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This site is no longer being updated. Please visit janerawson.com instead

Jane Rawson’s latest novel is From the wreck. She is also the author of A wrong turn at the Office of Unmade Lists, a novella, Formaldehyde, and the non-fiction book The Handbook: surviving & living with climate change

I grew up in Canberra and then spent quite a few years dawdling around the streets of San Francisco, Prague and Phnom Penh. These days I live in Tasmania’s Huon Valley. Formerly editor of the environment and energy section of The Conversation, an independent news website, I now work for a bureaucracy, writing about reducing household energy use. I like cats, quiet, minimal capitalisation, and finding out that everything is going to be OK.

This site includes more information about my books, as well as an (infrequently updated) blog that is mostly about reading and writing. For my olden-days jokes about travel, please see Ointment for Itchy Feet. On twitter I go by @frippet.

Photo by Leah Jing McIntosh

20 thoughts on “”

  1. Dear Jane,

    You may not remember me well, but when I found your name and picture on a website I couldn’t help .
    not writing to you to say hi.
    My name is Akiko Takahashi, I live in Tokyo Japan and I was once your classmate at Weetangera Primary School, that is 35 years ago.
    I stayed in your country for 4 years, and I have been back to my country sice then. I am married and live with my husband and a daughter, who is now in her 1st year at junior highschool.
    So you have become a writer! This is really great!
    What I remember about you is that you always had some books with you, whereever you go and that you were a good friend with Sally Button – do you still contact her?
    When I think of the days I spent in your country, I am grateful to you all for being a good friend to me.
    I enjoyed my life in Australia.
    Sorry about my poor English, but if I get a chance I’d like to try reading some of your books!

    Love from Akiko

    Reply

    1. Hi Jane,
      I was listening to ABC radio – Books and Arts – yesterday, as I was slicing apples to go in the dehydrator. I thought it must be you and figured I’d Google and double check. Funny that the first message I come across on this page is someone else, from your youth in Canberra, saying hello.
      Great to learn you’re writing. Will see if your in my local Braidwood library.
      Cheers
      Annie

      Reply

  2. Jane, My name is David McLellan. My great grandfather,also David McLellan came to Australia during the 1850’s as part of the crew of the ship Admella. He spent some time working on her around the coast of Victoria and South Australia before deciding to walk from Adelaide to the Victorian goldfields. He didn’t make it that far but after some years working as a shepherd took up land in Drik Drik and named his property Admella in memory of the ship he left just prior to its shipwreck. He later named his house in Mt. Gambier, Admella.
    I saw your book listed by Angus & Robertson and only clicked on further details as my sister’s name is Elaine Rawson. That’s a bit creepy!!

    Reply

  4. Hello Jane,
    My name is Brian Hills and my Great Grandfather was the “George Hills” that I am reading about in your book, “From the Wreck”. I am only halfway through and find the book eerily intersting because I exist only because George survived.
    Thanks
    Brian

    Reply

    1. Dear Brian, I’m in the same situation, though he was my great-great grandfather – it was why I wanted to write it, because I only existed thanks to him surviving. I hope you don’t mind the liberties I’ve taken with the truth. It would be great to know which of George’s children is your grandfather, if you don’t mind telling me.

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  6. Hi Jane, I commented recently ,though I forget which post, that I would buy some copies of Formaldehyde to give as gifts. My local indi bookshop – Crow Books, Vic Pk, WA – says that the distributor has marked the book as ‘unavailable, temporarily out of stock’. I hope that means another printing is planned. Everyone I speak to who has read Formaldehyde (including the guy who served me) loves it. Bill

    Reply

  7. Jane, I very much enjoyed the discussion at the CWF today. I meant to have a chat with you afterwards and buy and have signed your book/s. However I was offered a lift I could not refuse. Another time?
    My congratulations and warm regards,
    Charles
    Cazabon

    Reply

  9. Hi Jane,

    Started my day opening an email from Lit Hub and promptly clicking through to your article on reading short stories. What a great read. It really left me wondering, “What IS a short story?” and “Do literary writers really only write short stories for other writers to read?” RE the latter question … god, I hope not. Maybe you’ll be exploring this topic more?

    So glad you finally dug into Peter Carey’s short stories. My very favorite story of his–and one of the most memorable stories I’ve ever read–is American Dreams, the one about the man who builds a tiny replica of his town and all the people in it.

    Funnily, I’m editing the sci-fi short story collection of an as-yet-unpublished, ex-pat Australian writer living here in my town of Portland, Oregon. He doesn’t write short (1,000-3000 word) short stories, so good thing he’s in the States now.

    Thanks,
    Franny

    Reply

    1. Franny, I just saw this comment – thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the article. American Dreams is amazing, but I admit I preferred The Fat Man in History. Hope the edits are going well, Jane.

      Reply

  10. Hi Jane,
    Just to say I’m going to put your 2013 novel Wrong Turn at the Office of Unmade Lists in my 3rd year Australian Lit. course at ACU. I loved it! I heard you on the radio t’other day. Glad your latest book is doing better. But the 2013 novel is just right for my students. Caz Masel

    Reply

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