In 1976, Cooper moved to London for a brief period. Punk subculture was a major part of his teenage years. He began planning out a five-book series that would later become The George Miles Cycle. Though he had started writing surreal stories at age 12, he became a more focused writer at 15 and tried to imitate the writing styles of Arthur Rimbaud and de Sade. He was also inspired by French novelists/directors such as Jean Cocteau, Alain Robbe-Grillet, and Marguerite Duras. Ĭooper began reading French literature at 15 and was drawn to Marquis de Sade in particular for his risqué depictions of libertine sex. He attended Pasadena City College and Pitzer College. Cooper attended public schools before he started attending Flintridge Preparatory School in high school he was expelled in 11th grade. Cooper's parents divorced when he was in his early teens. One of his brothers, Richard, was named after Nixon. His parents were politically conservative, with his father acting as an advisor to several presidents, including Richard Nixon, with whom he cultivated a close friendship. Cooper was born in Pasadena, California and raised in Arcadia, the son of Clifford Cooper, a self-made businessman who was one of the early designers of parts for unmanned space expeditions.
