Sarah Waters facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sarah Waters
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Waters at a book signing in 2006
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| Born | 21 July 1966 Neyland, Pembrokeshire, Wales |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Alma mater | University of Kent Lancaster University Queen Mary University of London |
| Period | 1998–present |
| Genre | Historical fiction |
| Partner | Lucy Vaughan (2002–present) |
Sarah Ann Waters (born 21 July 1966) is a famous Welsh novelist. She is well-known for her historical novels. These books are often set in the Victorian era and feature interesting characters. Some of her popular novels include Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith.
Contents
About Sarah Waters' Life and Education
Sarah Waters' Early Life and Family
Sarah Waters was born in Neyland, Pembrokeshire, Wales, in 1966. When she was eight years old, her family moved to Middlesbrough.
She grew up with her father, Ron, her mother, Mary, and an older sister. Her mother was a housewife, and her father was an engineer. Sarah describes her childhood as "very safe and nurturing." Her father was very creative and encouraged her to build and invent things.
Sarah Waters remembers building things with plasticine or papier-mâché. She also enjoyed writing poems and stories. Even though she liked writing, she didn't plan to become a novelist when she was young.
Sarah Waters' Education and Studies
After attending Milford Haven School, Sarah Waters went to university. She studied English literature and earned several degrees. She got a bachelor's degree from the University of Kent. Then, she earned a master's degree from Lancaster University. Finally, she completed her PhD at Queen Mary University of London.
Her PhD research was about historical fiction. This research later helped her get ideas for her own books. She was also inspired by classic Victorian writers like Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins. Modern authors like A.S. Byatt and John Fowles also influenced her. Angela Carter's book Nights at the Circus was a big influence on Sarah's first novel.
Sarah Waters' Personal Life
Sarah Waters lives in Kennington, south-east London. She has been in a relationship with Lucy Vaughan since 2002.
Sarah Waters' Writing Career
Before becoming a novelist, Sarah Waters worked in academics. She earned her doctorate and taught at universities. She started writing her first novel right after finishing her PhD.
Sarah enjoys the research part of writing her books. Her work often involves a lot of historical investigation. She was briefly part of a writing group in London called the London North Writers circle.
Most of her books explore different kinds of relationships and characters. She focuses on telling unique stories from history.
Her First Novel: Tipping the Velvet (1998)
Sarah Waters' first novel was Tipping the Velvet. It was published in 1998. This book is a historical adventure story set in the Victorian era. It took her about 18 months to write.
The novel won a Betty Trask Award in 1999. It was also nominated for the Mail on Sunday / John Llewellyn Rhys Prize.
In 2002, Tipping the Velvet was made into a three-part TV show for BBC Two. The book has been translated into many languages around the world.
Her Second Novel: Affinity (1999)
Sarah Waters' second book, Affinity, came out in 1999. This novel is also set in the Victorian era. It explores the world of Spiritualism.
While finishing her first novel, Sarah was also researching spiritualism for a school paper. She combined her interests in spiritualism, prisons, and the Victorian era in Affinity. The story is about a relationship between a wealthy woman and a spiritualist who is in prison.
Sarah found this book a bit harder to write. She said it was a "gloomy world" to visit every day.
Affinity won the Stonewall Book Award and the Somerset Maugham Award. It was also made into a film in 2008.
Her Third Novel: Fingersmith (2002)
Fingersmith was published in 2002. This book was nominated for the famous Booker Prize and the Orange Prize.
In 2005, Fingersmith was adapted into a TV series for BBC One. Sarah Waters liked the adaptation, saying it was "very faithful to the book." Later, in 2016, a South Korean director named Park Chan-wook made a film called The Handmaiden based on the novel. This film set the story in 1930s Japanese-occupied Korea.
The famous singer and artist David Bowie listed Fingersmith as one of his "top 100 books."
Her Fourth Novel: The Night Watch (2006)
The Night Watch took Sarah Waters four years to write. This book is different from her first three. It is set in the 1940s, during World War II.
The novel tells the stories of a man and three women living in London during the 1940s. Sarah describes it as a book about "disappointment and loss." It also explores how people connect and form close relationships.
In 2005, Sarah Waters helped raise money for charity. She offered to put the name of the highest bidder into The Night Watch. The author Martina Cole won the auction, and her name appeared in the novel.
The Night Watch was also adapted for television by BBC2 in 2011.
Her Fifth Novel: The Little Stranger (2009)
The Little Stranger is also set in the 1940s. This book is different because it is a ghost story. It focuses on a wealthy family who own a large country house. They are struggling to keep their home after the war.
Her Sixth Novel: The Paying Guests (2014)
This novel is set in the 1920s, after World War I. Many families faced financial difficulties during this time. The story follows Frances Wray and her mother, who have to take in lodgers to make ends meet. The book explores a complex relationship between Frances and one of the lodgers, Lilian Barber. A murder investigation takes up the second half of the story.
Critics praised the book. The Observer newspaper said Sarah Waters handled the story's changes very well. The Telegraph called it "eerie, virtuoso writing."
Awards and Recognition for Sarah Waters
Sarah Waters has received many honors and awards for her writing.
In 2003, she was named one of Granta magazine's 20 "Best of Young British Writers." That same year, she won the South Bank Award for Literature and was named Author of the Year at the British Book Awards. She won "Writer of the Year" at the annual Stonewall Awards in both 2006 and 2009.
In 2009, she became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. She also has an honorary degree from Lancaster University. She has been featured on the Pinc List, which recognizes leading Welsh LGBT figures.
In 2019, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her contributions to literature.
Each of her novels has also received special awards:
Awards for Tipping the Velvet
- Betty Trask Award, 1999
- Library Journal Best Book of the Year, 1999
- Mail on Sunday/John Llewellyn Rhys Prize (shortlist), 1999
- New York Times Notable Book of the Year, 1999
Awards for Affinity
- Stonewall Book Award, 2001
- Wales Book of the Year (shortlist), 2000
- Mail on Sunday/John Llewellyn Rhys Prize (shortlist), 2000
- Somerset Maugham Award, 2000
- Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, 2000
Awards for Fingersmith
- Crime Writers' Association Ellis Peters Historical Dagger, 2002
- Man Booker Prize (shortlist), 2002
- Orange Prize for Fiction (shortlist), 2002
- British Book Awards Author of the Year, 2003
Awards for The Night Watch
- Man Booker Prize (shortlist), 2006
- Orange Prize for Fiction (shortlist), 2006
Awards for The Little Stranger
- Man Booker Prize (shortlist), 2009
Awards for The Paying Guests
- Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction (shortlist) 2015
Books Adapted for Screen and Stage
Many of Sarah Waters' novels have been turned into TV shows, films, or plays.
Television Adaptations
- Tipping the Velvet (2002), BBC Two
- Fingersmith (2005), BBC One
- Affinity (2008), ITV1
- The Night Watch (2011), BBC Two
Stage Adaptations
- Tipping the Velvet (2015)
- The Night Watch (2019)
Film Adaptations
- The Handmaiden (2016)
- The Little Stranger (2018)
Images for kids
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Waters at a book signing in 2006
See also
In Spanish: Sarah Waters para niños
