Torey L. Hayden - 1951
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I. Birth and Childhood
Torey Lynn Hayden was born on May 5, 1951, in Livingston, Montana. She was born to Joyce Jansen whom she visits often and a father with whom she has no contact. Hayden, a very active and curious child, enjoyed being different. She was an average student in school, but her mind often wandered to her fantasy life. Not until her early twenties did Hayden take a real interest in reading.
II. Education
Hayden graduated from high school at Billings Senior High in Billings, Montana. In 1972, she earned her Bachelors Degree in biology and chemistry at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. In 1973, she attended Eastern Montana College and obtained her Master's Degree in special education. Hayden also studied at the University of Minnesota from 1975 to 1979 where she worked on her Ph.D. in educational psychology and special education. Her Ph.D. studies are currently incomplete.
III. Professional Life
Hayden first began writing at age seven. Writing intrigues her because it captures so many emotions. It is like a photograph of the character's feelings. Her professional writing career began in 1980 after the publishing of her first book.
Writing is not Hayden's only career, however. She developed an interest in special education while working as an aide with emotionally disturbed children. She then went on to become a special education teacher for the emotionally disturbed and learning disabled. Hayden also taught as a master teacher in a psychiatric unit. Hayden left teaching after the birth of her daughter, but she did continue to work as a university lecturer and graduate lecturer. In a university psychiatric unit, she worked as a research coordinator. Hayden was also employed as a child psychologist and child abuse consultant.
Hayden has used the many experiences she has encountered while working with emotionally disturbed and learning disabled children to create outstanding literary works. She has also written fictional novels, but the majority of her writing focuses on true-stories.
IV. Marriage and Child
Hayden married Ken in 1982. Sheena, her only daughter, was born in 1985. She is currently living in North Wales, United Kingdom, with her husband and daughter.
Over the years, Hayden has lived in various places throughout the United States and the world. The first eighteen years of Hayden's life were spent in Livingston and Billings, Montana. She also lived in Billings, Montana, while attending Eastern Montana University in 1973.
V. Hobbies and Interests
Some of Hayden's pastimes include ancient history, archaeology, farming, classical theater, cosmology, physics, and listening to opera and classical music. She spends much of her time at her computer, usually on the Internet. She is also a fan of Star Trek. Hayden's favorite actors are Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, and Pierce Brosnan. As for her favorite actress, it would probably be Julia Roberts. Hayden's hero is Albert Einstein.
Thomas Mann, Russel Hoban, Toni Morrison, and Gabriel Garcia Manquez are all among Hayden's best liked fiction authors. As for non-fiction, Loren Eiseley comes in at the top. Hayden especially likes the quotation, "The time to be happy is now. The place to be happy is here. The way to be happy is to make others so," said by a Shaker proverb. Her biggest fear in life is death.
Hayden travels frequently because of her writing career. She is fluent in German, Welsh, and French, and she is currently learning Italian and Japanese.
VI. Literary Works
One Child, 1980 (non-fiction)
Somebody Else's Kids, 1981 (non-fiction)
Murphy's Boy, 1983 (non-fiction)
The Sunflower Forest, 1984 (fictional novel)
Just Another Kid, 1988 (non-fiction)
Ghost Girl, 1991 (non-fiction)
Tiger's Child, 1995 (non-fiction)
The Mechanical Cat, 1999 (non-fiction)
VII. Works in Progress
Beautiful Child (non-fiction)
David's Story (children's novel)
Hayden hopes to publish Beautiful Child and David's Story in 2002. The Mechanical Cat is not available in the United States due to Hayden's publisher. Her publisher felt that the readers in the United States would not respond well to this book.
VIII. Hayden on the Web
http://www.torey-hayden.comThis essay was submitted by a student of Steve Gardiner, a teacher at Billings Senior High School in Billings, Montana.