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Author Information
John R. Erickson, a former cowboy and ranch manager, is gifted with a storyteller's
knack for spinning a yarn. Through the eyes of Hank the Cowdog, the smelly, smart aleck
Head of Ranch Security at the M-Cross Ranch, Erickson gives readers a glimpse of daily
life on a ranch in the West Texas Panhandle. This series of books and tapes is in school
libraries across the country; has sold almost 3 million copies; is a Book-of-the-Month
Club selection; and, is the winner of the 1993 Audie for Outstanding Children's Series
from the Audio Publisher's Association. Publishers Weekly calls Hank a
"grassroots publishing phenomena," and USA Today says this is, "the
best family entertainment in years."
The road to stardom for Hank, however, wasn't
all dog biscuits and gravy. Erickson graduated from the University of Texas in 1966 and
studied for two years at Harvard Divinity School. He began to publish short stories in
1967 while working full-time as a cowboy, farmhand, and ranch manager in Texas and
Oklahoma. Hank and his sidekick Drover are dogs Erickson worked with on the range. This
mixture of true life experience, fun, and adventure has gained Hank a loyal following of
thousands of children and adults.
In 1982, however, Erickson was at his rope's end. "I was working out in the cold;
there was 8 inches of snow on the ground," he says, "I had just gotten a couple
of rejection slips from New York publishers; and, I had a wife with two kids and another
one on the way." So, with $2000 in borrowed money, Erickson started his own
publishing company, appropriately named Maverick Books.
Hank the Cowdog made his debut in the pages of THE CATTLEMAN, a magazine for
adults. An obvious favorite of readers, Erickson included two of Hank's humorous stories
in Maverick Book's first publishing effort, THE DEVIL IN TEXAS (1982). Erickson
began selling books from his pickup truck at cattle auctions, rodeos, and just about any
place cowboys gathered.
When Erickson started getting "Dear Hank" letters, he knew he was onto
something. So in 1983, 2,000 copies of THE ORIGINAL ADVENTURES OF HANK THE COWDOG
were published, and sold out in 6 weeks. Not long after that first printing, the book was
recorded word-for-word on audio tape. Since then, every Hank book has been recorded,
making Hank the longest running successful children's series on audio ever. (Source: Billboard)
When teachers began inviting Erickson to their schools, Hank found his most eager fans.
Teachers, librarians, and students alike love Hank. According to some Texas Library
Association surveys, Hank the Cowdog books are the most popular selections in many
library children's sections. The lively characters make excellent material for reading and
writing lessons, and turn even the most reluctant readers into avid Hank-a-holics. When
used with the books, Hank tapes increase reading skills rapidly. The Wholly Hank!
Student Activity and Teacher Guide is available (via Maverick Books) for this series.
In response to popular demand from the growing bilingual market, the first six Hank the
Cowdog adventures have been translated into Spanish by Editorial Sudamericana of
Argentina.
Erickson was born in Midland, Texas. By the age of 3, he had moved with his family to
Perryton, Texas where he lives today with his wife, three children, and a dog named
Sophie. His advice to young writers is, "Write about something you know. Try to leave
your readers better off than they were before."
Other Books by John R. Erickson:
MOONSHINER'S GOLD (a novel due out in September, 2001)
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