William P. Young

William Paul Young is a Canadian author best known for his novel "The Shack." He was born in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, and spent much of his early childhood in the highlands of Netherlands New Guinea (West Papua) with his missionary parents, living among the Dani people. After returning to Canada, he attended numerous schools. Young initially wrote "The Shack" as a personal gift for his six children, but after encouragement from friends and rejection from 26 publishers, he and his friends self-published it. The book became a massive bestseller, reaching number one on The New York Times list and selling millions of copies worldwide. It was later adapted into a major motion picture. Young's other notable works include "Cross Roads," "Eve," and "Lies We Believe About God." He has spoken about his experiences as a Third Culture Kid and a survivor of childhood sexual abuse.