Stafford, Paul 1966–

PERSONAL:

Born September 18, 1966, in Kurrajong, New South Wales, Australia; son of John (an accountant) and Robyn (a language teacher) Stafford. Ethnicity: "Australian." Education: Charles Sturt University, B.A., 1989. Hobbies and other interests: Land care, overseas travel, history and archaeology, bush walking, "canyoning," caving.

ADDRESSES:

Home and office—Bathampton, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. E-mail—pstarr@tpg.com.au.

CAREER:

Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, tutor, 1996—. Literary consultant for primary and secondary schools throughout Australia.

MEMBER:

Australians for Native Title.

WRITINGS:

FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Blatantly Bogus (short stories), Crawford House (Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia), 1998.

Basically Bollocks (short stories), Crawford House (Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia), 1998.

Ludicrous Lies (short stories), Crawford House (Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia), 1998.

Fully Faked (short stories), Crawford House (Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia), 1998.

Ned Kelly's Helmet (novel), Crawford House (Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia), 1999.

Chronic Crapola (short stories), Crawford House (Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia), 1999.

Heinous Humbuggery (short stories), Crawford House (Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia), 1999.

Totally Toasted (short stories), Crawford House (Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia), 1999.

Hoopy Hoaxes (short stories), Crawford House (Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia), 1999.

FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE; "HORROR HIGH" SERIES

Horror High and the 101 Damnations, Random House (Milsons Point, New South Wales, Australia) 2005.

Horror High and the Interghouls Cricket Cup, Random House (Milsons Point, New South Wales, Australia) 2005.

Horror High and the Feril Peril, Random House (Milsons Point, New South Wales, Australia) 2006.

Horror High and the Great Brain Robbery, Random House (Milsons Point, New South Wales, Australia) 2006.

SIDELIGHTS:

Paul Stafford once told CA: "I live outside Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. I studied print journalism at Mitchell College of Advanced Education, Charles Sturt University, graduating in 1989, but renounced the make-believe world of journalism for the hard and gritty reality of kids' fiction. Although a career in writing has meant abandoning my childhood dream of wealth and respectability, I now get to sleep late, dress scruffy, and gnaw on the skulls of my enemies. It's a trade-off I've learned to live with."

Stafford later commented: "As a kid I loved reading. Now I get paid to write the sort of stuff I would have read. It's the best job in the world (if you don't mind living on bread and water)."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Magpies, September, 1998, reviews of Basically Bollocks, Blatantly Bogus, Fully Faked, and Ludicrous Lies, p. 39.

ONLINE

Horror High Books,http://www.horrorhighbooks.com (February 12, 2007).