Joe Cottonwood facts for kids

Joe Cottonwood, born on August 19, 1947, is an American writer who creates stories and poems for both kids and adults. He lives in La Honda, California. Some of his books for grown-ups are Famous Potatoes (published in 1978) and Clear Heart (from 2009). For young readers, he wrote Quake! (1995) and The San Puerco Trilogy (published between 1990 and 1996).

About Joe Cottonwood

Growing Up and Learning

Joe Cottonwood grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. His mom and dad were both scientists. He went to Washington University in St. Louis and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1970. He studied English but also took many science classes.

Life in La Honda

From 1970 to 1976, Joe Cottonwood worked as a computer operator in different cities like St. Louis, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Mountain View, California. Since 1976, he has worked in building jobs, including being a carpenter, plumber, and electrician. He eventually became a general contractor, fixing houses.

Since 1978, he has lived in the small mountain town of La Honda, California. There, he and his wife raised their three children. Joe Cottonwood once said he is proud to be called an "Old Hippie." He mentioned that La Honda is a place full of unique and interesting people.

Joe Cottonwood also helps host a special event in La Honda called Lit Night. It's a monthly gathering in a bar where local people can read their own writings or favorite works by others. The readings can be anything from cowboy poems to plays by Shakespeare. Their fun motto is: "Get Lit!"

Joe Cottonwood's Books

How His Writing Started

Joe Cottonwood's first successful book was Famous Potatoes, published in 1978. People often called it an "underground novel" because it was popular with readers who liked different kinds of stories. Joe Cottonwood shared that during college breaks, he would travel across the United States without money or a backpack, just hitchhiking wherever he could get a ride. These adventures became the ideas for Famous Potatoes.

One of Joe Cottonwood's first plumbing jobs was supposed to be a quick repair. It turned into a three-day project, but during that time, he became friends with the woman's boyfriend, John Daniel, who wanted to be a book editor. They decided to publish Famous Potatoes together. Just as the books were being printed, a publisher from New York City called Joe Cottonwood. This publisher, Seymour Lawrence, who worked with famous writers like Kurt Vonnegut, wanted to buy the book. Joe Cottonwood agreed not to sell the copies he had printed himself, and he still has them today.

Books for Young Readers

Joe Cottonwood's books for younger readers are praised by teachers for their messages and by kids for their exciting plots and characters.

• Quake! (1995) is about the big earthquake in 1989.
• The San Puerco Trilogy (1990-1996) tells stories about three brave boys in the small town of San Puerco, California, which sounds a lot like La Honda.
• His more recent book for young readers is Four Dog Riot, published in 2011.

Books for Adults

His recent novel for adult readers, Clear Heart, is a love story that includes details about building and strong women. It is popular with many readers, especially carpenters and other people who work in trades.

In 2013, Joe Cottonwood wrote a memoir called 99 Jobs: Blood, Sweat, and Houses. A memoir is a book about a person's own life experiences. This book is based on his time as a contractor, carpenter, plumber, and electrician. Readers and reviewers have enjoyed its humor and how real it feels.

Joe Cottonwood has also made podcasts of five of his novels. The first version of his memoir 99 Jobs started as a blog where readers could share their thoughts. He called this "open source editing."

Some readers have compared his writing to that of famous authors like John Steinbeck and Mark Twain. His work has been featured in local and regional newspapers and magazines.

Books for Children and Young Adults

• The Adventures of Boone Barnaby (part of The San Puerco Trilogy) (Scholastic, 1990)
• Danny Ain't (part of The San Puerco Trilogy) (Scholastic 1992)
• Quake! (Scholastic 1995)
• Babcock (part of The San Puerco Trilogy) (Scholastic 1996)
• Four Dog Riot (ebook, 2011)

Books for Adults

• The Naked Computer (Black Dragon Books 1974)
• Famous Potatoes (No Dead Lines Press 1978)
• Famous Potatoes (Delacorte/Seymour Lawrence 1979)
• Frank City (Goodbye) (Delacorte/Seymour Lawrence 1981)
• Clear Heart (audiobook: Podiobooks.com 2007, winner of the 2008 Founders Choice Award; BookSurge Publishing 2008).

Poetry Books

• Son of a Poet (John Daniel 1986)
• Foggy Dog: Poems of the Pacific Coast (Clear Heart Books 2018)
• Random Saints (Kelsay Books 2020)

Awards and Recognition

• Danny Ain't won the BABRA Award (Bay Area Book Reviewers Association) for Best Book for Children in 1992.
• The audiobook of Clear Heart received the Founders Choice Award in 2008 for being an excellent serialized audiobook.
• The audiobooks of Boone Barnaby and Babcock won the Founders Choice Award in 2009 for their high quality.
• 99 Jobs won First Place for nonfiction in the 2014 IndieReader Discovery Awards.