James Frey was born on September 12, 1969. He graduated from Denison University in 1992. He eventually moved to Los Angeles and found work as a screenwriter, director, and producer. He wrote the screenplays to the films Kissing a Fool and Sugar: The Fall of the West, which he also directed.
He is an American author who was thrust into the spotlight after he published his "autobiographical" book, A Million Little Pieces in 2003. By 2006 it became common knowledge that parts of the memoir were fictitious. This lead Frey and his publisher to a public confrontation on the Oprah show. After admitting that he had made parts of the book up, a note was published in future editions of the book to that effect. Also, readers who felt that they were "defrauded" and who bought the book prior to the 2006 date were offered a refund by Random House.
His other books include My Friend Leonard, Bright Shiny Morning, and The Final Testament of the Holy Bible. In 2009 he formed a young adult publishing company, Full Fathom Five, which wrote the novels I Am Number Four and The Power of Six under the name of Pittacus Lore. I Am Number Four was made into a movie in 2011. Frey's title, The Calling, co-authored with Nils Johnson-Shelton, made the New York Times bestseller list in 2014.
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