Hi, thanks for visiting. I'm A.J. Betts, Australian author of young adult fiction.
I'm currently in writing mode, so I'm a bit quiet on social media. Having said that, I've recently had some chats with:
- Astrid Edwards for The Garret Podcast and Reading Australia (on Zac & Mia)
- Fred Mafrica on The Couch (streaming on Foxtel on October 25th, and can be found here; my interview is at 53:30)
- Lucy Marden, 13yo podcaster for the Red Loosey Podcast (on writing, and other cool things)
- Holden Sheppard for Love to Read Local Radio (on the creative process and industry)
- David Astle on ABC Radio Melbourne (on the topic of Wonder - my PhD focus).
Other news
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Thanks to Rosemary Neill and The Weekend Australian for featuring me in Review, January 4-5, 2020.
In 2019, the State Library of Western Australia awarded me the inaugural Western Australian Premier's Fellowship. Thank you to head judge Delys Bird, CEO Margaret Allen, Premier Mark McGowan, Minister for the Arts David Templeman, and all the judges and organisers of these awards. I'm absolutely thrilled. The fellowship is allowing me to take leave from teaching and presenting so I can focus on writing my new novel.
HIVE/ROGUE
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HIVE and ROGUE comprise a two-book series published by Pan Macmillan Australia (2018, 2019).
HIVE tells the story of Hayley, a 15-year-old beekeeper, who discovers more about her world than she was meant to. Set in an underwater society, it's rich with suspense, mystery and secrets. And bees too, of course. ROGUE continues the story. Set in a future Australia, it's action-packed with lots of twists, turns and surprises - and answers to your questions. HIVE was shortlisted for the 2019 Gold Inky Awards, the 2019 ABIA awards and the 2019 Indie Book Awards! Thank you to all the judges and booksellers around Australia who've gotten behind it. HIVE was also named a notable book by the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia). Below is a review of ROGUE by writingWA. Check out the HIVE/ROGUE page for more info. |
A.J. goes Rogue Tour
I spent a good part of 2019 travelling Australian to promote HIVE and ROGUE. It was a blast to meet so many readers, booksellers, teachers, librarians and authors in cities and regional areas. Images and details can be found on my instagram page.
ZAC & MIA TV News
ZAC & MIA the TV show is now available in Australia! You can find seasons 1 and 2 on iTunes, where each season can be bought for $9.99. In America, the series is airing on Hulu. It's also found its way to France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and South Africa. Go to the Zac & Mia TV page for more info.
ZAC & MIA the TV show is now available in Australia! You can find seasons 1 and 2 on iTunes, where each season can be bought for $9.99. In America, the series is airing on Hulu. It's also found its way to France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and South Africa. Go to the Zac & Mia TV page for more info.
Happy reading :-)
A.J.
A.J.