Author Biography

(from author's web site)

Who is Chris Crutcher?

He's an author, educator and family therapist known for his realistic fiction.

Born on July 17, 1946 in Dayton, Ohio to a WWII bomber pilot and a homemaker, Crutcher grew up in Cascade, Idaho (a tiny logging town north of Boise). He graduated from Eastern Washington State College (now EWU) with a BA in psychology and sociology.

He later earned his teaching credential and taught primary and secondary school in Washington State and California. Offered the chance to direct a "last chance" alternative school in Oakland, CA, he respectfully served at-risk K-12 students for almost a decade before returning to the Pacific Northwest to write his first book, Running Loose for Greenwillow in the early 1980's.

Eight other novels -- Stotan!, Chinese Handcuffs, The Crazy Horse Electric Game, The Deep End, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, Ironman, Whale Talk, and The Sledding Hill -- as well as a collection of short stories -- Athletic Shorts -- and his autobiography, King of the Mild Frontier, followed. Other books and several motion picture projects are also in development.

Crutcher's fast-paced fiction -- heavily influenced by his work as a therapist and child protection advocate -- is known for its expert balance of comedy and tragedy, as well as its unflinching honesty and authentic voice. He has been honored with dozens of awards and honors including the CLA's 2005 St. Katharine Drexel Award, Writer Magazine's 2004 Writers Who Make A Difference Award, the ALA's 2000 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, the NCTE's 1998 National Intellectual Freedom Award and the ALAN Award.

A popular columnist (Voices from the Middle, Family Energy Magazine, the Signal Journal, iParenting) and public speaker, Crutcher lectures at universities, conferences, libraries, schools and bookstores across the United States, roughly 50 to 60 times a year. He makes his home in Spokane, Washington.

Additional Information

• Chris Crutcher's web site