[ home page ] [ channel4 ] [ writers toolkit ] [ secret passages ]
Susan Price
Susan Price wrote her first book when she was 16 and her Dad had
to sign the contract because she was still legally under age!
Called The Devil's Piper it was published just as Susan was leaving
school at 18.
Susan was born in Dudley in the West Midlands and has
lived there ever since. She hated school and says, “'the
least said about my time there, the better”.
As a child, she loved hearing stories about her
parents' childhood and being read stories of all sorts. Her
favourite was The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. Because of that,
she decided at an early age to be a writer.
Susan writes full-time and regards it as a job. She
says, “I write because that's how I earn my living. But I
enjoy it too. Not having to get up too early in the morning is one
of the best things about being a writer and being poor is one of
the worst.”
Susan has won many awards for her writing: The Other
Award, 1974 for Twopence a Tub; The Carnegie Medal, 1987 for The
Ghost Drum; and The Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, 1999 for The
Sterkarm Handshake.
The Sterkarm Handshake
The Sterkarms have plundered the borders between England and Scotland for generations. Now, in the sixteenth century, their way of life is threatened by the arrival of 'Elves' bringing gifts from another world. For the 'Elves' come from the twenty-first century, and their gifts carry pollutants with them. A thrilling blend of history and science fiction. (12+)
Published by Scholastic Ltd
The Wolf Sisters
Sent into the forest on a quest for help, Kenelm discovers the Wolf-Sisters. Terrifyingly beautiful and wild and free, the sisters offer Kenelm a new life. Now he must choose whether to return to his origins in the monastery, to embrace his new responsibilities at the Royal Court, or to stay with the powerful Wolf-Sisters. (12+)
Published by Hodder Children's Books
The Ghost Drum
Set in a frozen wasteland in the far north of Russia, this is a brilliant blend of legend and history. A young Czar is imprisoned while his sister plots to succeed in his place. Only the witches can possibly combat such a terrible misuse of power, and it falls to the witch-girl Chingis to hear the cries of the young Czar and rescue him. (12+)
Published by Faber and Faber Ltd
Forbidden Doors
Who dares to open the locked door? And what may lie inside? It might be treasure, it might be a monster, or it might be something much worse. Susan Price has written six spooky stories that reveal what happened to those who dared... (10+)
Published by Faber and Faber Ltd
Head and Tales
Linnet's dying request is that his head be cut off, wrapped in a cloth and given to his children. Why? Because Linnet is a story-teller and, once in possession of his head, his children will always have a story. A wonderful collection of spooky and thought provoking tales stream out of Linnet's head. (10+)
Published by Faber and Faber Ltd
The Bone Dog
Sarah's Uncle Bryan has always had an uncanny way with animals, but its not until Sarah goes to stay with him and her Gran Gornal that he shows her how to make her own pet. Sarah's spooky new pet is perfect. It's a bone dog and it does everything Sarah asks - even the bad things. Sarah loves the power her new pet gives her. (10+)
Published by Hodder Children's Books
[ home page ] [ author - flash version ] [ author - non-flash version ] [ other authors - text only ]
[ Windows Media Clip 1- The Sterkarm Handshake ]
[ Windows Media Clip 2- My dad loved the Jungle Book ]
[ Windows Media Clip 3- The kind of book I write... ]
[ Windows Media Clip 4- I would recommend myths and legends to anybody ]
