Biography

Dr. John L. Flynn is a three-time Hugo-nominated author and long-time science fiction fan and critic who has written thirteen books, many short stories, articles, reviews, and two screenplays. He is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and has been a regular contributor and columnist to dozens of science fiction magazines, including Starlog, Not of This Earth, Sci-Fi Universe, Cinescape, Retrovision, Media History Digest, SFTV, SF Movieland, Monsterland, Enterprise, Nexxus, The Annapolis Review, and Collector's Corner. In 1977, he received the M. Carolyn Parker award for outstanding journalism for his freelance work on several Florida daily newspapers, and in 1987, he was listed in Who's Who Men of Achievement. He sold his first book,Future Threads, in 1985. He has subsequently published ten other books related to film, includingCinematic Vampires (1992), Phantoms of the Opera (1993), The Films of Arnold Schwarzenegger (1993), Dissecting Aliens (1995), War of the Worlds: From Wells to Spielberg (2005), Future Prime: The Top Ten Science Fiction Films (2006) (with Bob Blackwood), 75 Years of Universal Monsters, 50 Years of Hammer Horror,101 Superheroes of the Silver Screen, and 2001: Beyond the Infinite. Brickhouse Books published Visions in Light and Shadow, a collection of John's short stories, in 2001, and Galactic Books published his first novel, The Jovian Dilemma, in 2006. His first screenplay, which is based on The Jovian Dilemma, was a finalist in the 2003 Screenplay Festival, and was optioned for a brief time by a New York-based production company. His most recent screenplay is the erotic thriller Intimate Bondage.

John L. Flynn makes his home in Owings Mills, Maryland. From a very early age, John demonstrated a keen interest in movies. He made his first single-reel films with a Super-8mm camera; of course, he also designed all the sets, made all the costumes, and wrote all the scripts. When he went to college at age 17, he studied writing and theater. John received his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from the University of South Florida and Ph.D. from Southern California University. In 1979, he directed his first stage play, Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple," for the Patapsco Players. One year later, he not only directed but also designed the set and costumes for Stephen Sondheim's "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" for a local community theater. His set and costume designs were singled out for recognition by the local media, and earned him notoriety as a theatrical designer. From 1980 to 1987, he honed his skills as a costume designer, and after winning numerous national and international competitions, he earned the title of Master Costumer.

In 1995, John switched gears to study psychology, and earned a degree as a clinical psychologist. His study, The Etiology of Sexual Addiction: Childhood Trauma as a Primary Determinant (1997), has broken new ground in the diagnosis and treatment of sexual addiction.

He returned to professional writing in 1992, and earned the first of his three Hugo Award nominations, ten years later, in 2002. The prestigious Hugo Award is the Science Fiction Achievement Award which is given for excellence in the field of science fiction writing and the arts. Dr. Flynn received two additional Hugo nominations in 2003 and 2004. His notoriety in the field of science fiction has provided John with many wonderful opportunities. He has appeared on television (including the Sci-Fi Channel and Russia's RTR Television), was featured in the documentary "Finding the Future" (2004), has spoken on the radio, and been a guest at national conferences. With fellow author and academic Bob Blackwood, he founded The Film Doctors in 2004. The Film Doctors are academics who promote science fiction films in mainstream popular culture. Their first collaboration produced Future Prime: The Top Ten Science Fiction Films" (2006). Today, Dr. Flynn is a department chair at Baltimore City Community College in Baltimore, Maryland. He also labors to promote the work of new and emerging science fiction writers.