Jane Burke
Jane grew up as the fourth of five girls, and with writers for parents she lived in a world of chaos, drama and books.  Jane was free to eavesdrop and observe many colourful characters, providing her with an endless supply of stories and impersonations that kept her family entertained.
After working as an Oncology Sister, Jane decided to do a Creative Writing Course which inspired her to apply for a mentorship with the Australian Society of Authors in 2000. Successful, Jane undertook writing her first novel White Lies, under the mentorship of Gary Crew, which was published in 2002 and became a CBCA Notable Book in 2003.
Jane has now established herself as an extremely popular writer for young adults, with The Red Cardigan (CBCA Notable Book 2005), Nine Letters Long, The Story of Tom Brennan (CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers 2006 & The Australian Family Therapists Book of the Year 2006), and most recently, Faking Sweet. In Faking Sweet, the main character, Holly, learns the truth about best friends and betrayal through the help of Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing'. The first title in a new series for teenage girls is due for release in September 2007.
As part of her school visit, Jane is able to speak to a larger audience about her venture into writing, how her life experiences have impacted upon the stories she feels compelled to tell, or explore her books in more detail and examine the characters and the plot in more depth.
Alternatively, Jane enjoys taking these themes and working within a schools curriculum focus to run writing workshops.
So whether you would like to see the slide show based on Evie's journey in The Red Cardigan, have your class participate in one of her writing workshops or simply hear her discuss the writing of her novels, Jane will engage your students with her honesty, enthusiasm and insights.
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