Maddie Mortimer

{{Short description|British author (born 1996)}}

{{Use British English|date=November 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}

Madeleine Mortimer (born 1996) is an English novelist.

{{Infobox writer

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1996}}

| language = English

| education = Latymer Upper School

| occupation = Writer

| notable_works = Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies (2022)

| awards = Desmond Elliott Prize (2022)

| nationality = British

| alma_mater = University of Bristol

| genre = Literary fiction

}}

Early life

Mortimer is from West London and attended Latymer Upper School.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latymer-upper.org/booker-prize-nominee-latymerian-maddie-mortimer-speaks-to-students/|title=Booker Prize nominee, Latymerian Maddie Mortimer speaks to students|website=Latymer Upper School|date=20 September 2022|accessdate=28 August 2024}} She studied English Literature at the University of Bristol, and has worked in marketing and as a screenwriter.{{cite book |last1=Mortimer |first1=Maddie |title=Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies |date=2022 |publisher=Picador |location=London |isbn=978-1529069365 |access-date=}} Her mother was the writer and filmmaker Katie Pearson.{{Cite journal |title='I became obsessed': Maddie Mortimer on the diaries her mother left behind |journal=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jul/08/i-became-obsessed-maddie-mortimer-on-the-diaries-her-mother-left-behind |last=Mortimer |first=Maddie |date=2023-07-08}}

Writing

Mortimer has described her first novel, Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies, as "an elegy to my mum and to our relationship". Mortimer's mother died of cancer in 2010 and the book focuses on a fictional woman called Lia who has a "shapeshifting cancer inside her body. Moving between Lia’s past and present, the book is a look at memory, mother-daughter relationships, and coming to terms with death". Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies won the 2022 Desmond Elliott Prize, which is awarded for a debut novel published in the UK or Ireland. It was also shortlisted for the 2022 Goldsmiths Prize and longlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize.{{cite web |title=Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/maps-of-our-spectacular-bodies |publisher=The Booker Prizes |access-date=21 November 2022}}

Awards

class="wikitable sortable"
YearWorkAwardCategoryResultRef
rowspan="4" |2022

| rowspan="5" |Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies

| Booker Prize|| — || {{nom|Longlisted}} || {{Cite web |title=Audrey Magee and Maddie Mortimer longlisted for 2022 Booker Prize |url=https://www.rcwlitagency.com/news/audrey-magee-and-maddie-mortimer-longlisted-for-2022-booker-prize/ |access-date=21 November 2022 |website=RCW Literary Agency |language=en}}

Desmond Elliott Prize{{won}}

| {{Cite web |title=Mortimer wins £10k Desmond Elliott Prize for 'completely unique' Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies |url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/mortimer-wins-10k-desmond-elliott-prize-for-completely-unique-maps-of-our-spectacular-bodies |access-date=21 November 2022 |website=The Bookseller |language=En}}{{Cite web |last=Shaffi |first=Sarah|date=1 July 2022|title=Maddie Mortimer wins the Desmond Elliott prize for Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/jul/01/maddie-mortimer-wins-the-desmond-elliott-prize-for-maps-of-our-spectacular-bodies |access-date=21 November 2021 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}

Goldsmiths Prize{{sho}}{{Cite web |last=Ellis |first=Lizzie |title=Collaborative novel wins the Goldsmiths Prize 2022 |url=https://www.gold.ac.uk/news/goldsmiths-prize-2022-winner/ |access-date=21 November 2022 |website=Goldsmiths, University of London |date=10 November 2022 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Maddie Mortimer shortlisted for The Goldsmiths Prize 2022 |url=https://www.rcwlitagency.com/news/maddie-mortimer-shortlisted-for-the-goldsmiths-prize-2022/ |access-date=21 November 2022|website=RCW Literary Agency |language=en}}
Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award

|—

|{{Sho}}

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2023

|Betty Trask Prize and Awards

|Betty Trask Award

|{{Won}}

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Selected publications

  • {{cite book |last1=Mortimer |first1=Maddie |title=Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies |date=2022 |publisher=Picador |location=London |isbn=9781529069365 |access-date=}}

References