Pausacker, Jenny 1948–

(Mary Forrest, Jade Forrester, Jaye Francis, Rosa Tomaselli)

PERSONAL: Surname pronounced "pow-zack-er"; born November 2, 1948, in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; daughter of Kenneth (a university lecturer) and Beryl (a Braille transcriber; maiden name, Davies) Pausacker. Education: Melbourne University, B.A. (honors), 1970, M.A., 1972; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Dip.Lib., 1974; Flinders University, Ph.D., 1980.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Author Mail, Lothian Books, 5th Fl., 132-136 Albert Rd., S. Melbourne, Victoria 3205, Australia.

CAREER: Writer and editor. Herald, teenage fiction reviewer, 1989; tutor and lecturer on children's literature; judge for writing competitions; speaker, member of committees and judging panels, and performer of readings for various writing festivals.

AWARDS, HONORS: General Writers grant, Australia Council-Literature Board, 1981–82; Angus & Robertson Junior Writers' fellowship, 1985; Category B fellowship, Australia Council-Literature Board, 1987 and 1990; New South Wales Premier's Award, for Mr. Enigmatic.

WRITINGS:

FICTION

Nicky, illustrated by Rae Dale, Sugar & Snails (Box Hill North, Victoria, Australia), 1975.

The Three Dragons, illustrated by Rae Dale, Wren, 1975.

Marty Hollitt and the Amazing Game Machine, illustrated by Marina McAllan, Rigby, 1979.

The Go-Kart Kids, illustrated by Tony Oliver, Rigby, 1981.

Fat and Skinny, illustrated by Tony Oliver, Rigby, 1982.

Hunt the Witch, illustrated by David Pearson, Rigby, 1982.

(Editor) Friday Night, and Other Stories from the West, Western Region Education Centre, 1983.

Can You Keep a Secret?, Angus & Robertson, 1989.

Fast Forward, illustrated by Donna Rawlins, Angus & Robertson, 1989, Lothrop (New York, NY), 1991.

Mr. Enigmatic (young-adult novel), Mammoth Australia (Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 1994.

(With Kerry Greenwood) Recipes for Crime, McPhee Gribble (Ringwood, New South Wales, Australia), 1995.

Hide and Seek: Stories about Being Young and Gay/Lesbian, Mandarin (Dingley, Australia), 1996.

Mix and Match, Random House (Milson's Point, Australia), 1998.

It's Not Over till You're Over It, Red Fox (Milson's Point, New South Wales, Australia), 1998.

Low Fat, Red Fox (Milson's Point, New South Wales, Australia), 1998.

How to Tell Your Parents That You're Straight, Red Fox (Milson's Point, New South Wales, Australia), 1998.

One Way Street, Reed Books (Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 1998.

Time to Go, Reed Books (Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 1998.

Wall of Fire, Reed Books (Port Melbourne, Australia), 1998.

Over the Hills, Hodder Children's Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1999.

With the Lot, Hodder Children's Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1999.

Down and Out, Hodder Children's Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1999.

On the Edge, Hodder Children's Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1999.

Truth or Dare, Hodder Children's Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1999.

House of Shadows, Hodder Headline (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1999.

Fly away Home, Hodder Headline (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1999.

A Tale of Two Families: The Diary of Jan Packard, Melbourne, 1974, Scholastic (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 2000.

Big Bren Pearson Educational (South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 2000.

(With Gregory Rogers) The Rings, F. Watts (New York, NY), 2000.

Endgame, Pearson Educational (South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 2001.

Scam, Lothian Books (South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 2001.

Looking for Blondie, Lothian Books (South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 2001.

Death by Water, Lothian Books (South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 2003.

The Perfect Princess (part of "Quentaris Chronicles"), Star Bright Books (Long Island City, NY), 2003.

Also author of fifteen teenage romances written under an undisclosed pseudonym for "Dolly" fiction series. Contributor to periodicals, including Primary Education, Readings in Children's Literature, Society for Mass Media and Resource Technology Journal, Gay Information, Looking at Literature, Editions, Australian, Adelaide Advertiser, National Times, and Age.

"CENTRAL SECONDARY COLLEGE" QUARTET

What Are Ya?, Angus & Robertson, 1987.

Mr. Enigmatic (young adult novel), Mammoth Australia (Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 1994.

Getting Somewhere (young adult novel), Mammoth Australia (Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 1995.

Sundogs, Hodder Headline (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 2001.

NONFICTION

Sugar and Snails: A Countersexist Booklist, Sugar & Snails (Box Hill North, Australia), 1975, revised edition, 1977.

Role Your Own: A Book about Women's Liberation for Fourth Form Students, Sugar & Snails (Box Hill North, Victoria, Australia), 1976.

Women in Maths and Science, Transition Education Girls Project, 1982.

Participation of Girls in Maths and Science, Equal Opportunity Unit, Victorian Education Department, 1983.

That's One of My Talents, Vocational Orientation Centre, 1984.

(Editor) Just Talking, Vocational Orientation Centre, 1984.

(Editor) Questions and Answers,Vocational Orientation Centre, 1985.

Hands On: Trade and Technical Careers for Girls and Women, Spiral, 1985.

(Editor, with Susan Hawthorne) Moments of Desire: Sex and Sensuality by Australian Feminist Writers, Penguin, 1989.

PLAYS

The Carolina Chisel Show, produced at Everyman 16, 1976.

The Redhead's Revenge, produced at Adelaide Festival Centre, 1978.

Chores!, produced at Theatre 62, 1979.

Marty Hollitt and the Amazing Game Machine, produced at Adelaide Come Out Festival, 1981.

SCREENPLAYS

Of Primary Importance, Equal Opportunity Resource Centre, 1984.

(Editor) Preoccupied, Victorian Women's Film Unit, 1985.

(Editor) Tango Delta, Victorian Women's Film Unit, 1985.

Also author of Wipe out the Jargon, 1981.

SIDELIGHTS: Jenny Pausacker is the author of more than sixty books for children and young adults, her titles covering such genres as crime, science fiction, romance, fantasy, and horror. She has also written numerous books under the pseudonyms Jaye Francis, Jade Forrester, Mary Forrest, and Rosa Tomaselli. Part of the "Central Secondary College" quartet, her young-adult novel Sundogs tells the story of Zan and Rhett, the title character in series installment Mr. Enigmatic. In Sundogs the two are thrown together unwillingly when their two families meet for the holidays. After they become stranded in a cave, Zan and Rhett began to reconcile their differences and help each other with their respective heartaches. In a review of the book for Viewpoints, a contributor noted that "the structure of the novel plays beautifully to support its theme. As each of the main characters must face up to the truth of their experience, Pausacker allows their stories to come out gradually."

The Perfect Princess is Pausacker's contribution to the "Quentaris Chronicles"; each book in the series is written by a different author. In Pausacker's tale, Tab Vidler is an orphan living in the mystical city of Quentaris. When she meets a stranger named Azt Marossa, she becomes caught up in an adventure in which she pretends to be the missing princess who is heir to throne of the city. "The Perfect Princess is an exciting, well written fantasy," wrote Sally Murphy on Aussiereviews.com. A contributor to the Eternal Night Web site commented that the novel is "a superb example of what a young adult novel could be."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Australian Book Review, December, 1994, review of Mr. Enigmatic, p. 54; December, 1995, review of Getting Somewhere, p. 62; April, 1996, review of Hide and Seek: Stories about Being Young and Gay/Lesbian, p. 55.

Books for Keeps, July, 1999, review of Getting Somewhere, p. 26.

Children's Book Review Service, July, 1991, review of Fast Forward, p. 155.

Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 1991, review of Fast Forward, p. 398.

Magpies, March, 1995, review of Mr. Enigmatic, p. 29; March, 1996, review of Getting Somewhere, p. 36; May, 1996, review of Hide and Seek, p. 46; November, 1997, review of The Rings, p. 32; September, 2000, review of A Tale of Two Families: The Diary of Jan Packard, Melbourne, 1974, p. 34; March, 2001, review of Looking for Blondie, p. 14; May, 2001, review of Sundogs, p. 40.

Times Educational Supplement, March 19, 1982, review of Fat and Skinny, p. 28; August 19, 1988, review of What Are Ya?, p. 18.

Viewpoint (Australia), autumn, 2001, review of Sundogs and interview with author.

ONLINE

Aussiereviews.com, http://www.aussiereviews.com/ (January 6, 2006), review of The Perfect Princess.

Eternal Night, http://www.eternalnight.co.uk/ (January 18, 2005), review of The Perfect Princess.

Scholastic Books Web site, http://www.scholastic.com/ (October 21, 2003), author profile.