Catherine Friend

Catherine Friend is an American writer of adult nonfiction, fiction, and children's books. Her works have won her four Goldie Awards from the Golden Crown Literary Society, the Minnesota Book Award for General Nonfiction, and Keystone to Reading Book Award for Primary. She was also a finalist for three Lambda Literary Awards and a Judy Grahn Award.

Personal life

For 25 years, Friend and her wife, Melissa, lived on Rising Moon Farm, a small farm in southeastern Minnesota, where they raised sheep and used their wool for yarn. The farm was 53 acres and housed sheep, llamas, goats, steers, ducks, chickens, and peacocks.

Education

Friend received Bachelor of Arts in economics and Spanish, as well as a Master of Science in economics.

Awards

Year Title Award Result Ref.
2007 Hit by a Farm Goldie Award for Lesbian Short Story/Essay Collections Winner
Judy Grahn Award for Lesbian Nonfiction Finalist
Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Memoir or Biography Finalist
2008 A Pirate's Heart Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Romance Finalist
The Crown of Valencia Goldie Award for Lesbian Speculative Fiction Winner
The Spanish Pearl Goldie Award for Dramatic General Fiction Winner
2009 Compassionate Carnivore Minnesota Book Award for General Nonfiction Winner
The Perfect Nest Keystone to Reading Book Award for Primary Winner
A Pirate's Heart Golldie Award for Historical Romance Winner
2012 Sheepish Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Memoir or Biography Finalist

Publications

Books for adults

Fiction

  • A Pirate's Heart (2008)
  • The Copper Egg (2016)
  • Spark (2017)
Kate Vincent Adventures
  • The Spanish Pearl (2007)
  • The Crown of Valencia (2007)
  • Compassionate Carnivore: Or, How to Keep Animals Happy, Save Old Macdonald's Farm, Reduce Your Hoofprint, and Still Eat Meat (2008)

Nonfiction

  • Hit by a Farm: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Barn (2006)
  • Sheepish: Two Women, Fifty Sheep, and Enough Wool to Save the Planet (2011)

Books for young people

  • My Head Is Full of Colors (1994)
  • The Sawfin Stickleback: A Very Fishy Story, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino (1994)
  • Funny Ruby (2000)
  • Silly Ruby (2000)
  • Well Done Worm! with Kathy Caple (2000)
  • The Perfect Nest, illustrated by John Manders (2007)
  • Barn Boot Blues (2011)
  • The Broken Elevator, illustrated by Craig Orback (2013)

Eddie the Raccoon series

  • Eddie the Raccoon (2004)
  • Eddie and Little Skunk (2004)
  • Eddie Digs a Hole (2004)
  • Eddie In A Jam (2004)
  • No Eggs for Eddie (2004)