I write stories for all age groups:
The Rose Leopard (University of Queensland Press 2003)
Bloodlines (Strictly Literary 2009)
Drink the Air (Winner of the 2010 Queensland Premier’s Award for Young Adult Fiction)
Spring Rain (Self-published 2011)
Joyous and Moonbeam (Scholastic 2013; short-listed for the 2014 West Australian Premier’s Awards)
This Is My Song (Scholastic 2017; short-listed for the 2017 Queensland Literary Awards; short-listed for the 2018 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards)
The Happiness Quest (Scholastic 2018)
Other credits include:
- Medal in the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2011 for services to education, literature and performing arts
- Recipient of a 2015 May Gibbs Literature Trust Creative Time Fellowship for the creation of This Is My Song
- Winner of the 2016 FAW NSW Walter Stone Award for Life Writing for Homecoming, a memoir of my great-uncle who landed and died at Gallipoli on April 25th, 1915.
- Recipient of an Australia Council Literature Board Grant for Emerging Writers in 2011-2012
- Joint winner of the 2004 Queensland Theatre Company Expressions Play-script Competition for Heart
I offer workshops on the writing process to children and young adult groups via Speaker’s Ink: Richard Yaxley and Homegrown: Queensland’s Kid Lit Creators, Homegrown
You can contact me through this blog or at Twitter: Richard Yaxley
Or, you might like to go to Facebook: Richard Yaxley Author
Hey Richard! Nice ‘blog page’. Hope you and yours are fighting fit and happy with life. Thought I’d drop you a message about last night’s ‘Hit Production’ of “The One Day of the Year”, performed at the Brolga. It was with a minimalistic set: a photo backdrop of troops in silhouette; a table and three chairs. All were dressed in various shades of grey. Great musical interludes…..but for all its arty-fartiness, and allowing for my huge bias, I thought our production, (realism) though was on par with it….. in fact, I honestly thought your portrayal of ‘Alf’ was a far superior performance. We sure do miss your talent in this backwater! Your dream of being a respected and recognised writer of substance seems to have been accomplished. Congrats. Cheers. Judith La Forest.
Hi Judith. We’re well thanks, enjoying Brissie life (although I still do miss ZPAC – and by association, the people – and the beach, funnily enough). Interesting about One Day of the Year. I’ve been to a fair bit of theatre here, most of which has been enjoyable and often provocative, but the majority of plays in the Bay certainly stack up. It’s amazing what can be done with a little bit of ingenuity, not a lot of money and a bucketload of energy and enthusiasm!
I was hoping to get up to see your version of Seventeenth Doll but circumstances didn’t allow it. Belvoir did a fantastic job of that play in 2012 and I was keen to see it again (and extremely jealous of those who acted in it!).
Haven’t done any acting since Alf – kind of busy with work and writing and various other things – but I’m happy to leave that as my parting shot. I loved being involved in that play. I still think about it, and all that lay beneath it. A true classic.
Hope things are good for you and Paul too. Please give my regards to the ‘crew’ when next your cross paths. Hopefully I’ll be able to get back one day (of the year) and reacquaint myself with that lovely theatre and its generous inhabitants.
Cheers, Richard
Hello Richard,
I am considering doing an Art Appreciation course via the Art Institute in the UK. Are you the same fellow who features in their testimonials section? If so,can you vouch for the courses bone fides?
Kind regards
Jeff Bartram
Melbourne, Victoria
Hi Jeff,
Yes, that’s me. And I can certainly vouch for the course as bona fide and excellent value for money. I really enjoyed it, and felt that it was professional in terms of the materials, support and feedback. It awakened me to all sorts of new ideas and worlds. So I’d certainly recommend it.
Best wishes,
Richard
Dear Richard,
I have just finished “This is my song” after being encouraged by Megan. Well, I could not put it down and finished it before I had enough time to “Kia Orana” while in the Cook Islands. Very moving story and sad for the many 1000’s affected during those harsh times. Puts our our lives and troubles into clear perspective. I will be reading more. Thank you.
Hi Peter, thanks – you’re very kind. And yes, perspective is exactly right. We have much to be grateful for. I hope you and Megan have had a wonderful time in the Cook Islands – cheers, Richard