Anita Heiss
Dr Anita Heiss is the award-winning author of non-fiction, historical fiction, commercial women’s fiction, children’s novels and poetry. She is a proud member of the Wiradjuri Nation, and a board member of University of Queensland Press, Circa Contemporary Circus and the National Justice Project.
Her adult fiction includes Not Meeting Mr Right, Avoiding Mr Right, Manhattan Dreaming, Paris Dreaming and Tiddas. Her novel Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms was longlisted for the Dublin International Literary Prize and was named the University of Canberra’s 2020 Book of the Year.
The anthology Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia which Anita edited, was named the Small Publisher Adult Book of the Year at the 2019 Australian Book Industry Awards.
Anita’s children’s literature includes Harry’s Secret, Matty’s Comeback, and
Kicking Goals with Goodesy and Magic, co-written with Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin. She co-authored two novels with students from La Perouse Public School – Yirra and her deadly dog Demon and Demon Guards the School Yard,
Anita’s other published works also include the historical novel Who Am I? The Diary of Mary Talence, Sydney 1937, non-fiction text Dhuuluu-Yala (To Talk Straight) – Publishing Aboriginal Literature, and The Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature, which she co-authored with Peter Minter.
Anita is a Professor of Communications at the University of Queensland and her latest novel is Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (S&S, 2021).