Brent Hartinger facts for kids

Brent Hartinger (born 1971) is an American author, playwright, and screenwriter. He is well-known for his books, especially those that explore the lives and experiences of young people.

Early Life and Education

Brent Hartinger was born in 1971 in Washington state. He grew up in Tacoma, a city in Washington.

He attended Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, where he earned his bachelor's degree. Later, he studied psychology at Western Washington University.

Writing Career

Brent Hartinger has written many books, with fourteen novels published so far. His first book, Geography Club, was published in 2003. This book was for young adults.

He later wrote several other books that continued the stories of the characters from Geography Club. These books, like The Thing I Didn't Know I Didn't Know (2014) and The Road to Amazing (2016), show the characters as adults.

Other books by Hartinger for young adults include Grand & Humble (2006) and Project Sweet Life (2008). He also wrote Three Truths and a Lie (2016).

Books Made into Movies

His first novel, Geography Club, was made into a feature film. The movie was released in November 2013. It starred actor Scott Bakula.

Brent Hartinger also writes screenplays for movies. One of his screenplays, Project Pay Day, was based on his own novel. This teen adventure movie was released in 2021.

Awards and Recognition

Hartinger has received several awards for his writing. These include the Lambda Literary Award and a GLAAD Media Award. He also won the Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award. He was even nominated for an Edgar Award.

For his screenwriting, he has won awards like the Screenwriting in the Sun Award. He also won first place in several screenwriting contests.

Teaching and Other Work

Brent Hartinger has shared his knowledge by teaching creative writing. He taught at Vermont College of Fine Arts.

He also helped start an entertainment website called AfterElton.com. This website was later sold to MTV/Viacom in 2006.

Personal Life and Travel

In 1990, Brent Hartinger helped create one of the first support groups for young people in the LGBT community. This group was in his hometown of Tacoma, Washington.

Currently, Hartinger and his husband, writer Michael Jensen, travel the world. They do not have a permanent home. Their journey as "digital nomads" has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in Forbes magazine. They share their adventures on their website, Brent and Michael Are Going Places.

Published Works

The Russel Middlebrook Series (Young Adult)

• Geography Club (2003)
• The Order of the Poison Oak (2005)
• Double Feature: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (2007)
• The Elephant of Surprise (2013)

Russel Middlebrook: The Futon Years (Adult)

• The Thing I Didn't Know I Didn't Know (2014)
• Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams (2015)
• The Road to Amazing (2016)

The Otto Digmore Series (Adult)

• The Otto Digmore Difference (2017)
• The Otto Digmore Decision (2020)

Other Books

• The Last Chance Texaco (2004)
• Grand & Humble (2006)
• Project Sweet Life (2009)
• Shadow Walkers (2011)
• Three Truths and a Lie (2016)