Katherine Dunn (1943-2016) was an American novelist, essayist, and journalist. She is best known for her novel Geek Love, which was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1989. Dunn was born in Garden City, Kansas and grew up in Portland, Oregon. She attended Reed College and the University of Oregon, and worked as a journalist for the Oregonian and the Willamette Week. Dunn wrote several novels, including Attic, Truck, and The Cut Man, as well as several collections of essays and short stories. She was a passionate advocate for the arts and was a mentor to many young writers. Her work was praised for its wit, insight, and compassion. Dunn's legacy lives on in the many writers she inspired.