Ellen Wittlinger Explained

Ellen Wittlinger
Birth Date:21 October 1948
Birth Place:Belleville, Illinois, U.S.
Death Place:Williamsburg, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation:Novelist, young adult fiction writer
Genre:Young Adult
Notableworks:Hard Love, ZigZag, others

Ellen Wittlinger (October 21, 1948 – November 17, 2022) was an American author of young adults novels, including the Michael L. Printz Honor book Hard Love.

Early life and education

Ellen Wittlinger was born in Belleville, Illinois on October 21, 1948, to Karl and Doris Wittlinger. As a teenager, she often worked in her parents' store.[1]

Wittlinger earned a Bachelor of Arts in art and sociology from Millikin University in 1970, after which she moved to Ashland, Oregon. Shortly after, she was accepted into the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa, from which she earned a Master of Fine Arts in 1973.

Career

Wittlinger began her writing career after receiving fellowships from the Fine Arts Work Center. She published her first book, a poetry collection, Breakers, in 1979. She continued writing poetry and expanded to playwriting. Her one-act play One Civilized Person began as a character sketch at one of the Playwrights' Platform’s Saturday workshops and, according to The Boston Phoenix, "blossomed into a startlingly funny and terrifying work, a three-character play that never leaves the living room yet resonates far, far beyond."[2] One of her plays won the author's prize at the annual Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theaters competition.

Wittlinger later worked as a librarian part-time with the Swampscott Public Library, which inspired her to focus her writing on children's and young adult literature. She published her first novel, Lombardo's Law, in 1993.

In addition to writing, Wittlinger taught at Emerson College and Simmons University.

Personal life

While at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, Wittlinger met David Pritchard, whom she married in 1978. The two moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts following Wittlinger's graduation. The couple had two children: Kate and Morgan.

Wittlinger died from Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease on November 17, 2022, at the age of 74.[3] Upon her death, Justin Chanda, the senior vice president and publisher of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, stated,

To say that Ellen Wittlinger was a trailblazer is beyond an understatement. For decades she wrote engaging, searing books that never shied away from showing all facets of love, identity, and sense of self. She was an absolute pioneer of LGTBQ+ literature, a fierce advocate for all voices, and a genuinely warm and wonderful human being. She will be missed terribly, but her books will live on as will her legacy.

Awards and honors

Six of Wittlinger's books are Junior Library Guild selections: Gracie’s Girl (2000),[4] What's in a Name? (2000),[5] Razzle (2002),[6] Zigzag (2003),[7] Heart on My Sleeve (2004),[8] and Sandpiper (2005).[9]

The American Library Association (ALA) has included multiple novels on their list of Best Fiction for Young Adults, including Hard Love (2000),[10] What's in a Name (2001),[11] Razzle (2002),[12] Sandpiper (2006),[13] and Blind Faith (2007).[14] In 2008, the ALA also included Parrotfish on their Rainbow Book List[15] and their list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults.[16]

Awards for Wittlinger's writing!Year!Title!Award!Result!
2000Hard LoveLambda Literary Award for Children's and Young Adult LiteratureWinner[17]
Michael L. Printz AwardHonor[18]
2001What's in a NameMassachusetts Book AwardWinner
2008ParrotfishLambda Literary Award for Children's and Young Adult LiteratureFinalist[19]
2009Love & Lies: Marisol's StoryFerro-Grumley AwardFinalist[20]
Lambda Literary Award for Children's and Young Adult LiteratureFinalist[21]

Selected bibliography

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Maughan . Shannon . 2022-11-22 . Obituary: Ellen Wittlinger . 2024-06-01 . . en . 2023-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230926070552/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/90990-obituary-ellen-wittlinger.html . live .
  2. News: Edelstein . David . One-acts to grind: School for bards . 2024-09-04 . The Boston Phoenix . 1982-07-06.
  3. News: Jensen . Kelly . Ellen Wittlinger, Author Of Hard-hitting Queer Ya, Has Died . 22 November 2022 . Book Riot . 22 November 2022 . 22 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221122123931/https://bookriot.com/ellen-wittlinger/ . live .
  4. Web site: Gracie’s Girl . 2024-06-01 . . en . 2024-06-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240601151359/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/gracie-s-girl-9780689822490j . live .
  5. Web site: What’s in a Name . 2024-06-01 . . en . 2024-02-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240225050054/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/what-s-in-a-name-9780689825514j . live .
  6. Web site: Razzle . 2024-06-01 . . en . 2024-06-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240601151404/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/razzle-9780689835650j . live .
  7. Web site: Zigzag . 2024-06-01 . . en . 2024-06-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240601151405/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/zigzag-9780689849961j . live .
  8. Web site: Heart on My Sleeve . 2024-06-01 . . en . 2024-06-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240601151409/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/heart-on-my-sleeve-9780689849978j . live .
  9. Web site: Sandpiper . 2024-06-01 . . en . 2024-06-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240601151424/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/sandpiper-9780689868023j . live .
  10. Web site: Hard Love . 2024-06-01 . . en.
  11. Web site: What's in a Name . 2024-06-01 . . en.
  12. Web site: Razzle . 2024-06-01 . . en.
  13. Web site: Sandpiper . 2024-06-01 . . en.
  14. Web site: Blind Faith . 2024-06-01 . . en.
  15. Web site: Zvirin . Stephanie . 2008-05-15 . The Rainbow List: 2008 . 2024-05-31 . Booklist.
  16. Web site: Parrotfish . 2024-06-01 . . en.
  17. News: Killeen . Wendy . 2000-06-11 . Lambda Literary Award, Young Adult Novel, 1999 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220217130923/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83803910/lambda-literary-award-young-adult/ . 2022-02-17 . 2022-02-15 . The Boston Globe . 416.
  18. Web site: 15 March 2007 . Michael L. Printz Winners and Honor Books . 8 July 2015 . . 4 November 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151104231300/http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklistsawards/bookawards/printzaward/previouswinners/winners . live .
  19. Web site: Gonzalez Cerna . Antonio . 2007-04-30 . 20th Annual Lambda Literary Awards . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190522010244/https://www.lambdaliterary.org/winners-finalists/04/30/lambda-literary-awards-2007-2/ . 2019-05-22 . 2022-02-15 . . en.
  20. Web site: The Ferro-Grumley Awards . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230924233050/https://publishingtriangle.org/awards/ferro-grumley-awards/ . 2023-09-24 . 2024-05-19 . . en-US.
  21. Web site: Gonzalez Cerna . Antonio . 2010-02-18 . 21st Annual Lambda Literary Awards . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200105091101/http://www.lambdaliterary.org/winners-finalists/02/18/lambda-literary-awards-2008-2/ . 2020-01-05 . 25 September 2020 . . en.
  22. Web site: 1993-10-04 . Lombardo's Law by Ellen Wittlinger . 2024-06-01 . Publishers Weekly.
  23. Web site: 1995-11-01 . Noticing Paradise . subscription . 2024-06-01 . Booklist.
  24. Web site: 1999-05-31 . Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger . 2024-06-01 . Publishers Weekly.
  25. Web site: 2000-02-28 . What's in a Name by Ellen Wittlinger . 2024-06-01 . Publishers Weekly.
  26. Web site: 2002-04-01 . GRACIE'S GIRL by Ellen Wittlinger . 2024-06-01 . Publishers Weekly.
  27. Web site: 2003-03-24 . RAZZLE by Ellen Wittlinger . 2024-06-01 . . 2021-06-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210623054855/https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780689856006 . live .
  28. Web site: 15 January 2002 . The Long Night of Leo and Bree . 8 July 2015 . . 8 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150708213938/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ellen-wittlinger/the-long-night-of-leo-and-bree/ . live .
  29. Web site: 1 July 2003 . Zigzag . 8 July 2015 . . Kirkus Media LLC . 8 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150708203453/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ellen-wittlinger/zigzag-3/ . live .
  30. Web site: 15 June 2004 . Heart On My Sleeve . 8 July 2015 . . 8 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150708202645/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ellen-wittlinger/heart-on-my-sleeve/ . live .
  31. Web site: 2005-08-15 . Sandpiper by Ellen Wittlinger . 2024-06-01 . Publishers Weekly.
  32. Web site: 1 July 2006 . Blind Faith . 8 July 2015 . . 8 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150708205226/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ellen-wittlinger/blind-faith-2/ . live .
  33. Web site: 19 May 2010 . Parrotfish . 3 August 2015 . . 8 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150708213252/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ellen-wittlinger/parrotfish/ . live .
  34. Web site: 24 June 2010 . Love & Lies . 8 July 2015 . . Kirkus Media LLC . 8 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150708204050/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ellen-wittlinger/love-lies-2/ . live .
  35. Web site: 15 March 2010 . This Means War! . 8 July 2015 . . 8 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150708213146/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ellen-wittlinger/this-means-war/ . live .
  36. Web site: 2016-03-14 . Local Girl Swept Away by Ellen Wittlinger . 2024-06-01 . Publishers Weekly.
  37. Web site: 2017-07-31 . Saturdays with Hitchcock by Ellen Wittlinger . 2024-06-01 . Publishers Weekly.
  38. Web site: 2018-07-30 . Someone Else’s Shoes by Ellen Wittlinger . 2024-06-01 . Publishers Weekly.

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