Catherine Fisher facts for kids

Catherine Fisher, born in 1957, is a talented writer from Wales. She writes exciting stories and poems, mostly for young people like you! She is famous for her fantasy novels, especially Incarceron and its sequel, Sapphique, which became international bestsellers.

Catherine has written more than 40 novels and 5 books of poetry. Before becoming a full-time writer, she had many interesting jobs. She worked as an archaeologist, digging up old things, and also taught in schools and universities. She even taught other writers how to write!

About Catherine Fisher

Catherine Fisher was born in a place called Newport, in Wales. She went to the University of Wales and studied English Literature and Education. This helped her become a great storyteller and teacher.

Her Work Experience

Before she became a full-time writer in 2002, Catherine had a few different careers. She was a primary school teacher, helping young kids learn. She also worked as an archaeologist, which means she helped uncover history by studying old objects and places. Later, she taught writing to students at the University of South Wales.

Her Amazing Books

Since the late 1980s, Catherine Fisher has been writing fantastic fantasy books. She writes for both Young Adults (teens) and Middle Grade readers (around 8-12 years old). Her books are so popular that they have been translated into over 30 different languages around the world!

Many of her books have won or been nominated for important literary awards. For example, she won the Welsh Books Council Tir na n'Og prize twice for her books The Candle Man (in 2000) and The Clockwork Crow (in 2015).

Her Young Adult fantasy novels, Incarceron and Sapphique, were huge hits. They even appeared on the New York Times bestseller list and were named a Times Book of the Year.

Another one of her popular books is The Oracle. This book is the first in a series that mixes old Egyptian and Greek myths. It was even considered for the Whitbread Prize, a big award for books.

For younger readers, The Clockwork Crow is a wonderful story. It's the first book in a trilogy that uses Welsh fairytales and a bit of Victorian mystery. This book was nominated for the Blue Peter Prize, another well-known award.

Catherine Fisher's writing often blends myths, legends, and folktales. She creates lively characters and uses beautiful, clear language that makes her stories come alive. She has also retold some famous Welsh myths, like The Cat With Iron Claws and Culhwch and Olwen.

Her Poetry

Besides her novels, Catherine Fisher is also a poet. She has published four collections of her poems: Immrama (1988), The Unexplored Ocean (around 1994), Altered States (1999), and The Bramble King (2019). Her 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'.