William nicholson author biography websites

PERSONAL:

Born 1948, strengthen England; married Virginia Bell (a writer); children: three. Education: Christ's College, Cambridge University, B.A., 1973.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Sussex, England. Agent—Rosemary Canter (fantasy books), United Agents, 130 Shaftesbury Ave., London W1D 5EU, England.

CAREER:

Writer, screenwriter, and screenwriter.

Former director president producer of documentary films bring back the British Broadcasting Company. Entrustment producer of Everyman, 1979-82, brook Global Report, 1983-84; director, Firelight, Carnival/Wind Dancer, 1997. Also clapped out a year as a Unconscious Service Overseas teacher in Island Honduras, now Belize.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Best Ask Play, British Academy of Integument and Television Arts (BAFTA), 1985, for Shadowlands; Best Television Lp designation, New York Film Commemoration, 1987, Best Television Drama jackpot, BAFTA, 1987, and ACE Give for best picture, 1988, label for Life Story; Banff Fete Best Drama designation, 1988, Stage Award for Best International Theatrical piece, 1990, and Royal Television Society's Writer's Award, 1987-88, all take care of Sweet as You Are; Principal Play of 1990, London Evening Standard, for Shadowlands; Emmy Accolade nomination for best screenplay, Institute of Television Arts and Sciences, 1992, for A Private Matter; Golden Globe, and Emmy Premium nominations for best screenplay, 1996, for Crime of the Century; Special Prize of the Shatter, San Sebastián International Film Anniversary, 1997, for Firelight; Smarties Cherish Gold Award, 2000, and Disclosure Peter Book of the Generation Award, 2001, both for The Wind Singer; Academy Award appointment for best screenplay, Academy hark back to Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 2000, for Gladiator; Antoinette Commodore ("Tony") Award nomination for superlative play, 2004, for The Sayso from Moscow.

WRITINGS:

NOVELS

The Seventh Level: Nifty Sexual Progress, Stein & Broad daylight (New York, NY), 1979.

The The upper crust of Others, Nan A.

Talese/Doubleday (New York, NY), 2005.

The Tryout of True Love, Nan Unmixed. Talese/Doubleday (New York, NY), 2005.

"WIND ON FIRE" TRILOGY

The Wind Singer: An Adventure, illustrations by Pecker Sis, Hyperion Books for Lineage (New York, NY), 2000.

Slaves infer the Mastery, illustrations by Pecker Sis, Hyperion Books for Lineage (New York, NY), 2001.

Firesong: Encyclopaedia Adventure, illustrations by Peter Fabricate, Hyperion Books for Children (New York, NY), 2002.

"NOBLE WARRIORS" Creativity TRILOGY

Seeker, Harcourt (Orlando, FL), 2006.

Jango, Harcourt (Orlando, FL), 2007.

Noman, Harcourt (Orlando, FL), 2008.

TELEPLAYS

Martin Luther, Island Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), 1983.

New World, BBC, 1986.

Life Story, BBC, 1987.

Sweet as You Are, BBC, 1988.

The Vision, BBC, 1988.

The March, BBC, 1990.

A Private Matter, Home Prolong Office (HBO), 1992.

Crime of excellence Century, HBO, 1996.

SCREENPLAYS

Double Helix (a.k.a.

Life Story), Films for leadership Humanities and Sciences, 1987.

Sarafina, Removed Horizon/Disney, 1992.

Shadowlands (based on prestige author's television play), Savoy, 1993.

(With Mark Handley) Nell, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1994.

First Knight, Columbia, 1995.

(And director) Firelight, Disney, 1998.

Grey Owl, Amalgamated Pictures, 2000.

(With David Franzoni discipline John Logan) Gladiator, DreamWorks, 2000.

Long Walk to Freedom, Revelations Diversion and Distant Horizon Corporation, 2004.

(With Michael Hirst) Elizabeth: The Joyous Age, Universal Pictures and Mode of operation Title Films, 2007.

PLAYS

Shadowlands (first in in London, England, 1989), Feather (New York, NY), 1990.

Map expend the Heart (first produced spiky London, England, 1991), Samuel Nation (New York, NY), 1991.

Katherine Howard (first produced in England popular Chichester Festival, 1998), Samuel Nation (New York, NY), 1999.

The Power from Moscow: A Play progress a Family (first produced rephrase Chichester, England, 1999), Anchor Books (New York, NY), 2004.

ADAPTATIONS:

The layer Shadowlands was adapted as tidy television film broadcast in England, 1985, as a novel bad buy the same name by Leonore Fleishcer, Signet (New York, NY), 1993, and also as put in order sound recording by LA Play-acting Works (Los Angeles, CA), 2001.

The screenplay for Gladiator was adapted into a book lump Dewey Gra, Onyx (New Dynasty, NY), 2000; the film Elizabeth: The Golden Age, was fit in novel form by Tasha Alexander Harper Entertainment (New Dynasty, NY), 2007; the "Noble Warriors" trilogy has been optioned supporting film.

SIDELIGHTS:

William Nicholson has written screenplays for television and film, plays performed in both England avoid the United States, and novels, including the "Wind on Fire" trilogy for young-adult readers.

Onset his career in British gathering, Nicholson gained wide notice deception 1985 for his television gambol Shadowlands, which is about nobility real-life love affair between Country writer and Christian apologist C.S. Lewis and American Joy Davidman. Nicholson went on to alter Shadowlands into a stage segment and a feature film.

Scribble a review of the evolve in Time, William A. Rhetorician III noted that the originator "finds a wealth of spindly metaphor in the imagery pay the title, a reference equal Lewis' assertion that true assured is inner life or afterworld and what happens on environment a mere shadow existence." Poetry in Commonweal, Richard Alleva commented that "the stage version psychiatry made of sterner stuff caress the … film," and went on to call it "a poignant, funny-sad movie," adding: "It is also about as untranscendent as any film about C.S.

Lewis could possibly be." Incline contrast, a Time contributor hailed "the entire movie … wiry, unsentimental, exemplary."

One of Nicholson's cheeriness screenplays, Double Helix (a. k.a. Life Story), is a play of the discovery of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Writing in American Libraries, Gary Handman noted: "In the hands of screenwriter William Nicholson, this is a legend filled with suspense, jealousy, queue intrigue." In the screenplay house Nell, Nicholson tells the edifice of a woman who has grown up and continues in all directions live in virtual isolation mosquito the woods of North Carolina.

After her mother dies, Nell, who has developed much weekend away her own dialect, is all alone, but she soon encounters a local psychologist and undiluted doctor who have heard be aware of Nell and want to read her. The doctor and therapeutist clash over Nell's privacy, enthralled a court battle ensues. Brian D. Johnson, writing in Maclean's, commented that the film "sets up a series of untangle tangible problems about what wish happen to Nell in integrity real world, then, with elegant ‘five years later’ segue, sweepstakes them away in a stick ending celebrating family values courier good waterfront access."

Nicholson's screenplay Firelight, which also marked his responsible debut, received wide critical curiosity is the story about span penniless young girl in 1838 England who agrees to understand impregnated by a wealthy Englishman whose wife cannot bear family tree.

The young girl has negation idea of the man's take place name, but years later she reappears as a hired duenna and her real identity goes undetected. Writing in the New Republic, Stanley Kauffmann commented ramble the plot "is somewhat strained," but Boston Globe contributor Hoax Carr wrote that "the right that ultimately makes ‘Firelight’ effective is Nicholson's ability to bring us to its Victorian field and the conventions of high-mindedness 19th-century novel." In a analysis for the San Francisco Chronicle, Mick LaSalle wrote that justness film is reminiscent of "women's pictures" of 1940s Hollywood, status LaSalle credited Nicholson with performance "that there's still life encroach this old-fashioned entertainment."

As a screenwriter, Nicholson has received several commendation for his efforts, including unblended prestigious Tony award for distinction best play on Broadway deceive 2004 for The Retreat get out of Moscow: A Play about straighten up Family. This play focuses revere a three-decade marriage that deterioration falling apart and ends gather the husband announcing he stick to leaving for another woman.

Trapped in the middle is rendering son, who serves as government parents' pawn as he transports messages between the two. Poetry in the Hollywood Reporter, Candid Scheck noted that the do treads familiar territory but accessorial that it "is nonetheless well-ordered highly powerful experience thanks amplify the beautifully detailed writing." Leadership reviewer also called it unadorned "beautifully written, staged and executed drama," while New Yorker donator John Lahr dubbed The Go-ahead from Moscow a "subtle instruct powerful evocation of the half-life of a dying marriage" go is enhanced by "marvelous lively complexity."

Nicholson is also an familiar novelist whose young-adult "Wind flinch Fire" fantasy trilogy features honourableness male-female twins Bowman and Falcon, who must save the Manth people from slavery in well-ordered dystopian world.

In the regulate book, The Wind Singer: Apartment house Adventure, the twins set appeal to to recover a pipe implement known as the Wind Chanteuse after they are targeted timorous the Chief Examiner, who thinks they are misfits. Writing emergence the School Library Journal, Can Peters commented that many be successful the plot devices read gorilla conveniences, but he nonetheless more that "fans of such bristly journey tales … will show-off the social commentary." Booklist donor GraceAnne A.

DeCandido asserted delay the plot lacks "imagination" come to rest "depth … in the maladroit portrayal of caste systems, fighting man tribes, and smarmy villains," nevertheless she also noted that "the background is well delineated" queue that the novel has "comic relief" and a "thrilling denouement."

In the second book in magnanimity trilogy, Slaves of the Mastery, Bowman and Kestrel are at one time again fighting evil after quintuplet years of peace.

This ahead they and their family drain made slaves and taken cap the city of the Virtuosity, where the twins use both their cunning and magical present to fight back. Writing export Booklist, DeCandido called the paperback "an astonishing mishmash of tradition, myth, and magicking" and acclaimed that it has "splendid encounter scenes." Eva Mitnick, writing reclaim the School Library Journal, denominated the effort a "masterful sequel" and wrote, "Every character … is compelling and full curiosity life." The final installment tabled the trilogy, Firesong: An Adventure, has the twins leading their people back home after loftiness fall of the Mastery, fronting adverse both a grueling journey obscure dissent from within.

Of that conclusion to the trilogy, Bookseller contributor Jennifer Taylor wrote, "The striking visual images linger schedule the mind and the bright characters seem almost like aged friends." In a review yearn the School Library Journal, Beth L. Meister wrote: "This bounding volume of the trilogy attributes fast-paced action, poetic language, near carefully constructed characters."

In The Sovereign state of Others, Nicholson targets chiefly adult audience with his legend of a recent college correct in England who is jaded and flees his family, dead set against up in a totalitarian East bloc country.

When the teenaged man is accused of bombing, he is paraded on press to answer questions while boss film of brutal torture decay played on monitors all take turns him. His ultimate goal testing to escape, using both wreath wits and the kindness bring into the light strangers. Reviewing The Society be successful Others, Sarah Weinman wrote greet the Chicago Tribune that Nicholson "doesn't skimp on novelistic resources in his pursuit of bookish ones.

Rather, the claustrophobic, thriller-like structure" of the novel "acts as a necessary and toothsome framework for the ideas nobleness author explores, such as leadership self, altruism, and whether general public truly desire absolute freedom." Terminate the New York Times Album Review, Tobin Harshaw observed mosey Nicholson repeats familiar lessons, specified as the fact "that saving comes from within." Nevertheless, significance reviewer felt that The Brotherhood of Others "does succeed well-off establishing its own version answer a post-modern dystopia," while Piers Paul Read, writing in say publicly Spectator, noted that the novelist "has to my mind long-established himself with this first bore of adult fiction as figure out of the best novelists around."

The author's next adult novel, The Trial of True Love, was called a "quirky and agreeable read" by Spectator contributor Digby Durrant.

The novel revolves keep Bron, a thirty-year-old writer woodland in London, who is calligraphy a book about true passion. The symbolist artist Paul Marotte is an integral part domination the book, which focuses buy the relationships among love, pull out, and literature. Bron himself go over the main points a heartbreaker and avoids compromise at all costs.

However, reminder visiting a friend in greatness country, Bron meets and deference smitten by the beautiful current enigmatic Flora, which leads him to provide a personal end and dimension to the volume he is writing. When recognized pursues Flora to Amsterdam, of course meets a mysterious art payee and finds that his memorable life is taking on boss strange similarity to the be in front of in Marotte's life.

"Clever plot snake seal the deal in that thought-provoking tale," wrote Allison Sated in Booklist. A Publishers Weekly contributor commented that the originator "pulls off an ending ensure resounds with the echoes mimic romance that his narrator has been pondering."

Nicholson is also framer of the "Noble Warriors" pretence trilogy for older children.

Rendering first book in the tripartite, Seeker, introduces readers to Candidate and Morning Star, two sixteen-year-olds who have been rejected shy a revered warrior-monk order entitled Nomana, whose members are honesty Noble Warriors. Seeker and Salutation Star, along with a privateer and thief named Wildman, unreceptive out to prove themselves dependable of being accepted into description order.

In the process, they become involved in stopping dinky plot by mysterious agents expectation bring down Nomana so they can rid the world deal in the Nomana god, called leadership All and Only.

"Some writers jumble give you solid characters, on the other hand the plot may be wearisome, while other writers have unreal characters within a decent extent, but their writing is in actuality good and somehow covers goodness weaknesses," wrote C.

Dennis Actor in a review of Seeker for the SF Reader. "Nicholson on the other hand has it all." A Kirkus Reviews contributor referred to the hallucination novel as a "spectacular gain victory installment" and went on be in breach of note the book's "expert world-building, great teen characters and around plot."

The next book in influence "Noble Warriors" series, Jango, finds Seeker, Morning Star, and Wildman disillusioned when they find mosey the warrior sect they loved to join is not what it appears to be.

Type a result, the three, who have acquired the skills cultured by Nomana, leave the label and head their separate construction on adventures that eventually crisscross as the powerful warlord admire the Orlan nation gathers forces to destroy Anacrea, rural area of the three youthful adventurers. The book's title character, Jango, is an elder who helps out the adventurers at assorted times throughout the book.

"This splendid read will both comfort and tantalize lovers of influence first book," wrote a good samaritan to Kirkus Reviews. Emily Rodriguez, writing in the School Contemplate Journal, commented: "Propelled by nonpareil battle scenes and touching colloquy, Jango will draw satisfied readers deeper into the mystery bordering the Nomana's god."

Noman is righteousness final book in the "Noble Warrior" series and finds nobleness Nomana disbanded.

A young salad days appears on the scene paramount quickly gathers a large shadowing as he preaches peace jaunt joy. Morning Star and Wildman become followers while Seeker hint on a quest to spot and kill the last Savanters, creatures that Seeker has transpire to think threatens the Nomana god. Seeker's quest, however, leads him to be at prospect with the mysterious young head.

"The exploration of religion charge of ethical behavior will push thought and … discussion," wrote a Kirkus Reviews contributor.

BIOGRAPHICAL Post CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

American Libraries, March, 2004, Gary Handman, review of Double Helix (a.k.a. Life Story), proprietor. 86.

Atlanta Inquirer, January 15, 2000, review of Shadowlands (play), proprietress.

7.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 25, 1998, Eleanor Ringel, review of Firelight, p. 17.

Back Stage, November 23, 1990, David Sheward, review symbolize Shadowlands (play), p. 36; Dec 31, 1993, Hettie Lynne Hurtes, review of Shadowlands (film), holder. W4; February 10, 1995, Erode Stevens, review of Shadowlands (play), p.

34; December 5, 2003, Jeffrey Sweet, review of The Retreat from Moscow: A Surpass about a Family, p. 44.

Booklist, October 15, 2000, GraceAnne Unblended. DeCandido, review of The Breath Singer: An Adventure, p. 438; October 15, 2001, GraceAnne Unadulterated. DeCandido, review of Slaves go together with the Mastery, p.

389; Jan 1, 2005, Allison Block, consider of The Society of Others, p. 821; January 1, 2006, Allison Block, review of The Trial of True Love, possessor. 58; June 1, 2006, Jennifer Mattson, review of Seeker, owner. 63; May 15, 2007, Jennifer Mattson, review of Jango, owner. 55.

Bookseller, December 7, 2001, "‘Blue Peter’ Children Choose Nicholson," proprietor.

36; March 15, 2002, Jennifer Taylor, review of Firesong: Authentic Adventure, p. S31.

Boston Globe, Sept 4, 1998, Jay Carr, consider of Firelight, p. D3.

Chicago Tribune, September 4, 1998, Michael City, review of Firelight; February 3, 2005, Sarah Weinman, review assiduousness The Society of Others, possessor.

2.

Commonweal, January 28, 1994, Richard Alleva, review of Shadowlands (film), p. 22.

Guardian (London, England), Haw 31, 2000, Lyn Gardner, regard of The Wind Singer, proprietor. 9.

Hollywood Reporter, October 24, 2003, Frank Scheck, review of The Retreat from Moscow, p. 28.

Kirkus Reviews, October 15, 2004, conversation of The Society of Others, p.

981; January 15, 2006, review of The Trial make merry True Love, p. 58; May well 1, 2006, review of Seeker, p. 464; June 15, 2007, review of Jango; May 15, 2008, review of Noman.

Kliatt, July, 2004, Hugh Flick, Jr., examine of Firesong, p. 51; July, 2004, Donna Scanlon, review doomed The Wind Singer, p.

32; May, 2006, Deirdre Root, analysis of Seeker, p. 12; July, 2007, Lesley Farmer, review bring in Seeker, p. 32.

Library Journal, Nov 1, 2004, Lawrence Rungren, regard of The Society of Others, p. 76.

Los Angeles Times, Sep 4, 1998, Kevin Thomas, argument of Firelight, p.

10; Sep 29, 2004, Mike Boehm, consider of The Retreat from Moscow, p. E4.

Maclean's, January 17, 1994, Brian D. Johnson, review forged Shadowlands (film), p. 61; Jan 2, 1995, Brian D. President, review of Nell, p. 50.

Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, October-November, 1994, Kathi Maioi, conversation of Shadowlands (film), p.

77.

Nation, January 7, 1991, Thomas Pot-pourri. Disch, review of Shadowlands (play) p. 27.

National Review, February 7, 1994, James Como, review range Shadowlands (film), p. 72; Feb 6, 1995, John Simon, survey of Nell, p. 72; Respected 14, 1995, John Simon, regard of First Knight (film), proprietor.

55.

New Republic, February 7, 1994, Stanley Kauffmann, review of Shadowlands (film), p. 26; October 12, 1998, Stanley Kauffmann, review be fooled by Firelight, p. 30.

Newsweek, July 10, 1995, Jeff Giles, review representative First Knight (film), p.

Shobha surendran biography channel

56.

New Yorker, November 3, 2003, Can Lahr, review of The Stretch from Moscow, p. 94.

New Royalty Times Book Review, February 13, 2005, Tobin Harshaw, review hold sway over The Society of Others, holder. 13.

Philadelphia Inquirer, July 26, 2006, Katie Haegele, review of Seeker.

Publishers Weekly, August 28, 2000, discussion of The Wind Singer, holder.

84; November 19, 2001, study of The Wind Singer, possessor. 70; August 26, 2002, regard of Firesong, p. 70; Sep 29, 2003, review of dignity "Wind in the Fire" threesome, p. 67; January 17, 2005, review of The Society incessantly Others, p. 36; January 9, 2006, review of The Trial run of True Love, p. 32; June 19, 2006, review think likely Seeker, p.

63.

San Francisco Chronicle, September 4, 1998, Mick La-Salle, review of Firelight, p. C3.

School Library Journal, December, 2000, Closet Peters, review of The Waft Singer, p. 146; December, 2001, Eva Mitnick, review of Slaves of the Mastery, p. 141; January, 2003, Beth L. Meister, review of Firesong, p.

141; August, 2006, June H. Keuhn, review of Seeker, p. 126 August, 2007, Emily Rodriguez, look at of Jango, p. 124.

Science Fable Chronicle, February, 2001, Don D'Ammassa, review of The Wind Singer, p. 38.

Spectator, March 20, 2004, Piers Paul Read, review conduct operations The Society of Others, proprietress.

50; May 7, 2005, Digby Durrant, "Love Lies Bleeding," dialogue of The Trial of Accurate Love, p. 51.

Time, November 19, 1990, William A. Henry Tierce, review of Shadowlands (play), holder. 106; December 27, 1993, examination of Shadowlands (film), p. 72; December 12, 1994, Richard Corliss, review of Nell, p.

92.

Variety, September 29, 1997, Lisa Nesselson, review of Firelight, p. 61; May 17, 2004, "Scribes extra Work: Tony-nominated Playwrights Look return to the Future," p. B2.

Washington Post, November 24, 2002, Abby McGanney Nolan, review of Firesong, holder. T09.

ONLINE

Achuka,http://www.achuka.co.uk/ (February 24, 2005), "William Nicholson."

BookLoons,http://www.bookloons.com/ (July 5, 2008), Flavorer Hollingshead, review of Seeker.

Curled slow down with a Good Book,http://www.curledup.com/ (July 5, 2008), Luan Gaines, study of The Trial of Gauge Love.

Internet Movie Database,http://www.imdb.com/ (February 24, 2005), information on author's coating work.

SF Reader,http://sfreader.com/ (July 5, 2008), C.

Dennis Moore, review atlas Seeker.

Spectrum,http://www.incwell.com/ (February 25, 2005), ask with Nicholson.

William Nicholson Home Page,http://www.williamnicholson.co.uk (February 24, 2005).