This Is Your Life Harriet Chance (Evison) - Author Bio

Author Bio
• Birth—1968
• Where—San Jose, California, USA
• Education—High School
• Awards—(see below)
• Currently—lives on Bainbridge, Washington


Jonathan Evison, an American writer, was born in San Jose, California. In his teens, he was the founding member and frontman of the Seattle punk band March of Crimes, which included future members of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. He has lived in Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Missoula, Montana—and now lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington with his family.

Over the years, Evison worked as a laborer, a caregiver, a bartender, a telemarketer, a car salesman and a syndicated radio host. In this latter incarnation, he was the writer, producer, and host of the award winning comedy show, Shaken, Not Stirred.

Novels
Evison has published several novels—This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! (2015), The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving (2012), West of Here (2011), and All About Lulu (2008). A fifth novel, Mike Munoz Saves the World! The Great American Landscaping Novel, is not yet scheduled for release.

His work, often distinguished by its emotional resonance and offbeat humor; critics have compated him to a variety of authors, most notably J.D. Salinger, Charles Dickens, T.C. Boyle, nd John Irving.

Recognition
His debut novel, All About Lulu won critical acclaim, including the Washington State Book Award, and landed on many year-end "Best of" lists, including Hudson Booksellers, where it enjoyed the added distinction of being the only independent title selected in 2008. L Magazine included All About Lulu in its "Best Books of the Decade."

Evison's second novel, West of Here, became a New York Times bestseller. It won the 2012 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award and the Booklist Editor's Choice Award, and it was named "Book of the Year" by Hudson Booksellers. Editor Chuck Adams (Water for Elephants, A Reliable Wife) called West of Here the best novel he's worked on in over four decades of publishing.

Evison's third novel, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving, also received wide acclaim, earning him his second Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award. Janet Maslin of the New York Times called it his "most stealthily powerful novel." A film version, scheduled for release in 2016, stars Paul Rudd.

Extras
He is one of the contributors to the literary website Three Guys One Book and is the executive editor of The Nervous Breakdown, where among other duties, he curates the national book club. He was the first guest on author and podcaster Brad Listi's podcast Other People.

Evison allegedly wrote six unpublished novels before the 2008 publication of All About Lulu, physically burying three of them and purportedly burning all of his rejection letters. He is renowned for his extensive and colorful book touring, and his love of beer.

In 2009 and 2011 he was nominated by the American Book Association as Most Engaging Author. (Adapted from Wikipedia. Retrieved 9/29/2015.)