Real Name/Full Name | Dean Ray Koontz |
Nick Name/Celebrated Name: | Dean Koontz |
Birth Place: | Everett, Pennsylvania, US |
Date Of Birth/Birthday: | 9 July 1945 |
Age/How Old: | 79 years old |
Height/How Tall: | In Centimetres – 162 cm In Feet and Inches – 5′ 3″ |
Weight: | In Kilograms – 75 Kg In Pounds – 165 lbs |
Eye Color: | Brown |
Hair Color: | Dark Brown |
Parents Name: | Father – Raymond Koontz Mother – Florence |
Siblings: | N/A |
School: | N/A |
College: | Shippensburg State College |
Religion: | Roman Catholic |
Nationality: | American |
Zodiac Sign: | Cancer |
Gender: | Male |
Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
Marital Status: | Married |
Girlfriend: | N/A |
Wife/Spouse Name: | Gerda Ann Cerra (m. 1966) |
Kids/Children Name: | N/A |
Profession: | Author |
Net Worth: | $220 million |
Last Updated: | November 2024 |
Dean Ray Koontz is a world-renowned author of American nationality. Usually, he writes suspense thrillers but also includes fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery and satire. His books have been huge successes, and a number of them have topped The New York Times Bestsellers list. He is credited with publishing over 105 novels and other collections of short stories and novellas. He used various pen names like “Aaron Wolfe”, K.R. Dwyer” and “Owen West”. Over 450 million copies of his books have been sold.
Well, how well do you know about Dean Koontz? If not much, we have compiled all you need to know about Dean Koontz’s net worth in 2024, his age, height, weight, wife, kids, biography and complete details about his life. Well, if you’re all set, here is what we know about Dean Koontz to date.
Biography and Early Life
Dean Ray Koontz was born on 9 July 1945 in Everett, Pennsylvania, US. He was the son of Raymond Koontz and Florence. His father was an alcoholic and abused him quite often. This traumatic childhood and the courage his mother showed against his father affected his writing in his later years. While in college, he converted to Catholicism.
He taught English at Mechanicsburg High School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, after graduating in 1967. He was also a part of the Appalachian Poverty Program, an initiative to help poor children. Later he criticized this program, saying that it didn’t actually help anyone, and the funding frequently disappeared.
Age, Height, Weight & Body Measurement
So, how old is Dean Koontz in 2024 and what is his height and weight? Well, Dean Koontz’s age is 79 years old as of today’s date 19th November 2024 having been born on 9 July 1945. Though, he is 5′ 3″ in feet and inches and 162 cm in Centimetres tall, he weighs about 165 lbs in Pound and 75 kg in Kilograms.
Education
We do not know the reason why Mr Koontz hid information over his school days. But we can assume he did go to school; otherwise, he would not have gotten college admission.
Dean Koontz is an alumnus of Shippensburg State College. In his senior year in college, he won a fiction writing competition that was sponsored by the magazine Atlantic Monthly. He graduated in 1967.
Personal Life: Dating, Girlfriends, Wife, Kids
Dean Koontz married his wife Gerda Ann Cerra in 1966. They don’t have any children. One of the reasons for this is that they were afraid Dean’s father’s abusive nature might manifest itself in their child.
But Dean loves dogs and has been a parent to several. His dog Trixie was a gift from the CCI. He has written books credited to Trixie and has also published a memoir chronicling his life with Trixie. Unfortunately, Trixie passed away in 2007 due to terminal cancer. He adopted another dog and named her Anna. After her passing in 2016, he brought home another dog, Elsa.
Dean had a hair transplant surgery in the late 1990s. He lives in Newport Coast, California, with his wife.
Is Dean Koontz Gay?
We have not found any conclusive reports stating that Dean Koontz might be gay. He has interacted with many men throughout his personal and professional life but has not been reported to show any interest in homosexual relationships. In addition, he has been married to his wife for almost 55 years.
Professional Career
Dean Koontz’s writing career kick-started in 1968 when his first novel “Star Quest” was published. It was a science fiction novel, and he wrote several books in that genre.
He ventured into suspense and horror fiction genres in the 1970s and also began using pseudonyms. He warned editors that he would be affected by ‘negative crossover’ if an author changed genres frequently. Hence, the use of several pseudonyms. In today’s time, most of his novels are available under his original name. His “Mike Tucker” trilogy is a tribute to Richard Stark and his Parker novels.
In the year 1980, he published the book “Whispers”, which was his first breakthrough novel published under his own name. “Demon Seeds” was his first bestseller book and was also made into a movie in 1977, which contributed to its popularity. The book which provided him with some financial stability after years of meagre living was “Strangers” which was also his first hardcover bestseller. He has had 12 hardcovers and 14 paperbacks in The New York Times Bestsellers list. In 1997, a biography on Koontz was published by psychologist Katherine Ramsland. It was based on interviews with Dean and his family.
When Covid-19 turned into a worldwide pandemic, one of Dean’s novels, “The Eyes of Darkness”, published in 1981, gained popularity as many claimed that he had predicted the onslaught of the virus in this book.
Awards
Dean Koontz is a noteworthy author and has won many awards for his writing. Many of his books have graced the number 1 position of The New York Times Bestsellers list. He was awarded the World Horror Convention Grand Master Award in 1966. In addition, he was honored with the Ross Macdonald Literary Award in 2003. He has also won the Goodreads Choice Awards Best Horror in the year 2015 for his book “Saint Odd”.
Net Worth, Salary & Earnings of Dean Koontz in 2024
As of 2024, The current net worth of Dean Koontz is around $220 million. He has earned most of his fortune through his writing career. Many of his novels are bestsellers, and his books have sold over 105 million copies. In the year 2008, he was reported to earn more than $25 million annually and was the world’s 6th most highly paid author.
His books have also been made into movies like: “Black River”, “Mr Murder”, “Servants of Twilight”, “The Face of Fear” and “The Passengers”.
Some Interesting Facts You Need To Know
Dean Koontz has had a colorful writing career, dabbling his hand in many different genres. He used his gift of imagination to take people to different worlds. He is truly talented and has always dedicated himself to his craft. His books are a source of entertainment and inspiration to many.