[Introduction: Sharon Lee just announced, “Steve died very suddenly today.  We knew his health was failing, and he told me a few months ago that he had written an obit. I found it on his computer.” File 770 is honored to publish it.]

Steven Richard Miller was born in Baltimore MD July 31, 1950, son of Donald George Miller and Helen Lorraine Miller (Myers). He attended and graduated from Franklin Senior High School, Class of 1968, where he was on the chess team and also the editor of the literary magazine.  He attended University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), where besides joining the chess team he became News Editor and later Managing Editor of the school newspaper, originating and teaching several courses on Science Fiction as an undergrad.

Pursuing his life-long interest in writing and science fiction he attended the Clarion West writing workshop in 1973 where he studied with genre greats Peter Beagle, James Sallis, Harlan Ellison, Terry Carr, Vonda McIntyre, Ursula LeGuin, and Joanna Russ, shortly after which he joined UMBC’s Albin O. Kuhn Library staff as the founding Curator of Science Fiction.

Following his stint as a library curator, Steve pursued writing including freelancing features, photos, and community news for many Baltimore region weekly and monthly newspapers; along the way he was also editor of Prime Time News, The Valley Voice, and an owner of New County Express, while contributing articles to the Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post, Locus, Bangor Daily News, Chess Life, Practical Survival magazine, Morning Sentinel, and others.

In April 1978, Steve and Sharon Lee declared themselves partners in life and in writing.  In the next while they opened Dreams Garth and Book Castle, a science fiction themed used bookstore and art gallery business.  They married in November 1980, and moved from Maryland to Skowhegan, Maine, in October 1988 after the publication of their first joint novel, Agent of Change, the first in what was to become a long series of space opera novels and stories set in their original Liaden Universe®.  In 1992, they moved to Winslow; and to Waterville in 2018.

After the move to Maine, Steve continued to pursue his writing career and also became increasingly involved in computers, starting Circular Logic BBS, which became one of the state’s largest independent BBS systems, about the same time he joined the Oakland Public Library (Maine) as children’s librarian and IT specialist, a part-time position.  Next, Steve was manager for Maine Computer Connection, which led to a job as lead sysop and trainer for the statewide Maine Meeting Place BBS, serving the disability community’s communication needs before the internet had become commonplace in Maine.  As the internet took hold, he became Internet Librarian for Unimation, a startup in Unity, Maine.  When Unimation folded during the dotcom winnowing in 1995, Steve transitioned to publisher and writer, a career he continued until his death.

Steve’s interest in chess spanned most of his life.  In addition to participating in the Maryland Scholastic Chess League in high school, he was a member of UMBC’s first intercollegiate chess team and later became a US Chess Federation Tournament Director, President of the Owings Mills Chess Club in Maryland, and a voting member of the USCF representing Maryland while directing a regular series of open tournaments at the Owings Mills Chess Club, publishing Skittles – a monthly chess newsletter – and enjoying occasional success over the board. 

After moving to Maine he joined and later became President of the Waterville Chess Club, where he reformed the club’s rating system, and instituted a series of regular open tournaments as well as running several Maine State Championships in a row, both of which were the largest to date in the state.  He was recognized as Maine Chess Organizer of the Year in 1995.  In addition to winning several club championships, Steve was part of Waterville’s Maine Chess League State championship team in 1998.  He remained active in the local chess scene for many years including frequent participation in the Waterville club’s virtual meetings during Covid.

Steve was predeceased by his father, Donald Miller of Madeira Beach FL, his stepfather, Ronald L. Moore Sr., and his mother, Helen Moore.  Survived by his wife, Sharon Lee, and siblings Donald George Miller (Kim), Craig Edward Miller (Brenda), Cindy Rex (Ron Prietz Sr.), Roland L. Moore, Jr. (Kay) numerous nieces and nephews.

[Thanks to Sharon Miller for the post.]