Born in 1979 and residing in a small town on the coast of British Columbia, Canada, Mandel received her primary education through home schooling. Mandel has credited this influence towards helping develop her creative writing skills, as she was required to complete daily writing assignments.
At the age of six, Mandel began studying ballet, and by the age of thirteen was dancing five to six days a week. At eighteen, Mandel decided to dance professionally in the modern and contemporary style, and auditioned at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre in its Professional Training Program. Upon acceptance, Mandel moved to Toronto to continue her studies. Once graduated, Mandel danced professionally for a brief period before deciding to write full-time.
During her tenure as a professional dancer, Mandel always felt compelled to write. She began writing her first novel while studying dance, and credits the intense discipline of dancing as preparation for withstanding the pressure of rejection as a writer.
After living for a short time in Montreal, Mandel relocated to New York City.
The Writings of Emily St. John Mandel
In 2009, Mandel’s premiere novel, "Last Night in Montreal" (published by Unbridled Books) received critical praise. Her audience-grabbing style of writing and the flow of theme and plot contributed to "Last Night in Montreal" becoming a finalist for ForeWard Magazine’s 2009 Book of the Year Award. It was also ranked number two on the June 2009 Indie Next List.
Mandel’s second novel, "The Singer’s Gun" (Unbridled Press) was released in the spring of 2010. Like her first, this novel was met with the highest acclaim for her entrancing ability to present a story to readers and for its thrilling plot line. "The Singer’s Gun" was the number-one pick for the May 2010 Indie Next List.
Mandel is a contributing writer for the online arts and culture magazine, The Millions. Some of Mandel’s other writings have been featured on the online sites Large Hearted Boy, Powell’s Books, and Three Guys One Book.
Emily St. John Mandel's Influences
Growing up, Mandel did not have a television. Instead, she found entertainment in books and stories, and credits the book "Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson as the one that lead her to her love of reading.
Some of her favorite books include: "After Dark" by Murakami, "Hopscotch" by Julio Cortazar, "The Executioner’s Song" by Norman Mailer, "Madame Bovary" by Gustav Flaubert, "Invisible Cities" by Halo Calvino, and "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll.
Her favorite and most influential authors include: J.D. Salinger, Vladmir Nabokov, Milan Kundera, Michael Odaantje, Saul Bellow, Ernest Hemingway, and Raymond Chandler.
Mandel finds inspiration for her writing in everyday things. She also credits her experiences from living in two countries as influential to her writing and to the themes of her books. While her writing has been labeled both women’s fiction and crime fiction, Mandel aims to write plot-driven novels that have an appeal for anyone who appreciates a good book.
Aside from being a best-selling author, Mandel works part time as an administrator in Manhattan. With interests in photography and playing the piano, Mandel continues writing, finding comfort in the escapism of her craft, and maintains that humanity and tension are the two greatest ingredients to a story.
Mandel resides in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and two adopted rescue cats.
Sources
- Emily St. John Mandel
- Beyond the Margins
- Words to Mouth
- Powell's Books
- The National Post
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