Eowyn Ivey is an American author based in Alaska. She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2013 for her

debut novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to p ...

'' The Snow Child''.

Life and career

Ivey was raised in Alaska. Her mother named her after

Éowyn Éowyn is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's ''The Lord of the Rings''. She is a noblewoman of Rohan who calls herself a shieldmaiden. With the hobbit Merry Brandybuck, she rides into battle and kills the Witch-King of Angmar, Lo ...

, a character from

The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's b ...

. She attended Palmer High School and studied at

Western Washington University Western Washington University (WWU or Western) is a public university in Bellingham, Washington. The northernmost university in the contiguous United States, WWU was founded in 1893 as the state-funded New Whatcom Normal School, succeeding a pri ...

in Bellingham. Ivey was a newspaper reporter at the ''Frontiersman'' in Wasilla for a decade before quitting her job to work as bookseller in order to focus on writing novels. Her first novel, ''The Snow Child'', is set in 1920s Alaska. The book is centred around a couple called Jack and Mabel who begin seeing a girl running through the Alaskan wilderness after they sculpt a child out of snow. Her second book, ''To the Bright Edge of the World'' is set in 1885 and also in Alaska. The story is told through journal entries, military reports, letters and documents. The plot follows an expedition funded by the US government into the Alaskan wilderness. Although a fictional account, Ivey drew inspiration from the official reports of

Henry Tureman Allen Major General Henry Tureman Allen (April 13, 1859 – August 29, 1930) was a senior United States Army officer known for exploring the Copper River in Alaska in 1885 along with the Tanana and Koyukuk rivers by transversing of wilderness. His t ...

's 1885 exploration of Alaska and the diaries of his expedition members. Ivey has also written essays which have appeared in publications such as ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...

'', '' Alaska Magazine'', ''

The Sunday Times Magazine ''The Sunday Times Magazine'' is a magazine included with ''The Sunday Times''. In 1962 it became the first colour supplement to be published as a supplement to a UK newspaper, and its arrival "broke the mould of weekend newspaper publishing". ...

'', ''

Woman & Home ''Woman & Home'' is a monthly lifestyle magazine published by Future PLC. The London-based women's lifestyle brand produces fashion and beauty features for real women in their 40s and upwards, along with inspirational articles on the home and gar ...

'', and ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

''. She lives in Alaska with her husband and two children.

Recognition

*2012 -

Specsavers National Book Awards The British Book Awards or Nibbies are literary awards for the best UK writers and their works, administered by ''The Bookseller''. The awards have had several previous names, owners and sponsors since being launched in 1990, including the Nationa ...

for International Author of the Year for ''The Snow Child'' *2013 - Pulitzer Prize finalist for ''The Snow Child *2013 -

Indies Choice Book Awards The Indies Choice Book Award (formerly known as Book Sense Book of the Year 2000-2008) is an American literary award that was inaugurated at BookExpo America 2000. The American Booksellers Association (ABA) rededicated the award (previously kno ...

for Adult debut book of the year for ''The Snow Child''

Bibliography

*'' The Snow Child'' (2012) *''To the Bright Edge of the World'' (2016)

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ivey, Eowyn Living people 21st-century American novelists American women novelists Novelists from Alaska 21st-century American women writers Western Washington University alumni 1973 births