HOVEY, Kate

Personal

Female. Education: Attended Northwestern University; studied poetry at University of California, Los Angeles.

Addresses

Agent— c/o Author Mail, Margaret K. McElderry Books, Simon & Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. E-mail— katehovey@juno.com.

Career

Metalsmith, designer, and writer. Designer of masks for theatre productions and metal clothing for rock-and-roll performers; teacher.

Writings

Arachne Speaks, Margaret K. McElderry Books (New York, NY), 2001.

Voices of the Trojan War, Margaret K. McElderry Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Ancient Voices, Margaret McElderry Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Sidelights

Every since she was a little girl Kate Hovey has had a passion for Greek mythology and an interest in writing. Working as a metalsmith, mask designer, and costumer for several years, she added "professional writer" to her resume by producing books that combine her love of poetry and myth: Arachne Speaks, Voices of the Trojan War, and Ancient Voices. She also utilizes her mask-making skills in school presentations across the country, bringing the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece to life for students through storytelling, poetry, and dramatic masked performances.

Voices of the Trojan War relates the well-known tale of the Trojan War in poetry form through the voices of the characters themselves. "The classic tale of the Trojan War—about gods and men and fate is here in full spendor," commented a Kirkus Reviews critic, who added: "Hovey offers a fresh and elegant take on the old stories for young readers." In Ancient Voices Hovey once again relates tales from Greek mythology in narrative poems. While a Publishers Weekly critic stated that Hovey "makes use of fairly complex literary structure and vocabulary," the writer went on to comment that, "Nonetheless, the overall style is cohesive, powerful and striking." Margaret Bush, writing in School Library Journal called Ancient Voices "elusive and evocative," and a book that "will interest readers who have studied and enjoyed Greek mythology."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, February 1, 2001, Michael Cart, review of Arachne Speaks, p. 1044; January 1, 2004, Hazel Rochman, review of Ancient Voices, p. 841.

Horn Book, January, 2001, Anita L. Burkam, review of Arachne Speaks, p. 100.

Kirkus Reviews, January 15, 2004, review of Ancient Voices, p. 84; July 1, 2004, review of Voices of the Trojan War, p. 631.

Publishers Weekly, December 18, 2000, review of Arachne Speaks, p. 78; March 8, 2004, review of Ancient Voices, p. 74.

School Library Journal, March, 2001, Nancy Call, review of Arachne Speaks, p. 268; March, 2004, Margaret Bush, review of Ancient Voices, p. 236; September, 2004, Patricia D. Lothrop, review of Voices of the Trojan War, p. 228.

ONLINE

Kate Hovey Web site, http://www.katehovey.com (January 16, 2005).