Dean Koontz is an American author known for his thriller and horror novels. He had a difficult childhood, being abused by his alcoholic and schizophrenic father. He found an escape in writing from a young age. Koontz went to college and majored in English, then worked various jobs and taught high school while pursuing writing. His career took off after the success of his novels Chase and Whispers. He has published over 150 books, many of which have been bestsellers. Koontz explores various genres and has used pseudonyms. He remains a prolific author today, known for blending elements of thriller, mystery, and horror in his stories.

1. By Nicholas Shewprasad

2. Early Life
Koontz was born July 9, 1945 in
Everett, Pennsylvania to Ray and
Florence Koontz.
 Koontz was abused by his alcoholic
father, Ray, and grew up in poverty.


Ray Koontz had 44 jobs in 34 years
Later on, his father was diagnosed
as schizophrenic and attempted to
kill adult Dean twice.
 Dean’s mother was a strong woman,
who protected Dean from his father
as much as she could.


3. Growing Up

Although poor, Koontz was
able to enjoy simple
childhood pleasures.
He enjoyed Donald Duck
comics

Koontz felt that stories
helped him cope with his
troubles and began writing
stories at 8-years-old and
sold them for 5 cents.

4. College Years




After graduating high school,
Koontz attended Shippensburg
State College
Majored In English with a Minor
in Communications.
Won the Atlantic Monthly
Creative Writing Award for a
story he wrote for a class
After graduating, Koontz
married Gerda Ann Cerra.

5. Post-College
After graduating Koontz
went to work for the
Appalachian Poverty
Program
 Working there made
Koontz develop a high
distrust for the
government and politics
 This distrust in the
government is evident
throughout many of his
works, such as “Dark
Rivers of the Heart.”


6. Post-College

Koontz then taught high school
for two years while pursuing a
part-time career as a writer
Sold three novels and short
stories

Seeing his potential, Gerda
offered to support them for 5
years so Dean could pursue his
career full-time
Gerda was able to quit her job and
manage Dean’s successful writing

7. Writing Career

In 1968, Koontz created Star Quest, his
first novel.
This was a science fiction novel

Koontz wanted to explore all genres and
created numerous pseudonyms

8. Writing Career Pseudonyms
Gothic Romance
Horror
Deanna Dwyer
Owen West
Suspense
K.R. Dwyer
These pseudonyms irritated critics since it made it difficult for them to track
Koontz’s work

9. The True Beginnings




Career launched after Chase
Chase told the story of a
Vietnam veteran (Ben Chase)
returning to civilian life
Ben becomes an alcoholic to
escape his pain and believes
a psychopath is out to kill him.
“When society is sick, the
mad are sane - and
persecution is a killer's
game...” (Back cover of
Chase)

10. Continued Success


After Chase, Koontz’s
next success was
Whispers, created 8
years later.
Whispers is a tale of
horror where Hilary
Thomas becomes the
target of her psychopathic
neighbor.

11. Mr. Murder



One of Koontz’s
famous
horror/mystery stories
is Mr. Murder
Story is told from two
different perspectives
Story revolves around
the uncertainty of the
mind and how it plays
tricks on us.

12. Frankenstein Novel & Comics
Koontz’s version of Shelley’s
classic
 Frankenstein (Helios) tries to
create alternate life

 These life forms are electronic
based like computers
The Monster (Deucalion) tries
to stop the creation of Helio’s
artificial life
 Readers who read
Frankenstein are likely to see
the similarities within the series.
 TV series was in development
by TNT, but was cancelled


13. Odd Thomas Novels



Horror/Thriller, New York Times Best Seller
Odd Thomas is a cook, but has the talent to
speak to the lingering dead and becomes a
friend of Elvis
Odd converses with the spirits and helps solve
disaster before it happens, but also discovers
that his talent is a menace to both the living and
the dead

14. Influence
Koontz has gotten a lot of influence
from the people around him.
 His mother was the basis for the
maternal character within Dragon
Tears
 Janet Davis, the mother, protects
her son from the horrors of abuse
and poverty, scavenging for food
 Koontz’s mother is the basis for
many of his female characters,
where the female character always
finds the strength to overcome the
impossible.


15. Influence
Dean’s father became
characters within Koontz’s
books
 Ray Koontz is the basis for all
weak characters, especially
antagonistic males
 The mention of
alcoholism/abuse is always a
direct referral to his father
 After his father attempted to kill
him at a nursing home, Dean
became well versed in police
procedure and incorporated
this knowledge into his books.


16. Trixie
Koontz was greatly
influenced Trixie,
who Koontz
believed to have
been an angel sent
from God.
 Koontz believes
Trixie made him see
the beauty in the
world around him.
 Koontz wrote a
memoir and
children’s book
about her.


17. Writing Process




Koontz writes on
an 18-year-old
computer with no
email/internet
Process has
evolved over the
years
Involves spiritual
power
Dean refers to
himself as a
suspense
novelist

18. As an Author



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
Dean Koontz books cover a
number of genres.
By using pseudonyms, Koontz
was able to collect knowledge
about each and use them in his
stories
14 novels were #1 in New York
Times hardcover best seller list
16 books were #1 in paperback
Best seller in Sweden and Japan

20. The Beginning


The door disappears to all characters
except Jess, the main character
The story does not seem to be horror in
the beginning as Jess and his wife go
house shopping
There is really no conflict present at the
beginning except for the conflicting opinions
of the home

21. The Door Appears
The Door becomes the horror aspect of the story

22. The Door Appears, Again


Jess is fearful of what he will find in the
cellar.
Koontz creates a sinister tone by omitting
all aspects of light

23. The Darkness

Notice Koontz shows that the darkness
is almost absorbing the light.
Creates a spooky setting where many
unknowns hide within the darkness.

24. The Darkness

Notice the use of the word corruption
Corruption is moral perversion; depravity
This almost foreshadows what’s to come
later in the story.

25. The Darkness

Jess has not reached the ground floor
yet.
The darkness seems to envelope more of
the light

Instead of the light cutting the darkness,
the darkness is eating the light

26. The Bottom


Strong diction is used to convey to
readers the abysmal setting.
How does this passage relate to
corruption?
The corruption is the solitary confinement of
the soldiers/the way they were treated

27. Mr. Phu


Jess finally puts the pieces together and
realizes that Mr. Phu was once his
abuser in Vietnam
Does any diction foreshadow what is
going to happen in the future?
Yes, Jess turns the tables by putting Phu
through a living hell.

28. Tables Turned

How would you interpret the basement?
I interpreted the basement as a door to hell
It can also be interpreted as a place where
people repent for their sins
Jess says he will “assist fate” assuming he
has come to bring justice on the sinners

29. The Horrors appear

How would you interpret Phu’s death?
Was it justified for Jess to allow Phu to
be killed by the horrors within the dark?
Phu was killed by his own personal demons
Jess was merely the messenger, who could
have possibly summoned the past to kill
Phu.

30. The End

How would you
interpret the
ending?
Possibly Jess was
consumed by the
darkness and
continued to kill off
those who bothered
him

31. Is this horror?


Yes, may aspects of horror are present
Can you name any aspects of horror
that are present?
Psychological horror – Jess’s frame of
thought
Monsters – Jess’s dead buddies as skeletal
creatures