Susanne Gervay OAM
Susanne Gervay is an award winning author, daughter of post war refugees, recognized for her writing on social justice for youth & adult literature. She is also widely published in Australian literary journals and anthologies including Quadrant, Southerly, Westerly. Her narrative ‘Days of Thailand’ is included in the Picador Indian-Australian anthology 'The Fear Factor, Terror Incognito' with David Malouf, Sir Salman Rushdie, Thomas Keneally, an anthology dedicated to promoting Indian-Australian relations and opening discourse on terrorism as a pathway to peace.
She is part of the Kiribati Pacific Calling Fact Finding Delegation with Patrick Dobson father of indigenous reconciliation. She was invited to represent Australia with her story To East Timor – from Australia - in a IBBY and UNESCO sponsored illustrated anthology Peace Story that includes 22 countries, 22 authors, 22 illustrators to be launched at Bologna Book Fair. Recently she was flown to New York to speak at the World Burn Congress about her young adult novel Butterflies, recognized as Outstanding Youth Literature on Disability.
Her Jack books include I Am Jack, a rite-of-passage fiction on school bullying adapted into a play by premiere theatre company Monkey Baa. ‘ Always Jack’ has been awarded the Australian Family Therapists Award and reaches young people families and community dealing with breast cancer. It is the first time the Cancer Council nationally and the National Breast & Ovarian Cancer Centre have validated youth fiction. Always Jack carries the yellow daffodil on its cover.
Her first picture book ‘Ships in the Field’ to be published to coincide with Australia Day gives a voice to the children and parents of refugees and celebrates us all as Australians.
Susanne’s books are endorsed by organizations including Room to Read bringing literacy to the world, Children’s Hospital Westmead, Life Education Australia, The Alannah & Madeline Foundation, keeping children safe from violence. Her young adult novel, that’s Why I Wrote This Song, set against the background of youth music in a unique combination of text and music, is endorsed by WAYS youth outreach. Her illustrated new work to be released in 2011, Ships in the Fields embraces young people and families who find home in Australia.
Susanne Gervay is a national and international speaker who addresses social justice through her literature at festivals and conferences from New York, Delhi, Ubud, Byron Bay, Beijing Literature Festival to Bologna Book Fair. Her books are widely read and studied throughout Australian schools.
She is co-head of SCBWI Australia & New Zealand, chairs The Sydney Children’s Writers & Illustrators Network at The Hughenden, Chair of the board of the NSW Writers Centre. She has been awarded an OAM for Children’s Literature and professional organisations, the University of Technology Sydney Outstanding Professional Achievement Award and The Lady Cutler Award for Distinguished Services to Children’s Literature and is patron of Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People, Ambassador for Room to Read, Director of the Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival at the NSW Writers Centre and mentors Australian writers and illustrators.