Literary biographer and fiction writer Brad Gooch was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He earned a BA from Columbia College and an MA and a PhD in English and comparative literature from Columbia University. His first book was a collection of poetry, The Daily News (1977). His biographies include City Poet: The Life and Times of Frank O’Hara (1993) and Flannery: A Life of Flannery O’Connor (2009), which he completed with the help of a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Gooch’s collection of short stories, Jailbait and Other Stories (1984), won a Writer’s Choice Award. His novels include Scary Kisses (1988), The Golden Age of Promiscuity (1996), and Zombie00 (2000). The author of numerous self-help titles, Gooch’s nonfiction addresses spirituality and sexuality. His books include Finding the Boyfriend Within (1999), Dating the Greek Gods: Empowering Spiritual Messages on Sex and Love, Creativity and Wisdom (2003) and Godtalk: Travels in Spiritual America (2002).

Gooch has written articles and reviews for The Daily Beast, Travel and Leisure, Vanity Fair, and other journals. Since 1992, he has taught creative writing at William Paterson University.