Brent Hartinger
| Brent Hartinger | |
|---|---|
| Born | Olympia |
| Nationality | USA |
| Literary movement | Gay teen fiction |
| Notable work(s) | Geography Club |
| Partner(s) | Michael Jensen |
|
www.brenthartinger.com |
|
Brent Hartinger is an American author and playwright, best known for his novels about gay teenagers.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Hartinger was born in Washington State. His family moved to Fircrest, Washington when he was an infant. He attended a Catholic (Order of Saint Francis) grade school and middle school, and a Catholic (Jesuit) high school, Bellarmine Preparatory. He earned a bachelor's degree from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, and also studied psychology at Western Washington University.
[edit] Career
Hartinger has published seven novels.
His first novel was Geography Club, about teenagers who secretly start a gay-straight alliance at their high school, which was challenged in some American schools, including schools in Hartinger's home town of Tacoma.[1] The novel has two sequels. The Order of the Poison Oak describes the main characters' experiences at summer camp. Split Screen is published as two novels; the reader can turn the book upside down to read the story of a boy trying to choose between two boyfriends ("Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies") or the story of an openly bisexual girl who falls for a closeted classmate ("Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies"). Hartinger has written a stage version of Geography Club as well as a screenplay for a possible film version of the novel.[2]
Hartinger is the author of fifteen plays that have been performed around the country and that have been included in more than thirty-five playwriting festivals. He has also been recognized for his screenplays, although none of his screenplays has yet been filmed.[3]
He is a sometime-member of the faculty of Vermont College's MFA program.[3] At one time, Hartinger taught creative writing at Tacoma School of the Arts. He has also been a counselor at a youth group home.
Hartinger is also the editor of a fantasy-themed website called TheTorchOnline.com.
[edit] Personal life
Hartinger lives in Seattle with his partner, novelist and AfterElton.com writer Michael Jensen. In 1990, he was a facilitator of Oasis, a support organization for gay teens. He is a co-founder of AS IF! Authors Support Intellectual Freedom, a group of Young Adult authors supporting intellectual freedom. For example, see "GEOGRAPHY CLUB Under Fire Again: My Reponse (sic)," by Brent Hartinger, AS IF!, 10 April 2009.
[edit] Works
- Geography Club (2003)
- The Last Chance Texaco (2004)
- The Order of the Poison Oak (2005)
- Grand & Humble (2006)
- Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (2007)
- Dreamquest (2007)
- Project Sweet Life (2009)[3]
- Shadow Walkers (2011)
[edit] Honors
- Book Sense pick (four times)
- Teenreads.com Best Book (five times)
- IRA Notable Book
- Lambda Literary Award winner
- Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award winner, 2007 (Washington State Book Awards)
- New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age (four times)
- Booklist Top Ten First Young Adult Novel
- ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers
- SCBWI/Judy Blume Grant for a Contemporary Young Adult Novel
- Bookspan Book Club Main Selection (twice)[3]
[edit] External links
- Homepage - Brent's Brain
- Interview with AfterElton.com - Attack of the Gay Teen Zombies
- TeanReads.com Profile - Brent Hartinger
- Interview with The Feast Of Fools Podcast
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ "School District Bans Novel About Gay Teenagers". Associated Press. 2005-11-21. http://www.seattlepi.com/local/249113_book21.html. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
- ^ Jensen, Michael (2007-02-05). "Attack of the Gay Teen Zombies: An Interview with Geography Club's Brent Hartinger". AfterElton.com. http://www.afterelton.com/archive/elton/people/2007/2/brent.html. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
- ^ a b c d "Brent's Brain: Pressroom". http://www.brenthartinger.com/pressroom.html. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
