Felicity Pulman
Felicity is fascinated by the unknown, like ghosts, time travel and parallel universes, as well as human behaviour. For herself, Felicity writes to know and to understand, to adventure and to explore both the real and the imaginary. Her  aim is to write good page-turning stories that will also inspire readers to question their own lives, their beliefs and direction by giving them an insight into other worlds, other times and other societies.
Medieval history has been a passion since she began writing the Shalott trilogy, a passion which has continued into her new medieval crime series, the Janna Mysteries. Book 1, Rosemary for Remembrance, was a CBC Notable Book in 2006.
The first three books (Rosemary for Remembrance, Rue for Repentance and Willows for Weeping) will be rejacketed and re-released at the end of the year, with Lilies for Love (Book 3) and Willows for Weeping (Book 4) due out in March 2008.
Felicity Pulman has had many years experience as a creative writing tutor for students of all ages. Topics for workshops include: the craft of writing short stories, writing for children, writing fantasy (with a bag of magical objects to stimulate the imagination and get those creative juices flowing), researching and using history as a background for stories, and the who, where, what, why, how of writing crime.
Her novels reflect her interest in magic, timeslip fantasy, medieval history and crime. The Janna Mysteries is set at a time of civil war in England in the 1140s. Following the untimely death of her mother, Janna sets out to find her unknown father in order to avenge her mother's death. She faces danger and death as she solves the many crimes and mysteries that come her way, including the mystery of her own identity. Readers learn about life in medieval time from the lowest of low up to the royal court where changing allegiances and treachery mean that no-one is safe. Readers may access Felicity's website: www.felicitypulman.com.au for further information about life in the middle ages, writing tips, research tips, etc.
In the Shalott trilogy – five teenagers try to change the legend of King Arthur but rewrite their own destinies instead. Readers gain an insight into a timeless legend set against the mores and beliefs of the 21st century.
Ghost Boy is set partly at the Quarantine Station in Sydney during an outbreak of smallpox in 1881 and gives readers a clear picture of a way of life, early immigration and the treatment of disease during that time. Can Froggy learn to trust Cassie and Tad? Can he conquer his fear of drowning in order to solve the secrets of the past and set the Ghost Boy free?
Felicity is happy to talk about her novels and to give writing tips to budding authors. Topics include the legend and sites in the UK and France associated with King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table; researching the grisly history of the Quarantine Station in Sydney while writing Ghost Boy; and researching medieval history and the English countryside for the Janna Mysteries. Felicity illustrates her author talks with a powerpoint display showing photographs of sites she has visited while researching The Janna Mysteries and the Shalott trilogy, as well as relevant illustrations, maps and old documents. Other powerpoint displays illustrate eg 'how to write crime' or other topics, depending on the focus of her talk.
felicity has a degree in Communications from UTS and an MA in Children's Literature from Macquarie University. Shalott, the first novel in the trilogy, won the Society of Women Writers Award in the Young Adult category in 2001. Many of her short stories have also won awards, including the Queen of Crime Award, the KSP Fantasy Award and the Dymphna Cusack Memorial Award, and her stories have been published in magazines both here and oversease. Her articles have been published in various magazines and journals including Viewpoint, Writers News, Good Reading and NSW School Magazine.
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