Catherine Forde

Catherine Forde

Catherine Forde credits her success in creative writing to a secondary school English teacher, Pat Chalmers, who she says, 'inspired me and pushed me and always encouraged me to write what I wanted to write.' Before turning her hand to writing at the age of 35, she worked as a lexicographer for Collins and taught in secondary schools.

Forde has been nominated for, and won, a number of prestigious awards. In 2005, the titles Fat Boy Swim and SKARRS, both published by Egmont, won the Grampian Book Award and the Scottish Arts Council award respectively. Her latest book is Sugarcoated, which was published in April 2008.

Catherine Forde lives in Glasgow with her husband and two sons.

  • Cover scan of The Drowning Pond
    The Drowning Pond
    You're the least popular girl at school, and the glossy friends who were briefly interested are bored. And you'll do anything to keep them. Nicky finds picking on the new girl easy: everyone thinks she's weird anyway. But when does 'weird' become 'witchy'?
  • Cover scan of Exit Oz
    Exit Oz
    Meet Dec's family: his brother Gabe, a devoted Goth; their pet snake Oz, who lives on baby mice; and their mum, who hates everything about the snake, especially the baby mice. When Oz escapes, the whole family are enlisted to find him.
  • Cover scan of Fat Boy Swim
    Fat Boy Swim
    Fat Jimmy is bullied for his size and inability to perform at sport. But he has inner strengths. One is his secret gift for cooking and the other he discovers when he learns to swim. He is not just a good swimmer, he is phenomenal!
  • Cover scan of Firestarter
    Firestarter
    When Reece - strange, blue-haired, fire-obsessed Reece - moves in next door, Keith is worried. Reece is clearly trouble but the problem is, Keith feels sorry for him. Keith knows he should ignore Reece, but he's like smoke. He pervades everything, every aspect of Keith's life.
  • Cover scan of I See You Baby
    I See You Baby
    When Sally and Keith meet at a rock festival, there is a strong mutual attraction - but what will happen when Keith finds out that Sally isn't a famous stylist and Sally finds out that Keith isn't the lead singer of one of the bands playing at the festival?
  • Cover scan of L-L-L-Loser
    L-L-L-Loser
    16 year old John Blue likes music and girls, in that order. He dislikes 'The Two Cheeses', 'Danish Blue' and 'Dairy Lee'. 'The Two Cheeses', Dane and Lee like 'Star Wars' and making John's life a misery, in that order. They dislike washing, clean underpants and having a life.
  • Cover scan of Skarrs
    Skarrs
    Granpa Dan has just died. But, apart from the smell from his room and the banging of his stick, Danny has noticed that something else is missing too. It is only then that Danny realizes that he is wasting his life and that things must change if he is to avoid being dragged down by Jakey's gang.
  • Cover scan of Sugarcoated
    Sugarcoated
    When Cloddy witnesses a horrific attack outside her dad's shop, neither the victim nor the attackers see her. Afraid for her life, she decides not to tell anyone. And why should she, when she's got her mysterious new boyfriend to keep her happy.
  • Cover scan of Think Me Back
    Think Me Back
    Pete's family has moved from London to Scotland during the Second World War. In their new house, he hears unexplained voices but it is only when he meets new friends in the air raid shelter in the back garden that he realises that all is not as it seems.
  • Cover scan of Tug Of War
    Tug Of War
    In 2012 The Emergency begins as terrorist bombs shatter cities around the UK. Molly's parents decide to send her and her brother John away from Glasgow to safety in the countryside. Molly is sent to Paradise Farm to be looked after by Pernilla, who gives her everything she desires, and soon she forgets about her old life.

Bibliography