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Donald Davenport

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Donald Davenport

Born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in Southern California, Donald Davenport has built an acclaimed reputation for himself not only as an author, but also as a screenwriter and a filmmaker.

His first book, Christmas in Canaan (HarperCollins 2002), co-authored with country music legend Kenny Rogers, became a Hallmark movie in 2009 starring Billy Ray Cyrus and lofted the network to its highest historical weekly rating at the time. It was followed by a well-received sequel, Christmas Comes Home to Canaan, in 2011. Other Hallmark projects written by Davenport include Expecting A Miracle, starring Jason Priestly, Teri Polo and Cheech Marin, and Love Finds A Home, the final installment of Janette Oke’s hugely successful “Love Comes Softly” series, starring Oscar-winning actress, Patty Duke.

Other films include Christmas at Cadillac Jacks, starring Oscar-nominated actress, Talia Shire, along with Joseph Campanella and Ruta Lee, while his independent feature film, Hell and Mr. Fudge, was awarded platinum at the 2012 Houston/WorldFest Film Festival.

A Picture of Her, his most recent Hallmark movie, is currently in production for release early in 2023

Davenport has also produced, written and directed numerous commercials and industrial films and show elements for such clients as Hughes Aircraft and the Cousteau Society as well as multi-camera live-to-tape specials, including The New Noel for the ABC television network. He also traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia as a documentary filmmaker for an international relief agency, producing films in such locations as Hong Kong, the Walled City of Kowloon, Thailand, Borneo and Singapore.

His newest book, Calliope’s Spell (Next Chapter 2022) is a YA coming-of-age novel set in Baja California and draws heavily on his personal experiences working with The Cousteau Society. It is not only a tender love story but carries with it a subtle but important message about protecting those people and things that we love.

Davenport is a private pilot and an accomplished yachtsman and currently lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

IN THE AUTHOR’S WORDS

Author interview

Interview submitted .

What inspired you to start writing?

I began reading at a fairly early age, but it wasn't until high school that I was introduced to the works of Ernest Hemingway, especially The Old Man and the Sea. The sparse, rugged beauty of his prose touched something deep in me.

Who are some of your favorite authors and books?

Ernest Hemingway. John Irving. Tom Robbins. Kurt Vonnegut. Barbara Kingsolver.

What would you like to tell readers who have just discovered your books, but haven't read one yet?

I love tightly plotted narratives, where all the pieces finally and firmly snap into place. And I love irony, where things are never quite what they seem. And I love a strong sense of place, where through description you can feel the wind and smell the salt air. Reading my works should be a journey of discovery.

Who is the favorite character you created, and how did they come into being?

Ditch Withers, the flying dentist, from Calliope's Spell. A man whose hairpiece looks like a wet squirrel. He was based on my step-father who, like Ditch, flew medical volunteer missions to Mexico and never met a soul he didn't like.

What are your future plans as a writer?

Calliope's Spell has always been planned as part of a trilogy, the first of The Calliope Chronicles. I'm already hard at work on the sequel.

Books by This Author