Livi Michael
Encyclopedia
Personal life
Livi Michael,also known as, Olivia Michael, born March. 15, 1960 in ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, is a British fiction authoress who has published a total of 15 children and adult novels. She is the daughter of civil servant Ann Wood. Michael has been married twice, divorced from her first husband and separated from her second husband, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
Ian Pope. She is mother of two sons, Paul and Ben;one from each marriage. During spare time Michael’s enjoys singing and T'ai chi ch'uan. Michael attended Tameside College of Technology;University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
and completed B.A (English) with first-class-honors in 1989, and Ph. D in 1993. She continues writing as she raises her two sons in Diggle, Saddleworth, where she resides till today.
| Favourite book | Lord of the Rings |
| Favourite Song | Feeling Good Feeling Good "Feeling Good" is a song written by English singer-songwriters Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd starring Cy Grant, who sang the original version of the song... -Nina Simone Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon , better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music... |
| Favourite Film | Afterlife Afterlife The afterlife is the belief that a part of, or essence of, or soul of an individual, which carries with it and confers personal identity, survives the death of the body of this world and this lifetime, by natural or supernatural means, in contrast to the belief in eternal... |
| Most Treasured Possession | Hamster Hamster Hamsters are rodents belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about 25 species, classified in six or seven genera.... Frank. |
| Favourite Memory | The view of the sky from the balcony of the flat where she grew up |
| Favourite Place in the World | Iceland Iceland Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population... |
Career
Livi Michael began writing poetry at an early age of seven. Her career as a novelist started with her first novel, Under a Thin Moon in 1992. Throughout her career, a total of 15 books have been published between the years of 1992 and 2009. In addition to her writing, Michael also worked as a university lecturer teaching creative writingCreative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
, and ran reading groups about women's fiction. Michael began writing novels for adults in 1992, and wrote three more novels for adults before writing her first children’s novel in 2002 called Frank and the Black Hamster of Narkiz. While Michael was in the process of writing her first novel, she continued her education and completed her doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in 1993 at the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
. There she earned a dissertation that was titled “Towards a Theory of Working Class Writing: Lewis Grassic Gibbon
Lewis Grassic Gibbon
Lewis Grassic Gibbon was the pseudonym of James Leslie Mitchell , a Scottish writer.-Biography:...
’s A Scots Quair in the Context of Earlier Working Class Fiction . Michael completed her second novel while she taught english literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
and creative writing part-time till 1998 at Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University is a university in North West England. Its headquarters and central campus is in the city of Manchester, but there are outlying facilities in the county of Cheshire. It is the third largest university in the United Kingdom in terms of student numbers, behind the...
and proceeded to write her third novel as well. Michael’s fourth novel was published in 2000. Michael continues teaching english literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
and creative writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
for the Department of Cultural Studies
Cultural studies
Cultural studies is an academic field grounded in critical theory and literary criticism. It generally concerns the political nature of contemporary culture, as well as its historical foundations, conflicts, and defining traits. It is, to this extent, largely distinguished from cultural...
at Sheffield Hallam University
Sheffield Hallam University
Sheffield Hallam University is a higher education institution in South Yorkshire, England, based on two sites in Sheffield. City Campus is located in the city centre, close to Sheffield railway station, and Collegiate Crescent Campus is about two miles away, adjacent to Ecclesall Road in...
and writing novels for children. In addition to teaching and writing, she also gives guest lectures, participates in writing workshops , visit schools where she hosts reading groups and answers student's questions.
Writing influences
One of the factors that influenced Michael’s writing was her son’s hamsterHamster
Hamsters are rodents belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about 25 species, classified in six or seven genera....
named “Frank”. She describes Frank as an “adventurous hamster, and something of an escapologist”. This is a contributing factor which led to the creation of the Frank series. The first children’s novel that Michael published was called Frank and the Black Hamster of Narkiz (2002), named after her son's hamster.
In addition to that, Michael's writing influences come from the fact that she was raised in a single-parent home by her mother. Also, Michael herself was an unemployed single mother of two. She is aware of the effects of poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
on women as she is involved with women’s organizations and community centers. These factors have led to her understanding of women and their lives on various levels. She highlights the world of poor and working class women through the characters in her novels. She emphasizes on the voice of her characters by writing in a limited third person which allows the reader “to hear [the character's] usually silenced voices”.
Under a Thin Moon (1992)
Livi Michael's first novel, Under a Thin Moon (1992) is hugely praised for its portrayal of the underprivileged and working class women. It depicts that how the lives of four working class women are tied together because of their class and gender. The story is set up in Manchester council estate during the period of British Conservative politician Margaret ThatcherMargaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
. Political elements such as capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
and patriarchy
Patriarchy
Patriarchy is a social system in which the role of the male as the primary authority figure is central to social organization, and where fathers hold authority over women, children, and property. It implies the institutions of male rule and privilege, and entails female subordination...
are prominent in the novel ,and criticized for the impoverished state of these women. Each of these women struggle with poverty and unemployment which leads to the development of their similar identities despite their differing circumstances.
Frank And The Black Hamster Of Narkiz (2002)
Frank And The Black Hamster Of Narkiz(2002) is one of her popular novels written for younger children. It is a story of hamsterHamster
Hamsters are rodents belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about 25 species, classified in six or seven genera....
named Frank who is brave and courageous unlike the other hamsters who are gentle, timid and domesticated creatures. Frank has a mission and a motto - 'Courage!’. He escapes from his cage and undertakes an adventurous journey to meet the mystreious black hamster of Narkiz. After the success of the first novel, Michael went on to write a series of novels on Frank's adventures and all the novels have been successful.
The Whispering Road(2005)
Michael also wrote books for the young adults and The Whispering RoadThe Whispering Road
The Whispering Road is a children's book by Livi Michael, published in 2005. It won the Nestlé Children's Book Prize Bronze Award and the Stockton Children's Book of the Year Award, as well as being shortlisted for the Ottakar's Children's Book Prize....
(2005) is one of her popular works in this genre. The novel represents the real but dark issues such as death, disease and abandonment through the lives of siblings Joe and Anne. It begins with their escape from slavery of a cruel farmer, in the hope of finding their lost mother. However, Joe's immature behaviour results in their separation along the journey. His guilt and deep love for his sister comples him to find her again which generates readers interest and sympathy towards his character. Michael sustains a spirit of kindness and hope throughout to balance out the dark and disturbing elements of the novel. The amalgamation of accurate historical facts and the elements of fantasy is interesting and appeals to the young readers.
Awards and Honors
| Books | Awards |
|---|---|
| Under a Thin Moon (1992) | Arthur Welton Award (1992),Society of Authors Society of Authors The Society of Authors is a trade union for professional writers that was founded in 1884 to protect the rights of writers and fight to retain those rights .It has counted amongst its members and presidents numerous notable writers and poets including Tennyson The Society of Authors (UK) is a... award (1992). |
| Their Angel Reach (1994) | John Steinbeck John Steinbeck John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was an American writer. He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden and the novella Of Mice and Men... Award shortlist(1994), and John Llewellyn Rhys Award shortlist (1994), and Geoffrey Faber Geoffrey Faber Sir Geoffrey Cust Faber was a British academic, publisher and poet.Geoffrey Cust Faber was educated at Rugby School and Christ Church, Oxford... Memorial Prize (1995), Society of Authors Society of Authors The Society of Authors is a trade union for professional writers that was founded in 1884 to protect the rights of writers and fight to retain those rights .It has counted amongst its members and presidents numerous notable writers and poets including Tennyson The Society of Authors (UK) is a... award. |
| All the Dark Air (1997) | The Mind (charity) Book of the Year Award/Allen Lane Allen Lane Sir Allen Lane was a British publisher who founded Penguin Books, bringing high quality paperback fiction and non-fiction to the mass market.-Early life and family:... Award shortlist (1997), Society of Authors Society of Authors The Society of Authors is a trade union for professional writers that was founded in 1884 to protect the rights of writers and fight to retain those rights .It has counted amongst its members and presidents numerous notable writers and poets including Tennyson The Society of Authors (UK) is a... Award. |
| Frank and the Black Hamster of Narkiz (2002) | Branford Boase Award Branford Boase Award The Branford Boase Award is a British literary award presented annually to an outstanding novel for young people by a first-time writer.Wendy Boase, Editorial Director of Walker Books and Henrietta Branford worked together previously to produce a great number of books. Both Wendy Boase and... shortlist (2002). |
| The Whispering Road The Whispering Road The Whispering Road is a children's book by Livi Michael, published in 2005. It won the Nestlé Children's Book Prize Bronze Award and the Stockton Children's Book of the Year Award, as well as being shortlisted for the Ottakar's Children's Book Prize.... (2005) |
Bronze award, Nestlé Children's Book Prize(2005). |
Books For Adults
- 2000 Inheritance, Penguin
- 1997 All the Dark Air, Secker & Warburg
- 1994 Their Angel Reach, Secker & Warburg
- 1992 Under a Thin Moon, Secker & Warburg
Books For Older Children
- 2009 Faerie Heart, Puffin
- 2005 The Whispering RoadThe Whispering RoadThe Whispering Road is a children's book by Livi Michael, published in 2005. It won the Nestlé Children's Book Prize Bronze Award and the Stockton Children's Book of the Year Award, as well as being shortlisted for the Ottakar's Children's Book Prize....
, Puffin - 2006 The Angel Stone, Puffin
- 2008 Sky Wolves, Puffin
Books For Younger Children
- 2009 43 Bin Steet
- 2007 City of Dogs, Putnam
- 2006 Seventeen Times as High as the Moon, Orchard
- 2005 Frank and the New Narkiz, Puffin
- 2004 Frank and the Flames of Truth, Puffin
- 2003 Frank and the Chamber of Fear, Puffin
- 2002 Frank and the Black Hamster of Narkiz, Puffin
External links
- http://book-covers.lucywho.com/livi-michael-book-covers-t604805.html
- https://www.radiowaves.co.uk/story/15111/title/aninterviewwithlivimichaels