Catrin Collier
{{Short description|Welsh novelist}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Catrin Collier
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Catrin Collier - colour.jpg
| caption =
| birth_name = Karen Jones
| birth_date = 1948
| birth_place = Pontypridd, Wales
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Welsh
| other_names = {{Plainlist|
- Karen Watkins
- Katherine John
- K. A. John
- Katherine Hardy
- Caro French
}}
| education =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Novelist
| agent = Marjacq Scripts
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| style =
| television =
| spouse =
| partner =
| children =
| parents =
| relatives =
| awards =
| website = {{URL|catrincollier.co.uk}}
| module ={{Listen voice
| filename = Catrin Collier voice.ogg
| recorded = June 2013
}}}}
Karen Watkins (née Jones, born 1948),{{cite web|url=http://catrincollier.co.uk/novels.php|title=Catrin Collier – novels|access-date=1 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818002228/http://catrincollier.co.uk/novels.php|archive-date=18 August 2013|url-status=dead}} writing as Catrin Collier, is a Welsh novelist known for her historical works, especially those in the Hearts of Gold series, set in her home town of Pontypridd between 1930 and 1950, the first of which was adapted as a BBC drama in 2003. She also writes under the pen names Katherine John{{cite web|url=http://catrincollier.co.uk/links.php|title=Catrin Collier – links|access-date=1 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611224938/http://www.catrincollier.co.uk/links.php|archive-date=11 June 2011|url-status=dead}}/ K. A. John (crime novels),{{cite web|url=http://www.literaturewales.org/writers-of-wales/i/129559/|title=COLLIER, CATRIN – List of Writers|work=The Writers of Wales Database|publisher=Literature Wales|access-date=2 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302052537/http://www.literaturewales.org/writers-of-wales/i/129559/|archive-date=2 March 2014|url-status=dead}} Katherine Hardy{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Catrin-Collier/e/B001HOYHWU|title=Catrin Collier: Books, Biogs, Audiobooks, Discussions|publisher=Amazon.com|access-date=1 June 2013}} (novelisations of television programmes) and Caro French (modern fiction).
Early life
Collier is of East Prussian descent, with her mother, Gerda Salewski, born in Allenstein, East Prussia, in 1926. Her father, Glyn Jones, was a Welsh Guardsman serving in Germany when he met Gerda. They were married in Pontypridd in July 1947. Collier was born there in 1948 and grew up in the town.
As a comprehensive school teacher, she taught English and drama to A level in schools in Swansea and West Glamorgan.
Career
Her book One last Summer is based on war-time diaries kept by her mother and maternal grandmother. and is recommended by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for young people wanting to learn about the Holocaust.{{cite web|url=http://www.hmd.org.uk/resources/bibliography|title=Bibliography|access-date=1 June 2013}} It was a 2008 finalist for the Romantic Novelists' Association's Book of the Year.
Television
In 2003, Hearts of Gold was adapted by BBC Wales as a two-part drama, directed by Richard Laxton and co-written by Matthew Baylis.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00ky85t|title=Hearts of Gold, Episode 2, "You've been found out"|publisher=BBC|access-date=1 June 2013}} BBC Wales' head of drama Matthew Robinson described her as "the Catherine Cookson of Wales".{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/jun/05/broadcasting.bbc2|title=BBC snaps up 'new Catherine Cookson'|last=Deans|first=Jason|date=5 June 2002|work=The Guardian|access-date=1 June 2013}}
Other work
As well as novels, she writes short stories, plays and non-fiction, and has had work published in magazines including published in Woman, Woman's Own and Woman's Weekly.
Personal life
After living in Germany and America,{{cite web|url=http://www.randomhouse.co.nz/books/catrin-collier/one-blue-moon-9780712615037.aspx|title=One Blue Moon by Catrin Collier|access-date=1 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130703160227/http://www.randomhouse.co.nz/books/catrin-collier/one-blue-moon-9780712615037.aspx|archive-date=3 July 2013}} Collier now lives in Swansea near The Gower.{{cite web|url=http://www.accentpress.co.uk/Contributor/547/Catrin-Collier.html|title=Catrin Collier|publisher=Accent Press|access-date=2 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503124222/http://www.accentpress.co.uk/Contributor/547/Catrin-Collier.html|archive-date=3 May 2012}} She is represented by the literary agency Marjacq Scripts.{{cite web|url=http://www.marjacq.com/books/catrin-collier|title=Catrin Collier|publisher=Marjacq Scripts|access-date=2 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130106022517/http://www.marjacq.com/books/catrin-collier|archive-date=6 January 2013}}
She is a member of Swansea Writers' Group, which encouraged her from the outset of her career before she had published a novel.{{Cite web |url=http://www.catrincollier.co.uk/news.php |title=Catrin Collier |access-date=11 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413142347/http://www.catrincollier.co.uk/news.php |archive-date=13 April 2014 |url-status=dead }}
{{lang|cy|Ty Catrin}}, an adult education centre in Pontypridd, was named in her honour in 2002.{{cite web|url=http://www.contactanauthor.co.uk/authorpage.php?id=220|title=Catrin Collier|work=ContactAnAuthor|access-date=2 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014173409/http://www.contactanauthor.co.uk/authorpage.php?id=220|archive-date=14 October 2008|url-status=dead}}
Bibliography
- 'Hearts of Gold' series
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Hearts of Gold|year=1992|publisher=Century|isbn=978-0712646062}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=One Blue Moon|year=1993|publisher=Century|isbn=978-0712698238}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=A Silver Lining|year=1994|publisher=Century|isbn=978-0712658454}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=All That Glitters|year=1995|publisher=Century|isbn=978-0712658508}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Such Sweet Sorrow|year=1996|publisher=Century|isbn=978-0712675086}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Past Remembering|year=1997|publisher=Century|isbn=978-0712675130}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Broken Rainbows|year=1998|publisher=Century|isbn=978-0712679459}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Spoils of War|year=2000|publisher=Century|isbn=978-0712684736}}
- Swansea trilogy
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Swansea Girls|year=2001|publisher=Orion|isbn=978-0752832326 }}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Swansea Summer|year=2002|publisher=Orion|isbn=978-0752832340}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Homecoming|year=2003|publisher=Orion|isbn=978-0752853116}}
- 'Beggars & Choosers' series
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Beggars & Choosers|year=2003|publisher=Orion|isbn=978-0752853130}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Winners & Losers|year=2004|publisher=Orion|isbn=978-0752853154}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Sinners & Shadows|year=2004|publisher=Orion|isbn=978-0752866987|url=https://archive.org/details/sinnersshadows0000coll}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Finders & Keepers|year=2005|publisher=Orion|isbn=978-0752867007}}
- Tiger Bay
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Tiger Bay Blues|year=2006|publisher=Orion|isbn=978-0752867021}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Tiger Ragtime|year=2006|publisher=Orion|isbn=978-0752867045 }}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=One Last Summer|url=https://archive.org/details/onelastsummer0000coll|url-access=registration|year=2007|publisher=Orion|isbn=978-0752885773}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Magda's Daughter|year=2008|publisher=Orion|isbn=978-0752885858|url=https://archive.org/details/magdasdaughter0000coll}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Black Eyed Devils|year=2009|publisher=Accent Press|isbn=978-1906373610}}
- {{cite book|last=Collier|first=Catrin|author-mask=2|title=Bobby's Girl|year=2011|publisher=Allison & Busby|isbn=978-0749009298}}
= As Katherine John =
- 'Trevor Joseph' series:
- {{cite book|last=John|first=Katherine|author-mask=2|title=Without Trace|year=1990|publisher=Century|isbn=978-0712634472}}
- {{cite book|last=John|first=Katherine|author-mask=2|title=Six Foot Under|year=1993|publisher=Headline|isbn=978-0747207290}} (aka Midnight Murders)
- {{cite book|last=John|first=Katherine|author-mask=2|title=Murder of a Dead Man |year=1994|publisher=Headline|isbn=978-0747240471}}
- {{cite book|last=John|first=Katherine|author-mask=2|title=The Corpse's Tale|year=2006|publisher=Accent Press|isbn=978-1905170319|url=https://archive.org/details/corpsestale0000john}}
- {{cite book|last=John|first=Katherine|author-mask=2|title=Midnight Murders|year=2006|publisher=Accent Press|isbn=978-1905170272 }} (aka Six Foot Under)
- {{cite book|last=John|first=Katherine|author-mask=2|title=Black Daffodil|year=2008|publisher=Accent Press|isbn=978-1906125004 }}
- {{cite book|last=John|first=Katherine|author-mask=2|title=A Well Deserved Murder|year=2008|publisher=Accent Press|isbn=978-1906125141 }}
- {{cite book|last=John|first=Katherine|author-mask=2|title=Destruction of Evidence|year=2010|publisher=Accent Press|isbn=978-1906373832}}
- {{cite book|last=John|first=Katherine|author-mask=2|title=By Any Other Name|year=1995|publisher=Headline|isbn=978-0747212188}} (aka By Any Name)
- {{cite book|last=John|first=Katherine|author-mask=2|title=The Amber Knight|year=2007|isbn=978-1905170623|url=https://archive.org/details/amberknight00kath}}
== As K. A. John ==
- {{cite book|last=John|first=K.A.|author-mask=2|title=Wake Wood|year=2011|publisher=Hammer|isbn=978-0099556183}}
= As Katherine Hardy =
- 'The Grand'
- {{cite book|last=Hardy|first=Katherine|author-mask=2|title=The Grand |year=1997|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=978-0671005191}}
- {{cite book|last=Hardy|first=Katherine|author-mask=2|title=The Grand II - Under New Management|year=1999|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=978-0671015961}}
- {{cite book|last=Hardy|first=Katherine|author-mask=2|title=Coronation Street: The Complete Saga|year=2004|publisher=Granada Media|isbn=9780233000879|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/coronationstreet0000hard}}
= As Caro French =
- The Farcreek Trilogy
- {{cite book|last=French|first=Caro|author-mask=2|title=Lady Luck (Farcreek 1)|year=1995|publisher=Pocket Books|isbn=978-0671853563}}
- {{cite book|last=French|first=Caro|author-mask=2|title=Lady Lay (Farcreek 2)|year=1995|publisher=Pocket Books|isbn=978-0671853570}}
- {{cite book|last=French|first=Caro|author-mask=2|title=Lady Chance (Farcreek 3)|year=1995|publisher=Pocket Books|isbn=978-0671853587}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Catrin Collier}}
- {{Official|http://catrincollier.co.uk }}
- [https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/38502.Catrin_Collier Collier's works] on Goodreads
- [http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00kx6wp 'Hearts of Gold' at the BBC website]
- [http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/06_june/18/hearts_gold.pdf BBC 'Hearts of Gold' press pack]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Collier, Catrin}}
Category:British people of German descent
Category:British people of Prussian descent
Category:Date of birth missing (living people)
Category:People from Pontypridd
Category:Welsh crime novelists