Carrie Mac facts for kids

Carrie Mac, born on February 25, 1975, is a Canadian author. She has written many books for young adults, including stories about everyday life and fantasy adventures. Her latest book, LAST WINTER, was released in 2023. Carrie Mac also writes short stories and non-fiction pieces.

She has won several awards for her writing. These include the CBC Creative Nonfiction Prize, the Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize, and the Arthur Ellis Award. She has also received many other honors for her work.

Early Life and Work

Carrie Mac was born in Kamloops, British Columbia. As a child and teenager, she lived in different places in British Columbia. These included Vancouver, Grand Forks, Abbotsford, and the Sunshine Coast.

Her first job was at age seven, reading the Bible. She was paid a quarter for each page she read. Carrie Mac finished her high school education through correspondence courses. She later trained to become a paramedic at the Justice Institute of British Columbia. She also worked as a sign language interpreter, a bookstore clerk, and helped children and young people in a safe house.

Inspiration for Writing

Carrie Mac loves books and says she learned a lot from them. She credits author Louise Fitzhugh, who wrote Harriet the Spy, with showing her the power of words. She realized how words can help you understand yourself and how they can also affect others.

Other writers who inspired her include Anne Cameron, Margaret Atwood, and Alice Munro. Carrie Mac also learned from Raymond Carver that stories about everyday working people are important. He taught her that you don't need many words to show strong human feelings.

Writing for All Readers

Carrie Mac wrote books like Pain and Wastings, Jacked, Charmed, and Crush for the Orca Soundings Series. This series is made for readers who might find reading a bit challenging or who need extra encouragement. These are sometimes called "hi-lo" books, meaning they have high-interest topics but are easy to read.

The Soundings series often explores modern themes. These stories can include topics and language that are sometimes seen as controversial, but they are written to keep young readers engaged.

Characters in Her Books

Carrie Mac believes it's important to include all kinds of people in her stories. She says she can't leave out diverse characters from her writing. Even if it's not directly stated, she makes sure her books show a wide range of experiences and people. This helps all readers see themselves and others in the stories she tells.

Personal Life

Carrie Mac lives in Vancouver with her children.

Her Books

• Triskelia trilogy:
  • The Droughtlanders (2006)
  • Retribution (2007)
  • Storm (2008)
• Standalone works:
• The Beckoners (2004)
• The Gryphon Project (2010)
• The Opposite of Tidy (2011)
• 10 Things I Can See From Here (2017)
• Wildfire (2020)
• Orca Soundings:
  • Charmed (2004)
  • Crush (2006)
  • Pain and Wastings (2008)
  • Jacked (2009)
  • The Way Back (2014)

Awards and Recognition

• Canadian Council for the Arts grants (2000, 2003, 2004 & 2008)
• Arthur Ellis Award: Best Young Adult Crime Book (2005)
• Canadian Library Association Honour Book (2005)
• International Children's and Youth Literature White Raven list (2005) for The Beckoners
• International Reading Association Young Adult Choices list (2006) for The Beckoners
• Young Adult Canadian Book Award Honour Book (2007) for The Droughtlanders
• Sunburst Award shortlist in young-adult category (2007) for The Beckoners and (2008) for Retribution
• Stellar Book Award nomination (2009) for The Droughtlanders
• Sheila A. Egoff Book Prize (2010) for The Gryphon Project
• Canadian Library Association Young-Adult Honor Book selection (2010) for The Gryphon Project
• CBC Non-fiction Literary Prize (2015)