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Catherine Fisher facts for kids

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Catherine Fisher
Born 1957 (age 67–68)
Newport, Wales
Occupation Author
Nationality Welsh
Period 1990-present
Genre Young adult, science-fiction, fantasy

Catherine Fisher (born in 1957) is a talented writer from Wales. She writes exciting novels and poems, mostly for children and young adults. She is famous for her bestselling books Incarceron and its sequel, Sapphique. Catherine Fisher has written over 40 novels and five books of poetry.

Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as an archaeologist. She also taught in schools and at universities. She is an experienced speaker and has taught writing workshops. Today, she lives in Wales, UK.

About Catherine Fisher

Catherine Fisher was born in Newport, a town in Gwent, Wales. She went to the University of Wales. There, she studied English Literature and Education.

Her Work Experience

Catherine Fisher has had many interesting jobs. She worked as a primary-school teacher. She also worked as an archaeologist, studying ancient things. Later, she taught writing for children at the University of South Wales. Since 2002, she has been a full-time writer, focusing on her novels and poetry.

Her Amazing Books

Since the late 1980s, Catherine Fisher has been writing children's fantasy stories. She writes for both young adults and middle-grade readers. Her books have been translated into more than 30 languages around the world. Many of her works have won or been nominated for important literary awards.

Popular Fantasy Novels

Her young adult fantasy books, Incarceron and Sapphique, became bestsellers. They were even named "Book of the Year" by Times newspaper. The Oracle, which is the first book in a trilogy, was nominated for the Whitbread Prize. This series mixes ancient Egyptian and Greek myths.

Award-Winning Stories

Catherine Fisher has won the Welsh Books Council Tir na n'Og prize twice. She won for The Candle Man in 2000 and for The Clockwork Crow in 2015. The Clockwork Crow is the first book in another popular trilogy for middle-grade readers. It's a magical story that blends Welsh fairytales with a Victorian Gothic style. This book was also nominated for the Blue Peter Prize.

Catherine Fisher's writing often combines myths, legends, and folktales. She creates lively characters and uses beautiful, clear language. She has also retold many Welsh myths, like The Cat With Iron Claws and Culhwch and Olwen.

Her Poetry

Besides her children's books, Catherine Fisher has published four collections of poetry. These include Immrama (1988), The Unexplored Ocean (around 1994), Altered States (1999), and The Bramble King (2019). Her poetry collection Immrama won the Welsh Arts Council Young Writers' Prize in 1989. She also won the Cardiff International Poetry Competition in the same year for her poem 'Marginalia'.

Awards and Recognitions

Catherine Fisher has received many awards for her writing. Here are some of them:

Awards for Fisher's writing
Year Title Award Result Ref.
1996 The Candle Man Tir na n-Og Award for Best English-Language Book Winner
2003 The Oracle Whitbread Children's Book Award Shortlist
2003 The Oracle Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers Nominee
2007 Corbenic Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature Winner
2011 Incarceron Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature Finalist
2019 The Clockwork Crow Blue Peter Book Award Nominee
2019 The Clockwork Crow Tir na n-Og Award for Best English-Language Book Winner
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