About Claire Fuller

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I’m a novelist and short fiction writer. For my first degree I studied sculpture at Winchester School of Art. I began writing fiction at the age of 40, after many years working as a co-director of a marketing agency. I have a Masters (distinction) in Creative and Critical Writing from The University of Winchester. I live near Winchester, England with my husband and a cat called Alan, and I have two grown-up children.

My five novels: The Memory of Animals, published in the UK in April 2023, and forthcoming in the US and Canada in June 2023;  Unsettled Ground (which won the Costa Novel Award 2021, and was shortlisted for the 2021 Women’s Prize for Fiction); the critically acclaimed Bitter Orange (longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award); Swimming Lessons (shortlisted for the Encore Prize for second novels, and Livre de Poche Prize in France); and Our Endless Numbered Days (winner of the 2015 Desmond Elliott Prize for debut fiction). They have been translated into more than twenty languages.

My short stories have been published in many literary journals and shortlisted in prizes. Baker, Emily and Me, won the 2014 BBC Opening Lines competition (read it here), and my story, A Quiet Tidy Man, won the Royal Academy and Pin Drop short story award 2016, (Listen to Juliet Stevenson reading it), and it has been included in the Pin Drop / Simon & Schuster anthology: A Short Affair.

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I am represented by Jane Finigan from Lutyens & Rubinstein.

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I also teach writing on various short courses. I have taught fiction at Arvon, short story writing at Winchester Writer’s Festival, and at Jane Austen’s House Museum, and flash fiction at The End of the Road Festival. Get in touch if you’d like me to teach a writing course. Forthcoming courses can be found on my events page.

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And finally, I have judged / am judging many short story and flash fiction writing competitions including ALCS Tom-Gallon Trust Award, Jane Austen 200, Rye Literature Festival, Reflex Fiction Flash Fiction, the Raymond Carver short story contest, and Faversham Short Story competition. Get in touch if you’d like to discuss me judging your fiction writing competition.

Buy The Memory of Animals

Buy Swimming Lessons

Buy Our Endless Numbered Days

Buy Bitter Orange

Buy Unsettled Ground

105 thoughts on “About Claire Fuller”

      • Hi Claire,

        I just wanted to say how much I’m enjoying your book, ‘Swimming Lessons’. I’d be interested to know what inspired you to write this, the characters are so well drawn and I’m finding it a really sad, compelling and moving tale, thank you.

        Best,
        Charlotte

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        • Hi Charlotte,
          I’m so pleased you’re enjoying Swimming Lessons. The inspiration was a photograph of a beach. From this I wrote a piece of 100-word flash fiction about man walking along the beach and the things he found washed up. This man turned into Gil and I carried on from there.
          Best wishes and happy reading,
          Claire

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  2. Best of luck with your ventures, Claire. I’d like to pick up a paddle if I may and lend a hand being, as I am, in the same boat. I’m currently working through my major project for a Masters in Creative Writing, too.
    Onward, ho!

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  3. Good luck with the blog, Claire. I love your story about the crow, and your flash fiction over on the Writer Unboxed site for week 3.

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  4. I really liked the one about the invisible friends – have clicked ‘like’. I’m also writing a novel, or trying to. I’m trying to only write flash fiction that I can rework into a chapter.

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  5. How talented you are to produce art like this and in so many forms. I came to read your stories and was also rewarded with wonderful drawings and sculptures. I came here from Twitter. Best of luck with your blog.

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    • Hi Rochelle,
      Yes it is a self portrait, with my hair wrapped up in a towel. I love that – ‘word-paint’ – I’ve only discovered that medium in the last few years, and I’ve put down my chisels for the time being and taken up the pen.
      Thanks so much for using my picture for this week’s Friday Fictioneers. I’m already curious about all the stories that will come from it.
      Claire

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  10. Well, Claire, I tried to leave a footprint as you requested, but my big toe got stuck in the ink well. So sorry. I’ll just have to type my hello. I really like your photos, and your whole site layout is unique. I’m sure you are a truly unique character as well.
    Blessings on you.
    Sandra

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  12. I love the design of your blog, very serene, calming theme, very professional. I think it looks very good. Breath of fresh air from most blogs we see out there.

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  15. Hi Claire… I was on Björn’s page and saw your comment and wondered what you were up to… when I clicked on your name, it went to a wordpress advertisement… maybe on an old theme you had before?? I does not lead to this blog. Your avatar does lead here… is your avatar a self portrait?

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    • Thanks so much for noticing that Ted. For some reason it linked to a site I’d never heard of – perhaps I set it up years ago and never used it – I really can’t remember. But I managed to find the offending link in the admin and have now fixed it.

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  16. Hi Claire. Thanks for the follow on Twitter. Thought I’d follow you on WordPress.
    Your whole blog looks like a work of art. As as writer, the short short story is a new form for me, but an exciting prospect. I can see that there’s a lot to learn from you.

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    • Hi Trish, Thanks for visiting, I’ve just been to take a look at your blog too – very interesting – and it looks like you have written some short stories in your time… Nice to meet you.
      Claire

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  17. Hello, are you the dougther of Ursel Fuller from Worthing? if yes, then we are related and i’m your cousin second class from Berlin.
    Best regards, Axel Nehring

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  26. Hi Claire, I found you on the Lutyens & Rubinstein site, they have asked to see my MS – only rung two of the ladder and I am familiar with the snake. Congratulations with reaching the top and I look forward to reading Our Endless Numbered Days. I love your blog and, as a jack of several trades (including sculpture), I feel very happy wandering through the pages.

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    • Hi Hilary, thanks for your message, and good luck! If you do reach the top rung I really can’t praise L&R highly enough. Jane has been a wonder. I’ve had a quick look around your site, but will take a more detailed look soon. Best of luck with your book, and do let me know how it works out.
      Claire

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  28. Hi Claire

    Thanks for the follow on Twitter and congratulations on publication of your novel! I know how hard it is to do. My novel, “Lost Eagle”, about a daughter of Tsar Nicholas II was published by Top Hat in late October 2013 after much work and anguish. Going well now though…:-) Love your blog. Check out my site too, http://www.losteagle.co.uk. All best with everything! Love your Renaissance style portraits as well…:-) Blessings Steven

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  33. Wow, you are a really seasoned writer – I’m such a novice that it’s almost laughable. However, I am having a blast reading you all and enjoying comments, music/videos, and POV from other writers. This is fun like playing “crazy 8’s when I was in grade school all night! Awesome job indeed. Thank you. Nan 🙂

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  35. Hiya!
    I am nominating you for the Liebster Award.

The Liebster Award is awarded to bloggers with under 200 followers to try to promote their blog – I hope I counted correctly, apologies if not!
    The rules of the competition are:

    The nominate must provide a link to the person who nominated them.
This is my link:
    http://kingsleycw13.wordpress.com/2014/04/30/liebster-award-nominee/
    Provide 11 facts about yourself.

    Answer 11 questions set by the person who nominated you.
    
Choose 11 more people and ask them 11 questions.

    Be seeing you!
    Kingsley

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  37. How wonderful, Claire, to have your book in the process of publication! You give me hope, only having returned properly to writing last year, in my early 40s! Your novel sounds fantastic, by the way.

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  38. Thanks Freya. It is all very exciting. I’m currently on the final proofreading revisions of the UK version. And yes, you should have hope. I’ll be 48 when my book is published. Best of luck!

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  43. Please Claire, when can I read your book in German? My english is too bad. I know your name from your loved aunt in Hannover/Germany (Edda) and I am very excited! Yours Telse

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  58. I just met you – for the first time – through Bitter Orange. It is a wonderful novel with compelling characters, but mostly, for me, with a beauty of language which slowed me down from my usual frentic reading pace. I’d forgotten a novel could do that. Thank you Claire.

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  59. Thank you for your inspiration. I love your drawings and sculpture, very tender and expressive and learning that you began to write around the age of 4o is just wonderful. Never too late for anything. I too am an artist and love to write. I was browsing and exploring ways to share my writing and I began searching short story writing contest and I found out about you and how you have become so successful. It is a beautiful gift to be who you truly are and share it with the world. I will explore contests too and see what happens, one never knows and when there is a will , there is a way. May all continue to go well with you.
    with gratitude,
    Ainhoa

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