Chris Crutcher is a renowned author of young adult fiction. Crutcher’s 1983 novel Running Loose established him as a resonant voice in the literary community. Crutcher has since published over a dozen young adult novels featuring the stories of teenagers dealing with serious issues like racism, abuse, and mental health conditions. Crutcher’s background as a therapist has particularly contributed to his distinct authorial lens. Throughout his therapy career, he has advocated for teenagers wrestling with adversity. These complex coming-of-age stories are central to Crutcher’s canon of work. The same narrative circumstances and themes appear in Deadline within the context of the protagonist Ben Wolf’s storyline. Crutcher depicts Ben’s complex journey toward Self-Discovery and Personal Growth in the Face of Adversity with both empathy and wit.

Crutcher has received numerous awards and widespread recognition for his writing. In 1993, the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents awarded him the ALAN Award for Significant Contribution to Adolescent Literature. In 1998, the National Council of Teachers of English awarded him the Intellectual Freedom Award. Like his other publications, Deadline conveys Crutcher’s mission to advocate for marginalized voices and pursue social justice via literature.