Alison Stewart

I'm a Sydney journalist and writer. I've lived in Sydney for more than 30 years after growing up in Cape Town, South Africa.

My first book for adults, Born into the Country, was shortlisted for South Africa's AA Mutual Life Vita Young Writers' Award. One of my YA books, The Wishing Moon, was shortlisted for the Australian Multicultural Children's Award and was a Children's Book Council Notable book.

My upcoming new YA book, Days Like This, was a finalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. Penguin Australia will publish it on August 1 this year.

The idea for Days Like This came from a growing unease about our diminishing natural resources, combined with the rise of a heartless individuality. The book explores the consequences - a world where people are shockingly exploited to serve the desires of an elite few.

At the moment, I'm continuing to work on a memoir about my childhood growing up under aparheid. The manuscript is called Cold Stone Soup. It was a runner-up in the 2010 Penguin/Varuna Scholarship. Thanks to Varuna and Penguin, I'm getting some well-needed editing help.

I've written nine novels, seven for young people and two for adults. I've also worked for many years as a newspaper journalist. At the moment I'm enjoying doing some travel writing, mostly for the Sydney Sun-Herald Travel.

Photo courtesy of Wolter Peeters, Fairfax Media