Catherine Webb
Catherine Webb (born 1986) is a British author. Under the pseudonym Kate Griffin, they write fantasy novels for adults.
Also recorded as Claire North · Kate Griffin · Catherine Louise Webb
Catherine Webb

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- Name
- Catherine Webb
- Born
- 27 April 1986
- Birthplace
- United Kingdom
- Education
- Godolphin and Latymer School
- Occupation
- Novelist
- Nationality
- United Kingdom.
- Fields
- science fiction, travel literature, young adult literature and science fiction literature.
- Honours
- John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, World Fantasy Award for Best Novel and Ignotus Award for Best Foreign Novel.
- Languages
- English.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q526761 · wikipedia · Catherine Webb
In this article
Biography
Biography
Catherine Webb studied at London School of Economics and Political Science, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and Godolphin and Latymer School. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is science fiction, travel literature and young adult literature. Terry Pratchett and J. Tolkien are recorded as an influence. Places of work recorded in the authority are London. Distinctions recorded are John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, World Fantasy Award for Best Novel and Ignotus Award for Best Foreign Novel.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Catherine Webb • Pen Name — Kate Griffin Claire North • Born — 27 April 1986 • Birthplace — United Kingdom • Education — Godolphin and Latymer School • Occupation — Novelist • Genre — Fantasy, adventure, science fiction • Notable Works — * The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August • Timekeepers • The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle • A Madness of Angels • Language — English • Citizenship — UK • Alma Mater — London School of Economics (BS) Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (GrDip)
Life and career
Life and career
Webb was educated at the Godolphin and Latymer School, London, and the London School of Economics. They were 14 years old when they completed Mirror Dreams, which was written during their school holidays. Their father is author and publisher Nick Webb, and he suggested they should send the manuscript to an agent he knew, who eventually offered to represent them. The book was published in 2002 by Atom Books, and Webb was named Young Trailblazer of the Year by the magazine CosmoGirl UK. They have published eight young adult novels, all with Atom Books, and studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, from which they graduated in 2010. They appeared in CosmoGirl in 2006/7 in an interview. They also appeared in online interviews with CBBC and nzgirl when they were 15, and also with The Daily Telegraph, which described them as a teen queen.
Personal life
Personal life
In a 2025 interview with The Fantasy Hive, Webb stated that they are non-binary and use "she/they" pronouns with a preference for "they". Webb is autistic.
As Catherine Webb
As Catherine Webb
• Mirror Dreams (2002) • Mirror Wakes (2003) • Waywalkers (2003) • Timekeepers (2004) • The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle (2006) • The Obsidian Dagger: Being the Further Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle (2006) • The Doomsday Machine: Another Astounding Adventure of Horatio Lyle (2008) • The Dream Thief: An Extraordinary Horatio Lyle Mystery (2010)
As Kate Griffin
As Kate Griffin
• A Madness of Angels (2009) (Matthew Swift series, book 1) • The Midnight Mayor (2010) (Matthew Swift series, book 2) • The Neon Court (2011) (Matthew Swift series, book 3) • The Minority Council (2012) (Matthew Swift series, book 4) • Stray Souls (2012) (Magicals Anonymous series, book 1) • The Glass God (2013) (Magicals Anonymous series, book 2)
As Claire North
As Claire North
• The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (2014) • Touch (2015) • The Gameshouse (2015) • The Sudden Appearance of Hope (2016) • The End of the Day (2017) • 84K (2018) • The Pursuit of William Abbey (2019) • Sweet Harmony (2020) (Novella) • Notes from the Burning Age (2021) • The Songs of Penelope trilogy • Ithaca (2022) • House of Odysseus (2023) • The Last Song of Penelope (2024) • Slow Gods (2025)
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
She also worked under the name Claire North. The authorities additionally record the headings Claire North, Kate Griffin and Catherine Louise Webb. Her recorded language was English.
Identity
Identity
Catherine Webb is recorded as having received John W. Catherine Webb is recorded as writer, novelist and lighting designer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1986
Catherine Webb born at London.
Activity and practice
Catherine Webb is recorded as having studied at London School of Economics and Political Science, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and Godolphin and Latymer School.
Recognition and collections
Where the work is held
Recognition and collections
Catherine Webb received John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, World Fantasy Award for Best Novel and Ignotus Award for Best Foreign Novel.
Documents and archives
Primary material
Documents and archives
Institutional database
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q526761: Catherine Webb
Scholarly · Wikimedia Foundation
reference work
- “Catherine Webb”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Awards and nominations
• 2005, Timekeepers nominated for the Carnegie Medal • 2006, The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle nominated for the Carnegie Medal • 2014, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (as Claire North) nominated for the BSFA Award for Best Novel • 2015, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (as Claire North) nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award • 2015, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (as Claire North) won the John W. Campbell Memorial Award • 2017, The Sudden Appearance of Hope (as Claire North) won the World Fantasy Award—Novel • 2026, Slow Gods (as Claire North) was shortlisted for the Ursula K. Le Guin Prize.
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Catherine Webb, revision 1373204923 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Telegraph Family book club: Exploits of a Teen Queen. The Daily Telegraph.
- 2.Atom Books
- 3.Kate Griffin: Urban Magic.
- 4.BBC News. Teen author: 'I'm not the next JK'. 5 July 2002.
- 5.nzgirl.co.nz. Know / Mirror Dreams by Catherine Webb.
- 6.T.O. Munro. Slow Gods by Claire North (Author Interview). The Fantasy Hive. 12 Nov 2024.
- 7.North, Claire. 84K. Orbit. 27 June 2017. 9780316316781.
- 8.North, Claire. The Pursuit of William Abbey. Little, Brown Book. 11 May 2019. 9780356507439.
- 9.Carnegie Press Desk : 4 March 2005
- 10.Carnegie Press Desk : 20 November 2006
- 11.sfadb: British SF Association Awards 2015. Science Fiction Awards Database. 2015-04-05.
- 12.sfadb: Arthur C. Clarke Award 2015. Science Fiction Awards Database. 2015-05-06.
- 13.sfadb: John W. Campbell Memorial Award 2015. Science Fiction Awards Database. 2015-06-15.
- 14.The John W. Campbell Award. sfcenter.ku.edu.
- 15.Tor.com. Announcing the 2017 World Fantasy Award Winners. 5 November 2017.
- 16.Ursula K. Le Guin Prize Shortlist Is Revealed. Kirkus Reviews. 2026-06-29.
- 17.2026 Le Guin Prize for Fiction Shortlist. Locus Magazine.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
Institutional database
Wikidata, structured authority record Q526761: Catherine WebbWikimedia Foundation
Institutional witnessreference work
Secondary witness
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Catherine Webb studied at London School of Economics and Political Science, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and Godolphin and Latymer School. Her recorded influences include Terry Pratchett and J.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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