Science fiction writer and advocate A.C. Crispin, who contributed greatly to the Star Wars Expanded Universe, passed away today after a long battle with cancer. She was 63.

Crispin, who began her writing career in 1983, had 23 published novels, including her own original science fiction series called Starbridge. Along with her editions to the Star Wars universe, which included the well-received Han Solo Trilogy, the best-selling author also wrote the Star Trek novels Yesterday’s Son, Sarek, and Time for Yesterday. There were also the novelizations for the V miniseries and Alien Resurrection, as well as the adventure novel Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom that she did as a prequel for the Disney films which provided a backstory for Captain Jack Sparrow, popularized on screen by Johnny Depp.