Jane Smith is a Queensland librarian, author and freelance editor who enjoys researching and writing about history – fiction and non-fiction, for children and for adults. Jane is excited to announce the recent release of A New World, the first book in the ‘Carly Mills, Pioneer Girl,’ which celebrates the achievements of remarkable women who have changed the world. In this historical fiction series, contemporary country girl Carly goes back in time to have adventures with trailblazing women like Caroline Chisholm, Dr Lilian Cooper and Dame Nellie Melba.
Jane’s children’s books also include five titles in the non-fiction ‘Australian Bushrangers’ series, and the first eight episodes of the children’s historical fiction series, ‘Tommy Bell, Bushranger Boy’.
Three of Jane’s children’s books have been short- or long-listed for significant literary awards: Captain Thunderbolt was shortlisted for an ABIA in 2015, Shoot-out at the Rock was a CBCA ‘notable’ in 2017, and The Runaway was shortlisted for a Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year award in 2019.
Jane’s books for adults include a biography of Captain Starlight and Ship of Death: The Tragedy of the Emigrant. She enjoys speaking to groups of children and adults about her books and about writing, editing and researching.
Jane loves everything to do with books: reading, reviewing, researching, editing, cataloguing and, of course, writing them. She also loves chocolate, coffee and cats, and enjoys catching up with friends for a monthly meeting of what they loosely call ‘Book Club’.
Published Titles
Carly Mills Pioneer Girl - A New World, Big Sky Publishing, 2020
Coming soon in 2020: book #2 - Emergency!
‘Tommy Bell, Bushranger Boy’ series (for children, aged 6-10, published by Big Sky, 2016-2019)
#1 Shoot-out at the Rock (CBCA notable 2017)
#7 The Runaway (Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Award shortlist 2019)
Australian Bushranger Series, Big Sky Publishing, 2014
For children and young adults
Captain Thunderbolt shortlisted for ABIA 2015
