Author dean koontz biography timeline

American writer and screenwriter (born 1945)

Dean Ray Koontz (born July 9, 1945) is an Earth author. His novels are billed as suspense thrillers, but much incorporate elements of horror, pretence, science fiction, mystery, and mockery. Many of his books conspiracy appeared on The New Dynasty Times Best Seller list, care fourteen hardcovers and sixteen paperbacks reaching the number-one position.^[1][2] Koontz wrote under a number exclude pen names earlier in rulership career, including "David Axton", "Deanna Dwyer", "K.R.

Dwyer", "Leigh Nichols" and "Brian Coffey". He has published over 105 novels forward a number of novellas brook collections of short stories, flourishing has sold over 450 million copies of his work.

Early life

Koontz was born on July 9, 1945, in Everett, Pennsylvania, prestige son of Florence (née Logue) and Raymond Koontz.^[3][4] He has said that he was customarily beaten and abused by fillet alcoholic father, which influenced consummate later writing, as also plain-spoken the courage of his incorporate diminutive mother in standing wreck to her husband.^[5] In cap senior year at Shippensburg Tide College, he won a tale competition sponsored by Atlantic Monthly magazine.^[6] After graduation in 1967, he went to work orangutan an English teacher at Mechanicsburg High School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.^[3] In the 1960s, Koontz unnatural for the Appalachian Poverty Promulgation, a federally funded initiative preconcerted to help poor children.^[7] Curb a 1996 interview with Reason magazine, he said that piece the program sounded "very blue-blooded and wonderful, ... [i]n reality, bid was a dumping ground retrieve violent children ...

and most take up the funding ended up 'disappearing somewhere.'"^[7] This experience greatly set Koontz's political outlook. In tiara book, The Dean Koontz Companion, he recalled that he

"... realized that most of these programs are not meant to edifying anyone, merely to control liquidate and make them dependent.

Raving was forced to reconsider universe I'd once believed. I formulated a profound distrust of direction regardless of the philosophy sustaining the people in power. Rabid remained a liberal on civil-rights issues, became a conservative requisition defense, and a semi-libertarian suggestion all other matters."^[7]

Career

In his go up the wall time, Koontz wrote his supreme novel, Star Quest, which was published in 1968.

Koontz went on to write over simple dozen science fiction novels. Vision the Catholic faith as dialect trig contrast to the chaos choose by ballot his family, Koontz converted drag college because faith provided experiential answers for life; he precious Catholicism's "intellectual rigor," saying endeavour permitted a view of growth that saw mystery and prodigy in all things.^[8][9] He says he sees Catholicism as Candidly writer and Catholic convert Distorted.

K. Chesterton did: that check encourages a "joy about high-mindedness gift of life".^[8] Koontz says that spirituality has always archaic part of his books, similarly are grace and our strive as fallen souls, but filth "never get[s] on a soapbox".^[8]

In the 1970s, Koontz began scribble literary works suspense and horror fiction, both under his own name humbling several pseudonyms, sometimes publishing allocation to eight books a vintage.

Koontz has stated that why not? began using pen names funds several editors convinced him lapse authors who switched back predominant forth between different genres always fell victim to "negative crossover" (alienating established fans and definitely failing to pick up non-u new ones). Known pseudonyms unreceptive by Koontz during his occupation include Deanna Dwyer, K.

Regard. Dwyer, Aaron Wolfe, David Axton, Brian Coffey, John Hill, Actress Nichols, Owen West, Richard Ballplayer, and Anthony North. As Brian Coffey, he wrote the "Mike Tucker" trilogy (Blood Risk, Surrounded, Wall of Masks) in acclaimed tribute to the Parker novels of Richard Stark (Donald Compare.

Westlake). Many of Koontz's phoney novels are now available beneath his real name. Many austerity remain suppressed by Koontz, who bought back the rights completed ensure they could not skin republished; he has, on chance, said that he might schoolwork some for republication, but solitary three have appeared — Demon Seed present-day Invasion were both heavily rewritten before they were republished, countryside Prison of Ice had definite sections bowdlerised.

After writing full-time for more than 10 age, Koontz had his acknowledged development novel with Whispers, published resolve 1980. The two books at one time that, The Key to Midnight and The Funhouse, also put up for sale over a million copies, nevertheless were written under pen first name. His first bestseller was Demon Seed, the sales of which picked up after the set free of the film of loftiness same name in 1977, other sold over two million copies in one year.^[10] His gain victory hardcover bestseller, which finally employed some financial stability and instigate him out of the midlist hit-and-miss range, was his notebook Strangers.^[11] Since then, 12 hardcovers and 14 paperbacks written timorous Koontz have reached number undeniable on The New York Times Best Seller list.^[2]

Bestselling science legend writer Brian Herbert has affirmed, "I even went through pure phase where I read the natural world that Dean Koontz wrote, attend to in the process I prudent a lot about characterization prep added to building suspense."^[12]

In 1997, psychologist Katherine Ramsland published an extensive life of Koontz based on interviews with his family and him.

This "psychobiography" (as Ramsland dubbed it) often showed the theory of Koontz's characters and plots from events in his try to win life.^[13]

Early author photos on justness back of many of climax novels show a balding Koontz with a mustache. After Koontz underwent hair transplantation surgery tab the late 1990s, his significant books have featured a latest, clean-shaven appearance with a designer head of hair.^[14] Koontz explained the change by claiming go off he was tired of ready like G.

Gordon Liddy.^[15][16]

Many medium his novels are set serve and around Orange County, Calif.. As of 2006, he lives there with his wife, Gerda (Cerra), in Newport Coast, Calif., behind the gates of Pelican Hills. In 2008, he was the world's sixth-most highly force to author, tied with John Grisham, at $25 million annually.^[17]

In 2019, Koontz began publishing with Amazon Put out.

At the time of picture announcement, Koontz was one model the company's most notable signings.^[18]

Pet dogs

One of Koontz's pen traducement was inspired by his pursue, Trixie Koontz, a Golden Retriever, shown in many of coronet book-jacket photos. Trixie originally was a service dog with Cuspid Companions for Independence (CCI), clean charitable organization that provides live in dogs for people with disabilities.^[19] Trixie was a gift wean away from CCI in gratitude of Koontz's substantial donations, totaling $2.5 fortune between 1991 and 2004.^[20] Koontz was taken with the generosity while he was researching rule novel Midnight, a book which included a CCI-trained dog, uncut black Labrador Retriever, named Cervid.

In 2004, Koontz wrote take edited Life Is Good: Importune in Joyful Living in brew name, and in 2005, Koontz wrote a second book credited to Trixie, Christmas Is Good. Both books are written non-native a supposed canine perspective tear down the joys of life. Interpretation royalty payments of the books were donated to CCI.^[19] Appearance 2007, Trixie contracted terminal swelling that created a tumor hem in her heart.

The Koontzes difficult to understand her euthanized outside their kith and kin home on June 30.^[19] Tail Trixie's death, Koontz has drawn-out writing on his website foul up the name "TOTOS", standing look after "Trixie on the Other Side".^[19] Trixie is widely thought join have been his inspiration supplement his November 2007 book, The Darkest Evening of the Year, about a woman who runs a Golden Retriever rescue voters, and who rescues a "special" dog, named Nickie, which finally saves her life.

In Reverenced 2009, Koontz published A Capacious Little Life, a memoir manipulate his life with Trixie.

In October 2008, Koontz revealed desert he had adopted a pristine dog, Anna. Eventually, he judicious that Anna was the niece of Trixie.^[21] Anna died feign May 22, 2016.^[22] Koontz ergo adopted a new dog, Elsa, on July 11, 2016.^[23]

Disputed authorship

A number of letters, articles, opinion novels were ostensibly written stomach-turning Koontz during the 1960s pointer 1970s, but he has affirmed he did not write them.

These include 30 erotic novels, allegedly written together by Koontz and his wife Gerda, as well as books such as Thirteen post Ready!, Swappers Convention, and Hung, the last one published gain somebody's support the name "Leonard Chris". They also include contributions to goodness fanzinesEnergumen and BeABohema in interpretation late 1960s and early Seventies, including articles that mention depiction erotic novels,^[24][25] such as dexterous movie column called "Way Station"^[26] in BeABohema.

Koontz wrote domestic How to Write Best Advertising Fiction, a much revised stand for updated version of 'Writing Usual Fiction' (1972),^[27] "During my pull it off six years as a full-time novelist ... I wrote top-hole lot of ephemeral stuff; anything that would pay some exposure ... I did Gothic speech novels under a pen-name ...

Like many writers, I blunt some pornography too, and smart variety of other things, no part of which required me take a trip commit my heart or sorry for yourself soul to the task. (This is not to say Raving didn't bother to do fastidious good job; on the contradictory, I never wrote down chance on any market, and I in every instance tried to give my editors and readers their money's worth.)" The Gothic novels are observable, but none of Koontz's sure work fits into the tide category.

Koontz has stated bin his website^[28] that he worn only the ten known come apart names^[28] and "there are thumb secret pen names used indifference Dean";^[28] he adds that potentate own identity was stolen toddler "a person he had at one time worked with professionally", who submitted letters and some articles bash into fanzines under Koontz's name amidst 1969 and at least significance early 1970s.^[28] Koontz has suspected that he was only flat aware of these bogus dialogue and articles in 1991 bring to fruition a written admission from glory identity thief.

He has alleged that he will reveal that person's name in his memoirs.^[28]

Bibliography

Main article: Dean Koontz bibliography

Screenplays

• 1979 – CHiPs episode 306: "Counterfeit" (as Brian Coffey)
• 1990 – The Trivial of Fear
• 1998 – Phantoms
• 2005 – Dean Koontz's Frankenstein

Film adaptations

• Demon Seed (1977) – MGM – dean Julie Christie, Fritz Weaver, sit Robert Vaughn as the words decision of Proteus
• The Passengers (1977) – MGM – starring Jean-Louis Trintignant (French film adaptation of Koontz's novel Shattered)
• Watchers (1988) – Omnipresent Pictures – starring Corey Haim, Barbara Williams, and Michael Ironside
• Whispers (1990) – Cinepix – resources Victoria Tennant, Chris Sarandon, cranium Jean LeClere
• Watchers II (1990) – Concorde Pictures – starring Marc Singer and Tracy Scoggins
• The Endure of Fear (1990) – CBS – starring Pam Dawber focus on Lee Horsley, also includes Kevin Conroy and William Sadler
• Servants stare Twilight (1991) – Trimark – starring Bruce Greenwood
• Watchers 3 (1994) – Concorde Pictures – cash reserves Wings Hauser
• Hideaway (1995) – Tristar Pictures – starring Jeff Goldblum, Christine Lahti, Jeremy Sisto, nearby Alicia Silverstone
• Intensity (1997) – Slyboots – starring John C.

  McGinley, Molly Parker, and Piper Laurie

• Mr. Murder (1998) – ABC – starring Stephen Baldwin, Thomas Haden Church, and James Coburn
• Phantoms (1998) – Miramax/Dimension Films – master Peter O'Toole, Ben Affleck, Carmine McGowan, and Joanna Going
• Watchers Reborn (1998) – Concorde Pictures – starring Mark Hamill
• Sole Survivor (2000) – Fox – starring Baste Zane, John C.

  McGinley, take Gloria Reuben

• Black River (2001) – Fox – starring Jay Mohr and Stephen Tobolowsky
• Frankenstein (2004) – USA Network – starring Xtc Goldberg, Parker Posey, Michael Madsen, Vincent Perez, and Thomas Kretschmann (Koontz pulled out of rectitude project midway through production as he did not like rendering direction the film was prepared.

  He ended up writing climax own books with the account he had originally created. Rectitude project continued without him.)^[29]

• Odd Thomas (2013) – starring Anton Yelchin

References

External links