Andrew Anselmo Smith (born July 16, 1959)[1] is an American author and short story writer in the young adult fiction genre.[2] He has written ten novels including Winger and Grasshopper Jungle, which is currently being adapted into a movie. Smith is known for his dark subject matter, and his randomized writing style.
Early life
Andrew Smith was born in California in 1959.[3] He decided to pursue a career as a writer because he was the editor of his high school newspaper.[4] He traveled around the world and worked in various jobs such as working in metal mills, as a longshoreman, in bars and liquor stores, in security, and as a musician.[5] After graduating from college, he tried pursuing careers as a journalist, writing for newspapers, and writing radio stations, but he felt it wasn't the kind of writing that he wanted to do for the rest of his life.[4] After much traveling around the world, Smith finally settled for a job as a high school teacher.[4] He taught advanced placement classes and coached a rugby team.[5] The writing that he was doing on the side was never for publication; he would write for fun until he was challenged by one of his lifelong friends to get one of his books published.[4] In 2008 his first novel, Ghost Medicine, was published, followed by several more novels including Grasshopper Jungle[4] and The Alex Crow.[6]
Personal life
He is currently[when?] married, has two children, and teaches government, US history, and economics at Canyon High School in Santa Clarita, California.[7][8] Smith's novel Grasshopper Jungle was never meant to be published, as he had decided to quit writing for others, but his son urged him to publish it.[9][10]