64, Irvine ... Professor of English...

64, Irvine ... Professor of English and creative writing and

fiction director of the master’s program in writing at UC Irvine ...

This year saw several of his students -- including Alice Sebold and

Andrew Winer -- publish well-received books ... Tells his students

that writing is like long-haul trucking, not a sprint ... “It takes

patience and stamina” ... Thinks James McMichael, poetry director of

the master’s program, doesn’t get enough credit ... Came to UCI in

1995 from Brandeis University ... Has written 10 books, with an 11th

( “The Art of Burning Bridges: A Life of John O’Hara”) due in eight

months ... Loves to sail his boat, Blackwing, along the coast near

Boothbay, Maine ... Reading “From the Terrace,” by O’Hara for “the

zillionth time” ... Married to Priscilla ... Two sons, Nicholas and

Justin ... Unranked last year