William Bernhardt

I love my job!William loves his job and it shows in his writing. Library Journal has called him the "master of the courtroom drama;" his books have sold more than ten million copies worldwide. The Vancouver Sun dubbed him "the American equivalent of P.G. Wodehouse and John Mortimer." His novel Dark Eye was a psychological thriller that, in the words of bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, "will chill you while its two unique and endearing protagonists steal your heart." Bernhardt's novels are renowned for their unexpected twists, breathless pace, humor, and insightful consideration of issues confronting contemporary American society. He is also the author of The Code of Buddyhood, a coming-of-age novel described by The West Coast Review of Books as "a powerful and sophisticated novel about the nature of friendship," a holiday novel, The Midnight Before Christmas, a biography for young adults, Equal Justice: The Courage of Ada Sipuel, a children's book, Princess Alice and the Dreadful Dragon, and has edited an anthology of original short stories (Legal Briefs) and a multi-author fundraising novel for The Nature Conservancy (Natural Suspect). And as if that weren't enough, he is also an often-published poet and a member of the Academy of American Poets.Bernhardt's career is the product of a lifelong love affair with books. When he was seven years old, he told people he wanted to be a writer. He got his first rejection letter when he was eleven (and several thereafter). He was an English major in college, and after a break for a legal career, returned to college for a Masters Degree in English literature. The studying seems to have paid off. Bernhardt's books have been translated and published in more than two dozen countries. He has twice won the Oklahoma Book Award for Best Fiction, in 1995 and 1999, and in 1998 he received the Southern Writers Guild's Gold Medal Award. In 2000, he was honored with the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award, which is given "in recognition of an outstanding body of work that has profoundly influenced the way in which we understand ourselves and American society at large." That same year, he was presented with a Career Achievement Award at the 2000 Booklovers Convention in Houston. He has also been inducted into the Oklahoma Writers Hall of Fame, the youngest author ever so honored.In addition to his work as a writer, Bernhardt is also a popular teacher and publisher. In 1999, he founded Babylon Books (formerly HAWK). Throughout the year, Bernhardt teaches writing and literature to fortunate students who invariably remark on his passion, knowledge, and expertise. His Red Sneakers Writers Center hosts conferences, seminars, and a series of books designed to provide useful writing instruction.