Paul Magrs Explained

Birth Date:12 November 1969
Birth Place:Jarrow, County Durham, England
Occupation:Writer, lecturer
Nationality:English
Alma Mater:Lancaster University
Period:1990s–present
Genre:Magic realism, science fiction, horror, mystery, young adult, queer fiction
Notableworks:Marked for Life
Modern Love
Strange Boy
Exchange
Doctor Who, Iris Wildthyme
The Brenda and Effie Mysteries
Partner:Jeremy Hoad

Paul Magrs (pronounced "Mars"; born 12 November 1969) is an English writer and lecturer.[1] [2] He was born in Jarrow, England, and now lives in Manchester with his partner, author and lecturer Jeremy Hoad.[3]

Early life

Magrs was born in Jarrow, Tyne & Wear, on 12 November 1969. In 1975 he moved with his family to Newton Aycliffe, County Durham; his parents divorced shortly after the move.[4] At the age of 17, Magrs was queer-bashed, and his father was the police officer who took the report on the incident; it was the last time Paul Magrs saw his father.[5]

In Newton Aycliffe, Magrs attended Woodham Comprehensive School, where Mark Gatiss was two years ahead of him and in the same drama group.[6] Magrs went on to Lancaster University, where he received a first class BA in English (1991), an MA in Creative Writing (1991) and a PhD in English (1995).[7] His doctoral thesis was on Angela Carter.[8]

Literary career

Magrs is the author of numerous fiction and non-fiction works. His first published writing was the short story "Patient Iris", published 1995 in New Writing Four (edited by A. S. Byatt and Alan Hollinghurst).[7] This was soon followed by his debut novel, Marked for Life, the same year.[7] Magrs' first three novels, Marked for Life, Does It Show? (1997) and Could It Be Magic? (1998), share characters, a magical realist tone and a setting: the fictional Phoenix Court council estate in Newton Aycliffe.[9] [10] [11]

Magrs' first children's book, Strange Boy (2002), prompted controversy due to homosexual content involving its 10-year-old protagonist and a 14-year-old neighbour.[12] [13] Representatives of the NASUWT teachers' union and the conservative Christian Institute argued that the book should not be stocked in school libraries, and some newspapers suggested that doing so in England would be illegal due to the Section 28 ban on "promoting homosexuality" in schools.[14] [15] [16] However, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals supported libraries' purchase of Strange Boy, as did representatives of Stonewall and other gay rights organizations. Magrs noted that the book was "about 95% autobiographical" and described the controversy as "ludicrous".[17]

Doctor Who

Magrs has written several novels, short stories and audio dramas relating to Doctor Who, many of which also feature his character Iris Wildthyme.[18] [19]

Iris was initially portrayed as an eccentric and unreliable Time Lady, whose TARDIS takes the form of a London AEC Routemaster double-decker bus (the route 22 to Putney Common), though in a series of short story collections and novels not written for the BBC, the character has been repurposed to remove any copyrighted aspects. Iris Wildthyme was originally created for Magrs' unpublished first novel, which was named after her; another version of Iris also appears in Marked for Life.[7] [20] The character features in all of Magrs' three contributions to BBC Books' Eighth Doctor Adventures, in several Big Finish Productions audio dramas by Magrs and other writers, in a novel series from Snowbooks[21] and in short story and novella collections published by Big Finish and Obverse Books.

Magrs has also written licensed Doctor Who fiction without Wildthyme, including the 2007 novel, Sick Building, (which made the shortlist for the Doncaster Book Award),[22] a variety of audio plays for Big Finish and the BBC audio series, Hornets' Nest, which marked the first time Tom Baker had returned to play the Doctor in a full-length drama since he left the role in 1981.[23] After the success of Hornets' Nest, Magrs wrote two sequel series Demon Quest (2010) and Serpent Crest (2011).

The Brenda and Effie Mysteries

Magrs' current ongoing novel series is The Brenda and Effie Mysteries, starring Brenda, the Bride of Frankenstein, who has now retired and runs a B&B in Whitby.[24] [25] She and her friend Effie, a local white witch, investigate spooky goings-on in the town., there have been nine books in the series, the latest being A Game of Crones from Snowbooks. The fourth book, Hell's Belles, features characters from Magrs' early Phoenix Court books, while the fifth features characters from Magrs' Doctor Who audio, The Boy That Time Forgot. A short story collection, A Treasury of Brenda and Effie (Obverse Books) and a seventh novel, Fellowship of Ink (snowbooks) were both released in 2017. An eighth novel, Beyond the Veil, was released in 2023 by Obverse Books.

The characters have also appeared in two audio adaptations: a 3-part series for BBC Radio 4, starring Joanna Tope and Monica Gibb,[26] and then a series of award-winning[27] audios from Bafflegab. These starred Anne Reid and included:

In 2020, it was announced Free@Last TV, who produced the Sky1/Acorn TV series Agatha Raisin, were developing a television series.[28]

Other novels

Magrs' other novels include Aisles (2003) and To the Devil – a Diva! (2004); he has also published several short stories. His novel Exchange was shortlisted for the 2006 Booktrust Teenage Prize[29] and was longlisted for the 2007 Carnegie Medal.[30]

His young adult novel, The Ninnies was listed by the Irish Times as one of the children's books of the year in 2012.[31]

Later novels include two books about his cats, Fester and Bernard, The Story of Fester Cat and Welcome Home, Bernard Socks, a stand-alone novel, 666 Charing Cross Road, and a trilogy of novels about a frontier family on the planet Mars.

Art

Harper Collins have published three books featuring his artwork.

Academic work

Magrs is a full-time writer, having formerly been a senior lecturer in English Literature and Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University and having previously taught at the University of East Anglia.[3] [32] With Julia Bell, Magrs edited several issues of the University of East Anglia's literary journal Pretext and The Creative Writing Coursebook (2001).[7] [33] [34] [35]

Bibliography

Novels

Phoenix Court

The Brenda and Effie Mysteries

Iris Wildthyme

The New Adventures of Iris Wildthyme

The Lora Trilogy

Short story collections

Other works

Audio stories

Books as editor

Doctor Who

BBC Books

Short stories

Big Finish plays

BBC Audio plays

Hornets' Nest (2009)

Demon Quest (2010)

Serpent Crest (2011)

Single releases

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Paul Magrs Biography . . 24 June 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110812014213/http://authors.simonandschuster.co.uk/Paul-Magrs/21864260/biography . 12 August 2011 .
  2. Web site: Paul Magrs Revealed . . 24 June 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110812014159/http://authors.simonandschuster.co.uk/Paul-Magrs/21864260/author_revealed . 12 August 2011 .
  3. Web site: About Paul . Magrs . Paul . paulmagrs.com . 24 June 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110715053900/http://www.paulmagrs.com/about.php . 15 July 2011 .
  4. News: Paul Magrs: Magrs attacks! . Matthew . Sweet . Matthew Sweet (writer) . . 12 September 2004 . 25 June 2010.
  5. News: So why are people losing the plot? . Anne . Johnstone . . 22 July 2002 . 12 . 16 July 2014.
  6. News: Golly goth . Steve . Pratt . . 8 May 2007 . 25 June 2010 .
  7. Web site: A Chronology of Paul Magrs . Shillito . Ben . 2001 . Phoenix Court website . https://web.archive.org/web/20040417070412/http://phoenixcourt.members.beeb.net/SF8.htm . 17 April 2004 . 24 June 2010.
  8. Web site: Paul Magrs: Magrs attacks!. Independent.co.uk. 3 April 2009.
  9. Web site: Phoenix Court . . 24 June 2010.
  10. News: Book review: Could it be magic? by Paul Magrs . Michael . Arditti . . 13 January 1998 . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/book-review-could-it-be-magic-by-paul-magrs-chatto--windus-pounds-999-1138355.html . 25 May 2022 . subscription . live . 25 June 2010 .
  11. News: Strange boy, singular writer . Nick . Morrison . . 3 July 2002 . 25 July 2010 .
  12. News: Fury as schools to stock child gay sex book . Kizzy . Taylor . . 23 June 2002 . 25 June 2010 . 8 June 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110608205159/http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/scotland/Fury-as-schools-to-stock.2337587.jp . dead .
  13. News: Row over book on 10-year-old gay boy for school libraries . Lorna . Martin . . 24 June 2002 . https://archive.today/20121217164900/https://secure.pqarchiver.com/smgpubs/access/128127991.html?FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+24,+2002&author=Lorna+Martin&pub=The+Herald&desc=Row+over+book+on+10-year-old+gay+boy+for+school+libraries . dead . 17 December 2012 . 6 . fee required . 25 June 2010 .
  14. News: Gay boy sex book is set for schools; No Midlands ban on explicit novel . Caroline . Wheeler . . 30 June 2002 . 25 June 2010 . fee required.
  15. News: Libraries: The War on Terror's New Front? . Steven M. . Cohen . . 25 June 2002 . 25 June 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121025082944/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,56210,00.html . 25 October 2012 . live .
  16. News: Sexually explicit book to be stocked in Scottish schools . M2 Best Books . 3 July 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121104073011/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-88243907.html . dead . 4 November 2012 . 25 June 2010 .
  17. News: Stranger than fiction . Paul . Magrs . . 11 August 2002 . 25 June 2010.
  18. Web site: Doctor Who . Magrs . Paul . paulmagrs.com . 24 June 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100413034624/http://www.paulmagrs.com/who.php . 13 April 2010 .
  19. Web site: Iris Wildthyme . Magrs . Paul . paulmagrs.com . 24 June 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100113200730/http://www.paulmagrs.com/iris.php . 13 January 2010 .
  20. Web site: Iris in the Whoniverse . Douglas . Stuart . 2007 . The Iris Wildthyme Pages . 24 June 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110518220510/http://www.iriswildthyme.thiswaydown.org/who.html . 18 May 2011 . dead .
  21. Web site: About Enter Wildthyme . snowbooks . 16 July 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140724135419/http://www.snowbooks.com/store/products/2014-04-07%2013%3A18%3A41%20+0000-EnterWildthyme . 24 July 2014 .
  22. Web site: Sick Building . Doncaster Book Award . 24 June 2010.
  23. Tom Baker returns as the Fourth Doctor in new audio dramas! . . 29 July 2009 . 24 June 2010.
  24. Web site: Brenda and Effie . Magrs . Paul . paulmagrs.com . 24 June 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100113200640/http://www.paulmagrs.com/brenda.php . 13 January 2010 .
  25. News: Something Borrowed, By Paul Magrs . Paul . Burston . Paul Burston . . 21 October 2007 . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/something-borrowed-by-paul-magrs-397309.html . 25 May 2022 . subscription . live . 25 June 2010.
  26. Web site: BBC Radio 4 Extra - Paul Magrs - Never the Bride.
  27. Web site: New York Festivals - 2015 World's Best Radio Programs™ Winners . 28 June 2017 . 5 May 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170505023238/http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/worldsbestradio/2015/pieces.php?pid=1&iid=491164 . dead .
  28. Web site: Agatha Raisin firm reveals development slate.
  29. Web site: Teenage Prize archive . https://web.archive.org/web/20100731174130/http://www.booktrust.org.uk/Prizes-and-awards/Booktrust-Teenage-Prize/Teenage-Prize-archive . dead . 31 July 2010 . 2008 . . 24 June 2010 .
  30. Web site: The CILIP Carnegie Medal Nominations for 2007 . The CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Children's Book Awards . . 24 June 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120207152353/http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/pressdesk/press.php?release=pres_car_nom_07.html . 7 February 2012 .
  31. News: 30 treats to put around the tree. Chris Judge. 15 December 2012. The Irish Times. 12 May 2013.
  32. Web site: Staff – Department of English . https://web.archive.org/web/20050223025847/http://www.hlss.mmu.ac.uk/english/staff/ . dead . 23 February 2005 . 2010 . . 24 June 2010 .
  33. Julia . Bell . Paul . Magrs . 1999 . Pretext: The New Journal of Fiction, Poetry and Essays . 1: Salvage . EAS Publishing . 978-1-902913-01-8. Salvage .
  34. Paul . Magrs . 2000 . Pretext . 2: Fiction, Poetry, Criticism . Pen & Inc Press . Norwich . 978-1-902913-05-6.
  35. Book: The Creative Writing Coursebook . Bell . Julia . Magrs . Paul. 2001 . . 978-0-333-78225-5.
  36. Web site: BBC Radio 4 Extra - Drama, Imaginary Boys.
  37. Web site: BBC - Afternoon Drama: Imaginary Boys - Media Centre.

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