Ken Follett, Author Biographies

Ken Follett was born on June 5, 1949, in Cardiff, Wales. His father, Martin, a tax inspector, and his mother, Veenie, moved the family to London when he was 10 years old. He was raised in a strict Christian household. With little outside entertainment, he acquired an appreciation for books and storytelling.

Ken earned a bachelors degree in philosophy from the University of London in 1970. (In 1995, he was made a fellow of this college.) Ken took a three month post graduate course in journalism and moved back to Cardiff, Wales to pursue his career.

Ken Follett married Mary in 1968. They have a son and daughter, but later divorced.

Ken Follett worked as a journalist for the South Wales Echo for three years. Upon returning to London, he worked as a general assignment reporter for the London Evening News. He wrote stories in his spare time.

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, he says he sold one of his first stories for $500, which is the amount he owed to get his car fixed.

Although Ken Follett wrote two children’s books and several novels, he didn’t become a success until “Eye of the Needl

e,” his eleventh book, was published in 1978. He was only 27 years old. This book won the prestigious Edgar Award and was the first of several of his subsequent books to be made into films.

In 1974 Ken left journalism for publishing at Everest Books where he later became Deputy Managing director.

Ken Follett became involved in politics supporting the Labor Party. In 1984 Ken married Barbara Boer, a member of Parliament for Stevenage in Hertferdshire. He became stepfather to her three children by a previous spouse.

Even though Ken Follett’s novel, “Pillars of the Earth,” published in 1989, was a big hit, it became a sensation when Oprah Winfrey added it to her Book Club. Now finally after fans of his work begging him, there is a sequel, “World Without End.”

Ken is involved in many charities, National Year of Reading, Reading is Fundamental, The Dyslexia Institute, National Literary Trust,

the Welsh Academy, National Academy of Writing, and the Royal Academy of Arts to name a few.

Ken Follett and his wife make Stevenage their home. They also own a townhouse in London and a vacation home in Antigua.

Books by Ken Follett:

Series: Apples Carstairs Series: (written as Simon Myles)
The Big Needle (1974)
The Big Black (1974)
The Big Hit (1975)

Piers Roper:
The Shakeout (1975)
The Bear Raid (1976)

Pillars of the Earth:
World Without End (1989)
World Without End (2007)

Childrens’ Books:

The Power Twins: A Science Fantasy for Young People (1976) (written as Martin Martinsen)
The Mystery Hideout (1976)

Novels:
Amok King of Legend (1976) (written as Bernard L. Ross)
The Secret of Kellerman’s Studio (1976)
The Modigliani Scandal (1976) (written as Zachary Stone)
Paper Money (1977) (written as Zachary Stone)
Capricorn One (1978) (written as Bernard L. Ross)
Eye of the Needle (1978)
Triple (1979)
(1980)
The Man from St. Petersburg (1982)
Lie Down With Lions (1985)
Night Over Water (1991)
A Dangerous Fortune (1993)
A Place Called Freedom (1995)
The Third Twin (1996)
The Hammer of Eden (1998)
Code to Zero (2000)
Jackdaws (2001)
Hornet Flight (2002)

(2004)

Nonfiction:
Under the Streets of Nice (1978) (with Louis Maurice)
On Wings of Eagles (1983)

Kathy Reichs Author Biographies

Kathy Reichs was born Kathleen Joan Toelle in 1950 in Chicago, Illinois. She received a BA in Anthropology from American University in 1971. She received her MA in Physical Anthropology in 1972 and her PHD in 1975 from Northwestern University. She is also professionally trained in archaeology. She is one of only about 50 some forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of forensics where she is also a board member.
Kathy says, as a child she had a big interest in archaeology and was an avid mystery fan reading Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys.
Kathy Reichs wears many hats. Besides being a wife and mother, (she married attorney Paul Reichs and they have three children) she is a professor of Anthropology at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. She divides her time between North Carolina and Quebec where she works at the Laboratoire de Sciences Judicaires et de Medicine Leagale. She is also Director of Forensic Anthropology for the Providence of Quebec .
She participated in the cleanup at the World Trade Center in 2001 which she said was the hardest thing she ever had to do. Kathy has worked on projects with the National Disaster Medical System team. She is also an expert witness in criminal trials.
She has edited forensics textbooks and written several journal articles. In 1997 she had her first book of fiction published. Her series of books are based on a Forensics Anthropology character, Dr. Temperance Brennan aka “Bones” by her FBI partner. These series of books inspired the television series “Bones” with Kathy as Executive Producer.
“Bones” is based very loosely on the Kathy Reich’s books. Dr. Temperance Brennan, besides being a forensic anthropologist at the Jeffersonian Institute, working closely with the FBI, also writes best selling books with her protagonist being Kathy Reichs. Kathy played a small role in one of the “Bones” episodes. The show is now in its fifth season.

Book written by Kathy Reichs

Deja Dead(1997)
Death Du Jour (1999)
Deadly Decisions (2000)
Fatal Voyage (2001)
Grave Secrets (2002)
Bare Bones (2003)
Monday Mourning (2004)
Cross Bones (2005)
Break No Bones (2006)
Bones to Ashes (2007)
Devil Bones: A Novel (Temperance Brennan)(2008)
206 Bones: A Novel (Temperance Brennan Novels)(2009)

Omnibus of Deja Dead/Death Du Jour in (2004)

John Grisham Author Biographies

John Grisham was born on February 8, 1955 in Jonesboro Arkansas to a cotton farmer and an itinerant construction worker father and a mother who was a homemaker.  As a child, he dreamed of being a professional baseball player, but it was not to be.  He attended Mississippi State University where he majored in accounting.  He graduated with a law degree from University of Mississippi in 1981.


 John married Renee Jones in 1981 and they have two children, Ty and Shea. He practiced criminal and civil law in Southaven, Mississippi for 10 years.  He was also a State Representative of Mississippi from 1983 until 1990.  They make a farm near Oxford, Mississippi and a plantation near Charlottesville, Virginia there home.

 John published his first book, “A Time to Kill”, in 1989. He said that it took him three years to write.  He would get up early in the morning to write before going to work at his law office.
In 1994 he became the publisher of a magazine, The Oxford American.  He helped save this struggling magazine from financial ruin.
 
After his second book, “The Firm”, was published and Paramount bought the movies rights for the book, John retired from law and took up writing full time.  He has generally published one book per year ever since.  About his books, he says that he builds fiction on top of facts.

He became an advocate for the abolishment of the death penalty while researching for his book, “The Chamber”.  He does not believe in state sanctioned killings.  He believes that it is morally wrong and there are too many individuals that are wrongly accused.   He wrote about such a case in “An Innocent Man, A true Story”.  This non-fiction, murder mystery and legal thriller, tells the story of the botched investigation, trial and wrongful conviction of Ron Williamson from Ada, Oklahoma.  He wants to make people question the death penalty.

John’s books have been translated into over 29 languages and there are over 245 million books in print worldwide.  So far eleven of his works have been made into movies.  He also wrote the original screenplay, “Mickey”, and served as producer.  The movie hit the screen in 2004 and starred Harry Connick, Jr. The film, “The Gingerbread Man” was based on one of John Grisham’s short stories.

John writes about six months a year and, when not writing, he supports many charitable causes.  He has helped raise 8.8 Million dollars for Gulf Coast Relief, following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.  He also serves as the local Little League Commissioner.  He is also a board member of The Innocence Project.  This organization encourages the use of  DNA testing on death row inmates to determine innocence.

Bibliography:

Fiction:
A Time to Kill: A Novel(1989)
The Firm (1991)
The Pelican Brief (1992)
The Client (1993)
The Chamber(1994)
The Rainmaker (1995)
The Runaway Jury (1996)
The Partner (1997)
The Street Lawyer (1998)
The Testament (1999)
The Brethren (2000)
A Painted House (2001)
Skipping Christmas (2001)
The Summons (2002)
The King of Torts (2003)
Bleachers (2003)
The Last Juror (2004)
The Broker (2005)
Playing for Pizza (2007)
The Appeal (2008)
The Associate(2009)
Ford County: Stories(2009)


Non-Fiction:
The Innocent Man(2006)

Films:
Mickey (2004)
The Gingerbread Man (2004)

David Baldacci Author Biographies

David Baldacci was born on August 5, 1960 in Richmond, Virginia. He hails from a working-class background. His father, Rudolph, was a tucking foreman who had lost most of his hearing in World War ll. He earned his BA in Political Science from Virginia Commonwealth University and his law degree in1988 from the University of Virginia. David has two older siblings, a brother, Rudy, and artist, and sister, Sharon, a writer.
David practiced criminal law and then later corporate law for nine years. He says he always loved to read and telling stories, and while growing up, often got into trouble with his tall tales. He says he always wanted to write and started writing fiction as a young child and continued throughout his law practice. He likes to quip that, as a lawyer, he learned a lot about writing fiction.
David met Michelle A. Collins, a paralegal, at a barbecue and they dated and then married in 1990. They have two children, a daughter, Spencer, and a son, Collin. The family still resides in Virginia.
David’s first novel, “Absolute Power”, was made into a blockbuster movie starring Clint Eastwood and Gene Hackman. David writes on diverse subjects, but is well known for his political thrillers. He is also a humorous, passionate and inspirational keynote speaker. He often speaks at worthy fund raising events. It has been said that he is as prolific a talker as he is a writer.
David and Michelle started a family foundation in 2002 called Wish You Well Foundation which works to eliminate illiteracy nationally. Recently they teamed up with Feeding Americans, Feeding Body and Minds utilizing food and book donations at food banks since poverty stems from illiteracy.
David does fund-raising book signings where he asks people to bring in new and used books. They are also involved in fund raising for The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the American Cancer Society and The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. David is a national ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
David’s books have been published in over 45 languages

Books by David Baldacci:

Sean King and Michelle Maxwell Series:
Split Second (2003)
Hour Game (2003)
Simple Genius (2007)
First Family(2009)

Freddie and the French Fries:
Fries Alive (2005)
The Legend of Silas Finklebean (2006)

Camel Club:
The Camel Club (2005)
The Collectors (2006)
Stone Cold (2007)
Divine Justice (Camel Club)(2008)

Stand Alone Novels:
Absolute Power (1996)
Total Control (1997)
The Winner (1997)
The Simple Truth (1998)
Saving Faith (1999)
Wish You Well (2000)
Last Man Standing (2001)
The Christmas Train (2002)
The Whole Truth(2008)
True Blue(2009)

Non Fiction:
Origins of Wish You Well (2000)">