If you've been out and about lately, or even if you've stayed in-you really can't hide from this-you've probably noticed a media blitzkrieg for something called Charlie St. Cloud. But before it was a movie, it was a novel. Originally titled The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud, any copies you find of it now will likely be of the NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE variety and have Zac Efron dreamboating the hell out of the cover.

That novel's author is Ben Sherwood. He's not an old man-only 46 now-but his fame and controversy extends back rather far, to his days as a Rhodes Scholar.