Catherine Fox Bio

Raised in Buckinghamshire, Catherine Fox (real name Catherine Wilcox) was the daughter of a minister and met her now husband, the Dean of Liverpool, Reverend Canon Dr Pete Wilcox at Durham University. 

As the Reverend’s wife, she has found herself and her sons moving regularly and has had to combine her writing career with the demands that come from moving from parish to parish. 

Catherine Wilcox writes under the pen name of Catherine Fox. With her husband ordained originally as a priest and now as a bishop, she felt she needed some space between her role and his so she wasn’t automatically known as the author that wrote those novels. 

Catherine’s work is set in the present day, which means her characters are often responding in real time to the various challenges her readers are facing.

Today, Wilcox lives in Sheffield with her husband.

Catherine Fox at Manchester Metropolitan University

Catherine Wilcox is the Academic Director of the Manchester Writing School as well as MFA and MA Creative Writing Programme Leader. She is also a senior lecturer and lecturer in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her expertise in creative writing and her leadership as a senior lecturer and academic director at the Manchester Writing School have established her as a valued expert in the field.

She spends her time collaborating with colleagues at the Centre of Gothic Studies, Place Writing, reading and writing for children and young adults, as well as Narrative Theology and Writing about Relationships, and the Novel and Brexit.

Catherine Wilcox has found that teaching creating writing is about helping students to discover their own fictional words, learn how to explore them and then hone their writing skills until the world and characters they’ve created are ready to send out to the reader.

In recent years, Wilcox has been exploring new formats for publishing fiction novels, particularly around The Novel as a Blog. She has written a weekly installments of novels that are partially crowd sourced, and has compared these to the practice in the nineteenth century of publishing novel chapters in monthly periodicals.

Catherine Fox books in publishing order

Catherine Fox has written several books across fiction and non-fiction. She is the author of the Lindchester Chronicles, a popular series of novels that uses humor to examine spiritual and physical themes. When researching and writing some of her novels, she consulted the past Dean of Lichfield Cathedral, Tom Wright. Even with their strong language and sometimes graphic sex scenes, many of Fox’s literary works explore some of the deepest theological questions, the nature of sin, the existence of God, religious obsessions, and psychological health. Her novels often draw on the history of character relationships and significant moments, adding depth to her characters’ connections. She is known for her satirical and insightful explorations of the Church of England, regularly offering insights into her perspectives due to her position within the church.

Fox isn’t afraid to write about topical debates, such as the ordination of women and the attitude of the Church towards sexuality.

Lindchester Chronicles

• Acts and Omissions (2014)

• Unseen Things Above (2015)

• Realms of Glory (2017)

• Tales from Lindford (2021)

• The Company of Heaven (2023) 

Standalone novels

• Angels and Men (1995)

• The Benefits of Passion (1997)

• Love for the Lost (2000) 

Collections 

• Kiss and Part (2019) (with others) 

Non-Fiction 

• Scenes from Vicarage Life (2001)

• The Little Book Of Vicarage Wisdom (2002)

• How to Be Perfect (2004)

• Extreme Anglicanism (2005)

• Fight the Good Fight (2007) 

The Company of Heaven

The Company of Heaven is the latest instalment in the Lindchester Chronicles, written in the midst of the COVID pandemic. Fox has captured the difficulties of living in 2021 with humour and insight. The Company of Heaven picks up on Easter Monday 2021 as the third lockdown is drawing to a close, as old friends catch up and new ones are made.

Public Appearances and Speaking Engagements

As a respected author and thought leader, Catherine Fox is frequently invited to share her insights at literary festivals, academic conferences, and community events. Her public appearances are marked by a unique blend of wit, wisdom, and genuine engagement with the world. Whether she is speaking about the intersection of faith and culture, the challenges facing modern society, or the importance of social justice, Catherine captivates audiences with her thoughtful commentary and relatable anecdotes.