Stephen May (novelist) explained

Stephen May (born 1964) is a British novelist, playwright and TV writer.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Biography

Born in 1964, May grew up in Bedford and was educated at Bedford Modern School and the University of Essex.^{[2] [5] [6]}

After university, May was variously a barman, warehouseman, museum attendant, television writer and teacher.^[1] He had his first child while still at college after which he spent several years of struggle to support his family.^[1] This period of his life ‘largely informs his writing, and permeates through his first novel’ TAG which was on the 2009 Wales Book of the Year Long List.^[1] The book also won the Media Wales Peoples Choice award.

May's second novel, Life! Death! Prizes! was published in 2012 and shortlisted for the 2012 Costa Book Awards.^{[2] [7]} The novel is narrated by Billy, a mixed-up teenager, struggling to raise his little brother after the death of their mother.^{[2] [8]} It earned May comparisons to Dave Eggers and J.D. Salinger.^[2] In 2014, May published his latest novel, Wake Up Happy Every Day.^{[2] [9]} The Independent on Sunday's review of the book stated: “He riffs entertainingly on failure … Talk of misspent youth, assassins and obstreperous protagonists belies the emotional core which makes May's books moving”.^[10]

Interviewed by The Independent in 2014, May commented: “This country’s spirit is in places like Bedford, where I grew up, Kettering and Ipswich. The type of men I write about live outside big cities, lack self-confidence and rarely feature in contemporary fiction. Even Nick Hornby's characters are more sorted than mine."^[2]

In 2016 it was announced that Sandstone Press will publish his fourth novel Stronger Than Skin in spring 2017.

Bibliography

Novels

• Wake Up Happy Every Day. Published by Bloomsbury, New York City, 2014^{[11] [12]}
• Life! Death! Prizes! Published by Bloomsbury, London, 2012^{[12] [13]}
• TAG. Published by Cinnamon Press, Blaenau Ffestiniog, 2008^{[12] [14]}
• Stronger Than Skin. Published by Sandstone Academic Press, 2017^[15]

Plays

• The Reverse Is Also True (2015)^[16]
• The Valuation (2011)^[16]
• Ven Y Va (2010)^[16]
• Still Waiting For Everything (2005)^[16]
• Back The World (2003)^[16]

Textbooks

• Get Started in Creative Writing. Published by Hodder & Staughton, London, 2014^[17]
• Write A Novel And Get It Published. Published by Teach Yourself, London, 2012^[18]

Notes and References

1. Web site: MAY, STEPHEN - List of Writers. literaturewales.org. 20 March 2015.
2. Web site: Stephen May: 'My stories say things that are not being said'. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/stephen-may-my-stories-say-things-that-are-not-being-said-9193276.html . 25 May 2022 . subscription . live. The Independent. 14 March 2014. 20 March 2015.
3. Web site: Stephen May. sdmay.com. 20 March 2015.
4. Web site: Bloomsbury - Stephen May - Stephen May. www.bloomsbury.com.
5. Eagle News, Vol 5 No 4 (Issue 105) May 2012, p.115
6. Web site: Stephen May:, and a List of Books by Author Stephen May. paperbackswap.com. 20 March 2015.
7. Web site: Life! Death! Prizes! by Stephen May – review. Shena Mackay. The Guardian. 18 May 2012. 20 March 2015.
8. Web site: LIFE! DEATH! PRIZES!. Stephen May. Kirkus Reviews. 20 March 2015.
9. News: Newly Released Books. Carmela. Ciuraru. The New York Times. 24 December 2014.
10. Web site: Wake Up Happy Every Day. Bloomsbury Publishing.
11. Book: Wake up happy every day. January 2014. worldcat.org. 9781408840740. 870517070. 20 March 2015.
12. Web site: Stephen May. sdmay.com. 20 March 2015.
13. Book: Life! Death! Prizes!. worldcat.org. 823892395 . 20 March 2015.
14. Book: TAG. worldcat.org. 233788923. 20 March 2015.
15. Book: Stronger Than Skin. 26 January 2017. 1026702908. Open WorldCat.
16. Web site: Stephen May. sdmay.com. 20 March 2015.
17. Book: Get started in creative writing. worldcat.org. 898376961. 20 March 2015.
18. Book: Write a novel and get it published. worldcat.org. 827950756. 20 March 2015.