Jane Urquhart's family left Ireland for Canada during the Famine. Her mother's family were Quinns from Co Down. A frequent visitor to Ireland, she has written four previous novels: The Whirlpool, Changing Heaven, Away (shortlisted for the IMPAC award in 1996) and The Underpainter, winner of the Canadian Governor General's Award.
She lives in south-western Ontario. The Stone Carvers is published by Bloomsbury at £16.99 in UK.