Jennifer Cook
Author Jennifer Cook has a passion for all things ancient and mythical and, to date, has written two YA novels around thes e themes. Both Ariadne: the Maiden and the Minotaur and Persephone: Secrets of a Teenage Goddess, have strong female protagonists who present their stories through a contemporary voice.
Rather than present a simple retelling of the Greek myths, Jennifer has challenged the very nature of storytelling and history to provide a narrative that looks beyond the often one dimensional portrayal of heroes and women in these ancient tales. The result is an exploration of the emotional landscape of adolescence and the heroic effort often needed simply to survive.
Jennifer's passion for her stories makes her an engaging speaker who can transport students into a world that existed four thousand years ago while making it relevant to today's society. Whether it be the Olympic Games, life in Ancient Greece, the ancient stories and how they were told or an in-depth analysis of the works of Homer, Euripides, Plato, Socrates or Aristotle, Jennifer aims to ignite a passion for the past in her listeners. Her motto is that the human heart has not changed so much in thousands of years that we can't learn from some of the best writers of one of the greatest civilisations that ever existed.
Beyond ancient times, Jennifer can also instruct students how to bring out the best in their writing. She explains how they can make their stories live and breathe so that readers are transported from the everyday into the writer's world. Using her own stories as a template, she can demonstrate the writing process with all its pinnacles and pitfalls.
With her first picture book The Screaming Irrits due for publication by Lothian, Jennifer can also provide insight into this deceptively simple art form as well.
Jennifer's passion, enthusiasm and uniquely quirky way of looking at this world and worlds gone by, guarantee an entertaining and educational experience for students and adults alike.
Jennifer is currently completing a Masters in Creative Writing at Melbourne University and is writing her thesis on the mythic tradition surrounding Media.
As a journalist with 20 years experience writing for both print and radio, Jennifer can provide insight into this challenging and fascinating world.
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