That's not much. Mal: It's enough.
'Serenity'
Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
Ginger - Jun 07, 2006 7:30:03 am PDT #565 of 28061
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
Amy - Jun 07, 2006 7:37:10 am PDT #566 of 28061
Because books.
Ooh, good calls, Ginger!
Although, I kind of liked The Children of Men.
::ducks and runs::
Calli - Jun 07, 2006 7:38:28 am PDT #567 of 28061
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs
I think Scott Westerfeld wrote five adult books before moving to young adult/juvenile fiction. Anyway, some of his books are shelved with the adult sf in my library, and the others are with the YA stuff. In his FAQ, he discusses why he's been writing a lot of teen stuff lately. [link]
Emma Bull wrote a YA book (The Princess and the Lord of Night), as well as her adult fantasy and sf.
flea - Jun 07, 2006 7:46:10 am PDT #568 of 28061
information libertarian
Georgette Heyer wrote contemporary mysteries, historical romances (regency but also georgian), 'straight' historical fiction, and 'straight' contemporary novels.
Amy - Jun 07, 2006 7:57:03 am PDT #569 of 28061
Because books.
I didn't know that about Heyer, but then I am largely Heyer-clueless. Cool. Another good example.
Ginger - Jun 07, 2006 8:03:14 am PDT #570 of 28061
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
Madeleine L'Engle also wrote great essays and memoirs.
Dana - Jun 07, 2006 8:05:02 am PDT #571 of 28061
"I'm useless alone." // "We're all useless alone. It's a good thing you're not alone."
What about someone like E.M. Forster, who wrote fiction, but also highly respected literary criticism and the like? (I want to call it meta, but that's clearly fandom's influence.)
(I also can't be bothered to page back and see if you're looking for contemporary examples.)
Calli - Jun 07, 2006 8:15:35 am PDT #572 of 28061
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs
Oscar Wilde wrote essays, plays, and poetry. W. B. Yeats wrote both poetry and plays. Saki (H. H. Munro) wrote short stories and novels (and while most his stories were basic contemporary fiction, some of them had horror and/or fantasy elements). Dorothy L. Sayers wrote mysteries, translated Dante, co-wrote a play (based on her mystery characters, so that may be more a change in format than a change in genre), and wrote essays.
Strega - Jun 07, 2006 8:23:02 am PDT #573 of 28061
Donald Westlake has written mysteries, caper novels, satire, science fiction, and apocalyptic fantasy under his own name. And then there's even more stuff he writes using a pseudonym.
Dana - Jun 07, 2006 8:23:30 am PDT #574 of 28061
"I'm useless alone." // "We're all useless alone. It's a good thing you're not alone."
Thomas Hardy (ptui!) wrote novels before publishing his poetry, which was what he'd wanted to do all along.