Deborah Abela

Author, Entertainer

Deb Abela is an ambitious author, with an impressive output of fifteen books in ten years. Her dedication to her craft, and sharing it with students across Australia, earnt her the role of National Literacy Ambassador for 2010.

Deb is also a trained teacher, and has worked on children’s television (such as Cheez TV), and draws on experience across these fields to make her school visits exciting, stimulating, and enriching. It’s fair to say Deb has no lack of imagination, and is well placed to inspire the students at your school. Deb’s school visits (both in NSW and interstate) are in great demand (she often has to turn down requests) so be sure to plan ahead and contact us early.

After a trip to Africa where Deb was caught in a desert sandstorm, harassed by monkeys and, and generally got in the kinds of trouble that she didn’t ask for, she wrote the adventure series Max Remy Superspy.

In 2010 The Remarkable Secret of Aurelie Bonhoffen was shortlisted in the Aurealis Awards and made a Notable Book in the Children’s Book Council Awards.

Her latest book, Grimsdon, focuses on a group of lost children living in a flooded city with flying machines, sneaker waves and sea monsters. Grimsdon has received the following accolades to date:

• Kids Book Review Favourite Junior Fiction Book of 2010
• Shortlisted Aurealis Awards 2011
• Shortlisted REAL Awards 2011
• Shortlisted Speech Pathology Awards 2011

Where were you born?

I was born in Sydney’s western suburbs with a street full of ‘new-Australians’, including my dad, who is from Malta. The smells from everyone’s kitchens at night were delicious!

What other jobs have you had?

I’ve been a nanny, an amusement ride operator at Luna Park (I loved to make the rides go really fast) and a TV producer, where I did everything from fly all over the world writing and shooting stories to cleaning up Llama poo.

What themes are recurring in your work?

I was a short kid born in a time where girls weren’t expected to have exciting careers, so I’ve always been interested in writing about kids who want to make their mark, whether it’s as young spies fighting the world’s bad guys, to young players hoping to make it to The World Cup or a young group of kids standing up to evil harbour lords and sea monsters.

What are you passionate about?

As an author and teacher, I’m passionate about playing my part in creating a nation of kids who love books! I love getting kids excited about books and writing, especially the reluctant ones. My most rewarding times in classrooms over the last ten years have been when I’ve reached reluctant kids and they’ve left the sessions wanting to read or write. I love demystifying writing. Authors are regular people who work hard doing what they love. I enjoy giving tips and advice about writing that makes it seem fun and exciting.

Haven’t I seen you before?

I’m a regular on the ABC Canberra drive show with Louise Maher and ABC Sydney with James Valentine where I review kids’ books. I’ve appeared in festivals all over Australia from the Sydney Writers’ Festival, Melbourne Writers’ Festival, Somerset, Abbotsleigh, Ipswich, All Saints, Perth, CBC conferences, Norman Lindsay Festival, Adelaide Come Out Festival and Byron Bay.