Editing Tracy Chevalier

{{Short description|American-British novelist (born 1962)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox writer <!-- For more information see [[:Template:Infobox Writer/doc]]. --> 
| name          = Tracy Chevalier
| honorific_suffix = {{postnom|country=GBR|size=100%|FRSL}}
| image         = Tracy Chevalier tree.jpg
| image_size    = 240px
| alt           = 
| caption       = Chevalier in 2013
| pseudonym     = 
| birth_name    = Tracy Rose Chevalier
| birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1962|10|19|df=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Washington, D.C.]], U.S.
| death_date    = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| death_place   = 
| resting_place = 
| occupation    = Writer
| language      = English
| nationality   = 
| citizenship   = American / British
| education     = [[Oberlin College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[University of East Anglia]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]])
| period        = 
| genre         = Historical fiction
| subject       = 
| movement      = 
| notableworks  = ''[[Girl with a Pearl Earring (novel)|Girl with a Pearl Earring]]'' (1999)
| spouse        = Jonathan Drori
| partner       = 
| children      = 1 son
| awards        = 
| signature     = 
| signature_alt = 
| module        =
| website       = {{URL|tchevalier.com}}
| portaldisp    = Literature
}}
'''Tracy Rose Chevalier''' (born 19 October 1962)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/gF7iEnZ5uCr_-sDTvcKIg_rQwHM/appointments|title=Tracy Rose CHEVALIER - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)|website=beta.companieshouse.gov.uk|access-date=25 July 2018}}</ref> is an [[Americans in the United Kingdom|American-British]] novelist. She is best known for her second novel, ''[[Girl with a Pearl Earring (novel)|Girl with a Pearl Earring]]'', which was adapted as a [[Girl with a Pearl Earring (film)|2003 film]] starring [[Scarlett Johansson]] and [[Colin Firth]].

==Personal background==
Chevalier was born on 19 October 1962, in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>Sharp, Michael D. (2006). ''Popular Contemporary Writers'', Marshall Cavendish, p. 349. {{ISBN|978-0761476016}}.</ref> She is the daughter of Douglas and Helen (née Werner) Chevalier. Her father was a photographer who worked with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' for more than 30 years. Chevalier has an older sister, Kim Chevalier, who resides in [[Soulan]], France; and a brother, Michael Chevalier, who lives in [[Salida, Colorado]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/09/AR2007060901198.html |title=Photographer Douglas Chevalier |newspaper= The Washington Post |date= 2007-06-10|access-date=2013-09-13 |first=Matt |last=Schudel}}</ref> {{As of|2022}}, Chevalier lives in London with her husband, Jonathan Drori.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theshortreview.com/authors/TracyChevalier.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521203352/http://www.theshortreview.com/authors/TracyChevalier.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=21 May 2014 |title=Tracy Chevalier |publisher=TheShortReview.com |access-date=2013-09-13}}</ref><ref name=telegraph>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/donotmigrate/3602272/I-thought-Whos-playing-a-prank.html|title=I thought: 'Who's playing a prank?'|date=2003-09-09 |newspaper= The Daily Telegraph |access-date=2013-09-13 | first=Cassandra | last=Jardine |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tchevalier.com/about-me | title=About Tracy Chevalier }}</ref>

She graduated from [[Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School]] in [[Bethesda, Maryland]], in 1980. After receiving her [[bachelor's degree]] in English from [[Oberlin College]] in 1984, she moved to England, where she began working in publishing. In 1993, she began studying Creative Writing, earning a master's degree from the [[University of East Anglia]]. Her tutors included novelists [[Malcolm Bradbury]] and [[Rose Tremain]].<ref name=telegraph/>

==Professional background==
Following her graduation from Oberlin College, Chevalier moved to England, where she began working as an editorial assistant with [[Oxford Art Online|Macmillan's Dictionary of Art]], then later joined [[St. James Press]], serving as a reference book editor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tchevalier.com/index.php/about |title=Tracy Chevalier - About Me |publisher=Tracy Chevalier (tchevalier.com) |date=2012-12-11 |access-date=2013-09-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005180017/http://www.tchevalier.com/index.php/about |archive-date=2013-10-05 }}</ref>

Her first novel, ''The Virgin Blue'', was published in the UK in 1997 and was chosen by [[W H Smith]] for their showcase of new authors.<ref>{{cite news|author=Helen Stevenson |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/books-independent-choice-first-novels-1276209.html |title=Books: Independent choice: first novels - Books - Arts & Entertainment |newspaper= The Independent |date=1997-02-01 |access-date=2013-09-13 |location=London}}</ref> Her second novel, ''[[Girl with a Pearl Earring (novel)|Girl with a Pearl Earring]]'', was published in 1999. The work, which was based on [[Girl with a Pearl Earring|the famous painting]] by [[Vermeer]], has been translated into 38 languages. As of 2014, it has sold over five million copies worldwide.<ref>{{cite news|author=Jessica Salter |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/authorinterviews/10725254/The-world-of-writer-Tracy-Chevalier.html |title=The world of writer Tracy Chevalier |newspaper= The Telegraph |date=2014-03-28 |access-date=2017-02-21 |location=London}}</ref>
It won the Barnes and Noble Discover Award in 2000.<ref name="barnesandnoble1">{{cite web |url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/awards/bndiscover_past.asp |title=Barnes & Noble.com Awards |publisher=Barnesandnoble.com |date=2013-09-30 |access-date=2013-10-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731092149/http://www.barnesandnoble.com/awards/bndiscover_past.asp |archive-date=2013-07-31 }}</ref> In 2003, a [[Girl with a Pearl Earring (film)|film based on the novel]] was released, receiving three [[Academy Award]] nominations in 2004, along with ten [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTAs]] and two [[Golden Globe]]s. Her 2013 novel, ''The Last Runaway'', was honored with the Ohioana Book Award<ref name="ohioana1">{{cite web |url=http://www.ohioana.org/awards/2013/ohiofiction2013.asp |title=Ohioana Fiction Set in Ohio: 2013 Winner |publisher=Ohioana.org |access-date=2013-10-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727140143/http://www.ohioana.org/awards/2013/ohiofiction2013.asp |archive-date=2014-07-27 }}</ref> and was chosen for the [[Richard and Judy Book Club]] for autumn 2013.<ref name="richardandjudy1">{{cite web |url=http://www.richardandjudy.co.uk/current-reads/Autumn-2013/332 |title=Autumn 2013 - Current Reads |publisher=Richard and Judy (richardandjudy.co.uk) |date=2013-08-29 |access-date=2013-10-06 |archive-date=5 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130905071941/http://www.richardandjudy.co.uk/current-reads/Autumn-2013/332 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2011, Chevalier edited and contributed to ''Why Willows Weep'', a collection of short stories by 19 authors, the sale of which raised money for the [[Woodland Trust]], for which her husband served as a trustee.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15237686 |title=From weeping willows to mighty oaks |first=Tom |last=Feilden |work=[[BBC News]] |date=10 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thecnj.com/camden_review/reviews/books/2011/dec/review-why-willows-weep-edited-tracy-chevalier-and-simon-prosser |title=Review - Why Willows Weep. Edited by Tracy Chevalier and Simon Prosser |first=Catherine |last=Etoe |work=Camden Review |date=17 November 2011 |access-date=7 August 2016}}</ref>

Other of her works that feature historical figures as characters include [[William Lobb]] and [[Johnny Appleseed]] in ''At the Edge of the Orchard'', and [[William Blake]] in ''Burning Bright''.

==Memberships==
Chevalier has been involved in representing authors as a member of various community organizations. In 2004, she began serving as the chairperson for the Management Committee for the UK's [[Society of Authors]], serving in that capacity for four years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About {{!}} The Society of Authors |url=https://www.societyofauthors.org/About-Us/Council/Tracy-Chevalier |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=www.societyofauthors.org}}</ref> ''Girl with a Pearl Earring'' was chosen as one of the books given away in both the US and UK for World Book Night 2013. In 2015, she joined the [[British Library]] board as a Trustee. She is also an ambassador for the [[Woodland Trust]], where her husband serves as a member of the board of directors.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardening-events/tracy-chevalier-my-love-of-kew-gardens-sowed-the-seeds-of-my-new/|title=Tracy Chevalier: 'My love of Kew Gardens sowed the seeds of my new novel'|last=Parker|first=Olivia|date=2016-09-11|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2017-11-02|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>

==Honors and awards==
* 1997: WH Smith Fresh Talent for ''The Virgin Blue''<ref>{{Cite book|title=Encyclopedia of contemporary writers and their works|author=Hamilton, Geoff|date=2010|publisher=Facts On File, Inc|others=Jones, Brian, 1959-|isbn=9780816075782|location=New York, NY|pages=63|oclc=406944997}}</ref>
* 2000: Barnes and Noble Discover Award for ''Girl with a Pearl Earring''<ref name="barnesandnoble1"/>
* 2008: Fellow, [[Royal Society of Literature]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rsliterature.org/fellow/tracy-chevalier-3/|title=Royal Society of Literature » Tracy Chevalier|website=rsliterature.org|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-01-26|archive-date=27 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127004632/https://rsliterature.org/fellow/tracy-chevalier-3/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* 2013: Ohioana Book Award, for ''The Last Runaway''<ref name="ohioana1"/>
* 2013: Richard and Judy Book Club book for ''The Last Runaway''<ref name="richardandjudy1"/>
* 2013: Honorary Doctorate, Oberlin College and University of East Anglia<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://portal.uea.ac.uk/graduationoffice/honorary-graduates|title=Honorary Graduates - UEA|website=portal.uea.ac.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-01-26|archive-date=27 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127083852/https://portal.uea.ac.uk/graduationoffice/honorary-graduates|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Works==
* ''The Virgin Blue'' (1997) {{ISBN|978-0452284449}}
* ''[[Girl with a Pearl Earring (novel)|Girl with a Pearl Earring]]'' (1999) {{ISBN|978-0525945277}}
* ''Falling Angels'' (2001) {{ISBN|978-0525945819}}
* ''The Lady and the Unicorn'' (2003) {{ISBN|978-0007140909}}
* ''Burning Bright'' (2007) {{ISBN|978-0007245130}}
* ''Remarkable Creatures'' (2009) {{ISBN|978-0007178377}}
* ''The Last Runaway'' (2013) {{ISBN|978-0525952992}}
* ''At the Edge of the Orchard'' (2016) {{ISBN|0525953000}}
* ''New Boy'' (2017) {{ISBN|9780553447637}}
* ''A Single Thread'' (2019) {{ISBN|9780008153816}}
* ''The Glassmaker'' (2024) {{ISBN|9780525558279}}

;As editor
* ''Twentieth-Century Children's Writers'', 3rd edition, St. James Press, 1989, {{ISBN|0912289953}}, {{LCCN|90171621}}
* ''[[Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre]]'', 2016, {{ISBN|9780008150570}}

==See also==
* [[Mary Anning]] and [[Elizabeth Philpot]] – main protagonists and first-person narrators of Chevalier's biographical novel ''Remarkable Creatures'' (2009)

==References==
{{Reflist|25em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Tracy Chevalier}}
{{wikiquote}}
* {{official website}}
* {{TED speaker}}
* {{british council|tracy-chevalier}}
* {{LCAuth|n90679175|Tracy Chevalier|17|}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chevalier, Tracy}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century American women writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century American women writers]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of East Anglia]]
[[Category:American expatriates in England]]
[[Category:American historical novelists]]
[[Category:American women historical novelists]]
[[Category:Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School alumni]]
[[Category:British historical novelists]]
[[Category:British women historical novelists]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Literature]]
[[Category:Novelists from Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Oberlin College alumni]]
[[Category:Girl with a Pearl Earring]]