Jay Asher

“My very first writing award earned me a free fruit smoothie every day for a year. I’ve won a lot of awards since then, but that one tasted the best!”

Jay Asher was born in Arcadia, California on September 30, 1975. He grew up in a family that encouraged all of his interests, from playing the guitar to his writing. He attended Cuesta College right after graduating from high school. It was here where he wrote his first two children’s books for a class called Children’s Literature Appreciation. At this point in his life, he had decided he wanted to become an elementary school teacher. He then transferred to California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo where he left his senior year in order to pursue his career as a serious writer.

Throughout his life he worked in various establishments, including as a salesman in a shoe store and in libraries and bookstores. Many of his work experiences had an impact on some aspect of his writing.

He has published two books to date, “Thirteen Reasons Why”, a 2007 New York Times best-selling young-adult fiction novel, and “The Future of Us”, co written by Carolyn Mackler.
He has written several picture books, middle school humor novels, and screenplays.

Thirteen Reasons Why has won several awards and has received five stars from Teen Book Review. It also has received high reviews from fellow authors such as Ellen Hopkins, Chris Crutcher, and Gordon Kormon.