# Kate Davies > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Kate_Davies > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Kate_Davies.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Davies > Source revision: 1351619475 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|English novelist (born 1983)}} {{use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox person | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1983|1|6}} | birth_place = | alma_mater = [University of Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford) | occupation = Novelist, children's writer and editor | years_active = 2017–present | notable_works = ''In the Deep End'' (2019) | awards = [Polari Prize](/source/Polari_Prize) | website = {{url|https://katedavieswriter.com/}} }} '''Kate Davies''' (born 6 January 1983) is an English novelist, children's writer and editor. Her debut novel ''In the Deep End'' (2019) won the [Polari Prize](/source/Polari_Prize). ==Early life== Davies is [donor conceived](/source/donor-conceived_person).{{Cite web|url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/sperm-donor-family-viewpoint|title=I Found My Donor Family – Then I Had My Own|work=British Vogue|first=Kate|last=Davies|date=24 February 2024|access-date=12 June 2025}} She grew up in north-west London. She graduated from the [University of Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford).{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenovelry.com/team/kate-davies|title=Meet the Team: Kate Davies|work=The Novelry|access-date=12 June 2025|archive-date=21 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250321211852/https://www.thenovelry.com/team/kate-davies|url-status=live}} ==Career== Davies began her career working as a children's book editor. She penned a middle-grade trilogy called ''The Crims'', described by Amanda MacGregor of ''Teen Librarian Toolbox'' as "''[The Addams Family](/source/The_Addams_Family)'' meets ''[Despicable Me](/source/Despicable_Me)''".{{Cite web|url=https://teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2018/05/17/post-it-note-reviews-of-elementary-and-middle-grade-books-8/|title=Post-it Note Reviews of Elementary and Middle Grade Books|work=Teen Librarian Toolbox|first=Amanda|last=MacGregor|date=17 May 2018|access-date=12 June 2025|archive-date=19 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250219011232/https://teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2018/05/17/post-it-note-reviews-of-elementary-and-middle-grade-books-8/|url-status=live}} The first installment was published in 2017, followed by ''Down with the Crims'' in 2018 and ''The Crims at Sea'' in 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://granitemedia.org/2019/10/the-year-we-fell-from-space/|title=Down with the Crims|work=Granite Media|first=Dana|last=Valencia|date=1 October 2019|access-date=12 June 2025|archive-date=9 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250209012014/https://granitemedia.org/2019/10/the-year-we-fell-from-space/|url-status=live}} Through a five-way auction in 2018, [Borough Press](/source/Borough_Press) acquired the rights to publish Davies' debut adult novel ''In the Deep End'' in 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/borough-scoops-davies-debut-following-five-way-auction-788841|title=Borough scoops editor's debut following five-way auction|work=[The Bookseller](/source/The_Bookseller)|first=Heloise|last=Wood|date=18 May 2018|access-date=3 February 2023}} The novel is inspired by Davies' own coming out experience in her 20s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/mar/07/in-at-the-deep-end-by-kate-davies-review-a-sapphic-sexual-odyssey|title=In at the Deep End by Kate Davies review – a Sapphic sexual odyssey|work=The Guardian|first=Stephanie|last=Theobold|date=7 March 2019|access-date=3 February 2023}} ''In the Deep End'' won the [Polari Prize](/source/Polari_Prize) for Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the [Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize](/source/Bollinger_Everyman_Wodehouse_Prize). In the interim, Davies wrote the children's picture book ''The Incredible Hotel'', illustrated by Isabelle Follath.{{Cite web|url=https://www.whisperingstories.com/the-incredible-hotel-kate-davies-book-review/|title=The Incredible Hotel by Kate Davies - Book Review|work=Whispering Stories|date=3 June 2020|access-date=12 June 2025|archive-date=9 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241209232809/https://www.whisperingstories.com/the-incredible-hotel-kate-davies-book-review/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jan/25/childrens-and-teens-roundup-the-best-new-picture-books-and-novels|title=Children's and teens roundup: the best new picture books and novels|work=The Guardian|first=Imogen|last=Russell Williams|date=25 January 2020|access-date=12 June 2025}} The book was published in 2020 via [Frances Lincoln Children's Books](/source/Frances_Lincoln_Publishers) and had a sequel titled ''A Mystery at the Incredible Hotel'' in 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://twirlingbookprincess.com/2024/09/review-a-mystery-at-the-incredible-hotel/|title=Review: A Mystery at the Incredible Hote|work=Twirling Book Princess|author=Mehsi|date=3 September 2024|access-date=12 June 2025}} Davies reunited with the Borough Press for the publication of her second contemporary adult novel ''Nuclear Family'' in 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/borough-press-acquires-hilarious-and-touching-second-novel-from-davies|title=Borough Press acquires 'hilarious and touching' second novel from Davies|work=The Bookseller|date=1 April 2022|access-date=12 June 2025|archive-date=1 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401163116/https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/borough-press-acquires-hilarious-and-touching-second-novel-from-davies|url-status=live}} The novel is about twins who discover they were donor-conceived, following how the two sisters react to the news.{{Cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/books/nuclear-family-kate-davies-review-2892491|title=Nuclear Family by Kate Davies is as gripping as any thriller|work=The i Paper|first=Marianne|last=Levy|date=16 February 2024|access-date=12 June 2025}} ''Nuclear Family'' was named one of the best novels of 2024 by Johanna Thomas-Corr of ''[The Sunday Times](/source/The_Sunday_Times)'' and a ''[Good Housekeeping](/source/Good_Housekeeping)'' spring 2025 Good Books selection.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/best-fiction-books-2024-tdzhd5x0n|title=The 18 best novels of 2024|work=The Sunday Times|first=Johanna|last=Thomas-Corr|date=29 November 2024|access-date=12 June 2025|archive-date=12 April 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250412074854/https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/best-fiction-books-2024-tdzhd5x0n|url-status=live}} The Borough Press also acquired rights to publish Davies' first historical novel ''Good Books for Bad Children'' about the children's publishing industry.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/katie-davies-writes-mad-men-inspired-love-letter-to-childrens-publishing-for-borough-press|title=Kate Davies writes 'Mad Men'-inspired love letter to children's publishing for Borough Press|work=The Bookseller|first=Heloise|last=Wood|date=15 February 2024|access-date=12 June 2025|archive-date=15 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240215090109/https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/katie-davies-writes-mad-men-inspired-love-letter-to-childrens-publishing-for-borough-press|url-status=live}} ==Personal life== Davies came out as a lesbian in her mid-20s.{{Cite web|url=https://ew.com/books/2019/07/01/kate-davies-in-at-the-deep-end/|title=Kate Davies' In at the Deep End tells the truth about coming out later in life|work=Entertainment Weekly|first=Kerena|last=Cadenas|date=1 July 2019|access-date=3 February 2023}} She lives in East London with her wife and their son (born 2021). ==Bibliography== ===Novels=== * ''In the Deep End'' (2019) * ''Nuclear Family'' (2024) * ''Good Books for Bad Children'' (TBA) ===Children's books=== ====''The Crims''==== * ''The Crims'' (2017) * ''Down with the Crims'' (2018) * ''The Crims at Sea'' (2019) ====''The Incredible Hotel''==== * ''The Incredible Hotel'' (2020) * ''A Mystery at the Incredible Hotel'' (2023) ==Accolades== {| class="wikitable sortable |+ !Year !Award !Category !Title !Result !{{Ref heading}} |- | 2019 | colspan="2" | [Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize](/source/Bollinger_Everyman_Wodehouse_Prize) | rowspan="2" | ''In the Deep End'' | {{sho}} | {{Cite web|url=https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/lifestyle/entertainment/wodehouse-prize-for-comic-fiction-returns-with-six-nominees/|title=Wodehouse prize for comic fiction returns with six nominees|last=Press Association|date=2019-04-17|website=Evening Express|access-date=2019-04-18}} |- | 2020 | [Polari Prize](/source/Polari_Prize) | Book of the Year | {{won}} | {{Cite web|url=https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/sexuality/polari-prize-winners-for-lgbtq-literature-announced-as-amrou-al-kadhi-and-kate-davies-301819/|title=Polari Prize winners for LGBTQ literature announced as Amrou Al-Kadhi and Kate Davies|work=Attitude|first=Jamie|last=Tabberer|date=14 October 2020|accessdate=23 October 2020|archive-date=26 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326143325/https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/sexuality/polari-prize-winners-for-lgbtq-literature-announced-as-amrou-al-kadhi-and-kate-davies-301819/|url-status=live}} |- |} ==References== {{reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:davies, kate}} Category:Living people Category:1983 births Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford Category:English lesbian writers Category:English women children's writers Category:English children's writers Category:English women editors Category:English women historical novelists Category:English historical novelists Category:LGBTQ people from London Category:Novelists from London Category:21st-century English women novelists Category:21st-century English novelists --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kate Davies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Davies) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Davies?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.