Polly Courtney

Polly Courtney

Courtney signing copies of Poles Apart at its launch party in 2008
Born 1980/1981 (age 31–32)[1]
Occupation Writer
Nationality British
Period (2005-present)
[pollycourtney.com pollycourtney.com]

Polly Courtney is an English author and media commentator. She is best known as the author of the novels Golden Handcuffs and Poles Apart.

Contents

Background

In her early years, Courtney was a straight-A student who spent her free time playing a multitude of sports and playing violin with various orchestras and quartets. She grew up in London. Courtney graduated from Trinity College, University of Cambridge with a first-class degree in mechanical engineering,[2] and worked in investment banking for two years[3] before resigning to spend time writing her first novel based on her experiences in the City.[2]

Fiction

Courtney has written a number of novels. Her first novel, Golden Handcuffs, was self-published. She then moved to a three-book publishing deal with HarperCollins imprint, Avon.[1][4] At the release of It's a Man's World in 2011, Courtney announced plans to return to self-publishing because she does not agree with the chick lit marketing approach used by HaperCollins.[4]

Bibliography

Non-fiction

Courtney has written opinion pieces on the City, women workers and general career advice in The Observer,[5] The Guardian [6][7] and many other publications.[8][9][10][11][12]

She has recently written a number of articles about the lives of immigrant workers in the UK, which is the subject of her second novel.[13][14]

References

  1. ^ a b Brown, Helen (2010-01-08). "Unleash your inner novelist". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/6946979/Unleash-your-inner-novelist.html. Retrieved September 16, 2011. "Polly Courtney, a 29-year-old former investment banker, made money self-publishing her novel, Golden Handcuffs, in 2006. [...] Courtney now has a three-book deal with HarperCollins but admits that she misses being in control [...]" 
  2. ^ a b "Quiz our panel of experts". The Times (London). 2007-03-20. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/graduate_management/article1536889.ece. Retrieved September 16, 2011. "Polly Courtney [...] joined the graduate scheme of a large US investment bank in 2002, having graduated from Cambridge with a first class degree in mechanical engineering. Much of her writing is based on her own experience" 
  3. ^ Butcher, Sarah (2007-02-21). "Editor’s take: Long hours are here to stay". eFinancialCareers. http://news.efinancialcareers.co.uk/newsandviews_item/newsItemId-9407. Retrieved September 16, 2011. "[...] two years into her bank’s analyst programme, more than 50% of trainees had decided to quit, according to [Polly] Courtney." 
  4. ^ a b Flood, Alison (2011-09-15). "Novelist ditches publisher at book launch for 'condescending' treatment". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/sep/15/novelist-ditches-publisher-book-launch. Retrieved September 16, 2011. "Novelist Polly Courtney has dropped her publisher HarperCollins for giving her books "condescending and fluffy" covers aimed at the chick lit market. [...] but at the launch of the third book, It's A Man's World, she announced that she would not be working with the publisher again." 
  5. ^ My high-flying City job was not worth a life of misery (2006). Retrieved on 02 Nov 2008.
  6. ^ Women at Work (2006). Retrieved on 02 Nov 2008.
  7. ^ Beyond the City limits (2006). Retrieved on 02 Nov 2008.
  8. ^ Der Treibstoff von London (2007). Retrieved on 02 Nov 2008.
  9. ^ Rediscover your passion - go it alone (2007). Retrieved on 02 Nov 2008.
  10. ^ Bankieren in the City, van droom tot nachtmerrie (2007). Retrieved on 02 Nov 2008.
  11. ^ The Story of Marta D. (2008). Retrieved on 02 Nov 2008.
  12. ^ Second Careers & the City (2008). Retrieved on 02 Nov 2008.
  13. ^ British about Poles (2008). Retrieved on 02 Nov 2008.
  14. ^ No place for a Pole (2008). Retrieved on 02 Nov 2008.

External links