Craig Davidson

{{Short description|Canadian author}} {{for|the rugby union player|Craig Davidson (rugby union)}} {{Infobox writer | image = Craig Davidson - Eden Mills Writers Festival - 2015 (DanH-0145) (cropped).jpg | alt = Craig Davidson at the Eden Mills Writers' Festival in 2015 | caption = Davidson at the [[Eden Mills Writers' Festival]] in 2015 | pseudonym = Patrick Lestewka, [[Nick Cutter]] | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1975}} | birth_place = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], Canada | occupation = Novelist, short stories writer | period = 2000s–present | education = [[Trent University]] <br> [[University of New Brunswick]] | notableworks = ''[[Rust and Bone (short story collection)|Rust and Bone]]'' (2005)<br>''[[Cataract City]]'' (2013) | spouse = | website = {{URL|http://craigdavidson.net/}} | language = English }} '''Craig Davidson''' (born 1975) is a Canadian author of short stories and novels,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Page/document/v5/content/subscribe?user_URL=https://www.theglobeandmail.com%2Fservlet%2Fstory%2FLAC.20060725.FIGHT25%2FTPStory%2F%3Fquery%3DCraig%2BDavidson&ord=33490892&brand=theglobeandmail&force_login=true |title=Author Thinks Inside the Box |accessdate= 2008-08-06 |last=Archer |first=Bert |author-link=Bert Archer|date=2007-07-25 |publisher=Globeandmail.com}}</ref> who has published work under both his name and the [[pen name]]s '''Patrick Lestewka'''<ref>[http://torontoist.com/2006/11/torontoist_read_22/ "Torontoist Reads: The Fighter by Craig Davidson"]. ''[[Torontoist]]'', November 9, 2006.</ref> and '''Nick Cutter'''.<ref>[http://www.shakespeareanrag.com/?tag=craig-davidson "Strong nerves, strong stomachs, no quarter: Nick Cutter’s The Troop"]. ''That Shakespearean Rag'', January 15, 2014.</ref>

==Early life==

Born in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], he was raised in [[Calgary]] and [[St. Catharines]].<ref name=medley>[https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/books/craig-davidson-the-fighter "Craig Davidson: The fighter returns"]. ''[[National Post]]'', September 13, 2013.</ref> Davidson earned a B.A. in classical literature at [[Trent University]], an M.A. in English and creative writing at the [[University of New Brunswick]].,<ref>{{cite web|last1=James|first1=Bronte|title=Rust and Bone|url=https://www.unb.ca/difference/rustandbone.html|publisher=[[University of New Brunswick]]|accessdate=9 February 2018}}</ref> an M.F.A. at the University of Iowa, and a Ph.D. in creative writing at the University of Birmingham, UK.

==Career==

His first short story collection, ''[[Rust and Bone (short story collection)|Rust and Bone]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/25/books/review/25skurnick.html|title=Snap, Splatter and Pop|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 25, 2005}}</ref> was later published in September 2005 by [[Penguin Books|Penguin Books Canada]], and was a finalist for the 2006 [[Danuta Gleed Literary Award]]. Stories in ''Rust and Bone'' have also been adapted into a play by Australian playwright [[Caleb Lewis]] and [[Rust and Bone|a Golden Globe-nominated film]] by French director [[Jacques Audiard]].

Davidson also released a novel in 2007 named ''The Fighter''. During the course of his research of the novel, Davidson went on a 16-week steroid cycle.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/may/18/healthandwellbeing.features1|title=From Mr Average ... to superman|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=May 18, 2008}}</ref> To promote the release of the novel, Davidson participated in a fully sanctioned boxing match against Toronto poet Michael Knox at Florida Jack's Boxing Gym;<ref name=medley /> for the novel's subsequent release in the United States, his publisher organized a similar promotional boxing match against [[Jonathan Ames]].<ref name=medley /> Davidson lost both matches.<ref name=medley />

His 2013 novel ''[[Cataract City]]'' was named as a shortlisted nominee for the 2013 [[Giller Prize|Scotiabank Giller Prize]].<ref>"[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/giller-prize-short-list-announced/article14741107/ Giller Prize short list announced]". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', October 8, 2013.</ref>

In addition to his literary fiction, Davidson has also published several works of [[horror literature]] using the pseudonyms Patrick Lestewka and Nick Cutter. In 2014, he released the thriller novel ''The Troop'', with ''The Deep'' following in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fangoria.com/new/exclusive-first-chapter-from-the-troop-author-nick-cutters-the-deep/ |title=Exclusive: First chapter from "THE TROOP" author Nick Cutter's "THE DEEP" |access-date=2015-01-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206131335/http://www.fangoria.com/new/exclusive-first-chapter-from-the-troop-author-nick-cutters-the-deep/ |archive-date=2016-02-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2018, his memoir ''Precious Cargo'', about a year spent driving a bus for disabled children in Calgary, was a finalist for [[Canada Reads]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/meet-the-canada-reads-2018-contenders-1.4505780|title=Meet the Canada Reads 2018 contenders|date=Jan 30, 2018|work=CBC|access-date=Jun 4, 2019}}</ref>

His 2018 novel ''The Saturday Night Ghost Club'' was a shortlisted finalist for the [[Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize|Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize]] and was an [[American Booksellers Association]] Indie Next Great Reads selection in July 2019.<ref>[https://quillandquire.com/omni/edugyan-hage-among-rogers-writers-trust-fiction-finalists/ "Edugyan, Hage among Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction finalists"]. ''[[Quill & Quire]]'', September 26, 2018.</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=The July 2019 Indie Next List Preview|year=2016|isbn=978-1607749769}}</ref> This novel tells the story of a young boy who is coming-of-age while spending Saturdays catching ghosts with his eccentric Uncle Calvin. It explores themes of [[grief]], [[Depression (mood)|depression]], family, friendship, and growing into adulthood.

Davidson's work has received acclaim from notable authors such as [[Stephen King]], [[Scott Smith (author)|Scott Smith]], and [[Jonathan Maberry]].

==Bibliography== *''[[Rust and Bone (short story collection)|Rust and Bone]]'' (2005) *''The Fighter'' (2008) *''Sarah Court'' (2010) *''[[Cataract City]]'' (2013) (shortlisted for the 2013 [[Scotiabank Giller Prize]]) *''Precious Cargo'' (2016) *''The Saturday Night Ghost Club'' (2018) *''Cascade'' (2020)

===as Patrick Lestewka=== *''Mother Bitchfight'' (2003)  *''The Preserve'' (2004) *''Imprint'' (2011) *''The Coliseum'' (2011) *''Vehicles'' (2012)

===as Nick Cutter=== *''[[The Troop (book)|The Troop]]'' (2014)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tor.com/2014/02/19/book-review-the-troop-nick-cutter/|title=The Two Pill Problem: The Troop by Nick Cutter|last=Alexander|first=Niall|date=2014-02-19|website=Tor.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/books/book-reviews/the-troop-by-nick-cutter-review|title=The Troop, by Nick Cutter: Review|last=Wiersema|first=Robert J.|date=2014-02-21|website=National Post|language=en-CA|access-date=2020-03-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://quillandquire.com/review/the-troop/|title=The Troop|date=2014-02-20|website=Quill and Quire|access-date=2020-03-23}}</ref> *''The Deep'' (2015)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Squires |first=John |date=2022-12-19 |title="The Deep" – Amazon Making a Series Out of Underwater Horror Novel That Terrified Clive Barker |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/tv/3744322/the-deep-amazon-making-a-series-out-of-underwater-horror-novel-that-scared-stephen-king/ |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=Bloody Disgusting! |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Potier |first=Laura |date=2022-12-20 |title=The Deep: Amazon Is Adapting The Horror Novel To Series - STARBURST |url=https://www.starburstmagazine.com/the-deep-series-adaptation-amazon/ |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=STARBURST Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-02-14 |title=Andrew Pyper and Nick Cutter: Canadian horror stories |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2015/02/14/andrew-pyper-and-nick-cutter-canadian-horror-stories.html |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=thestar.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-01-16 |title=The double life of author Craig Davidson |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/book-reviews/the-double-life-of-author-craig-davidson/article22488301/ |access-date=2023-05-16}}</ref> *''The Acolyte'' (2015) *''Little Heaven'' (2017)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilliand |first=Blu |date=2017-01-03 |title=Review: 'Little Heaven' by Nick Cutter |url=https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/review-little-heaven-nick-cutter/ |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=Cemetery Dance Online |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Semel |first=Paul |date=2017-01-09 |title=Exclusive Interview: "Little Heaven" Author Nick Cutter ... |url=https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-little-heaven-author-nick-cutter/ |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=paulsemel.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-01-13 |title=Review: Nick Cutter's Little Heaven takes horror to the outer reaches |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/book-reviews/review-nick-cutters-little-heaven-takes-horror-to-the-outer-reaches/article33615352/ |access-date=2023-05-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=DiLouie |first=Craig |date=2017-04-19 |title=LITTLE HEAVEN by Nick Cutter - |url=http://craigdilouie.com/little-heaven-by-nick-cutter/ |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=- Author of adventure/thriller and horror fiction |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-01-08 |title=Nick Cutter's Little Heaven is a tribute to the horror genre |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2017/01/08/nick-cutters-little-heaven-is-a-tribute-to-the-horror-genre.html |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=thestar.com |language=en}}</ref> *''The Breach'' (2020) *''The Handyman Method'' (with Andrew F. Sullivan) (2023) *''The Queen'' (2024) *''The Dorians'' (2026)

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

== External links == *[http://craigdavidson.net/ Craig Davidson]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davidson, Craig}} [[Category:1976 births]] [[Category:Canadian male novelists]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Canadian male short story writers]] [[Category:Novelists from Toronto]] [[Category:Trent University alumni]] [[Category:University of New Brunswick alumni]] [[Category:21st-century Canadian short story writers]] [[Category:21st-century Canadian male writers]] [[Category:21st-century Canadian novelists]]