Condon, Curtis W.: - Curtis W. Condon has caught his share of crawdads. As a boy growing up in rural Oregon, he loved to explore the surrounding woods and lash together rafts to float a nearby creek with his brothers. Bits of some of those adventures found their way into this story. Wish Upon a Crawdad is Curtis' first children's book. However, he has been a writer and editor most of his adult life, including more than twenty-seven years at a magazine for members of electric cooperatives in the West. Curtis still enjoys the outdoors. His favorite activities include camping, hiking, and orienteering. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his family and extended family.