Kate Forsyth
Encyclopedia
Kate Forsyth is an Australia
n fantasy
author, best known for the Witches of Eileanan series, and the Rhiannon's Ride series, which is also set in Eileanan.
She is the author of several children's fantasy books, including The Gypsy Crown, The Starthorn Tree, Dragon Gold and Wishing For Trouble. She is an internationally published poet with a collection called Radiance, and has published a novel
called Full Fathom Five under her maiden name, Kate Humphrey.
Her latest achievement is the 2007 Aurealis Awards.
Books 2 – 6 in 'The Chain of Charms' series were awarded the 2007 Aurealis Award for Children's Fiction. It is the first time that one author has ever won the award five times in a single year.
"A beautifully realized set of stories dealing with the adventures of two gypsy children in Cromwell's England. We care deeply about the fate of the children and whether they can save their family from hanging. Loads of suspense and vivid detail, told with masterful style." - Aurealis Award judges.
in Literature from Macquarie University
, Forsyth worked as a full time journalist
, including Editor of Hair and deputy editor of Money Watch before quitting to work freelance, writing articles for Vogue Australia, Black + White, Studio Bambini, Mode Brides, Interiors and Australian Collections amongst others.
Freelancing allowed her to concentrate more on her poetry and to be President of the Poets Union. She publishes her poetry under her maiden name, Kate Humphrey. This has appeared in Australian newspapers, such as The Sydney Morning Herald
, The Age
, and The Bulletin
, and domestic and international literary magazines.
She wrote "Full Fathom Five" as the thesis for her Master of Arts
in Writing, and then, to relieve the tedium of studying theorists such as Lacan
, Derrida and de Saussure for her exams, she started reading a multi-book fantasy series. The turning point was when her husband, Greg Forsyth, suggested that she write such a series herself.
Her books are sold in Australia, New Zealand
, the United States
, Canada
, the United Kingdom
, Russia
, Germany
, Italy
and Japan
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
author, best known for the Witches of Eileanan series, and the Rhiannon's Ride series, which is also set in Eileanan.
She is the author of several children's fantasy books, including The Gypsy Crown, The Starthorn Tree, Dragon Gold and Wishing For Trouble. She is an internationally published poet with a collection called Radiance, and has published a novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
called Full Fathom Five under her maiden name, Kate Humphrey.
Biography
Kate Forsyth was born in the city of Sydney, Australia, in 1966. She wanted to be a writer from a young age. She learned to read early. Her first novel was written at the age of seven.Her latest achievement is the 2007 Aurealis Awards.
Books 2 – 6 in 'The Chain of Charms' series were awarded the 2007 Aurealis Award for Children's Fiction. It is the first time that one author has ever won the award five times in a single year.
"A beautifully realized set of stories dealing with the adventures of two gypsy children in Cromwell's England. We care deeply about the fate of the children and whether they can save their family from hanging. Loads of suspense and vivid detail, told with masterful style." - Aurealis Award judges.
Journalism
After graduating in a Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Literature from Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
, Forsyth worked as a full time journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, including Editor of Hair and deputy editor of Money Watch before quitting to work freelance, writing articles for Vogue Australia, Black + White, Studio Bambini, Mode Brides, Interiors and Australian Collections amongst others.
Freelancing allowed her to concentrate more on her poetry and to be President of the Poets Union. She publishes her poetry under her maiden name, Kate Humphrey. This has appeared in Australian newspapers, such as The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
, The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
, and The Bulletin
The Bulletin
The Bulletin was an Australian weekly magazine that was published in Sydney from 1880 until January 2008. It was influential in Australian culture and politics from about 1890 until World War I, the period when it was identified with the "Bulletin school" of Australian literature. Its influence...
, and domestic and international literary magazines.
She wrote "Full Fathom Five" as the thesis for her Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Writing, and then, to relieve the tedium of studying theorists such as Lacan
Lacan
Lacan is surname of:* Jacques Lacan , French psychoanalyst and psychiatrist** The Seminars of Jacques Lacan** From Bakunin to Lacan: Anti-Authoritarianism and the Dislocation of Power, a book on political philosophy by Saul Newman** Lacan at the Scene* Judith Miller, née Lacan...
, Derrida and de Saussure for her exams, she started reading a multi-book fantasy series. The turning point was when her husband, Greg Forsyth, suggested that she write such a series herself.
Her books are sold in Australia, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
The Witches of Eileanan series
- Dragonclaw (1997) - released as The Witches of Eileanan in the US.
- The Pool of Two Moons (1998)
- The Cursed Towers (1999)
- The Forbidden Land (2000)
- The Skull of the World (2001)
- The Fathomless Caves (2002)
Rhiannon's Ride series
- The Tower of Ravens (2004)
- The Shining City (2005)
- The Heart of Stars (2006)
The Chain of Charm series (for 9-18 year olds)
- The Gypsy Crown (2006)
- The Silver Horse (2006)
- The Herb of Grace (2007)
- The Cat's Eye Shell (2007)
- The Lightning Bolt (2007)
- The Butterfly in Amber (2007)
Children's novels
- Dragon Gold - young readers(2005)
- Wishing For Trouble - young readers (2006)
- The Starthorn Tree- young adult (2002)
- The Puzzle Ring (2009)
- The Wildkin's Curse (2010)
- The Starkin Crown (May 2011)