Annette Young

Annette Young holds a BA (Honours) degree in History from the University of Sydney, and a Doctorate in English Literature from the University of New South Wales. She currently divides her time between research, piano and violin, her family of four boys, and writing her next book.

---

It started with Sporky, a flying purple giraffe.

Since she was 3, Annette Young has had imaginary friends, most of whom are human; and over the years, those friends have been her solace.

That they should make their way into novels, however, was unimaginable.

Annette first wanted to be an actor after she played Nancy in a school production of 'Oliver!' when aged 11.

But being a petite 5'2" doesn't always get you the parts you prefer. And Annette doesn't always appreciate being told what to do. Besides, she prefers role playing in her head.

So, Annette made her imaginary world her life and began to write. That's when her soul-searching found a voice. For, over the years, imaginary friends have not only been Annette's means of retreat, they've been her means of problem solving, of understanding others, of healing the heart's wounds.

For Annette, writing is life-transforming.

She wrote what eventually became 'A Distant Prospect' in 1996, following her grandmother's death. Writing that book laid bare her troubles, her loves, and her dreams. Then she changed her life to fit her dreams, and later rewrote 'A Distant Prospect' which she published in 2012.

After 'A Distant Prospect' set in the 1920s, Annette began 'In the Hearts of Kings', which covers the 1930s and World War Two. Volume 1, 'By Violence Unavenged', was published in 2019. In writing historical fiction, Annette tends to live more in 1938 than the present, but masters time travel quite well. Her family and non-imagined friends have learned to make allowances.

She is currently writing 'Outside Heaven's Sway', Volume 2 of 'In the Hearts of Kings'. This will be followed by 'A Balanced Wheel'.

When she is not writing, Annette plays piano and violin. She also enjoys long walks, especially if a beach is involved. Her imaginary friends (that is, next novel's characters) usually accompany her.