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Christie Dickason

Author profile

gender

female

website

http://www.christiedickason.com/

genre

Historical Fiction

About this author

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I started to write at the age of three, long before I could spell. Understandably, I hid my poems and (very) short stories from my English professor father, who could spell words like ‘desiccate’ and also insisted on correct grammar. All the same, he passed on to me his delight in books and words as well as his joy in pursuing intellectual curiosity. Under his influence, I learned to relish research and value accuracy. (He also kick-started my interest in mountain climbing by putting his uncensored edition of Lady Chatterley’s Lover on the highest shelf of his study.)

While living abroad with my family for most of my teens, in Thailand, Mexico and Switzerland, I studied anywhere I could, from the International Children’s Centre in Bangkok, t...more I started to write at the age of three, long before I could spell. Understandably, I hid my poems and (very) short stories from my English professor father, who could spell words like ‘desiccate’ and also insisted on correct grammar. All the same, he passed on to me his delight in books and words as well as his joy in pursuing intellectual curiosity. Under his influence, I learned to relish research and value accuracy. (He also kick-started my interest in mountain climbing by putting his uncensored edition of Lady Chatterley’s Lover on the highest shelf of his study.)

While living abroad with my family for most of my teens, in Thailand, Mexico and Switzerland, I studied anywhere I could, from the International Children’s Centre in Bangkok, through home-tutoring, to an old-fasioned Swiss convent school. I went on to read English at Harvard University (BA, Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa), then earned an MFA in Theatre at the Yale University Drama School (winning a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship and the Shubert Memorial Fellowship for Best Director).

From the age of eleven, I also studied dance (and performed): ballet at the Lichine School in Lausanne, modern dance with a former member of Martha Graham’s company, Robert Cohan, and Thai classical dance with a retired member of the King of Thailand’s troupe. At the age of fifteen, I once found myself teaching Thai folk dance to the Thai Women’s Culture club in Bangkok. At the age of 23, I thought writing was far too much fun to be a serious way to earn a living, so I became a director and choreographer.

After fourteen years in the theatre (with the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Rocky Horror Show, Oh! Calcutta!, and at Ronnie Scott’s, among others) illness forced me to stop . While convalescing, I read a particularly dire paperback and decided in exasperation to see if I could do any better. Bed-bound and with L-plates on, I returned to my secret passion for writing and hand-wrote my first novel. This book was never published, but it brought me a commission for my ‘official’ first novel (THE DRAGON RIDERS, published by Century), which astonished me by reaching number twelve on the best-seller list. What had seemed at first like a health disaster led me ‘home’ into a new career that not only allows time to eat and sleep but also lets me do what I love most. (My illness also, when I was ready to deal with it, fuelled my historical novel, QUICKSILVER, about a supposed 17th c. 'werewolf'.)

As well as seven internationally-published novels (most recently THE PRINCIPESSA, I also write poetry, short stories, newspaper articles and works for the theatre. I particularly enjoy collaborating with the award-winning composer Cecilia McDowall on musical works ranging from conventional songs and cantatas to the huge and indescribable, all of which have been performed.

Our most recent project was a 'green cantata', FIVE SEASONS, commissioned ‘to celebrate the organic landscape in the 21st century’ by the Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir. And we are currently (2007) setting up a follow-on community music project in Cumbria.

As a change from my computer, I enjoy extreme trekking and scrambling in Bolivia and the Western Highlands of Scotland, organic gardening, cooking, eating and recreational talking with friends and family. I don’t think writers take holidays. (less)

combine editions
Books by Christie Dickason

Average rating: 3.37 · 553 ratings · 119 reviews · 12 distinct works

	The Firemaster's Mistress (Francis Quoynt #1) 3.19 avg rating — 231 ratings — published 2005 — 5 editions	My rating:
	The King's Daughter 3.64 avg rating — 158 ratings — published 2009 — 7 editions	My rating:
	The Principessa (Francis Quoynt #2) 3.02 avg rating — 60 ratings — published 2007 — 2 editions	My rating:
	Indochine 3.74 avg rating — 38 ratings — published 1987 — 3 editions	My rating:
	The Lady Tree (Lady Tree Trilogy #1) 3.75 avg rating — 16 ratings — published 1994 — 3 editions	My rating:
	The Memory Palace (Lady Tree Trilogy #3) 3.27 avg rating — 15 ratings — published 2003 — 3 editions	My rating:
	A Noble Assassin 2.73 avg rating — 11 ratings — published 2011 — 2 editions	My rating:
	Quicksilver (Lady Tree Trilogy #2) 3.22 avg rating — 9 ratings — published 1999 — 3 editions	My rating:
	The Dragon Riders 4.14 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 1986 — 2 editions	My rating:
	Tears Of The Tiger 4.60 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 1990 — 2 editions	My rating:

More books by Christie Dickason…

Series by Christie Dickason

Francis Quoynt (2 books)
by Christie Dickason

3.15 avg rating — 291 ratings

Lady Tree Trilogy (3 books)
by Christie Dickason

3.45 avg rating — 40 ratings

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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Historical Fictio...: March Mini-Read: Reporting Points Thread	423	115	May 22, 2011 12:11pm
Nothing but Readi...: Read the Alphabet	278	502	May 24, 2012 03:42am
Challenge: 2012 R...: Door Stopper Challenge	132	55	May 29, 2012 12:05pm

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