Ken Catran
Encyclopedia
Ken Catran is a children's novel
ist and television
screenwriter
from New Zealand
.
Catran is the author of many teen novels, including Taken at the Flood, Voyage with Jason, Doomfire on Venus, Space Wolf, Jacko Moran:Sniper, Talking to Blue and its sequel Blue Murder. He is perhaps best known for his Deepwater trilogy
series and his contribution to the television drama Shortland Street
. However, Catran became frustrated with a lack of recognition within the industry (in particular, he penned the famous line, "You're not in Guatemala now, Dr. Ropata," but has never received payment for the numerous times it has been used in publicity), and quit television altogether. Although he did not start writing until his thirties, he has become a prolific and varied writer within the New Zealand literary community.
Ken's television credits include soap operas (Radio Waves, Close to Home) as well as stand-out episodes in the TV drama Mortimer's Patch
including two episodes that were the most watched TV programme in New Zealand in their respective weeks: a feat that is unlikely to be repeated.
He also penned Under the Mountain
, an 8-episode treatment of the Maurice Gee
novel, and in 1981/1982 researched and wrote the critically well-received Hanlon - a biographical law drama. The opening episode treating sympathetically the Minnie Dean
case received outstanding reviews.
In 2007, after writing nearly 30 novels, he won the Storylines Margaret Mahy
Medal, a prestigious award for New Zealand children's writers. He resides in Waimate
, a township in South Canterbury, New Zealand.
He also frequently visits schools and gives advice to young writers on creating novels and short stories
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....
ist and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
from 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...
.
Catran is the author of many teen novels, including Taken at the Flood, Voyage with Jason, Doomfire on Venus, Space Wolf, Jacko Moran:Sniper, Talking to Blue and its sequel Blue Murder. He is perhaps best known for his Deepwater trilogy
Deepwater trilogy
The Deepwater trilogy is a series of science fiction novels written by the author Ken Catran for teenagers or young adults. The three books are respectively titled Deepwater Black, Deepwater Landing and Deepwater Angels. The books address a number of current issues like pollution, racism and politics...
series and his contribution to the television drama Shortland Street
Shortland Street
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
. However, Catran became frustrated with a lack of recognition within the industry (in particular, he penned the famous line, "You're not in Guatemala now, Dr. Ropata," but has never received payment for the numerous times it has been used in publicity), and quit television altogether. Although he did not start writing until his thirties, he has become a prolific and varied writer within the New Zealand literary community.
Ken's television credits include soap operas (Radio Waves, Close to Home) as well as stand-out episodes in the TV drama Mortimer's Patch
Mortimer's Patch
Mortimer's Patch was a popular TVNZ police drama from the early 1980s. It featured actors Terence Cooper, Sean Duffy, Don Selwyn and Jim Hickey and depicted detective and police work in the fictional town of "Cobham". It was filmed in and around Henderson, New Zealand.**...
including two episodes that were the most watched TV programme in New Zealand in their respective weeks: a feat that is unlikely to be repeated.
He also penned Under the Mountain
Under the Mountain
Under the Mountain was an eight-part television series based on the novel of the same name written by Maurice Gee and produced by Television New Zealand and first transmitted in 1981...
, an 8-episode treatment of the Maurice Gee
Maurice Gee
Maurice Gee is a New Zealand novelist.-Awards and honors:Gee was awarded the 1978 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his novel Plumb...
novel, and in 1981/1982 researched and wrote the critically well-received Hanlon - a biographical law drama. The opening episode treating sympathetically the Minnie Dean
Minnie Dean
Williamina "Minnie" Dean was a New Zealander who was found guilty of infanticide and hanged. She was the only woman to receive the death penalty in New Zealand....
case received outstanding reviews.
In 2007, after writing nearly 30 novels, he won the Storylines Margaret Mahy
Margaret Mahy
Margaret Mahy ONZ is a well-known New Zealand author of children's and young adult books. While the plots of many of her books have strong supernatural elements, her writing concentrates on the themes of human relationships and growing up.Her books The Haunting and The Changeover: A Supernatural...
Medal, a prestigious award for New Zealand children's writers. He resides in Waimate
Waimate
WaimateUrban AreaPopulation:2,835 Extent:Territorial AuthorityName:Waimate District CouncilPopulation:7,206 Land area:3,582.19 km² Mayor:John ColesWebsite:...
, a township in South Canterbury, New Zealand.
Personal life
Not much is publicly known about Catran's personal life. Through various interviews, however, he has revealed that he chose writing over other interests because it 'came naturally to me'. He relaxes by going for walks, and, as may be expected for a writer, reads regularly.He also frequently visits schools and gives advice to young writers on creating novels and short stories