Siobhan Dowd was born in London to Irish parents. She spent much of her youth in the family home in County Waterford, then Wicklow town. She spent her writing life in Oxford.

 

A Swift, Pure Cry was Siobhan’s first novel and was published by David Fickling Books in 2006, this was followed in 2007 with The London Eye Mystery and in February 2008 with the last novel that she completed – Bog Child. A final work, Solace of the Road is to be published by David Fickling Books in Spring 2009.

Siobhan Dowd passed away in August 2007 after a long fight with breast cancer. In her short career, she has been nominated for a number of awards including the 2007 Carnegie Medal and the Booktrust Teenage Prize, and went on to win the 2007 Branford Boase Award and the 2007 Bisto Eilis Dilon Award – both awards that recognise an outstanding debut, for A SWIFT PURE CRY. Siobhan’s second novel, THE LONDON EYE MYSTERY has also just won its first award – the 2007 NASEN TES Special Needs Award. In early 2007, Siobhan was nominated one of the top 25 Authors of the future as Waterstone’s celebrated their 25th Anniversary.

 

Before she passed away, Siobhan established the The Siobhan Dowd Trust - for further information please check for forthcoming updates on Siobhan’s website www.siobhandowd.co.uk.

The aim of the trust will be to help disadvantaged children improve their skills and experience the joy of reading. It will offer financial support to: public libraries; state school libraries (especially in economically challenged areas); children in care; asylum seekers; young offenders and children with special needs.

Website: http://www.siobhandowd.co.uk

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