Murray Leinster, born William Fitzgerald Jenkins on June 16, 1896, in Norfolk, Virginia, was a prolific American writer of science fiction and alternate history. An innovator of the genre, Leinster had an extensive writing career that spanned more than half a century, during which he penned over 1,500 stories and articles, and 14 novels, including his well-known work 'Space Tug' (1953). 'Space Tug' exemplifies Leinster's knack for weaving tales of adventure and human ingenuity set against the expansive backdrop of space exploration. Leinster is perhaps best known for his concept of the 'parallel universe,' featured prominently in his landmark story, 'Sidewise in Time' (1934). His literary style often included careful attention to technological plausibility and prescient visions of future inventions, like his description of what would later resemble the internet, in his novella 'A Logic Named Joe' (1946). Leinster garnered multiple honors for his work, receiving a retro-Hugo Award for Best Novelette for 'First Contact' (1945) at the 1996 World Science Fiction Convention. Among his other pseudonyms, Leinster wrote under the names Louisa Carter Lee, Will F. Jenkins, William Fitzgerald, and Floyd Gale. He is remembered as a cornerstone of speculative fiction, pioneering many of the themes and tropes that would come to define the genre. Leinster passed away on June 8, 1975, leaving behind a legacy of speculative fiction that continues to inspire readers and writers alike.