David Baker is an author, playwright, marketing professional, blogger and freelance editor. He has ghost-written several books and authored dozens of published articles on such topics as business technology, the insurance industry, marketing and data security. He writes both YA and “grown-up” fiction and is actively querying several projects. He also edits the monthly journal of a national trade organization. Born in Arizona, raised in Hawaii, currently living in Utah, David is actively involved in theater and the arts. In his spare time, he runs marathons, volunteers with young people, cooks curries, paints shoes and builds things.

In a nutshell:

• Born in Arizona, grew up in Hawaii, currently living and writing in southern Utah.
• Novelist and published playwright, currently writing in the young adult category.
• Has earned an A.A. in theater, a B.A. in English and an M.A. in linguistics.
• Hobbies include running, writing, theater, and music.

The Early Years

David was born in Phoenix, Arizona, and spent his childhood in northwest Phoenix. During these formative years, David played French horn in the elementary school band, lugging the giant instrument around and rolling his eyes when uninformed classmates made fun of his “tuba.” He spent sixth grade in an class of gifted students hand-picked by the school district for accellerated studies. He worked a paper route, growing the “business” to the point where it had to be split in half. (His sister took the other half.)

Both of David’s parents were teachers, and both were avid readers. His mom would take them camping in the summertime to escape the Phoenix heat, and he and his siblings would explore the wilds of the Coconino and Tonto forests while she sat in a lawn chair and read murder mysteries. His dad never went anywhere without a paperback in his pocket. Though his mom and dad divorced when he was just four, they both provided an important example of lifelong readers.

On the North Shore

When he was 11, David’s family moved to the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Being a haole on the North Shore really taught him what it means to be different. It wasn’t paradise, at least not right away. Living just a block or so from the beach, he attended Kahuku High School, where he rubbed shoulders with students from all around the Pacific. At Kahuku he was the odd kid out. He finally found his niche as a band nerd, proudly marching with the “Pride of the North Shore” around the islands and in contests on the Mainland. After school and on weekends, he furthered his exposure to other cultures and peoples by playing in the brass band at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

During his senior year at Kahuku, David wrote “Inside Al,” a one-act play that won the Henry Fonda Young Playwright Award. “Inside Al” had its premiere at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The play was subsequently published by Samuel French and has been in near-continuous production for more than two decades, with hundreds of performances across the US and Canada.

At about the same time, David wrote his first novel, “Haole Boy,” which won an honorable mention in the Avon-Flare Young Novelist Contest.

Moving Around

After earning a B.A. in English and returning to the Mainland, David married Melanie Langley and earned a master’s degree in linguistics. Employment took the Bakers to Cache Valley, Utah, where their three children were born. David’s career took them from Utah to New Mexico, out to Indiana and eventually back to the state of his birth.

During this time, David’s main creative outlet was music, both instrumental (guitar and brass) and especially a cappella singing. He performed with various small and large a cappella groups for well over a decade, enjoying some success with his quartet Equinox in regional barbershop competition.

While living in Arizona, David returned to his first love: writing. After an almost 20-year hiatus, he rediscovered two loves: writing novels and running. It was also around this time that he got involved with theater again, playing Jacey Squires (the quartet tenor) in a production of “The Music Man.”

Back to Utah

The family’s return to Utah in 2012 marked a period of creative vigor. David began writing young adult fiction for his children, and started doing musicals with them, too. Their first big production together was “Annie,” in which David played Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks. He discovered NaNoWriMo and embraced that side of the creative process. He also used his talents in both construction and the visual arts to produce sets and props for productions in which he (or his children) were involved.

Current Interests

David now lives and works in southern Utah, an area known for clean air, beautiful mountain vistas, outdoor activities and unparalleled culture. There, he spends his time:

Writing, editing, querying: He continues to pursue his goal of becoming a traditionally published author. He blogs regularly and is also working on a stage musical. For the past five years or so, he has worked with a national trade organization, editing its newsletter and magazine. He is not a fan of the Oxford Comma, at least not for its own sake.

Running: David runs well over 2,000 miles per year, and tries to compete at least one race per month—generally an even split between full and half marathons. He spends hours every week running trails with his dog. At last year’s St. George Marathon he qualified for next year’s Boston Marathon with a time of 3:16:57.

Theater and arts: Living in the Mecca for theater in Utah makes it easy to stay involved, both onstage and behind the scenes. He has worked extensively with children’s theater productions and still treads the boards from time to time. His favorite thing lately is constructing impressive sets, props and costumes for local productions.

Reading: Writers read, and David is no exception, dividing his time between paper books, his Kindle, and the audiobooks he consumes during his daily runs. In the young adult space, he enjoys such authors as John Green, Jeff Zentner and Becky Albertalli. Some of his favorite writers of grown-up fiction include Harlan Coben, Lee Child, Brad Thor and Larry Correia. He reads lots of non-fiction as well, with wide-ranging tastes that include war history, technology and culture, and anything by Bill Bryson.

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