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Brent Hartinger

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Brent Hartinger

Goodreads Author


Born
in Washington State, The United States
Website

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Member Since
November 2011

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I am Brent Hartinger, a novelist and screenwriter. I’ve published fourteen novels and had two of my books turned into feature films — with several more movies still in the works. One of my movies even co-starred SUPERMAN's David Corenswet.

I try hard to write books that are page-turners and commercial (and movies that are fast-paced and accessible). If I had to describe my own writing projects, I would say, “Strong central concept, strong plot, strong character and voice. Not artsy, self-indulgent, or pretentious, but still thoughtful and smart with something to say.”

I mostly write YA books — LGBTQ and thrillers, sometimes LGBTQ thrillers. My first novel, GEOGRAPHY CLUB (2003) was one of the first in a new wave of break-out LGBTQ young adult
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Popular Answered Questions

Brent Hartinger This is a great question. Book #2 in the series (BAREFOOT IN THE CITY OF BROKEN DREAMS, out in August) is set in Los Angeles, and Gunnar doesn't appea…moreThis is a great question. Book #2 in the series (BAREFOOT IN THE CITY OF BROKEN DREAMS, out in August) is set in Los Angeles, and Gunnar doesn't appear. But he's definitely in book #3 again, and we will definitely see exactly who he has ended up with (but that book hasn't been written yet). It'll be out in March 2016, so I need to get cracking!(less)
Brent Hartinger I used to. But the more I write him, the less like me he seems. We definitely have a lot in common: we're self-conscious, generally optimistic, and to…moreI used to. But the more I write him, the less like me he seems. We definitely have a lot in common: we're self-conscious, generally optimistic, and too neurotic. But he's funnier than I am, probably more of a risk-taker, probably less neurotic (!!), but maybe more self-absorbed.

In terms of looks, he's a little taller, and isn't losing his hair (as I was at age fricking 21!).

One way I've put it in the past: he's not me, now or when I was his age. But he might be like me if I was his age in 2015.

Either way, I don't think of him at me at all. He's definitely his own person, with his own life and his own friends and travails.

Thanks for asking!


Brent(less)
Average rating: 3.72 · 35,868 ratings · 3,332 reviews · 26 distinct worksSimilar authors
Geography Club (Russel Midd...

3.75 avg rating — 15,673 ratings — published 2003 — 22 editions
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The Order of the Poison Oak...

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Three Truths and a Lie

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Double Feature: Attack of t...

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The Elephant of Surprise (R...

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The Thing I Didn't Know I D...

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Grand & Humble

3.62 avg rating — 903 ratings — published 2006 — 10 editions
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The Last Chance Texaco

3.78 avg rating — 802 ratings — published 2004 — 17 editions
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Barefoot in the City of Bro...

3.91 avg rating — 522 ratings — published 2015 — 4 editions
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The Road to Amazing (Russel...

4.09 avg rating — 416 ratings5 editions
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I Wrote a Book Set in a Place I’d Never Been To, Then I Visited That Place. How’d I Do?

My last novel, The Otto Digmore Difference, was a road trip story about Russel Middlebrook and his friend Otto Digmore traveling from Los Angeles to New Orleans, so that Otto, an actor, can get to an all-important movie audition on time.


Here’s a little secret that I shouldn’t be confessing: I’d never actually driven most of the roads that Otto and Russel travel. I once lived in Los Angeles (where

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Published on January 16, 2018 11:46
Geography Club The Order of the Poison Oak Double Feature: Attack of t... The Elephant of Surprise
(4 books)
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3.78 avg rating — 22,359 ratings

The Thing I Didn't Know I D... Barefoot in the City of Bro... The Road to Amazing
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3.95 avg rating — 1,893 ratings

The Otto Digmore Difference The Otto Digmore Decision
(2 books)
by
4.14 avg rating — 495 ratings

Castle of Wizardry
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A River Enchanted
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The Winter People
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Quotes by Brent Hartinger  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“Why can’t there be just one place for gay kids, where we don’t have to hide who we are? Hell, straight people have the whole rest of the world! They go around holding hands and kissing and talking about ‘my-girlfriend-this’ and ‘my-boyfriend-that.’ And they say we shove our lifestyle in their faces? That’s a laugh!”
Brent Hartinger, Geography Club

“people make mistakes. If there was no such thing as forgiveness, there wouldn’t be any friendships left in the world.”
Brent Hartinger, Geography Club

“The fact is, there's a difference between being alone and being lonely; I may not of been completely alone in life, but I was definitely lonely.”
Brent Hartinger, Geography Club

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Comments (showing 1-4)    post a comment »
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message 4: by Brent

Brent Hartinger Rick wrote: "Brent, I love your books. Reading them has given me insight into the young gay life that I was never able to experience. As a bonus, Seattle holds a special place in my heart."
Fantastic! Thanks for letting me know. And yeah, I think I *write* the books to relive a life I wasn't quite able to experience myself.

P.S. I loved writing about Seattle. It's a great city (even if it's getting, uh, crowded and expensive!)


message 3: by Rick

Rick Brent, I love your books. Reading them has given me insight into the young gay life that I was never able to experience. As a bonus, Seattle holds a special place in my heart.


message 2: by Brent

Brent Hartinger Eric wrote: "Hey there, Brent! Good to see you here."Hey Eric! You get around. ;-)


message 1: by Eric

Eric Arvin Hey there, Brent! Good to see you here.


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