Ken Catran

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 sequels Blue Murder and Blue Blood. He also contributed to the television dramas Shortland Street and Close to Home.{{cite web |title=Catran, Ken |url=https://www.read-nz.org/writer/catran-ken/ |publisher=Read NZ Te Pou Muramura |accessdate=21 February 2020 |date=2013}} Around 1993, he moved away from screenwriting to focus more on writing novels.{{cite web |title=A man of many genres |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/life-style/36692/A-man-of-many-genres |work=Waikato Times|accessdate=21 February 2020 |date=2009}} Since then, he has become a prolific and varied writer within the New Zealand literary community.{{cite web |author=Samdog Design Ltd |url=http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/writers/catranken.html |title=Catran, Ken |publisher=New Zealand Book Council |year=2009 |accessdate=7 June 2012 |archive-date=4 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104052750/http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/writers/catranken.html |url-status=dead }}

Ken's television credits include soap operas (Radio Waves, Close to Home) as well as episodes in other TV dramas such as Mortimer's Patch.

He also penned Under the Mountain, an 8-episode treatment of the Maurice Gee novel, and wrote the critically well-received Hanlon, a biographical law drama. The opening episode treating sympathetically the Minnie Dean case received positive ratings and critical reception.

In 1986, Catran won the Drama Script category in the Listener Television Awards (also called the GOFTA Awards) for the first episode of Hanlon, In Defence of Minnie Dean.{{cite web |url=http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/hanlon-1985/series |title=Hanlon |work=NZ On Screen |publisher=NZ On Air |location=Wellington New Zealand |oclc=268791231 |accessdate=30 July 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://lonely.geek.nz/kiwitv/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=183:1986-winners-listener-television-awards&catid=33:1985-2003-gofta-awards&Itemid=46 |title=1986 Winners - Listener Television Awards |date=3 May 2007 |work=KIWITV |accessdate=30 July 2012}}

In 2004, Catran won the Esther Glen Award, presented by LIANZA, for his book, Jacko Moran, Sniper.{{cite web |url=https://www.storylines.org.nz/Storylines+Profiles/Profiles+A-C/More+in+Profiles+Profiles+A-C+temp/Ken+Catran.html |title=Ken Catran |year=2013 |work=Storylines.org.nz |publisher=Storylines Children's Literature Charitable Trust of New Zealand |location=Auckland, New Zealand |accessdate=21 February 2020}} Another six of his books have been short-listed for the award from 1997 to 2013, and Smiling Jack was a finalist for the 2011 LIANZA Young Adult Fiction Award.{{cite web |title=LIANZA Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award |url=https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/esther-glen-award/ |publisher=Christchurch City Libraries |accessdate=21 February 2020}}

In 2001, Catran's book, Voyage with Jason, won the Children's Book of the Year award, and the Young Adult Fiction category, at the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards.{{cite web |url=http://www.booksellers.co.nz/awards/new-zealand-post-childrens-book-awards/2001-Awards |title=2001 Awards |date=28 September 2011 |work=New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards |publisher=Booksellers New Zealand |location=Wellington, New Zealand |oclc=182896192 |accessdate=30 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601083514/http://www.booksellers.co.nz/awards/new-zealand-post-childrens-book-awards/2001-Awards |archive-date=1 June 2012 |url-status=dead }} Later, his book, Smiling Jack, won the Children's Choice Young Adult Fiction category at the 2011 awards.{{cite web |url=http://www.booksellers.co.nz/awards/new-zealand-post-childrens-book-awards/2011-Awards |title=2011 Awards |date=18 May 2011 |work=New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards |publisher=Booksellers New Zealand |location=Wellington, New Zealand |oclc=182896192 |accessdate=30 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524192712/http://www.booksellers.co.nz/awards/new-zealand-post-childrens-book-awards/2011-Awards |archive-date=24 May 2012 |url-status=dead }} An additional three of his books have been shortlisted at the various incarnations of these awards — Deepwater Black and Dream-bite for Senior Fiction, and Something Weird about Mr Foster for Junior Fiction.

In 2007, after writing more than 30 novels, he won the Margaret Mahy Medal, awarded by the Storylines Children's Literature Charitable Trust to a person who has made a significant contribution to children's literature, publishing, or literacy.{{cite web |url=http://www.storylines.org.nz/Awards/Margaret+Mahy+Award.html |title=Margaret Mahy Award |year=2012 |work=Storylines.org.nz |publisher=Storylines Children's Literature Charitable Trust of New Zealand |location=Auckland, New Zealand |accessdate=31 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120706024842/http://www.storylines.org.nz/Awards/Margaret%2BMahy%2BAward.html |archivedate=6 July 2012}}{{cite journal |title=Ken Catran Wins Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal |journal=Library Life |date=March 2007 |issue=311 |page=24 |url=https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE766253 |accessdate=21 February 2020 |publisher=LIANZA |issn=1176-8088}} At least one of his books have been on the Storylines Notable Books List in the Young Adult Fiction category from when the list was established in 2000 to 2008, and again in 2011.{{cite web |url=http://www.storylines.org.nz/Awards/Notable+Books+List.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100424223822/http://www.storylines.org.nz/Awards/Notable+Books+List.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 April 2010 |title=Notable Books List |year=2012 |work=Storylines.org.nz |publisher=Storylines Children's Literature Charitable Trust of New Zealand |location=Auckland, New Zealand |accessdate=31 July 2012 }} In 2003 one of his books was included in the Junior Fiction category of the list, Something Weird About Mr Foster.

He was the University of Otago College of Education Children's Writer in Residence in 1996, and the University of Waikato Writer in Residence in 2007.{{cite web |url=https://www.otago.ac.nz/otagofellows/allprevious_writer.html |title=The University of Otago College of Education/Creative New Zealand Children's Writer in Residence - previous recipients since the Fellowship was established |website=University of Otago |publisher=Otago Fellows |accessdate=21 February 2020}}

In 2005 he was presented with the Sir Julius Vogel Award for services to science fiction and fantasy, and was nominated for the Sir Julius Vogel Best Novel for Protus Rising.

Catran is married to Wendy Catran, a screenwriter and children's writer.{{cite web |title=Ken Catran |url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/ken-catran/biography |publisher=NZ On Screen |accessdate=21 February 2020}} They live in Waimate, a township in South Canterbury, New Zealand.{{cite web |last1=Bennett |first1=Joanne |title=Author makes finals |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/communities/8533219/Author-makes-finals |work=The Timaru Herald|accessdate=21 February 2020 |date=11 April 2013}} Through an interview, he has revealed that he chose writing over other interests because it 'came naturally to me'. He relaxes by going for walks and reading regularly.{{cite web|url=http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Kids/ChildrensAuthors/KenCatran.asp |title=Interview with Ken Catran - Kids |publisher=Christchurch City Libraries |date=1944-05-16 |accessdate=2012-03-23}}

Catran also frequently visits schools and gives advice to young writers on creating novels and short stories.

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb name|0146299}}
• [http://www.storylines.org.nz/Profiles/Profiles+A-C/Ken+Catran.html Ken Catran] biography, selected bibliography, and awards list at the Storylines Children's Literature Charitable Trust website
• [http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/writers/catranken.html Ken Catran] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104052750/http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/writers/catranken.html |date=4 November 2016 }} biography at the New Zealand Book Council website
• [http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/hanlon-in-defence-of-minnie-dean-1985 In Defence of Minnie Dean], the multi-award-winning first episode of the Hanlon television series written by Catran, streamed free at NZ On Screen

{{Margaret Mahy Award winners}}

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Category:1944 births

Category:Living people

Category:New Zealand children's writers

Category:New Zealand screenwriters

Category:New Zealand male screenwriters

Category:Ned Kelly Award winners

Category:People from Waimate