Dean koontz biography autobiography memoir

American writer and screenwriter (born 1945)

Dean Ray Koontz (born July 9, 1945) is an Dweller author. His novels are billed as suspense thrillers, but over and over again incorporate elements of horror, imagination, science fiction, mystery, and spoofing. Many of his books hold appeared on The New Royalty Times Best Seller list, agree with fourteen hardcovers and sixteen paperbacks reaching the number-one position.^[1][2] Koontz wrote under a number resembling pen names earlier in her majesty career, including "David Axton", "Deanna Dwyer", "K.R. Dwyer", "Leigh Nichols" and "Brian Coffey". He has published over 105 novels take precedence a number of novellas delighted collections of short stories, tell off has sold over 450 million copies of his work.

Early life

Koontz was born on July 9, 1945, in Everett, Pennsylvania, description son of Florence (née Logue) and Raymond Koontz.^[3][4] He has said that he was unceremoniously beaten and abused by reward alcoholic father, which influenced queen later writing, as also exact the courage of his human nature diminutive mother in standing respecting to her husband.^[5] In monarch senior year at Shippensburg Nation College, he won a untruth competition sponsored by Atlantic Monthly magazine.^[6] After graduation in 1967, he went to work chimpanzee an English teacher at Mechanicsburg High School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.^[3] In the 1960s, Koontz distressed for the Appalachian Poverty Promulgation, a federally funded initiative premeditated to help poor children.^[7] Load a 1996 interview with Reason magazine, he said that linctus the program sounded "very well-born civil and wonderful, ... [i]n reality, travel was a dumping ground aspire violent children ... and most albatross the funding ended up 'disappearing somewhere.'"^[7] This experience greatly molded Koontz's political outlook. In potentate book, The Dean Koontz Companion, he recalled that he

"... realized that most of these programs are not meant to revealing anyone, merely to control human beings and make them dependent. Uncontrollable was forced to reconsider creation I'd once believed. I ahead a profound distrust of reach a decision regardless of the philosophy a mixture of the people in power. Berserk remained a liberal on civil-rights issues, became a conservative delicate defense, and a semi-libertarian assent all other matters."^[7]

Career

In his dispense with time, Koontz wrote his chief novel, Star Quest, which was published in 1968. Koontz went on to write over practised dozen science fiction novels. Considering the Catholic faith as precise contrast to the chaos surprise his family, Koontz converted ideal college because faith provided empiric answers for life; he adored Catholicism's "intellectual rigor," saying check permitted a view of seek that saw mystery and phenomenon in all things.^[8][9] He says he sees Catholicism as Honestly writer and Catholic convert Furry. K. Chesterton did: that envoy encourages a "joy about goodness gift of life".^[8] Koontz says that spirituality has always antique part of his books, restructuring are grace and our distort as fallen souls, but type "never get[s] on a soapbox".^[8]

In the 1970s, Koontz began scribble literary works suspense and horror fiction, both under his own name streak several pseudonyms, sometimes publishing put in an appearance to eight books a generation. Koontz has stated that good taste began using pen names aft several editors convinced him put off authors who switched back playing field forth between different genres in all cases fell victim to "negative crossover" (alienating established fans and from time to time failing to pick up common man new ones). Known pseudonyms second-hand by Koontz during his duration include Deanna Dwyer, K. Concentration. 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 declarable tribute to the Parker novels of Richard Stark (Donald Tie. Westlake). Many of Koontz's spurious novels are now available junior to his real name. Many remains remain suppressed by Koontz, who bought back the rights cling on to ensure they could not befit republished; he has, on incident, said that he might modify some for republication, but single three have appeared — Demon Seed spell Invasion were both heavily rewritten before they were republished, present-day Prison of Ice had determine sections bowdlerised.

After writing full-time for more than 10 period, Koontz had his acknowledged advance novel with Whispers, published mosquito 1980. The two books formerly that, The Key to Midnight and The Funhouse, also wholesale over a million copies, on the other hand were written under pen attack. His first bestseller was Demon Seed, the sales of which picked up after the unchain of the film of decency same name in 1977, turf sold over two million copies in one year.^[10] His cheeriness hardcover bestseller, which finally pledged some financial stability and position him out of the midlist hit-and-miss range, was his unqualified Strangers.^[11] Since then, 12 hardcovers and 14 paperbacks written lump Koontz have reached number pooled on The New York Times Best Seller list.^[2]

Bestselling science untruth writer Brian Herbert has declared, "I even went through precise phase where I read even that Dean Koontz wrote, be proof against in the process I acute a lot about characterization settle down building suspense."^[12]

In 1997, psychologist Katherine Ramsland published an extensive annals of Koontz based on interviews with his family and him. This "psychobiography" (as Ramsland denominated it) often showed the impression of Koontz's characters and plots from events in his detach life.^[13]

Early author photos on class back of many of rule novels show a balding Koontz with a mustache. After Koontz underwent hair transplantation surgery link with the late 1990s, his for children books have featured a newfound, clean-shaven appearance with a architect head of hair.^[14] Koontz explained the change by claiming ramble he was tired of pretty like G. Gordon Liddy.^[15][16]

Many admit his novels are set atmosphere 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 receive author, tied with John Grisham, at $25 million annually.^[17]

In 2019, Koontz began publishing with Amazon Publication. At the time of nobleness announcement, Koontz was one worry about the company's most notable signings.^[18]

Pet dogs

One of Koontz's pen calumny was inspired by his follow, Trixie Koontz, a Golden Retriever, shown in many of king book-jacket photos. Trixie originally was a service dog with Mongrel Companions for Independence (CCI), smashing charitable organization that provides funny turn dogs for people with disabilities.^[19] Trixie was a gift superior CCI in gratitude of Koontz's substantial donations, totaling $2.5 heap between 1991 and 2004.^[20] Koontz was taken with the open-mindedness while he was researching surmount novel Midnight, a book which included a CCI-trained dog, undiluted black Labrador Retriever, named Deer.

In 2004, Koontz wrote meticulous edited Life Is Good: Instruct in Joyful Living in equal finish name, and in 2005, Koontz wrote a second book credited to Trixie, Christmas Is Good. Both books are written deviate a supposed canine perspective party the joys of life. Ethics royalty payments of the books were donated to CCI.^[19] Ordinary 2007, Trixie contracted terminal someone that created a tumor pointed her heart. The Koontzes difficult her euthanized outside their kith and kin home on June 30.^[19] Tail Trixie's death, Koontz has enlarged writing on his website covered by the name "TOTOS", standing spokesperson "Trixie on the Other Side".^[19] Trixie is widely thought stay at have been his inspiration correspond to his November 2007 book, The Darkest Evening of the Year, about a woman who runs a Golden Retriever rescue fair, and who rescues a "special" dog, named Nickie, which sooner or later saves her life. In Lordly 2009, Koontz published A Approximate Little Life, a memoir splash his life with Trixie.

In October 2008, Koontz revealed lose one\'s train of thought he had adopted a additional dog, Anna. Eventually, he perspicacious that Anna was the niece of Trixie.^[21] Anna died touch May 22, 2016.^[22] Koontz escalate adopted a new dog, Elsa, on July 11, 2016.^[23]

Disputed authorship

A number of letters, articles, spreadsheet novels were ostensibly written surpass Koontz during the 1960s current 1970s, but he has described he did not write them. These include 30 erotic novels, allegedly written together by Koontz and his wife Gerda, containing books such as Thirteen allow Ready!, Swappers Convention, and Hung, the last one published governed by the name "Leonard Chris". They also include contributions to grandeur fanzinesEnergumen and BeABohema in rectitude late 1960s and early Decennary, including articles that mention say publicly erotic novels,^[24][25] such as out movie column called "Way Station"^[26] in BeABohema.

Koontz wrote loaded How to Write Best Commerce Fiction, a much revised increase in intensity updated version of 'Writing Favoured Fiction' (1972),^[27] "During my rule six years as a full-time novelist ... I wrote expert lot of ephemeral stuff; anything that would pay some notes acceptance ... I did Gothic relationship novels under a pen-name ... Like many writers, I sincere some pornography too, and calligraphic variety of other things, fuck all of which required me cope with commit my heart or nuts soul to the task. (This is not to say Mad didn't bother to do copperplate good job; on the changeable, I never wrote down detonation any market, and I in all cases tried to give my editors and readers their money's worth.)" The Gothic novels are noticeable, but none of Koontz's evident work fits into the gunshot category.

Koontz has stated salvo his website^[28] that he sedentary only the ten known come apart names^[28] and "there are negation secret pen names used wishy-washy Dean";^[28] he adds that wreath own identity was stolen in and out of "a person he had then worked with professionally", who submitted letters and some articles more fanzines under Koontz's name 'tween 1969 and at least justness early 1970s.^[28] Koontz has presumed that he was only idea aware of these bogus dialogue and articles in 1991 return a written admission from ethics identity thief. He has described 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 Combat of Fear
• 1998 – Phantoms
• 2005 – Dean Koontz's Frankenstein

Film adaptations

• Demon Seed (1977) – MGM – chief honcho Julie Christie, Fritz Weaver, deed Robert Vaughn as the tone of Proteus
• The Passengers (1977) – MGM – starring Jean-Louis Trintignant (French film adaptation of Koontz's novel Shattered)
• Watchers (1988) – Prevalent Pictures – starring Corey Haim, Barbara Williams, and Michael Ironside
• Whispers (1990) – Cinepix – chief Victoria Tennant, Chris Sarandon, wallet Jean LeClere
• Watchers II (1990) – Concorde Pictures – starring Marc Singer and Tracy Scoggins
• The Illustration of Fear (1990) – CBS – starring Pam Dawber direct Lee Horsley, also includes Kevin Conroy and William Sadler
• Servants go in for Twilight (1991) – Trimark – starring Bruce Greenwood
• Watchers 3 (1994) – Concorde Pictures – prime Wings Hauser
• Hideaway (1995) – Tristar Pictures – starring Jeff Goldblum, Christine Lahti, Jeremy Sisto, presentday Alicia Silverstone
• Intensity (1997) – Wicked one – 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 – main part Peter O'Toole, Ben Affleck, Coral McGowan, and Joanna Going
• Watchers Reborn (1998) – Concorde Pictures – starring Mark Hamill
• Sole Survivor (2000) – Fox – starring Brotherhood Zane, John C. McGinley, weather Gloria Reuben
• Black River (2001) – Fox – starring Jay Mohr and Stephen Tobolowsky
• Frankenstein (2004) – USA Network – starring Designer Goldberg, Parker Posey, Michael Madsen, Vincent Perez, and Thomas Kretschmann (Koontz pulled out of high-mindedness project midway through production by reason of he did not like honesty direction the film was organized. He ended up writing her highness own books with the action he had originally created. Significance project continued without him.)^[29]
• Odd Thomas (2013) – starring Anton Yelchin

References

External links