Acclaimed American science-fiction writer Octavia Butler has died.  She was found outside her home near Seattle Washington on Friday, where she apparently fell.  She later died in hospital.

Born in Pasadena, California in 1947, Butler was one of the first African-American women to become a celebrated author of science-fiction.

Her first novel, entitled Kindred was published in 1979, and follow the story of a black woman who travels back in time to save a dying man.  Her 1998 Parable of the Talents won Butler a Nebula Award, science fiction's highest honor. Other credits include winning a "genius" award from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Butler recently spoke to Hypaspace about her most recent novel Fledgling.  You can see a clip from that interview on the SPACE video player.

Butler had no children and was never married.  She was 58 years old.