Jessica Walton

Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller

Jessica Walton is a queer, disabled writer and speaker. They co-wrote an episode of Get Krack!n focused on disability, which aired on ABC in 2019. They are the author of graphic novel Stars In Their Eyes, with artwork by Aśka (Fremantle Press 2021) and Introducing Teddy, illustrated by Dougal MacPherson (Bloomsbury 2016). Jess also has two short stories for teens and kids published in Australian anthologies Funny Bones (Allen and Unwin 2019) and Meet Me at the Intersection (Fremantle Press 2018), as well as poetry in a few anthologies, magazines and journals.

Where were you born?

Melbourne, Australia

What other jobs have you had?

My first job was at my local library, shelving books. While I was at university I worked in administration at a book distribution company. I also worked casually as a ward clerk in a birth suite, an electorate officer for an Australian Democrats senator, and a call centre operator for a company specialising in women’s health. After completing my arts degree (Arabic major / children’s literature minor) and a graduate diploma in secondary teaching (English/Humanities), I worked as a casual relief teacher. My most recent role was at the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, where I worked for over two years. I’m now juggling parenting, writing, casual relief teaching, and speaking engagements at writer’s festivals, schools, libraries and even aged care facilities!

What themes are recurring in your work?

Identity, intersectionality, equality, diversity, family, parenting, education.

What have been the highlights of your career?

Collaborating with a talented illustrator (Dougal MacPherson of @15mindrawings) to create the self-published Kickstarter version of Introducing Teddy.

Neil Gaiman tweeting about our Kickstarter campaign.

Getting the call from Bloomsbury Publishing to say something that started as a little project for my family was going to be published internationally.

Where have your works been published?

As well as Introducing Teddy, I’ve had book reviews published on Disability in Kidlit, and a blog post on Queer Girl Café.
I’ve written guest blog posts for LGBTQreads.com, the CBCA’s Reading Time, Better Reading, Nerdy Book Club,  and Mum to Five.

What are you passionate about?

I’m passionate about making children’s literature more representative of the diversity in the real world. I’m passionate about improving understanding of the experiences of queer people, disabled people (particularly amputees), and cancer survivors. I’m passionate about prosthetics that are out, proud and unusual.

Haven’t I seen you before?

You may have seen me talk at the Wheeler Centre with my dad Tina. Or reading Introducing Teddy with illustrator Dougal MacPherson at the Sydney Writers Festival. Or chatting with Dougal about creative partnerships on a panel at the NSW Writers Centre Kids and YA Festival. You might have listened to a radio/podcast interview. Or, you might have read an article about Introducing Teddy or our family.

Testimonials