After leaving a career in music (classical guitar) due to injury, David Linebarger earned a Ph.D. in English at UC Davis before becoming a Professor of Humanities at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. In addition to essays on poetry and music, his publications include poems in over 30 journals and two collections of poetry: War Stories (Pudding House Publications) and Bed of Light (Finishing Line Press). A nationally ranked tennis player in his age group, his most recent book, Tennis Players as Works of Art, has received numerous awards, including being named the 2025 Outstanding Book of the Year (Original Concept) for the 29th annual IPPY Awards. Current projects include a book of love letters to his daughters and a historical novel on California.
Check out his latest book, Tennis Players as Works of Art, winner of three different book of the year awards: Outstanding Book of the Year (Original Concept) for the 2025 IPPY Awards, Gold Medal for General Nonfiction for the 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and 2025 Book of the Year by Inside Tennis Magazine.
