Terry Davis (born 1946) is an American

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living wage, living writing novels and other fiction, while other ...

. He was born in, and lived near

Spokane Spokane ( ) is the most populous city in eastern Washington and the county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It lies along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south ...

, Washington for many years, and is a professor emeritus of English at

Minnesota State University, Mankato Minnesota State University, Mankato (MNSU, MSU, or Minnesota State) is a public university in Mankato, Minnesota, United States. It is Minnesota's second-largest university and has over 145,000 living alumni worldwide. Founded in 1868, it is t ...

(MSU Mankato), where he taught

creative writing Creative writing is any writing that goes beyond the boundaries of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on craft and technique, such as narrative structure, character ...

– fiction and screenwriting – as well as adolescent literature. Davis, who has been a high school English teacher and a

wrestling Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves di ...

coach, is the author of three novels for young adults: ''

Vision Quest A vision quest is a rite of passage in some Native American cultures. Individual Indigenous cultures have their own names for their rites of passage. "Vision quest" is an English-language umbrella term, and may not always be accurate or used by ...

'' (1979), ''Mysterious Ways'' (1984), and '' If Rock & Roll Were a Machine'' (1992). He has also written ''Presenting

Chris Crutcher Chris Crutcher (born July 17, 1946) is an American people, American novelist and a family therapist. He received the Margaret Edwards Award, Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 2000 for his lifetime contribution in wr ...

'', a biography of the respected young-adult author.

John Irving John Winslow Irving (born John Wallace Blunt Jr.; March 2, 1942) is an American and Canadian novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. Irving achieved critical and popular acclaim after the international success of his fourth novel '' Th ...

called ''Vision Quest'' "the truest novel about growing up since ''

Catcher in the Rye ''The Catcher in the Rye'' is the only novel by American author J. D. Salinger. It was partially published in serial form in 1945–46 before being novelized in 1951. Originally intended for adults, it is often read by adolescents for its theme ...

''," and said, "it's a better novel about wrestling, and wrestlers, than ''

The World According to Garp ''The World According to Garp'' is John Irving's fourth novel, about a man who is born out of wedlock to a feminist leader, then grows up to be a writer. Published in 1978, the book was a bestseller for several years. It was a finalist for the N ...

''." ''Vision Quest'' was made into a 1985 movie of the same title, starring

Matthew Modine Matthew Avery Modine (born March 22, 1959) is an American actor and filmmaker. He shared the Venice Film Festival‘s Volpi Cup for Best Actor as part of the ensemble cast of Robert Altman film ''Streamers'' (1983). He went on to play lead rol ...

and Linda Fiorentino.

Early life

Terry Davis was born and raised in

. The son of a housewife and a sales executive, Davis excelled at Shadle Park High School as a wrestler and basketball player, then studied English at

Eastern Washington University Eastern Washington University (EWU) is a public university in Cheney, Washington, United States. It shares its satellite campus in Spokane, Washington with Washington State University. Founded in 1882, the university is academically divided in ...

where he met fellow student

– a year his senior. Recognized early as a gifted writer, Davis went from Eastern to study under

at the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...

's Writers' Workshop, and later at

Stanford University Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...

as an honored Wallace Stegner Literary Fellow. It was here that the novel ''Vision Quest'' began to take shape.

Recent years

Davis is a motorcycle aficionado, riding Norton and Yamaha bikes, and they play a role in much of his writing. He opened Terry Davis' Clandestine Classic Cycles in Rapidan,

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

in 2007. He continues to teach and write, including a current project about a man's struggle with clinical depression after his girlfriend gets addicted to online poker and is sent back to her homeland in Africa.

Awards

*''Vision Quest'' -

ALA Best Books for Young Adults The American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library associatio ...

, 1980 *''Vision Quest'' -

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second-largest public library in the United States behind the Library of Congress a ...

Best Books for the Teen Age, 1980 *''If Rock & Roll Were a Machine'' - ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 1993 *''If Rock & Roll Were a Machine'' -

Best Books for the Teen Age, 1993 *''If Rock & Roll Were a Machine'' -

Best Books for the Teen Age, 1994 *''Vision Quest'' - ALA Best Books for Young Adults In the Last Quarter Century, 1995

References

External links

Terry Davis's HomepageClandestine Classic Cycles article
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Terry 20th-century American novelists American children's writers Novelists from Minnesota Eastern Washington University alumni Stegner Fellows Minnesota State University, Mankato faculty 1946 births Living people American male sport wrestlers Writers from Spokane, Washington 21st-century American novelists American male novelists 20th-century American male writers 21st-century American male writers Novelists from Washington (state) Iowa Writers' Workshop alumni 20th-century American sportsmen