DAVID WHITLEY
David Whitley was born in Chester in 1984, and began composing stories shortly afterwards!
His dream of writing Young Adult fiction was hugely encouraged when, at age 17 he was shortlisted for the Kathleen Fidler Award for a children’s novel and at 20 he won the Cheshire Prize for Literature for a children’s short story.
David’s first novel, The Midnight Charter, was published by Puffin in 2009. It sold in eighteen countries and twelve languages around the world and was Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal and the Branford Boase. Its sequel and second book in the ‘Agora’ trilogy, The Children of the Lost, comes out later in 2010.
Although David’s primary medium is the written word, he is no stranger to performance. As well as straight acting, he is a classically trained bass-baritone having taken several leading roles in musical theatre. David’s numerous ‘serious’ music credits include Masetto in Mozart’s Don Giovanni for Carte Blanche Opera and concert performances of Tosca, Tannhauser and Peter Grimes under the baton of the late Richard Hickox, musical director of Opera Australia.
Since becoming a working author, David has channelled his urge to climb onto a stage into a lively interactive Author Event which is fast becoming a favourite at schools, festivals and libraries up and down the country.
British TV quiz fans will have spotted David on BBC2’s University Challenge where he was a member of the winning Corpus Christi team who became Series Champions in 2005. Friends never tire of offering him a ‘starter for ten’!
For more information visit www.davidwhitley.co.uk
LATEST BOOK: THE CHILDREN OF THE LOST
Mark and Lily have been banished from Agora, the ancient city-state where everything is for sale – memories, emotions – even children. Lost and alone they discover Giseth, a seemingly perfect land where everyone is equal, possessions are unknown, and Lily believes they will find the secret of their entwined destiny. But paradise comes at a price. Why are their new friends so scared? What hides deep in the forest? And who is the mysterious woman who appears in their dreams, urging them to find the Children of the Lost?
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
The Midnight Charter, , Puffin 2009; US rights to Roaring Brook Press; Canadian rights to Doubleday; Italian rights Longanesi; German rights by Goldmann; Danish rights to Sesam Greek rights to Motibo; Netherland rights Moon, Dutch Media Group; Korean rights to Chungrim; Brazilian rights to Editora Rocco; Russian rights to Eksmo; Spanish rights to Ediciones Paidos; Portuguese rights to Editorial Presenca; French rights to Gallimard Jeunesse; Thai rights to Pearl Publishing; Swedish rights to Wahlstroms. Published to rave reviews autumn 2009.
Longlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2010 and the 2010 Branford Boase Award. Shortlisted for the 2010 Audie Awards. ); The Children of the Lost, UK rights to Puffin 2010; US rights to Roaring Brook Press; German rights to Goldmann; Swedish rights to Wahlstroms.
