William Elbert Gay was an American novelist and short story writer. He was born on October 27, 1941. Gay was renowned for his novels Provinces of Night, The Long Home, and Twilight as well as his short story collection I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down. His literary achievements include winning the 1999 William Peden Award and the 1999 James A. Michener Memorial Prize, along with being a recipient of a 2002 Guggenheim Fellowship.