T jefferson parker biography examples

•

by Claire E. White

New York Timesbestselling author T. Jefferson Parker

is a Southern California native, who was born in Los Angeles, and spent his childhood in Orange County. He had what most people would call an ideal childhood in the suburbs, with parents and siblings, trips to church, Little League, bodysurfing and lots of family outings in the station wagon. He received his bachelor's degree in English from the University of California, Irvine, in 1976, and began his writing career in 1978, as a cub reporter on the weekly newspaper, The Newport Ensign. After covering police, city ingångsrum and cultural stories for the Ensign, he went to work for the Daily Pilotnewspaper, where he won three Orange County Press Club awards for his articles. A keen observer, he filed away lots of story and character ideas while he learned the profession of journalism. He began to write his first novel on evenings and weekends. Laguna Heatreceived rave reviews, was made into an HBO movie

•

Credit: Marion Ettlinger

T. Jefferson Parker was born in Los Angeles and has lived all his life in Southern California. He was educated in public schools in Orange County, and earned a bachelor's degree in English from the University of California, Irvine, in 1976.
His writing career began in 1978, with a job as a cub reporter on the weekly newspaper, The Newport Ensign. After covering police, city hall and cultural stories for the Ensign, Parker moved on to the Daily Pilot newspaper, where he won three Orange County Press Club awards for his articles. All the while he was tucking away stories and information that he would use in his first book.

Parker's first novel, Laguna Heat, was written on evenings and weekends while he worked as a reporter, and was published to rave reviews and made into an HBO movie starring Harry Hamlin, Jason Robards and Rip Torn.

Parker's following novels -- all dealing with crime, life and death in sunny Southern California -- were publi

•

T Jefferson Parker Biography, Books, and Similar Authors

Interview

T Jefferson Parker answers questions about his books and himself, and reveals what the "T" stands for.

When did you first decide to become a writer?
My "Mythology and Folklore" teacher in high school hated our class because we were troublemakers. One day she refused to teach us, and made us each close our eyes and pick a book out of a box she'd brought from home. We were to read silently all period. I got Catch 22 by Joseph Heller and I read it in a few days. I couldn't believe how funny it was, how hip and right-on. I told myself that if I could ever write something that would give someone 1/1000th the pleasure that Heller gave me, I'd be proud.

Where do your plot ideas come from? What inspires you?
The plots usually take shape in the writing or outlining stage. You create them, like a carpenter laying the foundation of a house. It's a gut feel, whether the story is good and the plot is right.