Carmel Miranda
{{Short description|Sri Lankan writer and novelist}}
Carmel Miranda is a Sri Lankan writer, novelist and doctor. She won the Gratiaen Prize for her work Crossmatch (2020).https://www.britishcouncil.lk/events/conversation-carmel-miranda
Biography
She was regarded as bookworm since her early childhood, as she displayed her keen interest as an avid reader by reading books written by Enid Blyton.{{Cite web |title=‘I always wanted to write a book as compelling as Rebecca’ |url=https://www.sundaytimes.lk/210711/plus/i-always-wanted-to-write-a-book-as-compelling-as-rebecca-448722.html |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Print Edition - The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka}} She also pursued a keen interest in reading comics, including The Adventures of Tintin and Asterix. She also developed a firm interest on the literary works of Agatha Christie.
Career
She attended the St. Bridget’s Convent for her primary and secondary education. She pursued her higher education by enrolling at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Colombo. She studied to become a doctor and after gaining employment as a qualified doctor, she rendered her services at Anuradhapura and Colombo. She then eventually pursued her postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom. Carmel also maintained a rigid work schedule on a rotation basis in West Asia for some time. She also propelled her career prospects as a freelance anaesthetist for a considerable period of time.
Her debut novel, Crossmatch, received praise and critical acclaim, for which it received the Gratiaen Prize in 2020.{{Cite web |title=Carmel wins the Gratiaen for her debut whodunit |url=https://www.sundaytimes.lk/210704/plus/carmel-wins-the-gratiaen-for-her-debut-whodunit-447673.html |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Print Edition - The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka}}{{Cite web |date=2021-07-05 |title=‘Without readers books are meaningless’: Carmel Miranda on winning the Gratiaen Prize |url=https://www.themorning.lk/articles/147383 |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Latest in the News Sphere {{!}} The Morning}} She was inspired to author the novel Crossmatch after reading one of Daphne du Maurier’s bestseller novels Rebecca. Miranda revealed that her tacit knowledge and expertise in the medical field helped her to execute the storyline for her novel Crossmatch.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-01 |title=‘I wanted to write books that I like reading’: Carmel Miranda on her book Crossmatch |url=https://www.themorning.lk/articles/127311 |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Latest in the News Sphere {{!}} The Morning}} She spent around three years prior to the publishing of her novel Crossmatch, and she had ample time to finish the novel due to the advent of the COVID-19 induced lockdowns imposed by the Government of Sri Lanka during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Crossmatch also won the State Literary Award for Best English Novel for year 2021.{{Cite web |title=Crossmatch |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57559427-crossmatch |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Goodreads |language=en}}
References
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Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Date of birth missing (living people)
Category:Sri Lankan women writers
Category:Sri Lankan storytellers
Category:Sri Lankan medical doctors
Category:English-language writers from Sri Lanka
Category:21st-century Sri Lankan writers