Caroline Macdonald Caroline Macdonald i(A27218 works by)
Born: Established: 1 Oct 1948 Taranaki, North Island,
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New Zealand,
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Pacific Region,
; Died: Ceased: 24 Jul 1997 Adelaide, South Australia,
Gender: Female
Arrived in Australia: 1982
Heritage: New Zealander
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BiographyHistory

Writing primarily for a readership of older children and young adults, Caroline Macdonald created stories that frequently featured 'young people' who were 'lonely and physically or emotionally isolated from others'. The author spent her formative years in New Zealand, growing up as the youngest (by eleven years) of four siblings and this childhood experience had a lasting resonance for Macdonald whose writing reflected a 'particular interest in isolated characters'.

The daughter of an electrical engineer and a librarian, Macdonald attended Stratford primary and technical high schools. Weekends and summer holidays were spent at Oakura, where the family had a beach house; this location became the setting for her first published work, the young adult novella, Elephant Rock (1983). Macdonald studied in Wellington and became an accountant, and although she held various jobs her main vocational experience was in the book trade. While still in New Zealand she worked as an editor for Oxford University Press.

Moving to Australia in 1982, Macdonald wrote Elephant Rock during a period of unemployment in Tasmania. The novella was published the following year and its success gained the author popular recognition. Settling in Adelaide (South Australia) during the early 1990s, Macdonald began writing full-time with a particular focus in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. Even though all Macdonald's books were written while she lived in Australia, the author kept strong ties with New Zealand and her homeland often provided the setting for her stories. A further inspiration for her work, particularly the novel Speaking to Miranda (1990), was her daughter Erica who was newborn when Macdonald gave her up for adoption in 1967. Macdonald began to search for Erica during the 1980s and in 1989 mother and daughter were reunited. They went on to establish a close friendship.

Macdonald's stories have been anthologised in numerous publications. She has also published primary school readers and a selected work of six plays, Act It Out (1988), intended for secondary school ESL students. While living in Adelaide, Macdonald worked as an editor of teaching material, was on the Board of the S. A. Writers' Centre (1994-1995), and in the mid-1990s lectured in creative writing at the University of South Australia.

When Macdonald died of cancer at the age of forty-eight, she left at least two unfinished novels.

Most Referenced Works

Notes

  • For information about this author's works for children not included in AustLit, see Australian Children's Books by Marcie Muir and Kerry White (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1992-2004).
  • A video recording of an interview entitled, Meet Caroline Macdonald, was produced by the Department of Education in 1991 (held by some libraries).

Affiliation Notes

  • Born elsewhere; moved to SA

Awards for Works

y separately published work icon Through the Witch's Window Ringwood : Puffin , 1997 Z834259 1997 single work children's fiction children's When Rose Tattoo wheels another barrow-load of junk out of the tip, Erana, Peter, Stu, Yvonne and Chainsaw the dog follow her home to spy on her. That's when everything starts to go wrong. Rose casts a spell on Peter and makes Chainsaw disappear. Or does she?
1997 shortlisted Children's Peace Literature Award
y separately published work icon Secret Lives Norwood : Omnibus Books , 1993 Z209972 1993 single work novel young adult fantasy science fiction Ian stays home on his own during the school holidays, but is he alone? He shares his time with the mysterious Gideon, who leads him into trouble. But who is he, and why is he so powerful?
1994 shortlisted Adelaide Festival National Award Fiction for Children
y separately published work icon The Eye Witness Rydalmere : Hodder and Stoughton Australia , 1991 Z574096 1991 single work novel young adult fantasy science fiction The year is 2046 and Leo meets Jack, a boy who has been mysteriously transported from the past. By helping Jack, Leo puts his whole family in terrible danger. The threat comes from two sides: from the leader of a group of dangerous outcasts, and from the authorities who suspect that Leo is in league with the outcasts.
1992 shortlisted Festival Awards for Literature (SA) Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature South Australian Literary Awards Children's Literature Award

Known archival holdings

University of Canberra University of Canberra Library (ACT)
Last amended 2 Feb 2007 13:42:27
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