Love of literature sparked author's desire to be writer

Along about junior high, Dean Hughes began to think he'd like to be a writer. When he was in high school, he wrote his first novel (it never got published).

Hughes attributes that desire for writing to a love of reading. "When you love to read, you tend to think you'd like to write your own books.

"I was always a mediocre athlete. But I got a lot of encouragement from teachers. I began to believe it was something I could do."

Even so, it took awhile before he could call himself a writer.

Hughes graduated from Weber State College and then continued there to get a master's degree in creative writing and then a doctorate in literature from the University of Washington. Later, he got a job teaching at Central Mississippi State College. "Then I got a children's book published. And I decided to take a year off and see what I could do."

One year stretched into 17. "I did go back to teaching; I taught for five years at BYU. But now I'm back to full-time writing."

During that time, there have been more than 90 books, both for the national market and for the LDS market. Most of his national books are historical novels for children or young adults. But in 1979, Deseret Book published "Under the Same Stars." "Mormon literature was just beginning to raise its head. I think mine was the first novel Deseret Book published."

Since then, there have been, among other things, his popular "Children of the Promise" series, set during World War II, and his equally well-received "Hearts of the Children" series, which takes place in the 1960s and later.

Hughes' most recent book, however, "was a departure from anything I've ever done. It was a lot of fun." "Midway to Heaven" is a contemporary tale of humor and romance.

And if that sounds like something of a contradiction, maybe it's because he says his life is "a collection of contradictions."

Hughes grew up in Ogden in a home that was poor in material goods but rich in spirit. His father could barely read, but his mother instilled in him a love of books. He has a doctorate in literature but he spends a lot of time writing for children. He writes fiction, but he sees himself as "a practical man" not given to flights of fancy.

But he says that's what makes his life so interesting. And probably what makes his books so popular.