Cathy Glass (author)

Cathy Glass is a British author, freelance writer and foster carer.

Cathy Glass
OccupationAuthor, writer, foster carer
NationalityBritish
GenreInspirational memoirs, fiction
Website
cathyglass.co.uk

Her work is strongly identified with both the True Life Stories and Inspirational Memoirs genres. Glass has also written a parenting guide to bringing up children, Happy Kids, a guide to feeding children healthily, Happy Mealtimes, a general wellness guide, Happy Adults, a writing guide, About Writing and How to Publish, and three novels based on a true nmo Glass has been a foster carer for 25 years, during which time she has fostered more than 100 children. Her fostering memoirs tell the stories of some of the children who came in to her care, many of whom had suffered abuse.

The first title, Damaged, was number one in the Sunday Times best-sellers charts in hardback and paperback.[1][2] She has now published 17 memoirs based on her experiences as a foster carer; each of these has reached the top ten in the non-fiction best-seller charts in The Times.[3][4]

The name "Cathy Glass" is a pseudonym. The author writes under a nom de plume due to the sensitive nature of her source material. The names of the children she writes about are likewise altered.

Fostering and parenting expertise

Glass used to work for the civil service but left to start a family. The author decided to foster a child after trying unsuccessfully for a baby with then husband John; she had seen an advert in her local paper seeking a foster home for a girl named Mary and applied.

As a foster carer,[5]

In 2010, Glass released Happy Kids: The secret to raising well-behaved, contented children – based on her own child-rearing experiences.

It introduces the reader to Glass's own "3 Rs technique": Request, Repeat, Reassure.[6]

Writing career

Glass combines fostering with occasional freelance journalism and commercial writing. Before the release of Damaged she had written on health and social issues for The Guardian and the Evening Standard.

Glass's first book, Damaged was released by HarperCollins in 2007. It focuses on the relationship between Glass and Jodie, an abused child.[7] A year later, in March 2008, Glass followed up with Hidden.

Cathy has published 23 fostering memoirs now: Damaged, 2007, Hidden, 2008, Cut, 2009, The Saddest Girl in the World, 2009, I Miss Mummy, 2010, Mummy Told Me Not to Tell, 2010, The Night the Angels Came, 2011, A Baby's Cry, 2012, Another Forgotten Child, 2012, Please Don't Take My Baby, 2013, Will you Love Me, 2013, Daddy's Little Princess, March 2014, The Child Bride, September 2014,Saving Danny, March 2015, Girl Alone, September 2015, The Silent Cry, February 2016, Can I Let You Go?, September 2016, Nobody's Son, February 2017, Cruel to Be Kind, September 2017, A Long Way From Home, February 2018, Where has Mummy Gone?, September 2018, Finding Stevie, February 2019, Innocent, September 2019, Too Scared To Tell, February 2020.

Her fostering memoir, Will You Love Me?, published in September 2013.[8] tells the story of Lucy, her adopted daughter.[9] ' The books "Nobody's Son", "Cruel to Be Kind" and "A Long Way From Home" are all set before Glass adopted Lucy although were released after her book "Will you Love Me?" which tells Lucy's story. Her latest book Too Scared to Tell was released on 20 February 2020 telling the story of 6 year old, Oskar and "A Terrible Secret" will be released on 17 September 2020.

Popularity and critical appraisal

Glass's first book Damaged was a number 1 Sunday Times best-seller, both in hardback[1] and paperback.[2]

Although her books deals with harrowing subjects, Guardian journalist Esther Addley noted that Glass's work offers "a certain amount of hope".[10]

In September 2013, Glass and her adopted daughter did an interview with the Daily Mirror, speaking openly for the first time about their relationship. Glass received a large number of letters and emails from readers in response.[11]

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References
  1. "General hardbacks". The Times. London. 25 February 2007.
  2. "Paperbacks general". The Times. London. 26 August 2007.
  3. "Top 10 paperbacks: non-fiction". The Sunday Times. London: Times online. 3 May 2009. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  4. "Top 10 non-fiction hardbacks". The Sunday Times. London: Times online. 17 August 2008. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  5. Hilpern, Kate (20 May 2010). "Fostering: Adults of all ages have something to offer children in their care". Healthy Living, Health & Families. The Independent. London. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  6. "Discipline tips from Gloucestershire author Cathy Glass". News. BBC. 1 March 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  7. Snell, Janet (5 September 2007). "Cathy Glass: author of Hidden talks about children's services". Community Care. Archived from the original on 3 December 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  8. Glass, Cathy, Lucy update, UK, archived from the original on 23 October 2013.
  9. Glass, Cathy, Love me, UK, archived from the original on 23 October 2013.
  10. Addley, Esther (15 June 2007). "The rise of 'misery lit'". Society. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  11. Retter, Emily (12 September 2013). "Best-selling author Cathy Glass' new book based on moving real-life story of adopted daughter". Real life stories. The Mirror. UK.
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