Stella Frances Silas Duffy (born 1963) is a London-born writer and theatremaker. Born in
London, she spent her childhood in New Zealand before returning to the UK.
Early life and education
Born in London in 1962 to a New Zealand father and an English mother, Duffy is the youngest in a family of seven children. The family moved to New Zealand when Duffy was five,
[ and Duffy later returned to London. She studied English literature and drama at Victoria University of Wellington.]
Career
Duffy has written several literary novels
Literary fiction, mainstream fiction, non-genre fiction or serious fiction is a label that, in the book trade, refers to market novels that do not fit neatly into an established genre (see genre fiction); or, otherwise, refers to novels that are ch ...
, as well as crime novel
Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professional detective, of a crime, ...
s in the ''Saz Martin'' series, published by Serpent's Tail.
In 2018 HarperCollins Publishers released ''Money in the Morgue'' by Ngaio Marsh and Stella Duffy. The book was started by Marsh during World War II, but abandoned. Working with just the book's title, first three chapters and some notes—but no idea of the plot or motive of the villain—Duffy completed the novel, which has received widespread praise for its authenticity and seamless transition between the two authors' work.
She has also written over sixty short stories, many plays, as well as feature articles and reviews. With Lauren Henderson she co-edited the fiction anthology
In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors.
In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically categ ...
''Tart Noir'' (2002). Her own short story in that collection, ''Martha Grace'', was awarded the 2002 Crime Writers' Association
The Crime Writers' Association (CWA) is a specialist authors’ organisation in the United Kingdom, most notable for its Dagger awards for the best crime writing of the year, and the Diamond Dagger awarded to an author for lifetime achievement. T ...
's Macallan Short Story Dagger. ''Singling out the Couples'' was shortlisted for the 1999 James Tiptree Jr Memorial Award. ''State of Happiness'' was longlisted for the 2004 Orange Prize, as was ''The Room of Lost Things'' in 2008.
She adapted the film script of ''State of Happiness'' for Fiesta Productions. The first novel in her ''Saz Martin'' series, ''Calendar Girl'', was voted fifth equal in the 2007 international poll "The Big Gay Read".
Duffy has written many plays, including ''The Book of Ruth (and Naomi)'' for the Bush Theatre's inaugural ''Sixty Six Books
''Sixty-Six Books'' was a set of plays premiered at the Bush Theatre, London, in 2011, to mark the theatre's reopening on a new site and the 400th anniversary of the King James Version. It drew its title from the 66 books of the Protestant Bible ...
'' set of plays, an adaptation of ''Medea'', ''Prime Resident
{{unreferenced, date=July 2011
''Prime Resident'' is a play by Stella Duffy, first performed in 2006 as part of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain's Summer Sextet, marking the company's 50th anniversary. The sextet cycled though each of ...
'', ''Immaculate Conceit'', ''The Hand'', and solo shows ''Breaststrokes'' and ''The Tedious Predictability of Falling in Love''.
As a stage performer, she is an associate artist with Improbable, has been a member of the comedy improvisation
Improvisation is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. Improvisation in the performing arts is a very spontaneous performance without specific or scripted preparation. The skills of impr ...
company Spontaneous Combustion since 1988 and has guested with The Comedy Store Players. She has performed her solo show ''Breaststrokes'' (''Time Out
Time-out, Time Out, or timeout may refer to:
Time
* Time-out (sport), in various sports, a break in play, called by a team
* Television timeout, a break in sporting action so that a commercial break may be taken
* Timeout (computing), an enginee ...
'' and '' The Guardian'' Critic's Choice) in London, Belfast, Cardiff, Dublin, York, and Amsterdam.
She directed ''Murder, Marple and Me'' for the Gilded Balloon (Edinburgh 2012 and tour 2013), ''Cell Sell'' for the National Youth Theatre at the Soho Theatre; ''Kikia te Poa'' ( Matthew J. Saville), ''Precious Things'' (company devised) at the Pacific Playhouse, ''Skin Tight'' ( Gary Henderson (playwright)) at the Pleasance Islington and Riverside Studios, ''My Inner Orc'' at the Pleasance, ''TaniwhaThames'' at OvalHouse Theatre. ''Ordinary Darkness'' at Hen and Chickens – all for Shaky Isles; and ''The Seduction of Ms Sarah Hart'' (Caron Pascoe) at The Oval for Kindred Spirits.
On screen, she appeared in a 1997 episode of ITV police procedural
The police show, or police crime drama, is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasizes the investigative procedure of a police officer or department as the protagonist(s), as contrasted with other genres that focus on eith ...
series '' The Bill'' the 2001 movie ''Absolution''.
She also wrote and presented a documentary in 2008 for the BBC's ''Time Shift'' strand called ''How to Write a Mills and Boon''.
Duffy was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(OBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to the arts.
Other activities
On 18 April 2015, Duffy spoke at one of the early meetings of a new political party, the Women's Equality Party.
Personal life
Duffy is a practising Buddhist and lived in Lambeth
Lambeth () is a district in South London, England, in the London Borough of Lambeth, historically in the County of Surrey. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The population of the London Borough of Lambeth was 303,086 in 2011. The area expe ...
with her wife, playwright Shelley Silas
Shelley Silas is a British playwright of Sephardi Jewish heritage. She grew up in Golders Green, North London. She is married to Stella Duffy, writer, campaigner, co-director of Fun Palaces.
Career
In 2002, she won a Pearson award and was w ...
.
Novels
* ''Calendar Girl'' (1994)
* ''Wavewalker'' (1996)
* ''Beneath the Blonde'' (1997)
* ''Singling Out the Couples'' (1998)
* ''Eating Cake'' (1999)
* ''Fresh Flesh'' (1999)
* ''Immaculate Conceit'' (2000)
* ''State of Happiness'' (2004)
* ''Parallel Lies'' (2005)
* ''Mouths of Babes'' (2005)
* ''The Room of Lost Things'' (2008)
* ''Theodora, Actress, Empress, Whore'' (2010)
* ''The Purple Shroud'' (2012)
* ''London Lies Beneath'' (2016)
* ''The Hidden Room'' (2017)
* ''Money in the Morgue'' (2018) with Ngaio Marsh
Stage plays
* ''The Tedious Predictability of Falling in Love'' (1990)
* ''The Hand, A Lesbian Horror Ballet'' (1995)
* ''Close To You'' (1996)
* ''Crocodiles and Bears'' (1999)
* ''Immaculate Conceit'' (2003)
* ''Breaststrokes'' (2004)
* ''Prime Resident'' (2006)
* ''Medea'' (new version for Steam Industry) 2009
Awards
* CWA Short Story Dagger Award 2002 for ''Martha Grace'' (Tart Noir)
* CWA Short Story Dagger Award 2013 for ''Come Away With Me'' (Mammoth Book of Best British Mysteries)
References
External links
*
List of stage plays on Doollee
(archived 2017)
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duffy, Stella
1963 births
Living people
20th-century British novelists
21st-century British novelists
British dramatists and playwrights
LGBT dramatists and playwrights
English LGBT novelists
National Youth Theatre members
Women mystery writers
21st-century British women writers
20th-century British women writers
Victoria University of Wellington alumni
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Women's Equality Party people