Kathy Page

Kathy Page is a writer born in London, who now lives in Canada. She is a member of the Writers' Union of Canada.

Kathy Page received her MA in creative writing from the University of East Anglia, UK. Since then she has taught fiction and creative writing in several universities, community centers, writing schools and arts organizations.

She is a novelist and a short-story writer, has written for television and radio. Her fifth novel The Story of My Face was short-listed for the Orange Prize in 2002. Her sixth novel Alphabet was nominated for a Governor General's award in 2005. Kathy Page’s hort stories are to be found in many anthologies. Two collections of short stories have appeared in Estonia titled  „Vana siddalane“, 1994 and "Vabaduse teine kevad“, 1996 ((both in Loomingu Raamatukogu).

I linked to Kathy instantly, liking her ideas and methods. We became to know each other personally and keep contact since. I have read Kathy’s books and admire her way of managing words, ideas, emotions through pages. 

As a female writer who is interested in a very specific area of human behavior and relations to society – imprisonment, I saw her as my guide both in creative writing and in my phd studies. Having worked as a volunteer in Estonian prisons for years I have passed similar steps in my development towards those who are behind and on the other side. I have also learnt that it is not pure statistics but actual human beings with yes, their flaws and mistakes in the eyes of others and the law, but also with their good side, desires, personal growth (or lack of it), longings for understanding and recognition.No, not all who are kept behind those walls are "good people" but as a surprise, every once in awhile, you learn that the world is not black and white and you may learn from them something that was missing in your good, ordinary, legal, structured, predefined life and beyond that physical torture which all who are considered outlaws have to go through is more to see. 

I learned through Kathy's eyes and my personal experience that this world of dominance, power and competition hasn't changed all since Michel Foucault's times or that it doesn't vary much in different countries. I also learned that the amount of power pressed upon citizens may be different but its methods and effect might be pretty similar on both sides of those bars.

Kathy is a good writer. Definitely in my top ten today. She has managed to bring herself from a stage of a “starving artist” onto the stage of internationally recognized novelist and is lucky to do as a “job” what she likes the most and what brings her freedom and joy in her life. I’m on my way to that. 

See Kathy in FB about her current interests and life.