About Me
I am the author of US bestseller Whiskey & Charlie (published in Australia as Whisky Charlie Foxtrot), digital interactive novel/app The Ark, and A New Map of the Universe, which was shortlisted for the West Australian Premier’s Book Awards.
My short fiction and non-fiction have been published in Southerly, Westerly, Kill Your Darlings and Review of Australian Fiction.
I have been an invited guest, as panellist and chair, at Ubud Writers festival, Melbourne Writers Festival, Perth Writers Festival, Sydney Writers Festival, Australian Short Story Festival, Scribblers and regional festivals in Albany and Margaret River.
I hold a PhD in Writing from Edith Cowan University, and am an Australia Council Creative Australia Fellow.
I regularly run workshops at libraries and writers centres including the Australian Writers Centre, Writers VIC and KSP Writers Centre.
I am currently seeking a publisher for Monkey See, an epic quest with a sci-fi twist featuring a monkey, an evil priestess and the mother of all tsunamis, and working on a new novel, Self/Help, about female friendship and the ways we try to help ourselves when the wheels fall off.
I am represented by agent Mark Gottlieb of Trident Media, USA.
My Favourite Books
Like most writers, I’m an avid reader. I read mostly contemporary realist literary fiction but I also love a human-driven sci-fi/speculative-fiction and an occasional memoir or collection of personal essays. These are some of the books and authors that set me on fire:
Need Some Reading Recommendations?
I have something for everyone in my Top Tens lists.
Are You an Aspiring Writer?
If you’re interested in writing process, you might want to know how my novels came to be written and published, or you may enjoy my How to Become a Writer Series or these interviews with other writers.
Connect with Me
If you want a piece of all the action, you can subscribe to my blog to be notified by email, every time I post. Or, if less is more for you, sign up for occasional emails to stay up-to-date with new books, contests, giveaways and to receive sneak preview sample chapters.
If you like my blog, or have enjoyed my books, please let me know. I’d love to hear what reading and writing mean to you. Contact me, or leave me a comment; this is how happy you’ll make me:
Congratulations on your beaut new blog! Very classy:)
Thanks Lisa!
I want that teeny weeny white chair on your desk.
Oh, that’s hilarious Susanna because that chair doesn’t belong to me! My lovely girlfriend Eko who took my publicity shots for me brought some props with her and made my desk look a whole lot better than it usually does – the chair was one of them! I think it is a replica Eames chair – a thing of beauty indeed.
Hi Annabel – firstly thanks for the ‘Plot your Novel’ course yesterday afternoon. I enjoyed the casual but effective give and take and I’m sure your techniques will help me line up my currently very undisciplined ducks. To help me get them in a row, I’d be grateful if you’d forward the working templates to my email address below.
Thanks again & regards
Peter Purchase
* Congrats on your excellent web/blog page by the way.
Good pieces on advances and royalties.
Thanks!
Dear Ms Smith,
Our school, in Queensland, would like to purchase a copy of your work – The Ark – would you be in a position to advise the best manner in which to do so?
Thank you in advance, we look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Faithfully
Anthony Letizia
School Librarian
Hi, I’ve replied to you via email – thanks.
Our book club is going to be discussing Whiskey and Charlie this week (at my suggestion because I loved the book}! I appreciate having the reading group guide to help with the discussion but just wondered if there were any more questions/observations you could include for our “enlightenment.”
Wish you could just come personally to our discussion. Now that would be special!
Thank you for your consideration,
Hi Janet, thank you for choosing W&C for your book club. It seems to be a fun one for book clubs to discuss, especially for those who have sympathy for Charlie and those who do not! I have a series on my blog called Journey to a Book which describes some interesting aspects of the writing and publication journey – I’m not sure if that would add another element to the discussion http://annabelsmith.com/?p=231
sorry that is not me. good luck with your search
Hi Annabel, I encountered A New Map in the local library and after reading it felt compelled to contact you to let you know how overwhelmed I am by your skillfull keen perception and knowing. I hope to obtain the E book and read it. I hope you and your famiy are well and your work continues to go well. Did you have an eggs up Easter? Fondest regards holmes wager
Hi Holmes, I somehow missed this. Thank you! We are well, hope you are too x