Catrin Collier
Catrin Collier | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Karen Jones 1948 Pontypridd, Wales |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Other names |
|
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Agent | Marjacq Scripts |
| Website | catrincollier |
Karen Watkins (née Jones, born 1948),[1] writing as Catrin Collier, is a Welsh novelist known for her historical works, especially those in the Hearts of Gold series, set in her home town of Pontypridd between 1930 and 1950,[1] the first of which was adapted as a BBC drama in 2003. She also writes under the pen names Katherine John[2]/ K. A. John (crime novels),[3] Katherine Hardy[4] (novelisations of television programmes)[3] and Caro French[2] (modern fiction).[3]
Early life[edit]
Collier is of East Prussian descent, with her mother, Gerda Salewski, born in Allenstein, East Prussia, in 1926.[1] Her father, Glyn Jones, was a Welsh Guardsman serving in Germany when he met Gerda.[1] They were married in Pontypridd in July 1947.[1] Collier was born there in 1948 and grew up in the town.[1]
As a comprehensive school teacher, she taught English and drama to A level in schools in Swansea and West Glamorgan.[3]
Career[edit]
Her book One last Summer is based on war-time diaries kept by her mother and maternal grandmother.[1] and is recommended by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for young people wanting to learn about the Holocaust .[5] It was a 2008 finalist for the Romantic Novelists' Association's Book of the Year.[6]
Television[edit]
In 2003, Hearts of Gold was adapted by BBC Wales as a two-part drama, directed by Richard Laxton and co-written by Matthew Baylis.[7] BBC Wales' head of drama Matthew Robinson described her as "the Catherine Cookson of Wales".[8]
Other work[edit]
As well as novels, she writes short stories, plays and non-fiction,[3] and has had work published in magazines including published in Woman, Woman's Own and Woman's Weekly.[3]
Personal life[edit]
After living in Germany[3] and America,[9] Collier now lives on the Gower Peninsula, near Swansea.[10] She is represented by the literary agency Marjacq Scripts.[6]
She is a member of Swansea Writers' Group, which encouraged her from the outset of her career before she had published a novel.[11]
Ty Catrin, an adult education centre in Pontypridd, was named in her honour in 2002.[12]
Bibliography[edit]
Collier's work includes:[2]
- 'Hearts of Gold' series
- —— (1992). Hearts of Gold. Century. ISBN 978-0712646062.
- —— (1993). One Blue Moon. Century. ISBN 978-0712698238.
- —— (1994). A Silver Lining. Century. ISBN 978-0712658454.
- —— (1995). All That Glitters. Century. ISBN 978-0712658508.
- —— (1996). Such Sweet Sorrow. Century. ISBN 978-0712675086.
- —— (1997). Past Remembering. Century. ISBN 978-0712675130.
- —— (1998). Broken Rainbows. Century. ISBN 978-0712679459.
- —— (2000). Spoils of War. Century. ISBN 978-0712684736.
- Swansea trilogy
- —— (2001). Swansea Girls. Orion. ISBN 978-0752832326.
- —— (2002). Swansea Summer. Orion. ISBN 978-0752832340.
- —— (2003). Homecoming. Orion. ISBN 978-0752853116.
- 'Beggars & Choosers' series
- —— (2003). Beggars & Choosers. Orion. ISBN 978-0752853130.
- —— (2004). Winners & Losers. Orion. ISBN 978-0752853154.
- —— (2004). Sinners & Shadows. Orion. ISBN 978-0752866987.
- —— (2005). Finders & Keepers. Orion. ISBN 978-0752867007.
- Tiger Bay
- —— (2006). Tiger Bay Blues. Orion. ISBN 978-0752867021.
- —— (2006). Tiger Ragtime. Orion. ISBN 978-0752867045.
- —— (2007). One Last Summer. Orion. ISBN 978-0752885773.
- —— (2008). Magda's Daughter. Orion. ISBN 978-0752885858.
- —— (2009). Black Eyed Devils. Accent Press. ISBN 978-1906373610.
- —— (2011). Bobby's Girl. Allison & Busby. ISBN 978-0749009298.
As Katherine John[edit]
- 'Trevor Joseph' series:
- —— (1990). Without Trace. Century. ISBN 978-0712634472.
- —— (1993). Six Foot Under. Headline. ISBN 978-0747207290. (aka Midnight Murders)
- —— (1994). Murder of a Dead Man. Headline. ISBN 978-0747240471.
- —— (2006). The Corpse's Tale. Accent Press. ISBN 978-1905170319.
- —— (2006). Midnight Murders. Accent Press. ISBN 978-1905170272. (aka Six Foot Under)
- —— (2008). Black Daffodil. Accent Press. ISBN 978-1906125004.
- —— (2008). A Well Deserved Murder. Accent Press. ISBN 978-1906125141.
- —— (2010). Destruction of Evidence. Accent Press. ISBN 978-1906373832.
- —— (1995). By Any Other Name. Headline. ISBN 978-0747212188. (aka By Any Name)
- —— (2007). The Amber Knight. ISBN 978-1905170623.
As K. A. John[edit]
- —— (2011). Wake Wood. Hammer. ISBN 978-0099556183.
As Katherine Hardy[edit]
- 'The Grand'
- —— (1997). The Grand. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0671005191.
- —— (1999). The Grand II - Under New Management. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0671015961.
- —— (2004). Coronation Street: The Complete Saga. Granada Media. ISBN 9780233000879.
As Caro French[edit]
- The Farcreek Trilogy
- —— (1995). Lady Luck (Farcreek 1). Pocket Books. ISBN 978-0671853563.
- —— (1995). Lady Lay (Farcreek 2). Pocket Books. ISBN 978-0671853570.
- —— (1995). Lady Chance (Farcreek 3). Pocket Books. ISBN 978-0671853587.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g "Catrin Collier – novels". Archived from the original on 18 August 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ a b c "Catrin Collier – links". Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g "COLLIER, CATRIN – List of Writers". The Writers of Wales Database. Literature Wales. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
- ^ "Catrin Collier: Books, Biogs, Audiobooks, Discussions". Amazon.com. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "Bibliography". Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ a b "Catrin Collier". Marjacq Scripts. Archived from the original on 6 January 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
- ^ "Hearts of Gold, Episode 2, "You've been found out"". BBC. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ Deans, Jason (5 June 2002). "BBC snaps up 'new Catherine Cookson'". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "One Blue Moon by Catrin Collier". Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "Catrin Collier". Accent Press. Archived from the original on 3 May 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
- ^ "Catrin Collier". Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
- ^ "Catrin Collier". ContactAnAuthor. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
External links[edit]
