Rachel Pollack

Rachel Pollack (born Richard Pollack in 1945) is an American science fiction author, comic book writer, and expert on divinatory tarot. She wrote 78 Degrees of Wisdom on tarot reading, and she has created her own tarot deck called "Shining Woman Tarot," which was later updated and renamed "Shining Tribe Tarot." She also aided in the creation of the "Vertigo Tarot Deck", and wrote a book specifically to accompany it.

She is best known for her run on the comic book Doom Patrol, on DC Comics' Vertigo imprint, which became a cult favorite under Grant Morrison. Legend has it Pollack was assigned to write the series after writing persistent letters to the editor, and in she dealt with such rarely addressed comic-book topics as menstruation, sexual identity, and transsexuality. Pollack's run ended two years later, with the book's cancellation.

She also wrote for DC's New Gods, Brother Power the Geek, Tomahawk, and Time Breakers, and for many Vertigo miniseries. Her book The Body Of The Goddess is an exploration of the history of the Goddess. Rachel Pollack uses the image of the Goddess in many of her works.

Her science-fiction novels explore worlds imbued with elements pulled from a number of traditions, faiths, and religions.

Personal biography

Pollack currently teaches creative writing at Goddard College. Her most recent work is included in the anthology called Interfictions: An Anthology of Interstitial Writing edited by Theodora Gross.

Pollack is a transsexual woman. She had sex reassignment surgery in 1979.

Pollack was raised an Orthodox Jew. She still considers herself Jewish, but does not practice Orthodox Judaism. She had her adult Bat Mitzvah in the late nineties at the Woodstock Jewish Congregation in Woodstock, NY. Those attending included noted transsexual writer Kate Bornstein. Rachel Pollack loves animals and lives with a beautiful dog named 'Wonder Girl'. Rachel is a chef and makes many dishes with anchovy. Pollack is always working on new writings. She has expressed an interest in returning to comic book writing. Ms. Pollack does not define herself as a Wiccan as some have incorrectly stated. She was raised Jewish and still embraces this important part of her heritage. She is an authority on divination methods including tarot, I Ching and scrying. Her recognition of the Jewish Goddess Shekinah may be the reason that some define her as a Wiccan. Ms. Pollack is an authority on the world's religous traditions whether they be her native Judaism or Afro Caribean religions involving the Orishas. In her comic book work she frequently used her knowledge of religous traditions to great affect. African religions featured in some of her Doom Patrol storylines. The Kabbalah and it's associations with the tarot are of great interest to Ms. Pollack.

Awards

• 1997 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel winner for Godmother Night
• 1994 Nebula Award for Best Novel nominee for Temporary Agency
• 1989 Arthur C. Clarke Award winner for Unquenchable Fire

References

• Official site
• Two essays about transsexuality by Rachel Pollack
• Rachel Pollack at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database