William P. Young
{{Short description|Canadian Christian author}}
{{Infobox writer
| image = Wm Paul Young, author of The Shack.jpg
| caption = Young in 2015
| birth_name = William Paul Young
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|5|11|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
| occupation = Novelist, author
| notableworks = The Shack
Cross Roads
Eve
| website = {{Official URL}}
| language = English
}}
William Paul Young (born May 11, 1955), referred to as Wm. Paul Young or simply Paul Young, is a Canadian author. He wrote the novels The Shack, Cross Roads, Eve, and the religious book Lies We Believe About God.
Early life
Young is the oldest of four, born May 11, 1955, in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, but the majority of his first decade was lived with his missionary parents in the highlands of Netherlands New Guinea (West Papua), among the Dani, a central highlands people of western New Guinea. These became his family and as the first white child and outsider who ever spoke their language, he was granted unusual access into their culture and community. When he was six he was sent to a boarding school.{{Cite web|title=Wm. Paul Young - About|url=http://wmpaulyoung.com/wm-paul-young-about/|access-date=2021-01-08|website=Wm. Paul Young|language=en-US}}
Career
Young originally wrote primarily as a way to create unique gifts for his friends, until his wife repeatedly urged him to write something for their six children in order to put down in one place his perspectives on God and on the inner healing Young had experienced as an adult. The resulting manuscript, which later became The Shack, was intended only for his six kids and for a handful of close friends.{{cite web|url=http://nourishthedream.com/2008/12/29/interview-william-paul-young-author-of-the-shack/|title=Interview: William "Paul" Young, Author of The Shack|date=29 December 2008|publisher=|accessdate=26 November 2017}}
Young initially printed just 15 copies of his book. Two of his close friends encouraged him to have it published, and assisted with some editing and rewriting in order to prepare the manuscript for publication. After rejection by 26 publishers, Young and his friends published the book under the name of their newly created publishing company, Windblown Media, in 2007. The company spent only C$200 in advertising;{{cite web|url=http://www.theshackbook.com/|title=The Shack - The Shack Book|website=www.theshackbook.com|accessdate=26 November 2017}} word-of-mouth referrals eventually drove the book to number one on the New York Times trade paperback fiction best-seller list in June 2008.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/books/24shack.html?em&ex=1214452800&en=40f16df7490a912f&ei=5070|title=Christian Novel Is Surprise Best Seller|last=Rich|first=Motoko|date=2008-06-24|work=The New York Times|accessdate=2008-06-24}}[https://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2008-04-30-shack_N.htm Aim at 'spiritually interested' sparks 'The Shack' sales] USA Today, 2008-04-30 "The Shack" was the top-selling fiction and audio book of 2008 in America through November 30.{{cite web|url=http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/tops-in-2008-best-selling-books-audio-books/|title=Insights - Latest Consumer Insights and Trends - Nielsen|website=blog.nielsen.com|accessdate=26 November 2017}}
Young's second book, Cross Roads, was published on November 13, 2012, by FaithWords.{{cite web|last=Murashko|first=Alex|title='The Shack' Author William Paul Young Says Second Book Better Story|date=15 November 2012 |url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/the-shack-author-william-paul-young-says-second-book-better-story-84986/|publisher=Christian Post|accessdate=24 November 2012}}
Young's Eve was released on September 15, 2015, by Howard Books.
Young's latest book, Lies We Believe About God, released March 7, 2017. Like The Shack, it has been the subject of theological criticism. One critic, Tim Challies, says Young is a universalist, teaching that everyone is saved.{{cite web|url=https://www.challies.com/book-reviews/what-does-the-shack-really-teach-read-lies-we-believe-about-god|title=What Does The Shack Really Teach? "Lies We Believe About God" Tells Us - Tim Challies|date=9 March 2017|publisher=|accessdate=26 November 2017}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Young, William P.}}
Category:21st-century American male writers
Category:21st-century American novelists
Category:21st-century evangelicals
Category:American Evangelical writers
Category:American male novelists
Category:Canadian emigrants to the United States
Category:Canadian Evangelical writers
Category:Canadian male novelists
Category:Novelists from Oregon
Category:People from Grande Prairie