Edward Carey is a renowned English author, playwright, and illustrator. He was born in North Walsham, Norfolk, England, during an April snowstorm. Carey's family had a naval background, with both his father and grandfather serving in the Royal Navy. Following in their footsteps, he attended Pangbourne Nautical College. However, his passion for drama and storytelling led him to join the National Youth Theatre and study drama at Hull University.
Carey's writing career has been prolific and diverse. He has written various adaptations for the big stage, including "Pinocchio in Venice" and "The Pigeon." His plays, such as "Captain of the Bird" and "Sulking Thomas," have been performed at prestigious venues like the National Theatre of Romania, Vilnius Small State Theatre in Lithuania, Young Vic Studio, Battersea Arts Centre, and the Royal Opera House Studio in England. Carey has also collaborated on shadow puppet productions of "Macbeth" in Malaysia and worked with the Faulty Optic Theatre of Puppets.
In addition to his work in theatre, Carey is an accomplished author and illustrator. His novels, including "Observatory Mansions" and "Alva and Irva: the Twins Who Saved a City," have been translated into thirteen different languages. He has a unique approach to his work, often illustrating the characters he writes about, even though the illustrations may contradict the writing. Carey has taught creative writing and fairy tales at the Writers Workshop at the University of Iowa and the Michener Center and the English Department at the University of Texas at Austin. He currently resides in Austin, Texas, where he continues to write, illustrate, and inspire future generations of storytellers.