Christine Cohen Park

I did my M.A. in the English Department of The University of Sussex, then went to work at André Deutsch, and subsequently became a literary agent with MBA Literary Agency. 

 

My first novels, Joining the Grown-ups and The Househusband, were published by Heinemann.

I’ve co-edited collections of short stories with Caroline Heaton.  Close Company, published by Virago, was selected as one of the ten best women’s books for 1992. Caught in a Story, a collection of contemporary fairytales, was published by Vintage. 

 

I’ve taught at Bristol University, Bath Spa, The University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and latterly, The University of Sussex.

While in Canada, I spent some months of each year on the island of Cortes on the entrance to Desolation Sound. The experience of living in a stunning, threatened place on the edge of wilderness, provided the background to my book A Key to Lock Out Cougars, published in association with the Cortes Museum and Archive Centre.

 

Returning to England, an increasing consciousness of my Jewish heritage, coupled with an interest in contemporary Israel/Palestine politics, led to the writing of my just completed novel, Bye Bye Apartheid Road. An early section of this novel was a runner-up in the Telos Apeirogon Book Club Competition 2020. A recent Arts Council Bursary through South East Arts has generously helped with the editing of the book.

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'Miss Park is a born story-teller' John Nicholson The Times

 

'Her second novel invites comparison with Margaret Drabble' Times Literary Supplement

 

'[She] has a talent for hitting the right spot' Nina Bawden

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