Dean Koontz was born July 9, 1945 in Everett, Pennsylvania. He received a degree in Education from Shippensburg State College in 1967. A former high school English teacher as well as a teacher-counselor with the Appalachian Poverty Program, Koontz began writing as a child to escape an ugly home life caused by his alcoholic father. A prolific writer at a young age, Koontz had sold a dozen novels by the age of 25. Early in his career, Koontz wrote under numerous pen names including David Axton, Brian Coffey, K. R. Dwyer, Leigh Nichols, Richard Paige, and Owen West. He is now an internationally acknowledged suspense master. Several of his titles were #1 on the New York Times bestseller list including Midnight, Cold Fire, The Bad Place, Hideaway, The Husband, and Odd Hours.

(Bowker Author Biography)