David Morrell | |
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 Morrell in 2009 | |
| Born | (1943-04-24)April 24, 1943 (age 81) Kitchener, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation | Author |
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| Alma mater | St. Jerome's University (University of Waterloo)(BA) Pennsylvania State University(MA,PhD) |
| Notable works | First Blood |
| Children | Daughter: Sarie Son: Matthew (deceased) |
| Website | |
| davidmorrell | |
David Morrell (born April 24, 1943) is a Canadian-Americanauthor whose debut 1972 novelFirst Blood, later adapted as the 1982film of the same name, went on to spawn the successfulRambo franchise starringSylvester Stallone.[1] He has written 28 novels, and his work has been translated into 30 languages.[2] He also wrote the 2007–2008Captain America comic book miniseriesThe Chosen.
Morrell was born on April 24, 1943, inKitchener, Ontario, Canada, the son of Beatrice, an upholsterer, and George Morrell, aRoyal Navy flier.[3] He decided to become a writer at the age of 17, after being inspired by the writing in the classic television seriesRoute 66.[1] In 1966, Morrell received hisB.A. in English fromSt. Jerome's University (affiliated with theUniversity of Waterloo) and moved to the United States to study withHemingway scholar Philip Young atPennsylvania State University, where he would eventually receive hisM.A. andPh.D. inAmerican literature.[1]
During his time at Penn State he metscience fiction writer Philip Klass, better known by the pseudonymWilliam Tenn, who taught the basics of writing fiction.[2] Morrell began work as an English professor at theUniversity of Iowa in 1970. In 1972, his novelFirst Blood was published; it would eventually be made into the1982 film of the same name starringSylvester Stallone asVietnam veteranJohn Rambo.[1] Morrell continued to write many other novels, includingThe Brotherhood of the Rose, the first in a trilogy of novels, which was adapted into a1989 NBC miniseries starringRobert Mitchum. He gave up his tenure at the university in 1986 in order to write full-time.[2] In 1988 he received the Horror Writers Association award for best novella;Orange Is for Anguish, Blue for Insanity.[4]
Despite John Rambo being killed at the end of Morrell's source novel, Morrell wrote the novelization ofRambo: First Blood Part II, and explained in the preface that he was bringing the character back to life.
Morrell is the co-president of theInternational Thriller Writers organization.[2]
Morrell was presented with the 2009ThrillerMaster Award from the ITW.[5]
Morrell's teenaged son Matthew died ofEwing sarcoma, a rare form ofbone cancer, in 1987. In 2009 his granddaughter died of the same form of cancer. The trauma of his loss influenced Morrell's work, in particular in his creative fiction memoir about Matthew,Fireflies. The protagonist of Morrell's novelDesperate Measures also experiences the loss of a son.[2]
Morrell is a graduate of theNational Outdoor Leadership School for wilderness survival as well as theG. Gordon Liddy Academy of Corporate Security. He is also an honorary lifetime member of the Special Operations Association and the Association of Former Intelligence Officers.[2]
According to his website, he has been trained to handlefirearms,crisis negotiation, assuming identities,executive protection, anddefensive driving, among numerous other action skills that he describes in his novels. He earned an FAA licence to pilot his own small plane as part of research for his 2009 novel,The Shimmer.[2]
Morrell became an American citizen in 1993.[6][7] He lives inSanta Fe, New Mexico.[8]
I had an exciting day yesterday. Decided to vote early. Born in Canada, I became a U.S. citizen in 1993. Since then, I've never missed voting in any election--schoolboard, city, state, national. It truly excites me to be able to do so.
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