Catrin Collier

Karen Watkins (née Jones, born 1948),[1] 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,[1] the first of which was adapted as a BBC drama in 2003. She also writes under the pen names Katherine John[2]/ K. A. John (crime novels),[3] Katherine Hardy[4] (novelisations of television programmes)[3] and Caro French[2] (modern fiction).[3]

Catrin Collier
Born
Karen Jones

1948
Pontypridd, Wales
NationalityWelsh
Other names
  • Karen Watkins
  • Katherine John
  • K. A. John
  • Katherine Hardy
  • Caro French
OccupationNovelist
AgentMarjacq Scripts
Websitecatrincollier.co.uk

Early life

Collier is of East Prussian descent, with her mother, Gerda Salewski, born in Allenstein, East Prussia, in 1926.[1] Her father, Glyn Jones, was a Welsh Guardsman serving in Germany when he met Gerda.[1] They were married in Pontypridd in July 1947.[1] Collier was born there in 1948 and grew up in the town.[1]

As a comprehensive school teacher, she taught English and drama to A level in schools in Swansea and West Glamorgan.[3]

Career

Her book One last Summer is based on war-time diaries kept by her mother and maternal grandmother.[1] and is recommended by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for young people wanting to learn about the Holocaust .[5] It was a 2008 finalist for the Romantic Novelists' Association's Book of the Year.[6]

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.[7] BBC Wales' head of drama Matthew Robinson described her as "the Catherine Cookson of Wales".[8]

Other work

As well as novels, she writes short stories, plays and non-fiction,[3] and has had work published in magazines including published in Woman, Woman's Own and Woman's Weekly.[3]

Personal life

After living in Germany[3] and America,[9] Collier now lives on the Gower Peninsula, near Swansea.[10] She is represented by the literary agency Marjacq Scripts.[6]

She is a member of Swansea Writers' Group, which encouraged her from the outset of her career before she had published a novel.[11]

Ty Catrin, an adult education centre in Pontypridd, was named in her honour in 2002.[12]

Bibliography

Collier's work includes:[2]

  • 'Hearts of Gold' series
    • —— (1992). Hearts of Gold. Century. ISBN 978-0712646062.
    • —— (1993). One Blue Moon. Century. ISBN 978-0712698238.
    • —— (1994). A Silver Lining. Century. ISBN 978-0712658454.
    • —— (1995). All That Glitters. Century. ISBN 978-0712658508.
    • —— (1996). Such Sweet Sorrow. Century. ISBN 978-0712675086.
    • —— (1997). Past Remembering. Century. ISBN 978-0712675130.
    • —— (1998). Broken Rainbows. Century. ISBN 978-0712679459.
    • —— (2000). Spoils of War. Century. ISBN 978-0712684736.
  • Swansea trilogy
    • —— (2001). Swansea Girls. Orion. ISBN 978-0752832326.
    • —— (2002). Swansea Summer. Orion. ISBN 978-0752832340.
    • —— (2003). Homecoming. Orion. ISBN 978-0752853116.
  • 'Beggars & Choosers' series
    • —— (2003). Beggars & Choosers. Orion. ISBN 978-0752853130.
    • —— (2004). Winners & Losers. Orion. ISBN 978-0752853154.
    • —— (2004). Sinners & Shadows. Orion. ISBN 978-0752866987.
    • —— (2005). Finders & Keepers. Orion. ISBN 978-0752867007.
  • Tiger Bay
    • —— (2006). Tiger Bay Blues. Orion. ISBN 978-0752867021.
    • —— (2006). Tiger Ragtime. Orion. ISBN 978-0752867045.
  • —— (2007). One Last Summer. Orion. ISBN 978-0752885773.
  • —— (2008). Magda's Daughter. Orion. ISBN 978-0752885858.
  • —— (2009). Black Eyed Devils. Accent Press. ISBN 978-1906373610.
  • —— (2011). Bobby's Girl. Allison & Busby. ISBN 978-0749009298.

As Katherine John
  • 'Trevor Joseph' series:
    • —— (1990). Without Trace. Century. ISBN 978-0712634472.
    • —— (1993). Six Foot Under. Headline. ISBN 978-0747207290. (aka Midnight Murders)
    • —— (1994). Murder of a Dead Man. Headline. ISBN 978-0747240471.
    • —— (2006). The Corpse's Tale. Accent Press. ISBN 978-1905170319.
    • —— (2006). Midnight Murders. Accent Press. ISBN 978-1905170272. (aka Six Foot Under)
    • —— (2008). Black Daffodil. Accent Press. ISBN 978-1906125004.
    • —— (2008). A Well Deserved Murder. Accent Press. ISBN 978-1906125141.
    • —— (2010). Destruction of Evidence. Accent Press. ISBN 978-1906373832.
  • —— (1995). By Any Other Name. Headline. ISBN 978-0747212188. (aka By Any Name)
  • —— (2007). The Amber Knight. ISBN 978-1905170623.

As K. A. John
  • —— (2011). Wake Wood. Hammer. ISBN 978-0099556183.

As Katherine Hardy

As Caro French
  • The Farcreek Trilogy
    • —— (1995). Lady Luck (Farcreek 1). Pocket Books. ISBN 978-0671853563.
    • —— (1995). Lady Lay (Farcreek 2). Pocket Books. ISBN 978-0671853570.
    • —— (1995). Lady Chance (Farcreek 3). Pocket Books. ISBN 978-0671853587.

References
  1. "Catrin Collier – novels". Archived from the original on 18 August 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  2. "COLLIER, CATRIN – List of Writers". The Writers of Wales Database. Literature Wales. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  3. "Catrin Collier: Books, Biogs, Audiobooks, Discussions". Amazon.com. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  4. "Bibliography". Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  5. "Catrin Collier". Marjacq Scripts. Archived from the original on 6 January 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  6. "Hearts of Gold, Episode 2, "You've been found out"". BBC. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  7. Deans, Jason (5 June 2002). "BBC snaps up 'new Catherine Cookson'". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  8. "One Blue Moon by Catrin Collier". Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  9. "Catrin Collier". Accent Press. Archived from the original on 3 May 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  10. "Catrin Collier". Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  11. "Catrin Collier". ContactAnAuthor. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
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