Jenny Pausacker

Jenny Pausacker has worked full-time as a freelance writer since 1980. During that time she has published 67 novels, seven non-fiction books, and short stories in 25 collections, mostly for children and young adults. She has also edited three anthologies and reviewed for various journals, including five years as young-adult fiction reviewer for the Australian.

Jenny’s work ranges from genre fiction — crime, fantasy, romance — through to literary fiction. Her first young-adult novel What Are Ya? won the Angus & Robertson junior writers’ fellowship; Mr Enigmatic won the New South Wales premier’s literary award for children’s literature; and Getting Somewhere was shortlisted for the prestigious Children’s Book Council award. She has received six writers’ grants from the Australia Council.

Jenny’s academic qualifications include an MA in English literature and a PhD in children’s literature. She has been a part-time lecturer or tutor in children’s literature at six Australian universities and the University of British Columbia. Since 1996, she has taken part in 11 mentorship schemes run by writers’ centres all around Australia, mentoring 29 developing writers. In 2007 she taught creative writing in the lifelong learning programme at Bristol University.