Homer Hickam

Homer H. Hickam Jr. is a bestselling author, decorated Vietnam veteran, former NASA engineer, and acclaimed memoirist best known for his book “Rocket Boys,” which was adapted into the popular film “October Sky.” Born in 1943 and raised in the coal town of Coalwood, West Virginia, Hickam graduated from Big Creek High School and earned a degree in Industrial Engineering from Virginia Tech. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, earning the Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal before leaving active duty as a captain.

Hickam began his writing career in 1969 with articles about scuba diving and naval history, later publishing his first book, “Torpedo Junction,” in 1989. His breakthrough came in 1998 with the memoir “Rocket Boys,” followed by several other Coalwood memoirs, including “The Coalwood Way,” “Sky of Stone,” and “We Are Not Afraid.”

In addition to his memoirs, Hickam has written multiple fiction works. His first novel, “Back to the Moon,” was released in 1999, followed by the Josh Thurlow series—beginning with “The Keeper’s Son”—and the Helium-3 young adult trilogy, which includes “Crater.” His other notable novels include “Red Helmet,” “The Dinosaur Hunter,” and “Carrying Albert Home.”

Before becoming a full-time writer, Hickam worked as an aerospace engineer for the U.S. Army and later for NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. There, he trained astronauts for several Space Shuttle missions, including those involving the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station. He retired from NASA in 1998 as Payload Training Manager for the ISS Program.

Hickam has received numerous honors for his writing and public service, including Alabama’s Distinguished Service Award, the Appalachian Heritage Writer’s Award, and an honorary Doctorate of Literature from Marshall University. He lives with his wife, Linda, between homes in Alabama and the Virgin Islands.