BIOGRAPHY
Award winning author, Margaret Buffie, was born and grew up in the west
end of Winnipeg, attended various schools - graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts
from the University of Manitoba. An artist for many years,
Margaret began writing in 1985. A year later, after finishing her first manuscript,
Kids Can Press accepted Who is Frances Rain for publication. It quickly
became a bestseller after appearing in bookstores in 1987. Since then Margaret
has published eight more
best selling books and is working on her tenth manuscript. She works at her home
in Winnipeg during the winter and on the
veranda of her cottage in Northwestern Ontario in the summer months.
Margaret's books have been published in the United States, Norway, Italy,
Sweden, Australia, Great Britain, Germany, China and other
countries.
Margaret is the recipient of the prestigious Vicky Metcalf Award for Body of Work (For writing inspirational to Canadian Youth); The Young Adult Canadian Book Award;
is a two time winner of the McNally Robinson Book for
Young People award and has been shortlisted for many other awards and honours.
AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS
Chosen - OUR CHOICE (STARRED*)YA fiction novel (2007)
by The Canadian Children's Book Centre (OUT OF FOCUS)
"A star (*) and
a book cover in the Our Choice catalogue signify titles of
exceptional calibre."
Chosen - PSLA's Young Adult Top Forty Fiction List 2006/7 (Out of Focus)
Nominated: 2007 McNally Robinson Book for Young People
Award. (OUT OF FOCUS)
Chosen: OLA BEST BETS - TOP 10 CANADIAN BOOKS FOR YOUNG
ADULTS (OUT OF FOCUS)... Ontario Library Association
Nominated: The Snow Willow Award (OUT OF FOCUS)
Winner: 2005 McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award, (The Finder)
Shortlisted, 2003 McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award, (The Seeker)
Chosen: The New York Public Library for their 74TH Annual Books for the Teen Age, 2003. (The Seeker)
Chosen: VOYA'S 18th Annual List of the Best In Science Fiction and Fantasy
for the Young Adult Reader for 2003 This list "features books for the very young teen
and also reaches out to the older teen with books that challenge and inspire." (The Seeker)
Chosen - Our Choice Canadian Children's Book Centre, 2003 (The Seeker)
Chosen - PSLA's Young Adult Top Forty Fiction List 2002 (The Seeker)
Shortlisted, Canadian Library Assoc. Young Adult Canadian Book Award, 2001 (The Watcher)
Finalist -Independent Publisher Book Awards 2001(The Watcher)
Chosen - New York Public Library, 2001 Books for the Teen Age (The Watcher)
Chosen - Our Choice Canadian Children's Book Centre, 2001 (The Watcher)
Nominated - McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award, 2001 (The Watcher)
Nominated and Runner-up - Manitoba Young Readers Award, (Angels Turn Their Backs) 2000
Nominated Red Maple Award, Ontario Library Assoc. (Angels Turn Their Backs) 1999
Chosen: New York Public Library 1999 Books for the Teen Age (Angels Turn Their Backs)
Chosen: International Reading Association/Children's Book Council Children's Choices List 1999 (Angels Turn Their Backs)
Chosen: The 2000 Young Adults' Choices List USA (Angels Turn Their Backs)
Nominated: McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award, 1999 (Angels Turn Their Backs)
Chosen - Junior Library Guild Book, USA (Angels Turn Their Backs) 1998
Chosen - Junior Library Guild Book, USA (The Dark Garden) 1997
Winner - Vicky Metcalf Award for Body of Work, 1996
Winner - McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award, 1995 (The Dark Garden)
Winner of the Canadian Library Association Young Adult Canadian Book Award, 1987 (Who is Frances Rain?)
Nominated - Best Book for Young Adults, American Library Association (The Dark Garden)
Nominated Ruth Schwartz Children's Book Award, 1996 (The Dark Garden)
Nominated Mr. Christie Book Award, 1996 (The Dark Garden)
Nominated Manitoba Young Reader's Choice Award, 1995 (My Mother's Ghost)
Nominated The Silver Birch Award, 1994, (My Mother's Ghost)
Junior Library Guild Book USA, (My Mother's Ghost), 1995
Notable Canadian Young Adult Fiction Book, 1993 (My Mother's Ghost)
Nominated McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award, 1993 (My Mother's Ghost)
Nominated Canadian Library Assoc Book of the Year Award, 1992 (My Mother's Ghost)
Nominated Ruth Schwartz Children's Book Award, 1992 (My Mother's Ghost)
Nominated Mr. Christie Book Award, 1992, (My Mother's Ghost)
Nominated Manitoba Artist of the Year Award, 1992
Nominated Governor General's Award, 1992 (My Mother's Ghost)
1987- 91
First runner up in the Canadian Library Association Book if the Year Award, 1988 (Who is Frances Rain?)
Nominated Ruth Schwartz Children's Book Award, 1988/89 (Who is Frances Rain?)
American Library Assoc Best Books of the Year Honour Book, 1990 (Who is Frances Rain?)
Notable Canadian Young Adult Fiction Book, 1988 (Who is Frances Rain?)
Notable Canadian Young Adult Fiction Book, 1989 (The Guardian Circle)
International Youth Library Notable New English Language YA Book, 1991 (The Guardian Circle)
OTHER:
Best Books for the Teenager New York Public Library, 1990, 2000, 2001
Best Books for Young Readers Toronto Public Library Lists
Emergency Librarian Bestseller Lists
Resource Links Canadian K-12 Bestsellers (The Dark Garden) December, 1996
Manitoba Arts Council A Grant, 1996, 1998, 2001
Canada Council Grant, 1994, 2000
Ontario Arts Council Grants, 1987, 1990, 1993
LISTED IN:
Who's Who of Canadian Women, CB Media Ltd.
Who's Who in Canada, U of T Press
Meet Canadian Authors and Illustrators, Scholastic Canada
The CANSCAIP Companion, 1994, Pembroke Press
Who's Who in the Writers Union of Canada, 1993
About Novels, 1990 Booth/Skinner, Globe/MCP
Twentieth Century Children's Writers, St., James Press, USA
Something About the Author, Gale Research, USA
Writing Stories, Making Pictures, Canadian Children's Book Centre,
Behind the Story, Pembroke Press
Everybody's Favourites Arlene Perly Rae, Viking Penguin
This Land Kit Pearson Viking Penguin
My Mother's Ghost was produced as a film by Credo Entertainment and Buffalo Gals Pictures, released in 1996 and nominated for a Gemini for best writing in a Youth or Children's Program
as well as three Blizzard nominations for best actors.
Sample of comments from reviewers available to read in full, along with many others under BOOKS.
Find the books and reviewers these quotes are referring to!
"…a ghost story with much to reveal to the thoughtful reader about the turbulent emotions at work within families."
"…a classic struggle between good and evil, a struggle in which Rachel herself becomes the pivotal figure."
"It's refreshing to read YA fiction that respects the intelligence and maturity of its readers….
"Buffie has written a wonderful supernatural fantasy."
…a real sit-on-the-end-of-your-seat page turner."
"[Buffie] proves once again that the realities of modern life need not come at the expense of an engrossing narrative."
"…a rollicking story with plenty of aliens, danger, and conflict for fans of the series.
"(Buffie) is a kind of literary archeologist exploring the people who occupy her stories. It's a search that's not likely to disappoint her readers."
"…as distinctly Canadian as the intoxicating lure of silent woods and wind-whipped lakes. The textures of the narrative and the well-rounded characters are just as haunting as the ghosts Lizzie finds on Rain Island."
"In some ways, (it) feels like Lewis Carroll with the Queen of Hearts in full control. …from a world centered on humans in the opening chapter, Buffie skillfully navigates step by step from the solid ground of a world governed by gravity and expected behavior and understanding, to an existence where (the character) can't separate dreams from reality.
"Buffie excels at creating credible characters and placing them in situations
that allow them to grow and develop."
"A wonderfully gripping and intense novel you won't want to put down!"
"Buffie gets it right."
|
