Craig Lancaster (born February 9, 1970) is an American author, playwright, and journalist, best known for his novels ''
600 Hours of Edward'', its sequel, ''Edward Adrift'', and ''
The Summer Son''.
[Crisp, Davi]
"Edward Adrift"
, ''The Billings Outpost'', Billings, June 15, 2013. Retrieved on November 6, 2013.[Moore, David, and Simon, Lis]
''Reflections West'', Year 2, Episode 35, Retrieved on November 6, 2013. His other notable works include a short story collection as well as numerous articles and essays produced during his career as a newspaper writer and editor.
[Ames, Larr]
''The Dallas Morning News'', Dallas, Retrieved on November 6, 2013.[Ens, Kaitli]
, ''UMW News'', Retrieved on November 6, 2013. The author, a two-time High Plains Book Award winner, was lauded as "one of
Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...
's most important writers."
[http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/600Hours , Biography, ''Craig Lancaster'', Retrieved on November 6, 2013.]
Lancaster's works are set against the backdrop of the contemporary American West, specifically
Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...
, where he lives and writes.
[Evison, Jonatha]
“When We Fell In Love--Craig Lancaster”
, ''Three Guys One Book (3G1B)'', February 3, 2001, Retrieved on November 6, 2013.[Miller, Mar]
“Reading Hemingway in Yellowstone”
''M. Mark Miller--News, Views, & Stories'', March 1, 2011, Retrieved on November 6, 2013. His literary influences include Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century fi ...
, Steinbeck, Stegner, and Doig.[“Craig Lancaster”]
''Goodreads'', Retrieved on November 6, 2013.
Biography
Craig Lancaster was born in Lakewood, Washington
Lakewood is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 63,612 at the 2020 census.
History
Lakewood was officially incorporated on February 28, 1996. Historical names include Tacoma/Lakewood Center and Lakes Distric ...
, on February 9, 1970. He was adopted by a Wyoming
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
couple who met in Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 census. Located in the south-central portion of the state, it is the seat of Yellowstone County and the principal city of the Billings Metrop ...
, where he would eventually settle and launch his career as a novelist.[“Craig Lancaster”]
''LibraryThing'', Retrieved on 6 November 2013. After his parents divorced in the early 1970s, his mother remarried and moved Craig to suburban Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
.Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'' is an American daily newspaper serving Fort Worth and Tarrant County, the western half of the North Texas area known as the Metroplex. It is owned by The McClatchy Company.
History
In May 1905, Amon G. Carter acc ...
, had a tremendous impact on Lancaster's formative years by encouraging his early interest in writing.[Sandifer, Linda]
“Author Interview: Craig Lancaster"
''Writing the West'', February 17, 2011, Retrieved on 6 November 2013.[“Craig Lancaster”]
, ''WritersNet'', Retrieved on November 6, 2013. Lancaster's fascination with the "Western identity" was also rooted in his childhood, as he traveled extensively during summer vacations to visit his father, who followed work in Western oil fields.[ Lancaster describes his early memories of Montana as "vast, beautiful, ndoverwhelming," and knew that he "wanted to be a part of it."][
Lancaster attended the ]University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA or UT Arlington) is a public research university in Arlington, Texas. The university was founded in 1895 and was in the Texas A&M University System for several decades until joining the University of Te ...
, and subsequently made his foray into "The West" of his early imagination via a series of journalistic assignments that led him from Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
to Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
, Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
, Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, and eventually, Montana.[ In 2006, Lancaster moved to Montana, where he married and subsequently divorced in 2015.][ Lancaster married fellow novelist Elisa Lorello in 2016. His work as a writer and editor has appeared in the '']Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'' is an American daily newspaper serving Fort Worth and Tarrant County, the western half of the North Texas area known as the Metroplex. It is owned by The McClatchy Company.
History
In May 1905, Amon G. Carter acc ...
'', ''San Jose Mercury News
''The Mercury News'' (formerly ''San Jose Mercury News'', often locally known as ''The Merc'') is a morning daily newspaper published in San Jose, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is published by the Bay Area News Group, a subsidiar ...
'', ''Billings Gazette
The ''Billings Gazette'' is a daily newspaper based in Billings, Montana that primarily covers issues in southeast Montana and parts of northern Wyoming. Historically it has been known as the largest newspaper in Montana and is geographically one ...
'', and ''Magic City Magazine''.[“Craig Lancaster, Author of Edward Adrift”]
''The Write Question'', KUFM, Retrieved 6 November 2013. He also serves as design director of ''Montana Quarterly'', in addition to being a frequent contributor.[
In October and November 2023, Yellowstone Repertory Theatre, a professional troupe in Billings, Montana, staged the world premiere production of Lancaster’s first full-length play, ''Straight On To Stardust''. The play was hailed as “very smart and deeply moving.”
]
Major works
Novels
*'' 600 Hours of Edward'' (Riverbend Publishing, 2009)[
*'' The Summer Son'' (Lake Union Publishing, 2011)][
*''Edward Adrift'' (Lake Union Publishing, 2013)][
*''The Fallow Season of Hugo Hunter'' (Lake Union Publishing, 2014)]
Short stories
*''Quantum Physics and The Art of Departure'' (Missouri Breaks Press, 2011),[ republished in 2016 as ''The Art of Departure''
]
Nonfiction
*''Past-Due Pastorals: Memories and Observations of a Mind Adrift in the West'' (2009)
Plays
*''Straight On To Stardust'' (world premiere in 2023)
Awards and recognition
*2009 Montana Honor Book, ''600 Hours of Edward''[“Montana Book Award Honors 5 Authors”]
''Billings Gazette'', March 6, 2010, Retrieved November 6, 2013.
*2010 High Plains Book Awards "Best First Book," ''600 Hours of Edward''[“High Plains Book Award/Previous Winners”]
, Parmly Billings Library, Retrieved November 6, 2013.
''Billings Gazette'', Billings, Retrieved November 6, 2013.
''Billings Gazette'', Billings, July 31, 2011, Retrieved November 6, 2013.
''Billings Gazette'', May 24, 2012, Retrieved November 6, 2013.
''Billings Gazette'', October 14, 2012, Retrieved November 6, 2013.[
*2016 High Plains Book Award Fiction Finalist, ''This Is What I Want''
*2017 International Book Awards Finalist, ''Edward Unspooled''
*2022 American Fiction Awards Winner, "Literary Fiction," ''And It Will Be a Beautiful Life''
*2022 2022 High Plains Book Awards Winner, "Fiction," ''And It Will Be a Beautiful Life''''Previous High Plains Book Award Winners'']
/ref>
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lancaster, Craig
1970 births
Writers from Billings, Montana
Journalists from Fort Worth, Texas
People from Lakewood, Washington
Sportswriters from Montana
Novelists from Texas
Novelists from Washington (state)
Living people
University of Texas at Arlington alumni
American male novelists
American columnists
American newspaper writers
American male sportswriters
Novelists from Montana
Sportswriters from Washington (state)
American male journalists
21st-century American novelists
American adoptees
Sportswriters from Texas
American male short story writers
21st-century American short story writers
21st-century American male writers
21st-century American non-fiction writers