Janeen Samuel studied Veterinary Science in Queensland and her later PhD was on kangaroos. Australian wildlife has been a continuing focus for her and she published her study Jaw Disease of Macropods in 1978.
Samuel has had commendations for a number of her unpublished stories. These include the Bush Poetry John O'Brien Poetry and Prose competition, 2004 (Highly Commended for 'A Visit from the Duchess'), the FAW Angelo B. Natoli Short Story Award, 2004 (Commended for 'Another's shoes'), the Body in Bourke Street writing competition run by ABC Ballarat in conjunction with the Ballarat Writing Council, 2005 (runner-up with 'Marbellous'), the Trudy Graham Literary Awards 2006 (Highly Commended for 'Intertidal'), the FAW Mary Grant Bruce Award Short Story Award for Children's Literature, 2006 (Highly Commended for her manuscript story for readers aged 10 - 15 years, 'Four on the Fence').
