Susanne Gervay

Susanne Gervay is an award winning Australian author. Her younger fiction "I Am Jack" is a rite-of-passage book on school bullying reaching adults and children, while "Butterflies" deals with youth disability. "The Cave" confronts youth male culture today. Her recent book, set against the background of youth music is a combination of text and music. "That's Why I Wrote This Song" is a collaboration with her daughter teenage Tory, who wrote the rock songs for the book.

Gervay is widely published in literary journals. She is co-head of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Australia, Head of the Sydney Children’s Writers and Illustrators Network at The Hughenden and on the board of the New South Wales Writers' Centre.

Biography

A second generation daughter of post World War II Hungarian refugees, Gervay was born in the 1950s in Sydney. One of three children, an older brother and a younger sister, she was the middle child. Her parents like other refugees were grateful to be accepted by Australia, after escaping from Hungary. They worked long hours, eventually establishing a small clothing factory. The migrant experience, family, her parents, growing up, world issues would influence her writing.

Gervay went to University of Sydney, married at university and became a teacher. She had two children James and Tory who would be the inspiration for a lot of her writing. She completed a Master of Education (University of New South Wales) and a Master of Arts (University of Technology, Sydney).

Life changed when she became divorced. As a parent raising her two young children, a cancer survivor, coping with the grief of the death of her beloved father, she made a decision to follow her two dreams - the creation of the Hughenden, a literary and arts hotel in historic Sydney and becoming an author.

Gervay is a recognised Australian author of children's and young adult literature. Her books are endorsed by organisations including the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children (The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney), The Cancer Council of Australia, National Coalition against Bullying, Life Education Australia, The Alannah & Madeline Foundation.

Bullying at School

As a mother of Jack, a specialist in child growth & development and author, Susanne wrote "I Am Jack". Inspired by a son's experience of school bullying, it has become an Australian best-seller. It is translated into other languages including Romanian, Bahasa, Korean. "I Am Jack" is being adapted by Money Baa Theatre Company into a play that will tour throughout Australia.

Youth Disability

Gervay researched burns extensively working with the Children’s Hospital Westmead, Sydney to write" Butterflies" which is a best selling Australian YA title, awarded Outstanding Youth Literature on Disability by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY).

Published Works

Books

* "I Am Jack"
* "Super Jack"
* "Jamie’s A Hero"
* "Shadows of Olive Trees"
* "Butterflies"
* "The Cave"
* "That’s Why I Wrote This Song"

Literary journals

* "Southerly"
* "Mattoid"
* "Westerly"
* "Quadrant"
* "Voices (National Library ACT)"

Awards

* "The Cave" The Biennial Book Award for YA Literature, Society of Women Writers 2003
* "Super Jack" The Biennial Book Award for Children's Literature, Society of Women Writers 2005
* "I Am Jack" Notable Award CBC, short listed for WA Young Reader Award, Family Therapy Awards and Children’s Literature Prize for Peace and WAYBRA Award
* "Butterflies" Short listed for Children’s Literature Prize for Peace; Family Therapists Award for Children’s, WAYBRA Award, Outstanding Youth Literature on Disability (IBBY)
* National Society of Women Writers Short Story Award 1999
* Australian National University short story award 1996
* Finalist in AWG/Film Commission Mentorship Scheme 1995

References

* [http://www.dsq-sds.org/_articles_html/2004/winter/dsq_w04_gervay.html "Disability Studies Quarterly, Winter 2004, Volume 24, No. 1"]
* [http://ncab.nssfbestpractice.org.au/resources/resources.shtml#bulgen National Safe Schools Framework The Alannah and Madeline Foundation]
* [http://www.healthstar.com.au/info/links.html#Bullying Life Education Australia Healthstar Information]
* [http://www.gofund.org.au/html/susanne_gervay_story.htm Gynaecological Oncology]

External links

* [http://www.sgervay.com Susanne Gervay's official homepage]