James Roy (born in Trundle,

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, 1968) is an

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Au ...

writer. He writes primarily for young adults and children, and in addition to his native

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, his books are published in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany and South Korea. Roy's parents were

Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventism, Adventist Protestantism, Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the Names of the days of the week#Numbered days of the week, seventh day of the ...

missionaries A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...

Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...

and

Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...

. Roy has often said that growing up in such an environment was key to his development as a writer. His first novel, ''Almost Wednesday'', was published by

University of Queensland Press Established in 1948, University of Queensland Press (UQP) is an Australian publishing house. Founded as a traditional university press, UQP has since branched into publishing books for general readers in the areas of fiction, non-fiction, poetr ...

in 1996, and since that time he has released more than 30 books, ranging from novels and

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

collections to chapter books for older readers. Roy is a very hard working and popular visitor to schools and festivals throughout Australia, where he conducts author talks and

creative writing Creative writing is any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary ...

workshops across a wide range of audiences. He lives in the Blue Mountains with his wife and two daughters.

Books

*''One Thousand Hills'' (2016) *''City'' (2012) *''Miss Understood'' (2012) *''Edsel Grizzler: Ghostly Shadows'' (2011) *''Edsel Grizzler: Rescue Mission'' (2010) *''Anonymity Jones'' (2010) *''Edsel Grizzler: Voyage to Verdada'' (2009) *''Quentaris: The Gimlet Eye'' (2009) *''Hunting Elephants'' (2008) *''Queasy Rider'' (2008) *''Town. Eine Stadt'' (2007) *''Problem Child'' (2007) - published in the US as ''Max Quigley, Technically Not a Bully'' *''Broken Wings'' (2006) *''The 'S' Word - a boys' guide to sex, puberty and growing up'' (2006) *''The Legend of Big Red'' (2005) *''Billy Mack's War'' (2004) *''Wrestlefest Fever'' (2003) *''Ichabod Hart and the Lighthouse Mystery'' (2003) *''A Boat for Bridget'' (2001) *''Captain Mack'' (1999) *''Full Moon Racing'' (1999) *''Almost Wednesday'' (1996)

Awards

* In 2011 the German edition of ''Town'', titled "Town; Irgendwo in Australien" (Gerstenberg Verlag) was shortlisted for the prestigious

Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis The (German Youth Literature Award) is an annual award established in 1956 by the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth to recognise outstanding works of children's and young adult literature. It is Germany's only ...

(German Youth Literature Prize) in the Young Adult category. * In 2008 ''Town'' was awarded the Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature, a category of the

New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, also known as the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, were first awarded in 1979. They are among the richest literary awards in Australia. Notable prizes include the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, th ...

. * In 2008 ''Town'' was also short-listed for the Queensland Premier's Awards; and won the Golden Inky, a readers' choice award run by the Victorian Centre for Youth Literature. * ''Anonymity Jones'' was co-winner of the 2010 Western Australian Premier's Book Awards (Young Adult category), alongside "Happy as Larry", by

Scot Gardner Scot Gardner is an Australian writer known for his young adult novels. He has worked as a counselor and youth worker A Youth worker is a person that works with young people to facilitate their personal, social and educational development throug ...

. * Two of Roy's books have named as Honour Books in the

Children's Book Council of Australia The Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) is a not for profit organisation which aims to engage the community with literature for young Australians. The CBCA presents the annual Children's Book of the Year Awards to books of literary merit ...

"Children's Book of the Year Awards": ''Captain Mack'', in 2000; and ''Billy Mack's War'', in 2005. Several other of his titles have been named as Notable Books in the same awards.

References

External links

James Roy's website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roy, James 1968 births Australian children's writers Writers from New South Wales Living people