Jennifer Sullivan (born 1945) is a
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
writer for children and adults, and a former
literary critic. She is best known for her ''Magic Apostrophe'' series of children's fantasy books. She is a recipient of the
Tir na n-Og Award
The Tir na n-Og Awards (abbreviated TnaO) are a set of annual children's literary awards in Wales from 1976. They are presented by the Books Council of Wales to the best books published during the preceding calendar year in each of three awards ca ...
.
Biography
Sullivan was born in
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
, Wales, to Londoner Frederick Anderson (1900–1993), an
electrician
An electrician is a tradesperson specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, transmission lines, stationary machines, and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance ...
, and Phyllis (1905–2009), a short story writer.
Sullivan worked as a book critic for some years while her children were growing up. She has always written fiction, and during early professional years wrote mainly adult short stories. She has written a number of popular books, mostly suitable for 7–12 year olds, with Welsh themes incorporated into their story lines. She frequently visits primary schools in Wales to open events and carry out book signings.
Having lived in
Raglan, Monmouthshire most of her life, Sullivan now resides in
Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...
, France. She is married with three adult daughters, Kirsty, Tanith and Stephanie. Tanith is the name of a character from the Gwydion Trilogy.
In 1993, Sullivan was awarded the
Irma Chilton Bursary, which is presented to aspiring children's novelists by the
Welsh Arts Council
The Arts Council of Wales (ACW; cy, Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru) is a Welsh Government-sponsored body, responsible for funding and developing the arts in Wales.
Established within the Arts Council of Great Britain in 1946, as the Welsh Arts ...
.
["Magical Novel Wins Major Award"](_blank)
. 18 May 2012. Welsh Books Council (cllc.org.uk). Retrieved 30 October 2012.
''Tiron's Secret Journal'' won the 2006
Tir na n-Og Award
The Tir na n-Og Awards (abbreviated TnaO) are a set of annual children's literary awards in Wales from 1976. They are presented by the Books Council of Wales to the best books published during the preceding calendar year in each of three awards ca ...
for the best English-language book of the year with a Welsh background. Sullivan won the award for the second time in 2012 with ''Full Moon''.
Works
;Magic Apostrophe series
#''The Magic Apostrophe''
#''The Island of Summer''
#''Dragonson''
#''Who, Me?''
#''Me and My Big Mouth''
#''Dragons – and Decisions''
#''Nobody Asked Me!''
#''What Part of 'No' Don't You Understand?''
#''Tree of Light''
#''The Jellyfish, the Dragon and the Witch'' (stand alone book)
;Gwydion series
Set prior to ''The Magic Apostrophe'', before Gwydion meets Tan'ith
#''Gwydion and the Flying Wand''
#''Magic Maldwyn''
#''Betsan the Brave''
#''Gwydion's Quest''
;Back End of Nowhere series
#''The Back End of Nowhere''
#''Nowhere Again''
;Llancaiach fawr books
#''Tirion's Secret Journal''
#''Troublesome Thomas''
;Underground railway books
#''Full Moon''
#''Totally Batty''
;The Aled books
#''The Great Cake Bake''
#''The Great Granny Hunt''
;Silver Fox series
Adult series set during Owain Glyndŵr's War of Independence
#''Silver Fox - It Behins''
#''Silver Fox - The Paths Diverge
#A third book is planned
;Non-series books
*''Following Blue Water''
*''Macsen and the Pirates''
*''A Guardian What?''
*''Celtic Heroines''
*''C'mon, Cymru!'' (poetry)
;Picture books
*''Siôn and the Bargain Bee''
*''Two Left Feet'' (in Welsh and English)
*''The Caterpillar That Couldn't'' (in Welsh and English)
*''A Little Bit of Mischief'' (in Welsh and English)
References
External links
*
*
2002 interviewat Welsh Books Council
*
* (as of July 2015, but 3 recordings are probably another Jenny Sullivan)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, Jenny
1945 births
20th-century Welsh women writers
21st-century Welsh women writers
21st-century Welsh writers
Welsh children's writers
Welsh literary critics
British women literary critics
Welsh short story writers
Writers from Cardiff
Date of birth missing (living people)
Welsh women critics
British women children's writers
British women short story writers
Living people
20th-century British short story writers
21st-century British short story writers