Nick Place

Author, Journalist

Nick Place is an internationally-published writer of comedy adventure novels for pre-teen and early teen readers. He is also a published poet and has credits as a screenwriter, TV writer and playwright. Away from writing fiction, he is a career journalist/media identity.

What other jobs have you had?

I had a couple of teenage jobs flipping burgers or washing dishes, but then fluked a job as a journalist for The Herald newspaper (now The Herald Sun) at the age of seventeen and have been involved in the media ever since. I covered a lot of sport, including Wimbledon and world title fights, and also worked as a film reviewer.

What themes are recurring in your work?

I guess I like my characters to have wild adventures but develop self-belief along the way. My books all seem to be about quests; about trying to achieve something greater than you would think possible.

What have been the highlights of your career?

My first book was published internationally by the same person who first published Harry Potter (without the equivalent success). I have also been published in Italy, which I think is cool. A short film I wrote and co-produced featured on the opening night of the Rhode Island International Film Festival in the USA.

Haven’t I seen you before?

No. That was somebody who looked like me. Well, I am the founder and co-director of Little Big Shots, Australia’s International Kids’ Film Festival, so that gets some press.

Anything else you’d like to share with us?

My dog, Fly, hasn’t eaten a child since that time on a school visit in 2007.