Roberta Gellis

Roberta Leah Jacobs Gellis (27 September 1927[1] - 6 May 2016[2]) was an American writer of historical fiction, historical romance, and fantasy.[3] She held master's degrees in both biochemistry and medieval literature.[4]

Many major writers of historical romance cite her as an important influence.[5] She has collaborated with Mercedes Lackey on historical-fantasy fiction.

Biography

Roberta was born on September 27, 1927, in Brooklyn, New York City, the daughter of Dr. Morris B. Jacobs and Margaret (Segall) Jacobs. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn, NY. She received a B.S. in Chemistry from Hunter College of the City University of New York in 1947 and an M.S. in Biochemistry from Brooklyn Polytechnic University in 1952. She worked both as a freelance scientific copy editor and as a research chemist for Foster D. Snell for many years, where she and her inventing partner developed aerosolized shaving foam and pink hair dye, among other creations, before she entered a second career as a best-selling author.

Starting with Knight's Honor in 1964, Roberta was the author of nearly fifty novels. These included more than twenty historical romances, including the Roselynde Chronicles and the Heiress Series, a number of medieval murder mysteries, and several historical fantasies. Other novels ranged from space opera to gothic romance to a mystery featuring the much-maligned Lucrezia Borgia as an amateur detective. She mostly wrote under her own name, but occasionally wrote as Max Daniels, Leah Jacobs, and Priscilla Hamilton. She won numerous awards for her writing, including a 1983 award from Romantic Times for Best Historical Series and a 1996 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Romance Writers of America.

She married her high school sweetheart Charles Gellis on April 14, 1946, in Brooklyn, NY. They had one son, Mark Gellis. Roberta and Charles were married for 68 years. He preceded her in death on November 17, 2014. They resided for many years in Roslyn Heights, New York, before moving to Lafayette, Indiana, and then to Flushing, Michigan.

Roberta loved animals and was an enthusiastic supporter of animal rescue and animal charities. She had several canine companions during her lifetime, including Airedales, Welsh Terriers, Lakeland Terriers, Scottish Terriers, and West Highland Terriers.

She died on May 6, 2016 in Michigan and is buried at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, MI.


By Gellis and Mercedes Lackey

Gellis and Mercedes Lackey wrote four prequels in the Baen Books series "Serrated Edge", whose first four novels Lackey co-wrote with others from 1992 to 1994.[6] These are Gellis's works most widely held in WorldCat libraries.[7]

  • This Scepter'd Isle (2004)
  • Ill Met by Moonlight (2005)
  • By Slanderous Tongues (2007)
  • And Less Than Kind (2008)

Pseudonymous books

Gellis wrote books published under at least three pseudonyms.[1]

  • The Psychiatrist's Wife (1966), as Leah Jacobs
  • Space Guardian (1977), as Max Daniels
  • Offworld (1979), as Max Daniels
  • The Love Token (1979), as Priscilla Hamilton

Fantasy and science fiction
  • Offworld
  • The Space Guardian
  • Irish Magic (contributor)
  • Irish Magic II (contributor)
  • Overstars Mail

Greek mythology
  • Dazzling Brightness
  • Shimmering Splendor
  • Enchanted Fire
  • Bull God
  • Thrice Bound

Medieval books
  • Knight's Honor
  • Bond of Blood
  • The Dragon and the Rose
  • The Sword and the Swan
  • The Rope Dancer
  • Masques of Gold

The Royal Dynasty series
  • Siren Song
  • Winter Song
  • Fire Song
  • A Silver Mirror

The Roselynde Chronicles
  • Roselynde
  • Alinor
  • Joanna
  • Gilliane
  • Rhiannon
  • Sybelle
  • Desiree

Tales of Jernaeve
  • Tapestry of Dreams
  • Fires of Winter

Napoleonic era
  • The English Heiress
  • The Cornish Heiress
  • The Kent Heiress
  • Fortune's Bride
  • A Woman's Estate

Mysteries

Historical mysteries featuring 12th-century madam-turned-amateur detective Magdalene la Bâtarde:

  • A Mortal Bane (1999)
  • A Personal Devil (2001)
  • Bone of Contention (2002)
  • Chains of Folly (2006)

Featuring Lucrezia Borgia:

  • Lucrezia Borgia and the Mother of Poisons (2003)

Other
  • A Delicate Balance
  • Sing Witch, Sing Death

References
  1. "Gellis, Roberta". Library of Congress Authorities. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
  2. "Roberta Gellis Obituary Archived May 18, 2016, at the Wayback Machine"
  3. "Roberta Gellis"
  4. "Britannia Panoroma"
  5. "Roberta Gellis: A Classic Author Talks About an Expansive Career Archived December 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine"
  6. "Serrated Edge – Series Bibliography". ISFDB. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
  7. "Gellis, Roberta". WorldCat. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
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