About Jennifer

In 2005 Random House UK published Georgette Heyer’s Regency World, an illustrated companion to Heyer’s 26 Regency novels, partly based on Jennifer’s PhD. In 2011, after ten years of research and four years of writing, Jennifer was delighted to have Random House UK and Sourcebooks USA publish Georgette Heyer: Biography of a Bestseller.

Both books are still in print – a testament to Georgette Heyer’s enduring popularity. In 2015 Heyer was awarded a prestigious English Heritage Blue Plaque for her contribution to British culture and to literature. Popular English writer, actor and comedian, Stephen Fry, unveiled the plaque and spoke eloquently about Heyer’s literary achievements.

Inspired by Heyer’s witty and stylish novels, Jennifer has also written two Young Adult novels: The Cinderella Moment and The Rapunzel Dilemma, both published by Penguin Australia in 2013 and 2014. Inspired by Heyer’s witty and stylish novels, Jennifer has also written two Young Adult novels: The Cinderella Moment and The Rapunzel Dilemma, both published by Penguin Australia in 2013 and 2014. Cinderella Moment & Rapunzel Dilemma will be republished in 2021 with the third book in the series, The Snow White Rebellion, to complete the trilogy.

Apart from writing and reading, Jennifer is a keen gardener having discovered a latent green thumb in 2014. Having spent many years accidentally murdering plants, she is astonished to discover that she can actually grow things from seeds and cuttings. This discovery has only increased Jennifer’s respect and admiration for Nature! Her garden is a constant lure and the perfect respite from the rigours of writing.

Jennifer and her family love to open their garden every other year to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis Victoria and for Cancer research. Her next Open Garden will be in November 2020. Jennifer also loves interviewing authors and giving talks around the world on Georgette Heyer and the Regency. She is a passionate advocate for women writers, books and reading.

Having met a wonderful man on a ski trip (and fallen in love at first sight), Jennifer and Barry were soon married. A year after the birth of their first child they set off for the jungles of Papua New Guinea. Living in the mining town of Tabubil in the Star Mountains was a life-changing experience. A second son arrived during their five-year stint in PNG and, with only one road out of town and rain 340 days of the year, Jennifer took to writing whenever her babies were asleep.

She began studying as an off-campus (way off-campus) student at Deakin University and whenever she had time she read any book that came her way. The town had a tiny YWCA library and it was here that she read Georgette Heyer’s novels for the very first time. Ten years later, and with a daughter to complete her family, they moved to Bahrain, where Jennifer rediscovered Heyer’s wonderful books in the Awali library.

The return to Australia meant completing her degree and embarking on a PhD at Melbourne University. This was an amazing experience which led to the publication of her first book, Georgette Heyer’s Regency World (Random House 2005). A second book Georgette Heyer: Biography of a Bestseller followed in 2011. Both are still in print. In 2015 Jennifer was thrilled to speak at the unveiling of an English Heritage Blue Plaque for Georgette Heyer. Acclaimed Actor and lifelong Heyer fan, Stephen Fry, unveiled the plaque at her birthplace in Wimbledon.

Jennifer finds magic in writing and in 2013 Penguin published her first YA novel, The Cinderella Moment. In 2014 Penguin published the companion novel, The Rapunzel Dilemma. Since then Jennifer has written Jane Austen’s Ghost – a contemporary novel with a Regency twist – which will be published in 2018/19.

When at home Jennifer can be found working on a new novel or pottering in her old-world garden (she loves growing things from seed). Her family is where her heart is and her family always comes first. They are her inspiration and source of greatest happiness. Books, reading and growing things come a close second.