Elizabeth Kay facts for kids
Elizabeth Kay is an English writer, born in London on July 9, 1949. She is famous for writing The Divide trilogy. This is a series of exciting fantasy books for children. Her books were first published by Chicken House Press. Later, Scholastic Books started publishing them too.
Contents
About Elizabeth Kay's Life
Elizabeth Kay grew up in England. Before she went to art school, she attended Nonsuch High School for girls in Cheam. Later, she went to art school to study art.
Early Writing Career
When Elizabeth Kay was in her mid-twenties, she started writing. She wrote plays for the radio, which were heard on BBC Radio 4. She also wrote stories that appeared in newspapers and magazines. Some of her stories were even broadcast on Capital Radio in London.
Education and Teaching
Elizabeth Kay continued her education and earned a master's degree (MA) in creative writing. She got this degree from Bath Spa University. For many years, she has shared her knowledge by teaching both creative writing and art. She is also a talented artist herself. She has drawn pictures for several books. She also created almost all the artwork for her own website.
Awards and Recognition
Elizabeth Kay has won several awards for her writing. These include:
- The Cardiff International Poetry Competition for her poem called "Pond Life".
- The Canongate Prize for her short story titled "Cassie".
In 2000, a small book of her poems, called The Spirit Collection, was published.
Elizabeth Kay's Books
Elizabeth Kay is best known for her children's books.
The Divide Trilogy
Her first book for children was The Divide, which came out in 2003. This book was the start of her popular fantasy series. She has spoken at many events about her books. For example, she was a main speaker at Accio 2005, which was a big conference for Harry Potter fans. In 2007, she spoke at a children's book conference in Ukraine. She has also appeared at other literary events, like the Cheltenham and Edinburgh festivals.
Other Children's Books
Elizabeth Kay has also written shorter books for children. These were published by Barrington Stoke. They include:
- Fury (published in 2008)
- Hunted (published in 2009)
- Lost in the Desert (published in 2011)
In 2010, she published The Tree Devil through Eprint. This book was written for readers who might find reading a bit challenging.
Books for Adults
Besides her children's books, Elizabeth Kay has also written for adults. A shorter novel for adults, called Missing Link, was published in October 2009. In 2012, she self-published another short novel for adults, Beware of Men with Moustaches. This book was even shortlisted for the Dundee International Book Prize.
Latest Work
Her most recent book is Ice Feathers. This is a children's novel that takes place in prehistoric Antarctica.
Elizabeth Kay has two adult daughters.
