Gary Paulsen

Facts Born May 17, 1939 Minneapolis, Minnesota His parents passed away and he had to stay with his grandmother and aunts He ran away from home at 14 years old and ran with a carnival

Facts Worked odd jobs until he realized that he was not happy Worked as a magazine proofreader to learn the craft of writing Once he was comfortable, left Hollywood and rented a cabin in Minnesota by a lake and wrote his first novel …………… The Special War ….(1966)

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race two-time competitor in the 1,150-mile Paulsen competed in the 1983 and 1985 Iditarods Stopped due to angina (severe chest pain) Scheduled in the 2005 race but did not compete Competed in the 2006 race but stopped after 2 days

Inspiration Gary Paulsen is a hunter, trapper, and competitor He uses his life experiences to write for young adults

Examples Hatchet Dogsong The Winter Room Dirk the Protector***

His Family Paulsen and his wife, Ruth Wright Paulsen, an artist who has illustrated several of his books, divide their time between a home in New Mexico and a boat in the Pacific.