Chalker, Jack L.: - Jack Chalker was an extremely popular science fiction author who penned several series, the most popular of those being the Well-World series. Before becoming a full time writer he was teacher and also lectured on science fiction ant technology at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. and the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Jack was a three time treasurer of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and was a founder of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society. His awards included the Daedalus Award, The Gold Medal of the West Coast Review of Books, the Skylark Award and the Hamilton-Brackett Memorial Award. He as nominated twice each for the John W. Campbell and Hugo Awards.

His books have remained continuously in print due to their on-going popularity, particularly the books in the Well World Series which have sold millions of copies in multiple countries. Much of his fiction address physical transformation of the main characters, including gender changes, which are particularly relevant to todays world.