Andrew Demcak was born on September 23, 1968 in Silver Spring, Maryland. Andrew Demcak is a critically acclaimed novelist and poet. He writes YA novels for LGBTQ+ youth along with flash poetry and prose.
Andrew Demcak has lived in the Oakland area since the mid-1990s. He began working for the Oakland Public Library in 1996 and has been there ever since. He is currently the Senior Collection Development Librarian at the Oakland Public Library. There is not much out there regarding why Andrew moved to the Bay Area, but after going to college at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California, his work took him to Oakland, where he eventually settled down. He now lives with his husband, Roland, and their three cats, Cindy, Woji, and Delta.
Andrew Demcak received an MFA in English/Creative Writing at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California. While he was attending St. Mary’s, he studied with Robert Hass, Brenda Hillman, Michael Palmer, and Sharon Olds. Andrew has traveled around the country and the world sharing and learning about writing.
Andrew Demcak has been writing all of his life. His first YA novel, Ghost Songs, was published in 2014. His first literary novel, If There’s a Heaven Above, was published in 2013, and his first book of poetry, Catching Tigers in Red Weather, was published in 2007. In 2007, after he had published Catching Tigers in Red Weather, it won the Three Candles Press Open Book Award, according to his biography on the St. Mary’s College website. Catching Tigers in Red Weather is an incredible poetry collection that touches on sexuality and the human condition in a delicate and profound way.
Haunts:
- Oakland Public Library, Main Branch, 125 14th Street, Oakland, CA 94612. Andrew Demcak currently works at the Oakland Public Library and can be found there reading and helping keep the books in order. He has worked here since 1996, and it doesn’t look like he’s stopping anytime soon! Andrew has repeatedly expressed a strong love for the library in interviews and for reading, which can be accessed on his website.
- Berkeley Public Library, Claremont Branch, 2940 Benvenue Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705. Andrew Demcak has a close relationship with the Berkeley Public Library since he worked here before moving on to the Oakland Public Library. In September 2018, Demcak was a part of a poetry reading at the library.
- Dog Eared Books, 489 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA 94114. Andrew Demcak has done a number of book readings and signings here over the past two years. It is a cute little book shop that has been labeled a cultural touchstone. It is an incredible place and a small business that seeks to promote local artists and books.
~ by Siena Parrish ~
External Links:
http://www.andrewdemcak.org/ – Andrew Demcak’s personal website
https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/andrew-demcak-mfa-poetry-97 – Andrew’s biography on his alma mater’s website, St. Mary’s College
https://www.jscottcoatsworth.com/author-spotlight-andrew-demcak/ – Interview with Andrew Demcak
https://hoodline.com/2016/10/valencia-street-s-dog-eared-books-receives-legacy-business-status – About Dog Eared Books
