Wikiake

About

Charis Cotter (born February 20th, 1954) is a Canadian author, editor, and storyteller. She is known for her award-winning works of fiction for middle-grade readers and for her storytelling workshops for children.

Early Life and Education

Charis Cotter is the daughter of Graham Cotter, an Anglican minister and social activist, and Evelyn Cotter, an academic and Toronto Board of Education Trustee.

Cotter grew up in the Cabbagetown neighborhood of Toronto, Canada, behind the Toronto Necropolis cemetery. She cites her childhood home and experiences as the inspiration for the setting of her first novel, The Swallow.

Charis Cotter graduated from Glendon College, York University with a degree in English. Afterward, she trained in theatre, studying at the Drama Studio London, in England. Upon her return, Cotter worked for several years as an actor, appearing in W.O. Mitchell’s Jake and the Kid in a touring production with Young People’s Theatre.

Personal Life and Family

Charis Cotter lives and works in Western Bay, Newfoundland.

She has one daughter, Zoe Cleland, an actress and filmmaker.

Published Works

• Toronto Between the Wars: Life in the City 1919–1939 (Firefly Books, 2004)
• Kids Who Rule: The Remarkable Lives of Five Child Monarchs (Annick Press, 2007)
• Wonder Kids: The Remarkable Lives of Nine Child Prodigies (Annick Press, 2008)
• Born to Write: The Remarkable Lives of Six Famous Authors (Annick Press, 2009)
• A World Full of Ghosts (Annick Press, 2009)
• The Ghosts of Baccalieu (Baccalieu Books, 2013)
• The Swallow: A Ghost Story (Tundra Books, 2014)
• The Ferryland Visitor: A Mysterious Tale (Running the Goat Books & Broadsides, 2016)
• The Painting (Tundra Books, 2017)
• The Ghosts of Southwest Arm (Baccalieu Books, 2017)
• The Ghost Road (Tundra Books, 2018)
• Footsteps in Bay de Verde: A Mysterious Tale (Running the Goat Books & Broadsides, 2020)
• Screech! Ghost Stories from Old Newfoundland (Nimbus Publishing, 2020)
• The Dollhouse: A Ghost Story (Tundra Books, 2021)