Andy Andrews is a best-selling, self-help/advice author and corporate speaker. He has written over 20 books and sold more than 3.5 million copies around the world. His books have been translated into over 20 languages. Andrews regularly speaks for large corporations, organizations, athletic teams, and the U.S. military. Two of his books, The Noticer and The Traveler’s Gift, appeared on The New York Times Best Seller List . Andrews has appeared on The Fox News Channel, Good Morning America, MSNBC, TBN, and CNBC.
Andrews currently lives in Orange Beach, Alabama, with his wife, Polly, and their two sons, Austin and Adam.
Andrews was born on May 22, 1959 in Birmingham, Alabama. His father was a minister of music and his mother played piano, organ, and directed the church's children’s choir programs. When Andrews was 19, he lost his mother (41) to cancer and his father (44) in an automobile accident within the span of a few months.
After the death of his parents, Andrews spent over a year homeless on the coast of Alabama, sleeping under the Gulf State Park Pier or an occasional garage.
It is during this time that Andrews says he came up with the "seven decisions" that eventually shaped the manuscript of his 2002 New York Times best-selling novel The Traveler’s Gift.
Before becoming an author, however, Andrews toured the U.S. as a comedian, eventually opening for acts such as Kenny Rogers and Joan Rivers. As his popularity increased, Andrews started sprinkling more serious tones, including the Seven Decisions, into his act, transforming himself from comedian to professional speaker.
Since then, Andrews has spoken at the request of four different U.S. presidents. He is the last person to speak to the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Squadron Commanders, and their spouses, before they are deployed. He continues to speak to large corporations on a regular basis. His clients have included Microsoft, Honda, Ford, AT&T, and many more. He has also appeared for sports organizations such as the Atlanta Braves and the Ladies Professional Golf Association.
In 2009, Andrews released his second New York Times best-seller, The Noticer. He released his first children’s book, The Boy Who Changed the World, in 2010. An adult version of the children’s story, titled The Butterfly Effect, was also released as a gift book.
A novel titled The Final Summit will be released in April of 2011. It features the same protagonist of The Traveler’s Gift, David Ponder.
