Paul Stewart (writer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Stewart
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Stewart in 2009
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| Born | 1955 London, England |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Education | English (B.A) Creative Writing (M.A) |
| Alma mater | University of Lancaster (B.A) University of East Anglia (M.A) |
| Genre | Children's, young adult, and adult novels |
| Notable works | The Edge Chronicles Far Flung Adventures (with Chris Riddell) |
| Notable awards | Nestlé Smarties Book Prize 2004 |
Paul Stewart (born in June 1955) is a famous writer of children's books. He is best known for the amazing fantasy series he created with illustrator Chris Riddell. These include The Edge Chronicles, the Free Lance novels, and the Far Flung Adventures series.
Contents
Paul Stewart's Early Life and Education
Paul Stewart was born in London, England, in 1955. His family lived in different parts of London. He went to school in Morden, South London. His favorite subject was English, but he really disliked Mathematics!
After school, Paul loved to travel. He spent several months in Greece. There, he worked at different jobs, like picking oranges and grapes. He also helped paint hotels white.
From 1974 to 1977, Paul studied English at the University of Lancaster. He also took a class in creative writing. Later, in 1978, he went to the University of East Anglia. He earned a Master's degree in Creative Writing there.
Paul then lived in Heidelberg, Germany, for three years. He taught English and learned German. In 1982, he went to Sri Lanka to teach English. He returned to the UK a year later. He continued teaching until 1990, when he became a full-time writer.
Paul Stewart's First Books
Paul Stewart's first book was The Thought Domain, published in 1988. After that, he wrote many other books for children and young adults. These books were often thrillers, horror stories, or science fiction/fantasy. His only book for adults, Trek, came out in 1991.
What Inspired Paul Stewart?
When Paul Stewart was a child, he had many favorite books. He loved The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. He also enjoyed Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Rupert Bear Annuals were another favorite. He also read many books by Alan Garner, especially Elidor. Paul read a lot of science fiction too.
Paul started writing at a very young age. When he was seven, he wrote a series about a snail named Oliver. At ten, he even started a sequel to The Phantom Tollbooth. Some of these early ideas later became part of his book The Thought Domain.
Working with Chris Riddell
Paul Stewart first met Chris Riddell in 1993. They met because their children went to the same school. Chris Riddell was looking for someone to write stories that he could illustrate. Paul had already published several books.
Their first books together were the Rabbit and Hedgehog series. These were published between 1998 and 2003.
How The Edge Chronicles Began
The idea for The Edge Chronicles came from a map. Chris Riddell drew a map of an imaginary world in 1994. He then challenged Paul Stewart to write stories about it!
The first book in the series, Beyond the Deepwoods, was ordered by a publisher. They liked the map and the first four chapters. It took Paul and Chris three years to write this book. They worked hard to create the plot and learn how to work together.
They first thought it would be just one book. Then they hoped it might become a trilogy (three books). But the series grew much bigger! It now has fifteen full-length novels. There are also five short stories and a book of maps. The final book, The Descenders, was released in 2019.
How They Create Stories Together
When Paul and Chris work together, they develop plots and characters as a team. Sometimes they start with a piece of writing. Other times, they begin with a drawing from Chris's sketchbook.
They have long talks over many days. During these talks, the novels slowly come to life. They don't always agree, and their discussions can get quite lively! But they always remain good friends.
After these talks, Paul usually writes the first version of the story. Chris then reads it and might make changes or rewrite parts. Finally, Paul creates the last version of the book.
Other Books by Stewart and Riddell
Besides The Edge Chronicles, Paul and Chris have worked on many other books:
- A trilogy of shorter adventures called Freelance.
- A series of four books for younger readers called The Far Flung Adventures. The first book, Fergus Crane, won a special award in 2004.
- The Blobheads series (2000–2004).
- Muddle Earth (2003).
- Another series of four books called Barnaby Grimes (2007–2009).
- Their latest series is the Wyrmeweald trilogy, which started in 2010.
Paul Stewart's Life Today
Paul Stewart lives in the city of Brighton, by the sea in Britain. He lives there with his wife and children.
Awards Paul Stewart Has Won
Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell have won several awards for their books, especially for The Far Flung Adventures series:
- 2004 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize Gold Medal, for ages 6–8: Fergus Crane
- 2005 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize Silver Medal, for ages 6–8: Corby Flood
- 2006 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize Silver Medal, for ages 6–8: Hugo Pepper
