The creative writing program has announced the appointment of acclaimed novelist Ridley Pearson as Professor of the Practice for 2020-2023. The Professor of the Practice position at Boise State brings successful, celebrated and highly distinguished practitioners in their field to students and the university community.
Pearson is a multiple New York Times bestselling author, with more than 58 published books. His crime fiction and international thrillers have been translated into more than two dozen languages in over 70 countries. His novels have been adapted for film, television and the Broadway stage. Ridley’s novel, “The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red,” was a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. It was adapted into the film “The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer” in 2003. A later novel, “The Risk Agent,” was acquired by the production company of actor Vince Vaughn. Pearson’s “Peter and the Starcatchers” novels—co-written with Pulitzer-prize winner Dave Berry—was a bestselling series in young adult fiction. Ridley is currently writing a series of graphic novels, “The Super Sons,” for DC Entertainment.
“With our strong focus on the narrative arts — both in literary and commercial writing — Ridley is a perfect fit for Boise State’s program in creative writing,” said professor Mitch Wieland. “Ridley’s boundless experience brings a wealth of expertise to our fiction students. During his time teaching for us, his classes have already Zoomed with Stephen King, Mitch Albom, Scott Turow, Dave Barry and Michael Lewis. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
Pearson was educated at the University of Kansas and Brown University. In 1991, he was the first American to receive the Raymond Chandler Fulbright Fellowship at Oxford University. He received the Quill Award from the Missouri Writers Hall of Fame, its highest honor. He taught at Fudan University in Shanghai, China from 2008-09.
For 20 years, Pearson also has been the bass player in The Rock Bottom Remainders, along with bestselling authors Stephen King, Dave Berry, Amy Tan and Scott Turow. During this time period, the band has raised $2.5 million for charity.