Erickson, John R.

John R. Erickson is a fifth generation Texan, raised in the small Panhandle town of Perryton. He has a degree from the University of Texas, studied two years at Harvard Divinity School, and left Harvard three hours short of a masterâs degree in theology. After marrying Kristine Dykema in 1967, he spent 15 years writing in the early morning hours and working at odd jobs, including eight years as a ranch cowboy. After receiving hundreds of rejection slips from New York publishers, he started his own publishing company in his garage and self-published the first ten Hank the Cowdog stories. Hank the Cowdog is now a national character and his books and tapes have sold in the millions. Hank appeared in a thirty minute animated episode on "CBS Storybreak" and the stories on tape were named the best childrenâs audio books of 1993 by the American Audiobook Sellers Association