Thomas Edward Purdom was an American writer best known for science fiction and nonfiction. His story "Fossil Games" was a nominee for the Hugo Award for Best Novelette in 2000. He has also done music criticism since 1988. His works have been translated into German, Chinese, Burmese, Russian, and Czech. He lived in Philadelphia. Purdom died on January 14, 2024, at the age of 87.