Blaine Yorgason
Teacher and Author

Brigham Young High School
Class of 1961

Blaine M. Yorgason
Blaine M. Yorgason


Blaine Yorgason was born in Sanpete County, Utah on December 6, 1942. A novelist, he has also written biographies. He is one of the most popular authors ever to write for the Latter-day Saint fiction market.

He graduated from Brigham Young High School in the Class of 1961. He played football and was active in dramatics. As an author, Brent is a frequent collaborator with his brother, Brent Yorgason, BYH Class of 1963.

Blaine served an LDS mission in Chicago. He married Kathleen Wagstaff of Orem, Utah on September 2, 1964. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in History and an MA in History. He served as an LDS Seminary Instructor from 1970-1977 and taught at BYU from 1977-1980.

Since 1980, Blaine has been a full-time writer. He has published more than 70 works, and to date, two of his books have been made into films.

Blaine has been honored with many awards including Best Screenwriting Award and Excellence In Writing Award.

Blaine and his wife Kathleen have seven children and 20 grandchildren. They have lived in Riverton, Utah, and in St. George, Utah. His parents were John Gayle Yorgason and Lucretia Maude Copley Yorgason of Fountain Green, Utah.

Blaine's more notable works include:
Windwalker which was made into a 1980 film of the same name. Blaine Yorgason wrote the novel and co-wrote the screenplay (with Ray Goldrup) that was the basis of the feature film "Windwalker," the most successful dramatic feature directed by Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Kieth Merrill. "Windwalker" has been cited as the first feature film made in Native American languages, and the first feature film about Native Americans set before the arrival of Europeans; and

Chester, I Love You was written with his brother Brent Yorgason, and it was adapted for film as The Thanksgiving Promise, which was released by Disney Productions. The screenplay was co-written by Glenn L. Anderson, Craig Holyoak, and Peter N. Johnson. It was directed by Beau Bridges, who also starred.
Bibliography

Some of the following books were co-authored. Co-authors include: Brenton Yorgason, Carl Eaton, Tami Yorgason, Sunny Oaks, Richard Schmutz, and Douglas Alder.
  • Miracles and the Latter-day Saint Teenager (1974)
  • Charlie's Monument (1976)
  • Others (1978)
  • Bishop's Horse Race (1979)
  • Massacre At Salt Creek/The Courage Covenant/And Should We Die (1979)
  • Windwalker (1979)
  • A Town Called Charity (1980)
  • The Krystal Promise (1981)
  • Seeker of the Gentle Heart (1982)
  • Double Exposure (1982)
  • Chester, I Love You/The Thanksgiving Promise (1983)
  • Miracle (1983)
  • Brother Brigham's Gold (1984)
  • Ride the Laughing Wind (1984)
  • Shadowtaker (1985)
  • The Loftier Way/Tales From the Book of Mormon (1985)
  • Becoming (1986)
  • Bfpstk and the Smile Song/Into The Rainbow (1986)
  • Seven Days For Ruby (1986)
  • The Eleven Dollar Surgery (1986)
  • The Greatest Quest (1987)
  • In Search of Steenie Bergman (1988)
  • Pardners (1988)
  • Decision Point (1989)
  • Here Stands a Man (1990)
  • Spiritual Survival in the Last Days (1990)
  • The Warm Spirit (1990)
  • Prayers on the Wind/Storm (1991)
  • Secrets (1992)
  • To Soar With Eagles (1993)
  • Spiritual Progression in the Last Days (1994)
  • Tarred and Feathered (1994)
  • One Tattered Angel (1995)
  • Ascending/Angus Austin Rising (1996)
  • Hearts A Fire: At All Hazards (1997)
  • Hearts A Fire: Fort on the Firing Line (1999)
  • New Evidences of Christ in America (1999)
  • Gabriel's Well (2000)
  • Hearts A Fire: Curly Bill's Gift (2000)
  • Harold B. Lee (2001)
  • Joseph F. Smith (2001)
  • John Taylor (2002)
  • Girl At the Crossing (2002)
  • I Need Thee Every Hour (2003)
  • Finding Mercie (2010)
  • All That Was Promised: The St. George Temple and the Unfolding of the Restoration (2013) with Richard A. Schmutz and Douglas D. Alder.
  • Blaine Yorgason - 2012 News Article


    Brigham Young - Biographies
    BYH Biographies