Carrie Mac facts for kids

Carrie Mac (born February 25, 1975) is a Canadian writer who creates many books for young adults. She writes both stories about everyday life and fantasy adventures. Her latest book is the novel, LAST WINTER, which was released by Random House Canada in early 2023. She also writes shorter stories and non-fiction pieces.

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

Early Life and Education

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

Her very first job was at age seven, reading the Bible to an older person. She earned a quarter for each page she read. Carrie Mac left high school in Grade eleven but finished her studies through a correspondence program. She later trained to become a paramedic at the Justice Institute of British Columbia. Over the years, she also worked as a sign language interpreter, a clerk in a bookstore, and an advocate for children and youth in a safe house.

What Inspires Her Writing

Carrie Mac loves books and reads a lot. She says that Louise Fitzhugh, who wrote Harriet the Spy, helped her understand the power of words. She learned how words can help you understand yourself or even hurt others. Other writers who have influenced her include Anne Cameron, Margaret Atwood, and Alice Munro.

She also mentions that Raymond Carver taught her something important. He showed her that the lives of everyday working people are full of stories worth telling. He also taught her that you don't need many words to show human feelings. You can express deep emotions clearly with fewer words.

Writing for All Readers

Some of Carrie Mac's books, like Charmed, Crush, Pain and Wastings, and Jacked, were written for Orca Book Publisher. These books are part of a special series called Soundings. The Soundings series is made for readers who might find reading challenging or who are not usually interested in books. These are sometimes called "hi-lo" readers, meaning they have high interest but a lower reading level.

The books in this series often feature modern topics. They sometimes include subjects and language that might be seen as a bit daring or different.

Characters in Her Stories

Carrie Mac includes a variety of characters in her young adult novels. She makes sure her stories reflect the diverse world we live in. She has said that she cannot leave out characters who represent different backgrounds and experiences in her writing. Even if it's not directly stated, she knows these characters are important to her stories.

Personal Life

Carrie Mac lives in Vancouver, Canada, with her children.

Her Books

• The 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 series:
  • Charmed (2004)
  • Crush (2006)
  • Pain and Wastings (2008)
  • Jacked (2009)
  • The Way Back (2014)

Awards and Recognitions

Carrie Mac has received many awards for her writing, including:

• 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)