Chloe Michelle Howarth
Irish writer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chloe Michelle Howarth (born July 1996) is an Irish novelist based in Brighton. Her debut novel Sunburn (2023) was shortlisted for a number of accolades.
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Chloe Michelle Howarth | |
|---|---|
At the British Library's Irish Writers' Weekend in 2024 | |
| Born | July 1996 (age 29) |
| Alma mater | IADT |
| Years active | 2022–present |
| Website | www |
Early life
Howarth grew up in Rosscarbery, County Cork with her two brothers.[1] She graduated from the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology.[2]
Career
At the end of 2022, Verve Books acquired the rights to publish Howarth's debut novel Sunburn in 2023.[3] Howarth came up with the idea at the end of 2019 and began writing it at her family's house during the COVID-19 lockdown.[4] Set in a fictional Cork village amid the 1993 decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland, the novel follows the clandestine relationship between characters Lucy and Susannah from 1989.[5][6] Sunburn was shortlisted for a Nero Book Award in the Debut Fiction category,[7] Discover Book of the Year at the British Book Awards[8] and the Polari First Book Prize.[9] It was also a runner-up for the adult Readers' Choice award at the Diverse Book Awards.[10]
Howarth reunited with Verve Books for the publication of her second 1960s-set Gothic novel Heap Earth Upon It in 2025.[11]
Personal life
Howarth is queer.[12] She moved to Brighton after the COVID-19 lockdown.[11]
Bibliography
- Sunburn (2023)
- Heap Earth Upon It (2025)
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Nero Book Awards | Debut Fiction | Sunburn | Shortlisted | [7] |
| 2024 | British Book Awards | Discover Book of the Year | Shortlisted | [8] | |
| Polari First Book Prize | Shortlisted | [9] | |||
| Diverse Book Awards | Readers' Choice – Adult | Runner-up | [10] | ||