Carl Deuker is an award-winning author of young adult novels. His first novel, On the Devil's Court, was published in 1989. Deuker's books are aimed at middle-school to high school audiences. Typically, Deuker uses a sports context to explore more important issues. For example, Heart of a Champion deals with teenage alcohol abuse, Painting the Black takes on sexual assault and peer pressure, Night Hoops deals with violence, neglect, and domestic violence.High Heat takes on the theme of family death and the consequences of crime in the family. It also deals with the problems of revenge. Runner involves a young man who unwittingly becomes involved in a terrorist plot. Born in San Francisco, Deuker now lives in Seattle which serves as the setting for most of his work. Titles include:
- On the Devil's Court, Young Adult Book of the Year in South Carolina
- Heart of a Champion, Young Adult Book of the Year in Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee
- Painting the Black, "Blue Ribbon Book" BCCB
- Night Hoops, Young Adult Book of the Year in Nebraska
- High Heat Golden Sower Award, 2006, Nebraska.
- Runner Nominated for YA Book of the Year in Texas, Rhode Island and others
Deuker's most recent novel, to be published in 2007, is Gym Candy. The story is based on newspaper reports connecting steroid use among high school players with 'roid rage and suicide. In the novel, Deuker follows the high school football career of Mick Johnson, a running back just one small step below elite status. Johnson is drawn to steroids as a means of taking that final step, with nearly disastrous results.
