Kate Long
Encyclopedia
Kate Long, author of the number one bestselling novel The Bad Mother's Handbook
lives in Whitchurch
in Shropshire
, UK.
She was raised in Lancashire
in a small village half-way between Wigan
and Bolton
. At 18 she left home to study English at Bristol University, where she gained a First, and then trained as a teacher in Exmouth
for a year. Her first job was in Guildford
, where she met her husband Simon.
For over a decade Kate taught at Abbey Gate College
, a secondary school just outside Chester
. When her first novel, The Bad Mother's Handbook was accepted, in 2003, she left teaching and became a full-time writer.
The Bad Mother's Handbook was published by Picador in 2004 and became a number one bestseller, serialised on BBC Radio Four's Book at Bedtime
and nominated for a British Book Award. The film rights were bought by Ruby Films and ITV
showed the TV version in February 2007 which starred Catherine Tate
.
Her next two novels are Swallowing Grandma and Queen Mum, both published by Picador
. Her fourth novel "The Daughter Game" was released on Saturday, March 15, 2008. "The Daughter Game" is about a teacher Anne who thinks she can save a girl whose personal life is very troubled - but the 16 year old pupil quickly manipulates the teacher and begins to invade her life.
In an interview about her latest novel Long says "I know teenagers can be quite manipulative - they have powers open to them adults and young children don't have" She goes on to say "through teaching you do get tuned into the way teenagers think. They live their lives in a state of high drama, everything is dramatic!" Kate also said she is still enjoying writing, but does miss teaching.
As well as novels, Kate Long has had short stories published in Woman's Own
, Woman & Home, the Sunday Express magazine and the Sunday Night Book Club anthology.
She describes herself as being inspired by family stories, and by power shifts in relationships, as well as how people form personal identities. Other favourite themes are class, disability, and the power of the maternal bond in all its forms, healthy or otherwise.
In 1990 Kate and her husband, who works for Newcastle-Under-Lyne Borough Council, moved to Whitchurch where they live with their two sons Ben (born 1998) and Toby (born 2001) who both attend Malpas Alport Primary School.
The Bad Mother's Handbook
The Bad Mother's Handbook was a one-off television drama based on the best-selling novel: The Bad Mother's Handbook by Kate Long. It was broadcast on ITV on 19 February 2007, starring Catherine Tate, Anne Reid, Holly Grainger and Robert Pattinson...
lives in Whitchurch
Whitchurch, Shropshire
Whitchurch is a market town in Shropshire, England on the border between England and Wales. It is the oldest continuously inhabited town in Shropshire. According to the 2001 Census, the population of the town is 8,673, with a more recent estimate putting the population of the town at 8,934...
in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, UK.
She was raised in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
in a small village half-way between Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
and Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
. At 18 she left home to study English at Bristol University, where she gained a First, and then trained as a teacher in Exmouth
Exmouth
Exmouth is a town in Devon. It may also refer to:Places*Exmouth Peninsula in Southern Chile*Exmouth, Western AustraliaPeople*Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth , a British naval officerShips...
for a year. Her first job was in Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, where she met her husband Simon.
For over a decade Kate taught at Abbey Gate College
Abbey Gate College
Abbey Gate College is an independent coeducational school in Cheshire. It serves pupils aged 4–18. The school is set in the grounds at Saighton Grange in the village of Saighton, three miles south of Chester....
, a secondary school just outside Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
. When her first novel, The Bad Mother's Handbook was accepted, in 2003, she left teaching and became a full-time writer.
The Bad Mother's Handbook was published by Picador in 2004 and became a number one bestseller, serialised on BBC Radio Four's Book at Bedtime
Book at Bedtime
Book at Bedtime is a long-running radio programme on BBC Radio 4, broadcast each weekday evening at 10.45–11.00 pm.Book at Bedtime offers fiction including modern classics, new works by leading writers and literature from around the world. Books are usually abridged and serialised each evening for...
and nominated for a British Book Award. The film rights were bought by Ruby Films and ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
showed the TV version in February 2007 which starred Catherine Tate
Catherine Tate
Catherine Tate is an English actress, writer, and comedian. She has won numerous awards for her work on the sketch comedy series The Catherine Tate Show as well as being nominated for an International Emmy Award and four BAFTA Awards...
.
Her next two novels are Swallowing Grandma and Queen Mum, both published by Picador
Picador (imprint)
Picador is an imprint of Pan Macmillan in the United Kingdom and Australia and of Macmillan Publishing in the United States. Both companies are owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group....
. Her fourth novel "The Daughter Game" was released on Saturday, March 15, 2008. "The Daughter Game" is about a teacher Anne who thinks she can save a girl whose personal life is very troubled - but the 16 year old pupil quickly manipulates the teacher and begins to invade her life.
In an interview about her latest novel Long says "I know teenagers can be quite manipulative - they have powers open to them adults and young children don't have" She goes on to say "through teaching you do get tuned into the way teenagers think. They live their lives in a state of high drama, everything is dramatic!" Kate also said she is still enjoying writing, but does miss teaching.
As well as novels, Kate Long has had short stories published in Woman's Own
Woman's Own
Woman's Own is a British lifestyle magazine aimed at women.Woman's Own was first published in 1932. It is one of the UK's most famous women's magazines and is published by IPC Media....
, Woman & Home, the Sunday Express magazine and the Sunday Night Book Club anthology.
She describes herself as being inspired by family stories, and by power shifts in relationships, as well as how people form personal identities. Other favourite themes are class, disability, and the power of the maternal bond in all its forms, healthy or otherwise.
In 1990 Kate and her husband, who works for Newcastle-Under-Lyne Borough Council, moved to Whitchurch where they live with their two sons Ben (born 1998) and Toby (born 2001) who both attend Malpas Alport Primary School.