Richard Hoyt
Novelist Richard Hoyt has a M.S. in journalism from the University of Oregon and a Ph.D in American studies from the University of Hawaii. He is a former reporter for the daily newspapers, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and Honolulu Advertiser, and he wrote for Newsweek magazine. He taught journalism for ten years at the University of Maryland and Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR.
He is the author of 26 highly-regarded mysteries, thrillers, and other novels. Those include nine John Denson mysteries, nine James Burlane international thrillers, and two novels that he wrote under the pseudonym of Nicholas van Pelt. The New York Times selected four of his novels for its year-end list of notable books. Siege won the American Mystery Award as the best espionage novel of 1987. He has had numerous editions published in Japan, The Netherlands, Germany, France, Finland, the UK, and British Commonwealth countries.
"Richard Hoyt is an expert writer." The New York Times
"Hoyt has a fresh, invigorating style that grabs the reader immediately." The New York Times
Curtis S. Gibson of Twentieth-Century Crime and Mystery Writers says Hoyt is an economical writer, guiding his reader through the narrative easily and unobtrusively. “Hoyt has a considerable gift for comic writing but indulges it only where appropriate, that is to say, in the dialogue, which is generally trenchant and frequently hilarious.”
Selected reviews:
Darwin's Secret: "You need prodigious energy, a wild streak, and a madcap sense of the zany to write a comic adventure story that transcends such funeral publicizing words as prodigious, wild, madcap, and zany." Richard Eder, editor of The Los Angeles Times Book Review.
Marimba: "Hoyt knows the politicial intricacies of the drug trade and its roots in Central America. He knows Miami down to the warm night breezes. He also knows how to construct a thriller. Marimba is a wild ride into Carl Hiassen territory, dark and nasty, with a dose of casual evil added to the mix. Expert storytelling." George Pelecanos, Washington Post Book World.
Trotsky's Run: "Trotsky's Run is a stunner--superbly written, brilliantly plotted... A potent package. Put this book at the top of your list." The New York Times Book Review.
Cool Runnings (Unrelated to the movie of the same title) "This is a book that defies any category, but it is brilliant, sensitive, and altogether unusual. Does for espionage and terrorism what Joseph Heller's Catch 22 did for war." The New York Times Book Review
Japanese Game "Cultural shock measuring 9.5 on the Richter scale... A searing, fast-moving, sophisticated book, full of action and social comment. Very well written and will hold your attention from the Start." The New York Times Book Review.
The Weatherman's Daughters. "A terrific fish story. We're sticking with Denson for his curious mind, which leaps from Plato to Hegel to Rodney Dangerfield to arrive at the theory that crime is the outcome of a failure to respect the huma need for acknowledgement." Marilyn Stasio, mystery critic for the New York Times Book Review.
Richard grew up on a farm and is interested in existentialist philosophy in addition to his passion for writing fiction.
Latest Articles
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The Challenge of Writing a Novel
One thing that aspiring authors need to understand is that writing a novel is a solitary undertaking. Not all opinions are worthwhile. You can do it! Yes, you can!
Jan 26, 2010
- Richard Hoyt
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How Authors Create
How authors create fictional worlds is largely a mystery. Each writer does it differently. But there are some general tips that might be of help.
Jan 26, 2010
- Richard Hoyt
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The Author as Seducer
The art of storytelling has all the elements of sexual seduction. You tease. You build tension. She wants more. You take her to a climax.
Jan 23, 2010
- Richard Hoyt
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Writing a Novel as a Voyage of Discovery
You sit down at your computer. You want to write a novel. Where do you start? Do you outline it? What? A good way for some writers is to let it be a voyage of discovery.
Jan 22, 2010
- Richard Hoyt
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Writing Novels That Readers Want
Writers who want to become published authors need to understand what editors and readers are looking for and why.
Jan 22, 2010
- Richard Hoyt
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How to Pace Your Novel
When your story slows down, becoming contemplative, write longer paragraphs. When it speeds up, write short, quick, action-packed paragraphs.
Jan 22, 2010
- Richard Hoyt
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How to Write Beginnings and Endings
Experienced authors know that a lousy chapter beginning likely means that a book might be put down, and a bad ending means it likely won't be picked up again.
Jan 22, 2010
- Richard Hoyt
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Point of View in Writing Novels
There are advantages and disadvantages to writing a novel in the first person and in the third person. Think carefully before you choose.
Jan 21, 2010
- Richard Hoyt
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The Most Important Novel Writing Tip
Both agents and editors want books that sell. Never mind that your novel might tell a wonderful story; editors won't keep reading after an unpromising beginning.
Jan 21, 2010
- Richard Hoyt
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Telling Stories in Writing Novels
The single one thing that agents and editors look for when they assess a manuscript is whether or not the author knows how to tell a story.
Jan 21, 2010
- Richard Hoyt
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