David Allan Cates

David Allan Cates (born 1956), in Madison, Wisconsin,[1] is an American novelist and poet, and the executive director of Missoula Medical Aid.[2][3] His work has appeared in a number of publications which include The Sun, Outside Magazine, The Montanan, and The New York Times Sophisticated Traveler.[4]

David Allan Cates
Born1956 (age 64–65)
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
EducationMasters degree, University of Montana
OccupationAuthor; Executive director of Missoula Medical Aid
Spouse(s)Rosalie Cates
ChildrenThree children
AwardsMultiple awards for his novels

Cates has worked in a wide variety of jobs, however his focus is on writing, and he has received multiple awards in recognition of his work as an author. His latest work was published in 2016, The Mysterious Location of Kyrgyzstan, a chapbook of poetry.[5]

He has a journalism degree and a Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Montana.[2] He is married to wife, Rosalie, and they have 3 daughters.[1]

Biography

Background and education

Cates was born in Madison Wisconsin.[2] His father, the late Richard Lyman Cates, was one of the lawyers on the House Judiciary Committee involved in the impeachment of President Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal.[6] His mother, the late Margaret "Marnie" (Lessig) Cates, worked at Oscar Mayer, while his father finished law school. His uncle is the lawyer and activist Lawrence Lessig.[7][8]

Cates has degrees in journalism and fine arts, receiving his master's from the University of Montana, in Missoula.[2] He played basketball during high school, and at the local YMCA, and made junior varsity,[1] during his sophomore year at the university, but left the team during a period when he was struggling with what educational path he wanted to take.[9]

He had written a paper in a Native American studies class that he was enrolled in, and found he enjoyed writing, deciding to take some journalism courses; he was 19 years old.[1] His grades were poor, and he found himself feeling "inept," and, at the age of twenty, he decided to travel to Alaska,[1] and to Africa with a friend. During his time traveling, he immersed himself in reading and as he described in an interview, in 2019, he "had a transformative experience in Africa."[9]

Eventually, he returned to the university, where he got his degree, and married Rosalie. After receiving his degree, Cates and his wife moved to Costa Rica, where he wrote and played basketball again, in a professional league that he warned shouldn't "be confused with the NBA."[1] It was there, where he began working on his novel, Hunger in America, but his book had been turned down by 30 publishers. His wife encouraged him to return to Missoula, and enroll in a graduate program in creative writing at the university. He finally published his book in 1992.[1]

Career

Cates began working with Missoula Medical Aid in 1998, eventually becoming the executive director. The organizations' focus is on leading groups of medical professionals to provide health and surgery services in Honduras.[10][11]

Cates has lectured at the University of Guanajuato, taught writing in a Mexican city prison, and classes on the short story in public high schools, including as a part-time faculty member of Pacific Lutheran University's MFA program.[11][12][13]

He has worked as a professional basketball player in Costa Rica,[11] a fishing guide on the Smith River and raised cattle on his family's farm in Wisconsin, and as a high school writing teacher.[13]

Cates returned to the position as the executive director of Missoula Medical Aid in 2020. After stepping down from the position in 2017.[11] However, according to a interview, in 2013, writing is his main focus. At the time of the interview, he was writing poetry.[1] In 2016, he published The Mysterious Location of Kyrgyzstan, chapbook of poetry.[5]

Bibliography

A selection of Cates' books and other works is listed below.

  • The Mysterious Location of Kyrgyzstan, (a chapbook of poetry) Satellite Press, 2016.[5]
  • Tom Connor's Gift: mad grief, mad love, and a crooked road home, Bangtail Press, 2014.[14]
  • Ben Armstrong's Strange Trip Home: a novel, Novelas Americanas, 2012.[15]
  • Freeman Walker, Unbridled Books, 2008.[16]
  • X Out of Wonderland: a saga, Zoland Books, 2006.[17]
  • Hunger in America, Simon & Schuster, 1992.[18]

Awards and recognition

Cates' work as an author, has been recognized with several awards, as listed below.

  • 1992 Hunger in America was named as a The New York Times Notable Book[19]
  • 2005 Montana Book Award Honor Books for the novel, X Out Of Wonderland[20]
  • 2008 Montana Book Award Honor Books for the novel, Freeman Walker[21]
  • 2010 Winner in the Montana Arts Council's Artist Innovation Award in prose[22]
  • 2010 Rubber Boy, selected as a notable story in the Best American Short Stories Awards[22]
  • 2013 Gold Medal Independent Publisher Book Awards, Best Regional Fiction (west-mountain) for Ben Armstrong's Strange Trip Home[23]
  • 2015 Gold Medal Independent Publisher Book Awards, Best Regional Fiction (west-mountain) for Tom Connor's Gift[24]

References
  1. [email protected] | 608-252-6446, DOUG MOE | Wisconsin State Journal |. "Doug Moe: No straight path to greatness for Madison-born novelist". madison.com. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  2. "David Allan Cates". University of Montana School of Journalism. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  3. "Who we are". Missoula Medical Aid. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  4. "About David Allan Cates, author of 'Hunger in America', 'X Out Of Wonderland' and 'Ben Armstrong's Strange Trip Home'". Smash Words. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  5. Cates, David Allan (2016). The mysterious location of Kyrgyzstan. ISBN 978-1-5309-1004-5. OCLC 957238927.
  6. "Cates played key role in Watergate impeachment". www.jsonline.com. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  7. Services, Cress Funeral and Cremation. "Obituary for Richard Lyman Cates, Sr. | Cress Funeral and Cremation Services". Obituary for Richard Lyman Cates, Sr. | Cress Funeral and Cremation Services. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  8. Services, Cress Funeral and Cremation. "Obituary for Margaret Cates | Cress Funeral and Cremation Services". Obituary for Margaret Cates | Cress Funeral and Cremation Services. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  9. "CUTBANK INTERVIEWS: David Allan Cates". CutBank Literary Magazine. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  10. "Missoula Medical Aid". Missoula Medical Aid. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  11. "Connect Montana: David Cates, ED of Missoula Medical Aid – Montana World Affairs". Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  12. "About David Allan Cates". David Allan Cates. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  13. "David Allan Cates | MFA in Creative Writing - Low Residency". Pacific Lutheran University. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  14. Cates, David Allan (2014). Tom Connor's gift: (mad grief, mad love, and a crooked road home). ISBN 978-0-9623789-5-9. OCLC 893874975.
  15. Cates, David Allan (2012). Ben Armstrong's strange trip home. Buenos Aires; Lolo, MT: Novelas Americanas. ISBN 978-1-4700-7761-7. OCLC 809686420.
  16. Cates, David Allan (2008). Freeman Walker. Denver, Colo.: Unbridled Books. ISBN 978-1-932961-55-3. OCLC 225852441.
  17. Cates, David Allan (2005). X out of Wonderland: a saga. Hanover, N.H: Zoland Books. ISBN 978-1-58642-095-6. OCLC 637349423.
  18. Cates, David Allan (1992). Hunger in America. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-671-73817-4. OCLC 24912708.
  19. "Notable Books of the Year 1992 (Published 1992)". The New York Times. 1992-12-06. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  20. Missoulian, CORY WALSH of the. "David Allan Cates to read, sign 'Strange Trip Home'". missoulian.com. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  21. "Award Winners Archive". Montana Book Award. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  22. "David Cates". Missoula Writing Collaborative. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  23. "2013 Independent Publisher Book Awards Results". Independent Publisher - feature. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  24. Publishing, Recognizing Excellence in Independent. "2015 Independent Publisher Book Awards Regional & Ebook Results". Independent Publisher - feature. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
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