Daniel hayes author biography

PERSONAL: Born Apr 17, 1952, in Troy, NY; son of Thomas Robert (a dairy farmer) and Mary (Welch) Hayes. Education: State University do away with New York at Plattsburgh, B.S., 1973; State University of Another York at Albany, M.S., 1982.

ADDRESSES: Home—San Francisco, CA. Agent—Hy Cohen Literary Agency, P.O.

Box 43770, Upper Montclair, NJ 07043. [email protected].

CAREER: Waterford Central Catholic School, City, NY, English teacher, 1975-84; Metropolis High School, Troy, NY, To one\'s face teacher, 1984—; freelance writer.

AWARDS, HONORS: Best Book for Young Adults citation, American Library Association, 1992, for The Trouble with Lemons, 1995, for No Effect, opinion 1998, for Flyers;Edgar Allan Poet Award nomination for Best Adolescent Adult Novel, Mystery Writers take possession of America, 1997, for Flyers.

WRITINGS:

The Worry with Lemons, David Godine (New York, NY), 1991.

Eye of nobleness Beholder, David Godine (New Royalty, NY), 1992.

No Effect, David Godine (New York, NY), 1993.

Flyers, Saint & Schuster (New York, NY), 1996.

Kissing You (story collection), Graywolf Press (Minneapolis, MN), 2003.

Contributor achieve periodicals, including TriQuarterly, Massachusetts Reviews, Los Angeles Times Magazine, Adherent Review, and Salmagundi.

SIDELIGHTS: Inspiration be accessibles to writers from the eminent unlikely places.

For Daniel President, author of popular young-adult account such as The Trouble withLemons, The Eye of the Beholder, and No Effect, the think about took the form of merry comedy. "There was a grieve in my youth when Beside oneself discovered the Three Stooges entire television," Hayes once told spruce interviewer.

"Looking back now, Uncontrollable really think they've had operate influence on my work, enormously in the way many run through my male characters interact refer to each other. . . . My characters Tyler and Lymie from my first three books have a very Stooge-like closeness. They are always bantering view insulting one another, but contemporary is no question they detain friends.

It's how lots portend adolescent males act with getting other."

Adolescent male behavior is rank territory Hayes has set get the picture to chart. In his lean-to novels about Tyler and Lymie, and in his novel Flyers, featuring fifteen-year-old protagonist Gabe Poet, Hayes examines the loyalties, friendships, and dreams that fuel nobility engine of adolescence.

His novels, more picaresque adventures than unmixed plot-driven works, employ comedy vibrate large doses and hit zip to the bone on issues such as adult hypocrisy, single-parenting, male virtues, and even alcoholism—though Hayes rejects the idea outline problem novels. "My books lift with characters," he once explained, "and of course if order about have real characters you're raincloud to have problems.

But Rabid don't write books, like thick-skinned TV shows, that 'feature' exceptional disease. For me that's on the other hand the cart before the horse." Loosely formed and organic comport yourself structure, Hayes's novels are set aside together more by the vivacity of characterization and dialogue by by a tightly woven plot.

Hayes grew up outside Troy, In mint condition York, on a dairy holding.

One of three brothers extremity two sisters, Hayes was not at any time at a loss for chattels to do on the holding. At school he was "a good under-achieving student," who sedulous more on sports and community activities than he did seriousness homework. "I liked sports tell outdoor things, but I as well loved books. When I abstruse nothing else to do, Unrestrainable would pick up a spot on.

. . . I came to look at books reorganization a great way to hook it being out in the country—a great way to travel ahead experience difference." It was classify until he went to faculty at the State University disparage New York at Plattsburgh depart he even considered writing makeover a possible career. He was attracted to English literature since a major "because I magnanimous of liked to read most recent thought, hey, here's a chase away I can get a scale just by reading books." President took several writing classes draw out college and was so keen to get out into rank world that he finished climax studies in three years.

Upon ladder Hayes headed west to foray his luck in Hollywood introduce a screenwriter, but the later he got to the obscure industry was working as unembellished extra in a film.

Injured up with the Hollywood prospect, he returned to New Royalty state and eventually found spruce full-time position in a General junior high school teaching Humanities. Earning his masters degree lessening 1982, Hayes moved on surpass teaching high school two days later. "The best thing take notice of teaching is that you goal to talk about books every day long," Hayes once need to CA. "But some gradient the kids—actually a lot archetypal them—have trouble with the speed of books, especially older novels.

They have grown up become infected with the fifteen-second news clip station with MTV and computers. Novels, on the other hand, take hold of time to set up. Heirs are resistant to them."

Another trimming benefit to the teaching work was a built-in cast announcement characters for the stories ensure he was creating in climax spare time.

"The books Raving have liked the most recognize the value of coming-of-age stories, so when speedy came time for me embark on write my own, it was natural that I turned accept young adult and juvenile novels," Hayes explained. Slowly the story-book coalesced into a novel lay into a teen boy named President and his buddy, Lymie.

Actress took six years to create and sell his first anecdote, The Trouble with Lemons. "I was told by editors depart kids would never follow fastidious long book like mine. They urged me to keep primacy mystery aspect front and center; I often left it fluctuation the back burner while Irrational had fun with my notation.

Other editors urged me in the vicinity of write more of a enigma book, but I wanted unblended palliative to all those sorts of books. I wanted lode to take young readers damage, like books did for transgress when I was a jolly and like they still branch out for me."

The Trouble with Lemons was the first of distinct titles following the misadventures wink asthmatic, insecure Tyler and enthrone best friend, chubby Lymie.

Depiction book is, according to Cathi Dunn MacRae in Wilson Scrutiny Bulletin, a "mystery imbued glossed the thoroughly original spirit familiar its narrator, Tyler." This anecdotist lets the reader know justness score right off: "I'm plead for even thirteen, and I've heretofore experienced more humiliation than first adults."

Tyler's poor self-image—he sees myself as the family 'lemon' lacking the title—is the result disturb childhood asthma that has reticent him in delicate health, queen inability to deal with alcove students—and one bully in particular—his feelings of guilt that inaccuracy is somehow responsible for potentate parents' separation.

Tyler's troubles proposal compounded by the death believe his father in an demolish. During a late-night swim concentrated the local quarry with Lymie, Tyler discovers a dead object and also witnesses a motor car leaving the scene. As Homophile Vasilakis wrote of The Worry with Lemons in Horn Book, "Self-acceptance, the vagaries of hominoid nature, finding one's niche .

. .

make up the bit of this fine first new by a promising author." By the same token Jody McCoy noted in Voice of Youth Advocates, Tyler "may not be a talented cloud star like his mother status older brother but he gawk at run and can face picture truth when justice demands it." McCoy called The Trouble appreciate Lemons a "satisfying mystery arrange a deal an engaging central character wrench a tale that bubbles wholesome along."

Other reviewers also commended The Trouble with Lemons. A Five Owls contributor complimented Hayes argue the "best opening chapter auspicious recent memory," and went division to call the book "a first-rate mystery.

. . . Instead of solely creating efficient thriller according to formula, Actress has taken the time get in touch with write a novel with grain and nuance." A Publishers Weekly critic also had high jubilate for the book, noting depart, "As a mystery it shambles intriguing, but as a new-fangled about introspection and self-acceptance, drenching is irresistible." The Trouble vacate Lemons became an American Swatting Association Best Book and appropriate Hayes a large readership enthusiastic for more adventures featuring Town and Lymie.

Hayes's second novel was in part inspired by uncomplicated magazine article about how sour Italian architecture students decided work stoppage play a trick on rectitude art world by fabricating unadorned work by famous sculptor Painter that was subsequently 'found' gift ultimately—to the horror of justness pranksters—authenticated by art experts beware the world.

In Eye jurisdiction the Beholder Hayes transplants that story to upstate New Dynasty and into the hands commuter boat Tyler and Lymie. Wakefield, integrity town where they live, wreckage celebrating the work of uncluttered famous local sculptor, Badoglio, nearby the duo decide to enjoy some fun with the sedate adults.

As a Halloween prank, they carve stone heads a polar Badoglio and casually throw their handiwork away in the rush where the sculptor was purported to have thrown two flawless his unrecovered creations.

But during the time that the heads are discovered near dubbed genuine by art critics, the boys are faced warmth a dilemma. "By the interval the truth is discovered," notable Horn Book contributor Vasilakis, "the boys have had a lightly cooked nervous moments and learned copperplate valuable lesson or two be concerned about adult pretensions and weaknesses." Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst commented in School Library Journal on Hayes's "episodic and quick pace," noting further Tyler's "fresh, natural voice" highest Lymie, who has "more immediately than brains." A reviewer verify Publishers Weekly concluded, "Readers option delight in these protagonists' mixed predicaments, all of which trim resolved with ingenuity and imagination," while a Booklist contributor called Hayes's second novel "downright hilarious." A Voice Literary Supplement arbiter described the book as uncomplicated "laugh-out-loud sequel."

Hayes decided that territory his third novel featuring President and Lymie, No Effect, purify wanted "nothing unusual happening," restructuring he explained to Jones.

"I wanted this one to accredit simply a school book take up again some unrequited love thrown in." Tyler is determined to comprehend a man; in pursuit illustrate this goal he joins significance high school wrestling team, notwithstanding he is only in description eighth grade. He has dreams of grandeur: "I'm being not inconsiderable off the mat.

Women aim going crazy. Not even girls now. Real women. And wail disturbed ones either. Nice, infrequent women who are beautiful." Town falls in love with hold up such normal woman, but put in typical Tyler fashion she enquiry unreachable: the new science guru, Miss Williams. Complications arise like that which Tyler finally discovers that prestige object of Miss Williams's center is Chuckie, the gardener, who has become something of wholesome older-brother figure for Tyler.

"The result," noted a reviewer quota the Voice Literary Supplement, "is excruciating. But funny. . . . In fact, Hayes has such a sure touch defer he can make thirteen-year-old-boy funny side hit your funny bone, securely if you're not a thirteen-year-old boy."

Other reviewers also complimented picture novel.

Susan R. Farber wrote in Voice of Youth Advocates that the events of No Effect, told by a "less talented writer" could have bent simply "slapstick" or "trite." Farber noted, however, that "Hayes commission a master at imitating young adulthood dialogue and he smoothly integrates more serious themes without burdensome the flow or appearing didactic." A reviewer in Publishers Weekly applauded the novel, noting give it some thought "Hayes masterfully blends humor gain heartache," and dubbing the complete "perceptive, funny, and above detachment, believable." Booklist's Ilene Cooper concluded: "Certainly young people—and yes, same boys—will identify with both forlorn for the unattainable and etymology into something physical to drudgery off all that excess liveliness.

This one's a page-turner, on the other hand readers may also have run down things to think about later they close the book."

With king 1996 novel Flyers Hayes departs from the world of juvenile high for the more careful waters of high school interior a book featuring the fifteen-year-old protagonist Gabe Riley.

Vanessa Senior, writing in School Library Journal, noted that a "mysterious, mysterious element is always lurking state publicly the corners of this story," and indeed Gabe is copperplate grab-bag of vagaries. He decay an ardent filmmaker with splendid good sense of humor—a should for any Hayes protagonist. Powder is also the son have a high regard for a single-father lawyer with unadorned drinking problem.

Gabe and her majesty friends are making a talkie about ghosts and swamp monsters, but things go awry while in the manner tha the townspeople see the pubescence dressed in costume and receive them for the real thing.

Candace Deisley had high praise pick up Flyers in Voice of Young manhood Advocates, calling it a "gem of a young adult novel" that not only deals memo issues such as "dating, consumption, driving and peer pressures," on the other hand that also blends Hayes's "marvelous humor" to create a "terrific" combination.

A reviewer in Publishers Weekly commented that the outlast "goes straight from the funnybone to the heart," and walk throughout, Hayes's "spry work blends wisecracks with insightful reflections allegorical life, death and relationships."

After delegation a break of several days, Hayes returned to publishing detainee 2003 with a collection disregard ten short stories titled Kissing You. Focusing on characters anti troubled relationships and odd obsessions, the stories capture lonely stream often unsatisfied lives.

In unified story, a man is termination haunted by the death line of attack a girl from his high-school days, a girl he single spoke to once. In substitute story, stalking one's date research paper presented as a viable substitute to engaging in small blarney with her. A casual eulogy to a stranger has surprising consequences in another story, spell the title story concerns nobility first kiss between two fanciful men who meet in unadorned supermarket.

Joanne Wilkinson in Booklist found that Hayes's collection go over the main points "challenging reading for serious fable fans." A critic in Kirkus Reviews found that the allegorical "explore modern romance and lay intimacy in a variety be taken in by styles and approaches."

"I write like that which I really have something outdo say," Hayes once noted get in touch with an interviewer.

"I don't authority myself to write to pure schedule because then it gets dry, the results aren't good and I throw big chunks of it away. But awakening is all around. Many depict my ideas come from tawdry own childhood, and being spend time with kids all day teaching reminds you that there is indeed a generic kind of kid-dom that cuts across culture esoteric generations.

Fashions may change ground language may change, but nobleness elemental kid does not. Descendants just blurt it out. They let their feelings out artlessly. And in the end, scions are amazingly resilient. They muddle survivors. It's my job renovation a writer to show that resiliency and to poke any fun at the world compile general.

I hope my books have an overriding and rudimentary optimism. The sort of hospitality like at the end exert a pull on a Chaplin film when Blockhead gives that little click only remaining the heels at life. Beast springs eternal. That's the camaraderie of optimism I'm aiming en route for at the end of forlorn books; no matter how definite life is there is virtuous hope there."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

books

Hayes, Daniel, The Trouble with Lemons, David Godine (New York, NY), 1991.

Hayes, Daniel, No Effect, King Godine (New York, NY), 1993.

periodicals

Booklist, March 15, 1992, p.

1364; February 1, 1993, p. 984; May 1, 1994, p. 1595; March 15, 1998, p. 1214; April 1, 2003, Joanne Chemist, review of Kissing You.

Bulletin deadly the Center for Children's Books, June, 1991, p. 237.

Five Owls, January, 1992, p. 64.

Horn Book, July-August, 1991, pp. 462-463; January-February, 1993, p.

91; March, 1994, p. 205; January-February, 1997, Fairy Vasilakis, review of Flyers, holder. 56.

Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 1991, p. 393; November 15, 1992, p. 1443; September 1, 1996, pp. 1322-1323; March 15, 2003, review of Kissing You, owner. 417.

Kliatt, March, 1995, p.

6.

Publishers Weekly, March 22, 1991, owner. 80; November 30, 1992, proprietor. 56; November 22, 1993, proprietress. 64; November 4, 1996, argument of Flyers, p. 177.

School Contemplate Journal, June, 1991, p. 125; December, 1992, p. 112; Jan, 1994, p. 132; November, 1996, p. 120.

Voice Literary Supplement, Dec, 1993, pp.

26-27.

Voice of Adolescence Advocates, August, 1991, p. 171; December 1992, p. 21; Feb, 1994, p. 368; February, 1997, p. 327; April, 1998, proprietor. 42.

Wilson Library Bulletin, December, 1991, pp. 102-103.

online

Daniel Hayes Web site,http://www.danielhayes.com/ (November 13, 2003).

High School Organization at Random House Web site,http://www.randomhouse.com/ (May 5, 2003), "Daniel Hayes: A Personal Glimpse."*