Ernest Cline is an accomplished American author, screenwriter, and spoken-word artist, who is best known for his science fiction novels and his passion for pop culture. Born in Ashland, Ohio, Cline grew up surrounded by books, video games, and movies, which fostered his keen interest in science fiction from a young age. His favorite obsessions include Star Wars, the films of John Hughes, and the role-playing board games and stories of Dungeons & Dragons.
Cline's first novel, Ready Player One, was a massive success, becoming a New York Times and USA Today bestseller and appearing on numerous "best of the year" lists. The novel, which is set in a dystopian future, tells the story of a young boy who escapes from his grim reality into a virtual world, and it explores themes of nostalgia, pop culture, and the human condition. The success of Ready Player One led to a film adaptation by Warner Bros., with Steven Spielberg set to direct.
In addition to Ready Player One, Cline has written a second novel, Armada, which also became a bestseller and is being made into a film by Universal Pictures. Cline is also a co-screenwriter of the film adaptation of Ready Player One. His books have been published in over fifty countries and have spent more than 100 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers list.
Cline is a self-professed "full-time geek" and lives in Austin, Texas, with his family, a time-traveling DeLorean, and a large collection of classic video games. He is known for his love of all things retro, including his DeLorean, which he claims may be able to fly, and his massive collection of retro video games.