Alice Oseman

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Alice Oseman
BornAlice May Oseman
(1994-10-16) 16 October 1994 (age 29)
Chatham, Kent, England
Alma materDurham University (BA)
GenreYoung adult fiction
Years active2014–present
Signature
Website
aliceoseman.com

Alice May Oseman (born 16 October 1994)[1] is an English author of young adult fiction. She[a] secured her first publishing deal at 17 and published her first novel Solitaire in 2014.[2] Her novels include Radio Silence, I Was Born for This, and Loveless. She wrote and illustrated the webcomic Heartstopper, which has been published as multiple graphic novels and which she adapted into a TV series, earning her a BAFTA TV Award nomination and two Children's and Family Emmy Awards as both a writer and producer. Her novels focus on contemporary teenage life in the UK and have received the Inky Awards.

Early life and education[edit]

Alice Oseman was born in Chatham, Kent and grew up in a village near Rochester, Kent with her younger brother, William, and attended Rochester Grammar School.[3][4] She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Durham University in 2016.[5][6]

Career[edit]

Oseman's debut novel Solitaire was published by HarperCollins in 2014 after a bidding war.[2][7] It follows the story of Tori Spring, a pessimistic teenager, who meets Michael Holden, her polar opposite and an unbelievable optimist. They attempt to discover who is behind a series of pranks at their school. Other characters include Tori's brother Charlie, who has a severe eating disorder and is explored further in Oseman's webcomic Heartstopper. The novel explores themes such as friendship, mental health issues, eating disorders, and LGBT+ relationships.

Oseman published two ebook novellas based on characters from Solitaire and Heartstopper, titled Nick and Charlie (July 2015) and This Winter (November 2015). Both were published by HarperCollins Children's Books.[8]

In 2016, Oseman published her second novel, Radio Silence.[9] The novel follows Frances Janvier, a high-achiever whose life revolves around her admission to the University of Cambridge, who meets the shy creator behind her favourite podcast, Aled Last. Themes such as academic pressures and LGBT+ relationships and identities are central to the novel. According to Oseman, Frances' experience in Radio Silence is similar to her school pressure and later disillusionment with academia following her education at Durham University.[10] This novel has been praised for representing characters of various ethnicities, genders, and sexualities.[11] Radio Silence was named one of the Bank Street Children's Book Committee's Best Books of the Year in 2017.[12] Oseman has often written about the importance of writing diversely on her blog and has spoken about the lack of diversity in Solitaire in interviews.[13][14][15] The novel won the 2017 Silver Inky Award for young adult literature.[16]

Oseman's third book, I Was Born for This, was published in May 2018.[17] It follows the story of Angel Rahimi and Jimmy Kaga-Ricci. The story is about a band called The Ark and their fandom, with a particular focus on fandom among teenagers.[18] Isabella Stocka, an author at The Nerd Daily, said that she "would have liked it to be a bit different and perhaps another chapter or two would not have hurt the story."[19]

Oseman is also the author and artist of the webcomic Heartstopper,[20][21] which follows the romantic relationship between Charlie Spring (brother of Tori Spring) and Nick Nelson, both of whom are characters featured in Solitaire. Hachette Children's Group has published the first four volumes of the comic.[22] Volume one was published in October 2018, volume two in July 2019, volume three in February 2020 and volume four in May 2021.[23]

In 2018, to celebrate the release of a third young adult novel, I Was Born for This, all of Oseman's published books received new, matching covers.[24][non-primary source needed] The re-designed covers were released in May, along with the new book.

In July 2020, Oseman published Loveless, a young adult novel based on her own experiences in university.[25]

Oseman's novels have been praised for being "relatable"[26] and realistic in their portrayal of contemporary teenage life. Her first book Solitaire was particularly praised due to her young age at the time of the publishing deal, which contributed to a BBC Breakfast interview on 22 July 2014.

Adaptations[edit]

Main article: Heartstopper (TV series)

See-Saw Films optioned the television rights to Heartstopper in 2019. On 20 January 2021, it was revealed that a live-action television adaptation of Heartstopper was ordered to series by Netflix, with Oseman writing the script and Euros Lyn directing. Patrick Walters of See-Saw Films serves as executive producer.[27] Kit Connor and Joe Locke star as Nick and Charlie respectively.[28] It premiered on 22 April 2022, to critical acclaim.[29]

On 20 May 2022, Netflix announced that the series was being recommissioned for a second and third season.[30]

The show's second season was released on 3 August 2023 and received high praise for tackling more serious issues while maintaining the optimistic feel of the first season.[31]

Personal life[edit]

While promoting Loveless, Oseman opened up about being aromantic asexual.[32] Oseman is genderfluid[citation needed] and uses she/her and they/them pronouns.[33] Oseman announced that she was going on hiatus from Heartstopper in 2022 due to stress and mental health issues.[34]

Bibliography[edit]

Oseman's body of work is set within a cohesive fictional universe. For instance, the characters Nick and Charlie initially debut in Oseman's novel, Solitaire, and reappear in various works, most prominently in the Nick and Charlie series and the Heartstopper graphic novels. This shared narrative universe has been informally termed the "Osemanverse" by some fans[35] and even adopted by certain retailers.[36]

Title United Kingdom United States
Publication date Publisher ISBN Publication date Publisher ISBN
Solitaire 31 July 2014 HarperCollins 9780007559237 3 January 2023 Scholastic 9781338863420
Nick and Charlie 16 July 2015 9780008147877 9781338885101
This Winter 5 November 2015 9780008147884 5 September 2023 9781338885132
Radio Silence 25 February 2016 9780062335722 26 December 2023 HarperTeen 9780063374324
I Was Born for This 3 May 2018 9780008244095 18 October 2022 Scholastic 9781338830934
Heartstopper 7 February 2019 – present Hachette Children's Group 9781444951387 5 May 2020 – present Graphix 9781338617436
Loveless 9 July 2020 HarperCollins 9780008244132 1 March 2022 Scholastic 9781338751932

Awards and nominations[edit]

In November 2023, Oseman was named to the BBC's 100 Women list.[37]

Book awards[edit]

Year Award Category Nominee Result
2017 Inky Awards Silver Inky (International Fiction) Radio Silence Won
2018 United By Pop Awards[38] YA Book of the Year I Was Born for This Won
2020 Goodreads Choice Awards[39] Best Graphic Novels & Comics Heartstopper: Volume 3 Won
2021 The Bookseller Awards[40] YA Book of the Year Loveless Won
2022 British Book Awards[41] Children's Illustrated Book of the Year Heartstopper: Volume 4 Won
Waterstones Book of the Year[42] Book of the Year Heartstopper: Volume 1 Nominated
Books Are My Bag Readers' Awards[43] Breakthrough Author Alice Oseman Won
Readers' Choice Heartstopper Won
Goodreads Choice Awards[44][45] Best Graphic Novels & Comics Heartstopper: Volume 4 Won
Best Young Adult Fiction Loveless Nominated
Book Shimmy Awards[46] Pagemaster Alice Oseman Pending
Graphic Novel Heartstopper: Volume 4 Pending
2023 British Book Awards[47] Children's Illustrated Book of the Year The Heartstopper Yearbook Nominated
Hay Festival[48] Medal for Fiction Alice Oseman Won
TikTok Book Awards[49] Best Book I Wish I Could Read Again for the First Time Heartstopper: Volume 1 Won

Television awards[edit]

Year Award Category Nominee Result
2022 Attitude Awards[50] TV Award Heartstopper season 1 Won
C21 International Drama Awards[51] Best Comedy-Drama Series Nominated
Children's and Family Emmy Awards[52] Outstanding Young Teen Program Won
Outstanding Writing for a Young Teen Program Won
Dorian Awards[53] Best LGBTQ Show Won
Best TV Drama Nominated
National Television Awards[54] New Drama Nominated
Rose d'Or Awards[55] Comedy Drama and Sitcom Nominated
TV Choice Awards[56] Best New Drama Won
2023 British Academy Television Craft Awards[57] Writer: Drama Nominated
GLAAD Media Awards[58][59] Outstanding Kids and Family Programming – Live Action Won
Kidscreen Awards[60][61] Best New Series - Tweens/Teens Won
Best Live-Action Series - Tweens/Teens Won
Best Inclusivity - Tweens/Teens Nominated
Queerty Awards[62] TV Comedy Won
Satellite Awards[63] Best Drama Series Nominated
Visionary Arts Awards[64] Television Show of the Year Pending

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Oseman uses she/her and they/them pronouns. This article uses she/her pronouns for consistency.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "FAQ: ABOUT ME". chronicintrovert.tumblr.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Teenager's tale of angst wins six-figure deal | The Sunday Times". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Alice Oseman: a literary sensation at 16 years old. The Times, 11 August 2014.". Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  4. ^ Leonard, Sue J. (27 December 2014). "Alice Oseman". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Durham student secures a two-book publishing deal". Durham University. 31 July 2014. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Alice Oseman". RCW Literary Agency. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  7. ^ jboo1698 (5 October 2014). "Solitaire by Alice Oseman – review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Alice Oseman". Archived from the original on 6 April 2019.
  9. ^ HorseLover3000 (31 March 2016). "Radio Silence by Alice Oseman – review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 25 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "Radio Silence by Alice Oseman – Behind | BookPage". BookPage.com. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  11. ^ "Book Review: Radio Silence (Alice Oseman) – Maia and a Little Moore". maiaandalittlemoore.com. Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  12. ^ "Best Children's Books of the Year Archive". Bank Street College of Education. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  13. ^ Sproull, Patrick (22 February 2016). "Alice Oseman: Romance is not the centre of my world". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  14. ^ "Hi Alice I really want to write more diversely,..." alice oseman. Archived from the original on 16 July 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  15. ^ "alice oseman". alice oseman. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  16. ^ "2017 Inky Winners Announced! | Inside A Dog". insideadog.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  17. ^ Fantastic Fiction. "I Was Born for This by Alice Oseman". fantasticfiction.com. Archived from the original on 15 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  18. ^ "I Was Born For This". goodreads.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  19. ^ Stocka, Isabella (30 January 2019). "Review: I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman". The Nerd Daily. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  20. ^ "Heartstopper". Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2017 – via Tumblr.
  21. ^ "Drawn to reading: Using comics and illustrated stories to promote literacy in children". Irish Examiner. 19 February 2020. Archived from the original on 25 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  22. ^ "HCG expands on Oseman's graphic novel series". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
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  24. ^ "Twitter". Twitter. Archived from the original on 15 August 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  25. ^ "An Interview with Alice Oseman". Julia's Bookcase. 13 July 2020. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  26. ^ confessionsofabooklover (10 May 2016). "Radio Silence by Alice Oseman – review". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 May 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  27. ^ "Netflix Lands Adaptation Of YA Graphic Novel 'Heartstopper', 'Doctor Who's Euros Lyn To Direct See-Saw-Produced Series". Deadline Hollywood. 20 January 2021. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  28. ^ Stroud, Will (22 April 2021). "Heartstopper: Kit Connor and Joe Locke to star in Netflix adaptation of gay graphic novel". Attitude. Archived from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  29. ^ Watson, Averie (23 March 2022). "Heartstopper Will Be the Next Big Coming-Of-Age Show - Here's Why". CBR. Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  30. ^ "'Heartstopper' Season 2 Renewal Confirmed - Netflix Tudum". Netflix. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  31. ^ "Nick & Charlie's Boyfriend Era Is Here in New "Heartstopper" Trailer". Teen Vogue. 24 May 2022. Archived from the original on 4 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  32. ^ "Alice Oseman on being aromantic asexual". BBC. Archived from the original on 29 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  33. ^ "What are all your pronouns!". 21 April 2022. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022 – via Tumblr.
  34. ^ Oseman, Alice. "Hiatus". Webtoon. Archived from the original on 16 November 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  35. ^ "Heartstopper Books in Order: Your Osemanverse Series List". 4 October 2023. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
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  37. ^ "BBC 100 Women 2023: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 23 November 2023. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  38. ^ "United By Pop Awards". United By Pop. 31 December 2018. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
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  43. ^ Comerford, Ruth. "Heartstopper author Alice Oseman does the double at Books Are My Bag Readers Awards". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
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  46. ^ "The 2022 *Book Shimmy* Awards". Epic Reads. Archived from the original on 23 November 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  47. ^ Giddings, Alice (17 March 2023). "BookTok authors named for The British Book Awards 2023 shortlists". Metro. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  48. ^ Evans, Tomos. "Hay Festival: Sir Salman Rushdie and Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman to be honoured with medals at major book event". Sky News. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  49. ^ McIntosh, Steven (18 August 2023). "BookTok: Heartstopper and Bolu Babalola win TikTok Book Awards". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
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  64. ^ "@VisionaryArtsTV: "Nominations for this year's Visionary Arts Awards are out! Click the link in our bio to vote for the projects & people you feel have made the biggest social impact. Winners to be revealed at our star studded ceremony on the 21st March at the Ham Yard Hotel. #visionaryartsawards"". Twitter. Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.

External links[edit]

Library resources about
Alice Oseman
By Alice Oseman
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alice_Oseman&oldid=1218629074"