Photo Credit:
Photo credit
John W. MacDonald
Kate Heartfield
BIO
Biography

Kate Heartfield is the author of several historical fantasy novels published by HarperCollins, including Mercutio (2026), The Tapestry of Time (2024), and the Sunday Times bestseller The Embroidered Book (2022), about Marie Antoinette and her sister Maria Carolina. She has also written interactive fiction through Choice of Games, and Assassin’s Creed tie-in novels. She has won the Aurora Award for Best Novel three times. Her fiction has been shortlisted for the World Fantasy, Locus, Nebula, Sunburst, Scribe and Crawford awards, as well as the Ottawa Book Award, and her journalism for a National Newspaper Award. Kate grew up in Manitoba and now lives in Ottawa; she was a journalist at the Ottawa Citizen from 2004 to 2015. In 2024, she was Writer in Residence at the University of Ottawa.

ADDRESS
City: Ottawa, Province/Territory: Ontario
EMAIL
GENRE
Speculative fiction
LANGUAGES
English
PUBLICATIONS
Publications
Title
The Embroidered Book
Publisher
HarperCollins
Year
2022
Title
Assassin's Creed: The Magus Conspiracy
Publisher
Aconyte Books
Year
2022
Title
Alice Payne Rides
Publisher
Tordotcom
Year
2019
Title
Alice Payne Arrives
Publisher
Tordotcom
Year
2018
Title
The Course of True Love
Publisher
Abaddon Books
Year
2016
Title
Armed in Her Fashion
Publisher
ChiZine Publications
Year
2018
Title
The Tapestry of Time
Publisher
HarperCollins
Year
2024
AWARDS
Awards
Name
Aurora Award for Best Novel
Publication
Armed in Her Fashion
Year
2019
Name
Aurora Award for Best Novel
Publication
The Embroidered Book
Year
2022
Name
Aurora Award for Best Novel
Publication
The Valkyrie
Year
2023
Name
Nebula Award for Game Writing (co-writer)
Publication
A Death in Hyperspace
Year
2025
LINKS
Links
Kate Heartfield's s website
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS
Presentation details
Audience Size
Audience size
Any
Presentation Fee(s)
negotiable
Workshop details
Audience Size
up to 40
Intended Audience
I generally write for adults, but am happy to talk to teens or middle grade students about writing. I have given workshops on op-ed writing to think tanks, academics and others.
Workshop Length
up to 2 hours
Workshop Description
Workshop description

I've run workshops on the following topics, among others:

- Op-Ed Writing

- Writing Historical Fiction

- Revising Your Novel

- Levelling Up as a Writer: What to Hear When You Keep Hearing No

- The Basics: Elements of Fiction

Workshop Fee(s)
negotiable
School presentation details
Audience Size
any
Intended Audience
I generally write for adults, but am happy to talk to teens or middle grade students about writing.
Presentation Length
up to 2 hours
Presentation Description
Presentation description

Happy to talk to students about the writing life, how to get published, and how to improve their craft as writers.

Presentation Fee(s)
negotiable
EQUITY INITIATIVE
As part of the Union’s Equity Implementation Plan, we are committed to increasing awareness of authors who are Black, Indigenous, racialized, LGBTQI2S, or living with a disability. This author identifies as:
Members who identify as:
LGBTQI2S
Programs & Interests
Interested in participating Union’s Ontario Writers-in-the-Schools program:
All members are eligible for the Union’s Ontario Writers-in-the-Schools program. Are you interested in participating in this pro
Yes
Interested in participating in the Northern Ontario WITS program:
The Union’s Northern Ontario Writers-in-the-Schools program funds in-person visits to northern Ontario schools when possible. Ar
Yes