Margaret Wild was born in South Africa and came to Australia in 1972. She has been a journalist on newspapers and magazines, and she worked as a book editor in children's publishing for sixteen years, responsible for managing and commissioning a large range of titles. She lives in Sydney and now writes fulltime.
Margaret has written more than 70 books for children. Her books are published around the world and have won numerous awards.
Her books for Allen & Unwin include the two teenage novels, 'Jinx' and 'One Night', and most recently the picture book 'Ruby Roars'.
'[When I worked for a wage] my writing was done in snatches, or at night when I wasn't too tired. Once I turned to writing full-time I felt ready to attempt much longer books for older readers. In 2001 my first young adult novel, Jinx, was published. It was a new challenge for me - all those words! - but I also had a feeling of freedom as I could write about subjects that are not suitable for younger readers. However, as I have a baby grandson, I am seeing the world through his eyes, so I am still enjoying writing books for the very young as well.
'I work at a desk in my bedroom, because from my window I can see two bridges, reflections in the bay, sparrows on the telephone line, and city buildings in the distance. I like having my bed so close-by - if I get stuck when I'm writing, I simply have a bit of a lie down, and somehow the problems sort themselves out. On the wall near my desk, I have one of Ron Brooks' beautiful, tender pictures from Rosie and Tortoise. I love looking at it, and it inspires me to keep on trying to write better.
'Although I mainly work on computer, I always carry a small notebook wherever I go. I jot down ideas, images, bits of stories. I hardly ever refer back to my notebooks, but writing things down helps to fix them in my memory.
'I feel very lucky to be a writer. As long as I have pen and paper, I can write anywhere, anytime - for me, it's the best job in the world.'
Requests for school visits by Margaret within Australia can be forwarded to publicity@allenandunwin.com.
View Ron Brooks' profile
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