C.D. Payne
Encyclopedia
C. D. Payne is an American writer
of absurdist fiction
who is best known for his series of novels about fictional teenager Nick Twisp. They are called the "Youth in Revolt" series or "The Journals of Nick Twisp"
In the novels the protagonist, Nick, strives to balance out his budding sexual urges while remaining an intellectual teenager in a world of moronic adults.
Along with the "Youth" series he is the author of several other novels including Frisco Pigeon Mambo
and Civic Beauties
, a parody of politics in the United States, which follows the lives of two teenage twin girls whose father is campaigning to be Vice President. He has also published a play titled, Queen of America: A Royal Comedy in Three Acts. Frisco Pigeon Mambo was bought by Fox Animation, but was never made into a film. Youth in Revolt (film) was developed and distribution by Dimension Films
in January 2010.
Payne was born in Akron, Ohio in 1949 (July 5). He graduated from Harvard College
in 1971. He then moved to California, and has worked as a newspaper editor, cartoonist, typesetter, graphic artist, proofreader, photographer, advertising copywriter, trailer park handyman, and carpenter. He is married and lives in Sonoma County.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
of absurdist fiction
Absurdist fiction
Absurdist fiction is a genre of literature, most often employed in novels, plays or poems, that focuses on the experiences of characters in a situation where they cannot find any inherent purpose in life, most often represented by ultimately meaningless actions and events...
who is best known for his series of novels about fictional teenager Nick Twisp. They are called the "Youth in Revolt" series or "The Journals of Nick Twisp"
In the novels the protagonist, Nick, strives to balance out his budding sexual urges while remaining an intellectual teenager in a world of moronic adults.
Along with the "Youth" series he is the author of several other novels including Frisco Pigeon Mambo
Frisco Pigeon Mambo
Frisco Pigeon Mambo is a 2000 absurdist fiction novel by author C.D. Payne. The plot revolves around a group of pigeons who were raised in a scientific lab and forced to smoke cigarettes and drink sherry. Because they have only interacted with humans, and because one scientist in particular greets...
and Civic Beauties
Civic Beauties
Civic Beauties is a 1999 novel by American author C. D. Payne. It is a political and social satire, following the lives of two fifteen-year-old twin sisters, Carissa and Toni, whose father is a Republican Senator from Ohio running for Vice President. It is written as a 'musical,' with characters...
, a parody of politics in the United States, which follows the lives of two teenage twin girls whose father is campaigning to be Vice President. He has also published a play titled, Queen of America: A Royal Comedy in Three Acts. Frisco Pigeon Mambo was bought by Fox Animation, but was never made into a film. Youth in Revolt (film) was developed and distribution by Dimension Films
Dimension Films
Dimension Films is a motion picture unit currently a part of The Weinstein Company. It was formerly used as Bob Weinstein's label within Miramax Films, to produce and release genre films...
in January 2010.
Payne was born in Akron, Ohio in 1949 (July 5). He graduated from Harvard College
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1971. He then moved to California, and has worked as a newspaper editor, cartoonist, typesetter, graphic artist, proofreader, photographer, advertising copywriter, trailer park handyman, and carpenter. He is married and lives in Sonoma County.
Nick Twisp series
- Youth in Revolt: The Journals of Nick TwispYouth in RevoltYouth in Revolt: The Journals of Nick Twisp is a 1993 epistolary novel by C. D. Payne. The story is told in a picaresque fashion and makes heavy use of black humor and camp...
(contains books 1-3) (Aivia Press, 1993). Contains:
-
-
- Book 1: Youth in Revolt
- Book 2: Youth in Bondage
- Book 3: Youth in Exile
- NOTE: All subsequent reprints are also titled Youth in Revolt: The Journals of Nick TwispYouth in RevoltYouth in Revolt: The Journals of Nick Twisp is a 1993 epistolary novel by C. D. Payne. The story is told in a picaresque fashion and makes heavy use of black humor and camp...
(Doubleday, 1995: ISBN 0-385-47693-0) (Main Street Books, 1996: ISBN 0-385-48196-9) (published by Quartet in the UK), but they contain edited versions of books 1-3.- Cut to the Twisp: The Lost Parts of Youth in Revolt and Other Stories (Contains the content that was edited out of the Main Street Books and Doubleday editions of Youth in Revolt, and it also contains an additional dozen short humor pieces) (Aivia Press, 2001: ISBN 1-882-64703-3)
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- Revolting Youth: The Further Journals of Nick Twisp (AKA Book 4: Revolting Youth) (Aivia Press, 2000: ISBN 1-882-64715-7)
- Young and Revolting: The Continental Journals of Nick Twisp (AKA Book 5: Young and Revolting) (Infinity Publishing, 2006: ISBN 0-741-43417-2)
- Revoltingly Young: The Journals of Nick Twisp's Younger Brother (AKA Book 6: Revoltingly Young) (Infinity Publishing, 2006: ISBN 0-741-43416-4)
Other books
- Civic Beauties: A Musical Novel (Aivia Press, 1999: ISBN 1-882-64720-3)
- Frisco Pigeon MamboFrisco Pigeon MamboFrisco Pigeon Mambo is a 2000 absurdist fiction novel by author C.D. Payne. The plot revolves around a group of pigeons who were raised in a scientific lab and forced to smoke cigarettes and drink sherry. Because they have only interacted with humans, and because one scientist in particular greets...
(Aivia Press, 2000: ISBN 1-882-64724-6)
Plays
- Queen of America: A Royal Comedy in Three Acts (Aivia Press, 2001: ISBN 1-882-64710-6)
- The inaugural performance was by the City Lights Theater Company in San Jose, CA.
Television and film
- Episode #20a of Disney's RecessRecess (TV series)Recess is an American animated television series created by Paul Germain and Joe Ansolabehere and produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. The series focuses on six elementary school students and their interaction with other classmates and teachers...
; titled "Mama's Girl" (13th episode of the second season). Aired on December 5, 1998. Teleplay was based on a story that C. D. Payne wrote for the show. - Frisco Pigeon Mambo. The film rights to this novel are currently owned by the now defunct Fox Animation StudiosFox Animation StudiosFox Animation Studios is an American animation production company located in Phoenix, Arizona and is a division of 20th Century Fox. After the bankruptcy of Sullivan Bluth Studios in Ireland in 1994, animators Don Bluth and Gary Goldman returned to the United States and were hired by 20th Century...
. It is unknown what the status is or plans are with these rights. - Youth in Revolt was released January 8, 2010.