'The Most Important writing award'

 

“One of the nice things about books as opposed to television and movies … is people really do get involved, and they do create, and they do have their own visions of what different characters look like and what should happen.  It’s great.  It means their brains are working.” – James Patterson

 

Born in March, 1947 Patterson is the most prolific author of all time with phenomenal success as a mystery, YA and children’s writer.  Intending to become an English professor, he was a Ph.D. candidate when he switched careers to advertising. After rising to a top executive position at New York ad agency  J. Walter Thompson, he abruptly switched again in 1996, deciding he might do well as a writer.  Good move.

 

His novels featuring African-American detective/psychologist Alex Cross have been among the most popular and top-selling U.S. detective series' in history.  His 150 titles (and counting) have sold in the hundreds of millions, and he also holds the distinction of having had more e-books sold than any other author.  

 

And he is the first author to ever have the Number 1 titles in the Adult, YA, and Children’s categories at the same time.  His awards include the Edgar, the BCA Mystery Guild’s Thriller of the Year, and the International Thriller of the Year and a National Humanities Medal.   But, he said, the award he most cherishes is Author of the Year from the Children’s Choice Awards.

 

“This is what I believe is most important:” he said, “Getting good books into the hands of kids – books that will make them want to say, ‘Wow, that was great.  Give me another one to read.’”