- Wrote "The Outsiders" at age 15, inspired after a friend was beaten up on his way home from the movies. The mother of one of her friends read the manuscript and contacted an agent based in New York. Viking signed her up for a small advance and the book was published when she was 19. Hinton's first royalty check was $10, and the book nearly went out of print. But librarians and teachers made it a best seller, and a landmark.
- "The Outsiders" was first printed in 1967 and has never been out of print. It's second only to "Charlotte's Web" as the most popular children's book.
- Used only her initials instead of her full name, Susan Eloise, because the publishers felt that reviewers would automatically dismiss the book "The Outsiders" because a girl had written it.
- "The Outsiders" has sold more than 13 million copies and still sells more than 500,000 a year.
- Her four most popular books have been made into films and feature actors associated with the 1980s Brat Pack, The Outsiders (1983) (Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Diane Lane); Rumble Fish (1983) (Matt Dillon and Diane Lane), Tex (1982) (Matt Dillon and Emilio Estevez); That Was Then... This Is Now (1985), (Emilio Estevez, who also wrote the movie).
- Her newest title, "Hawkes Harbor" will be available in hard cover come September 2004. (June 2004)
- attending classes at the University of Tulsa
- Currently lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma with her husband David. Her son Nick is away for college. (2004)
- Biography/bibliography in: "Contemporary Authors," New Revision Series, Vol. 133, pp. 260-268. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2005.
- Wrote the screenplay for the film Rumblefish having written the original novel.
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