Mini bio

Dianne writes across genres and lives by the southwest coast with her husband, Pete and dog, Harry.

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Detailed bio

Dianne lives on the south coast of Western Australia with her husband, Pete and their dog, Harry.  Dianne’s daughter, Sophie works in Canberra.  Dianne also has three grown-up step-kids; Kristy, Justin, Sarah, and three grandchildren; Amelie, Mason and Eden who live in Perth.

Dianne grew up in Melbourne, Bangkok and Albury. Her extended family lives in ACT, NSW, QLD and Germany. Although she lives in the south-west corner of Australia, Dianne loves traveling to visit them.

Dianne has always been a bookworm. In primary school she wanted to be Silky from The Magic Faraway Tree. Before that, she wanted to be the Muddle-headed Wombat. Sometimes it feels like this latter wish came true…

Other favourite childhood books included The Sneetches, Bottersnikes and Gumbles, Anne of Green Gables and any story with animals in it. That animal interest never went away; Dianne researched Anthropomorphism in Children’s Literature for her PhD at the University of Western Australia. This also involved writing two novels; one is fantasy (The Shark Caller) the other, CBCA Notable The Dog with Seven Names (shortlisted for the 2019 NSW Premier’s Awards and winner of the 2019 Speech Pathology Award) is historical fiction set in north-west Australia during WWII. Both books feature animal characters. Dianne’s Animals who Talk website explores her passion for anthropomorphism.

Dianne writes across genres, from picture books for pre-schoolers to fantasy novels for young adults, and historical fiction for all ages. She was invited to write a novel for the award-winning Through My Eyes series, and the resulting Mia: Through My Eyes – Australian Disaster Zone, follows the story of a girl showing courage and resilience to protect animals during Cyclone Veronica (which pummeled the Pilbara coast in 2019). Another recent title, Skye Blackburn-Lang: eating bugs for the planet, is her second title in the popular Aussie STEM Stars series. Her picture book Nanna’s Button Tin is published in the US by Candlewick. YA novel, The Shark Caller is a cross-cultural quest novel. Historical fiction title, Light Horse Boy was a CBCA Honour Book and a joint winner of the Western Australian Premier’s Award 2014. Partner novel Lighthouse Girl won the 2010 West Australian Young Readers’ Book Awards, was shortlisted for two Premiers’ Awards, the Crichton Award, was a CBCA Notable Book, and part inspiration for the Royal de Luxe performance of The Giants in February 2015. ‘The Lighthouse Girl’ by playwright Hellie Turner and Black Swan Theatre premiered in Albany/Perth in April 2017 before touring Western Australia. In the Lamplight, the final title in Dianne’s ‘Light’ series was published in April and was listed as a 2019 CBCA Notable Book.

Granny Grommet and Me inspired by surfing grandmas was shortlisted for the 2014 CBCA Early Childhood Book of the Year. Dianne’s previous historical picture book Photographs in the Mud is set on the Kokoda Track in 1942. It’s used as an international peace reference and has been published in Japanese. Photographs in the Mud and Lighthouse Girl are recommended texts for the National History Curriculum. Choices, one of three titles for YA readers, was commended for the Family Therapists Children’s Literature Award and is also published in Polish. Annie’s Snails is a chapter book for early readers.

Dianne is a passionate advocate for children’s literature in Australia. She served six years as WA Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (2006-2012) and was a member of the Albany Sprung Writers Festival committee for 10 years. In 2013 she won the Louise Schofield Award for services to SCBWI WA. Dianne is a proud ambassador for Room to Read and Books in Homes.

In addition to book writing, Dianne was invited to compose an ode to the Albany Entertainment Centre. With fellow writers, Kim Scott and Maree Dawes, she read at the building’s Opening Ceremony in 2011. Other regional projects include creating and recording a collection of linked children’s audio stories for the Northcliffe Understory Sculpture Walk and in 2012 Dianne was commissioned to condense the history of Albany into information chunks for presentation on ‘information poles’ along the Princess Royal waterfront.

Dianne’s love of books is one reason she became a writer. Her stories are about many things; different cultures, the environment, friendship, being brave, turns in the road and taking chances. She also likes exploring things from different perspectives.

Dianne presents author talks and workshops at schools and festivals across Australia and Asia. She is an ambassador for Room to Read, a proactive organisation that helps disadvantaged children change their worlds through the power of books and reading.

Dianne is a bookworm who reads and writes every day. She can’t imagine a world without books.

Interviews and Recent Articles

’12 Curly Questions’
(Booktopia, April 2014 – external site)

‘Know the Author’
(Magpies, Volume 29, March 2014 – pdf, 5mb)

A Baker’s Dozen Questions
(Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE – pdf)

Publications

Historical Fiction

The Last Light Horse (Fremantle Press, 2022)

The Dog with Seven Names (Penguin Random House, 2018)

In the Lamplight (Fremantle Press, 2018)

Light Horse Boy (Fremantle Press, 2013, 2018)

Lighthouse Girl (Fremantle Press, 2009, 2010, audio 2011, 2013)

Photographs in the Mud (FACP, 2005, 2007)

Picture Books

Nanna’s Button Tin (Walker Books, 2017)

Granny Grommet and Me (Walker Books, 2013)

Books for Middle Grade Readers

Annie’s Snails (Walker Books, 2014)

The Kid whose Mum kept Possums in her Bra (FACP, 2006, 2010)

Horse-Mad (FACP, 2005)

Jungle Trek (Thomson Learning, 2004)

Scuba Kid         
(Thomson Learning, 2004)

Being Billy (Thomson Learning, 2003)

Ironkid (Thomson Learning, 2003)

Butterfly Notes (Thomson Learning, 2002)

Novels for YA Readers

The Dog with Seven Names (Penguin Random House, 2018)

Shark Caller (Penguin Random House, 2016)

Choices (FACP, 2001, 2009, Polish version 2011)

Border Line (FACP, 1998, reprint 2003)

Dolphin Song (FACP, 1995, new cover 2002)

Audio Fiction

Lighthouse Girl (Association for the Blind, 2011)

Voices in the Forest (Understorey Sculpture Walk Northcliffe, 2006)

Non-Fiction

War Menagerie (Good Reading, April 2013)

Dinosaurs on the Page (Albany Seniors’ Recollections, 2008, 2009, 2010 Ed.)

Writer on Tour (Good Reading magazine, April 2004

A Sense of Place (RRR Network News, 2002)

My Story (Something About the Author, issue 204, 2000, US reference)

Awards

Won

WA Premier’s Award Children’s Book Award, 2014 (Light Horse Boy)

CBCA Honour Book, 2014 (Light Horse Boy)

SCBWI WA Louise Schofield Award for Services to Children’s Literature, 2013

WA Young Readers’ Book Awards, 2010 (Lighthouse Girl)     

FAW Mary Grant Bruce Award for Children’s Literature, 1997

Down-South Literary Awards, 1995

Society of Women Writers’ Bronze Quill Award, 1992

Shortlisted

2019 NSW Premier’s Patricia Wrightson Award (The Dog with Seven Names)

2019 CBCA Notable Books (The Dog with Seven Names) and (In the Lamplight )

2014 CBCA Awards (Granny Grommet and Me)

WA Premier’s Awards, 2010 (Lighthouse Girl)

CBCA Crichton Award, 2010 and CBCA Notable Book x 2 categories, 2010 (Lighthouse Girl)

NSW Premier’s History Awards, 2009 (Lighthouse Girl)

WA Young Readers’ Book Awards, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2002, 1999, 1996

Family Therapists’ Award for Children’s Literature, 2001

The Wilderness Society Environment Award, 1999