Simon Higgins

Simon Higgins is an Australian screenwriter and author of books for young adults, born in 1958 in England. He arrived in Australia in 1963 after first living in Nigeria, Africa.[1]

Simon Higgins
BornAldershot, England
OccupationNovelist/Screenwriter
NationalityAustralian
Notable worksTomodachi: The Edge of the World, Moonshadow series, Gemini Fables TV series
Website
simonhiggins.net

Career

Originally a police officer[2] then private investigator in Adelaide, South Australia, working predominantly on homicide cases, he turned to writing in 1998.[3]

To date he has had 12 novels published, often combining the crime, speculative fiction and historical adventure genres. His works have been divided between Random House, the Hachette Group and Pulp Fiction Press. His short stories have also been published by Pan Macmillan/Ford Street Publishing.[4][5][6][7]

His debut novel, Doctor Id, published in Australia 1998, subsequently released in Italy and serialised in Japan, was listed as a 1999 Notable Book of the Year by the Children's Book Council of Australia.[8]

Higgins’ second novel, Thunderfish[9] was also listed as a 2000 Notable Book by the CBCA.

One of the sequels to Thunderfish, titled Under No Flag, was shortlisted for a Ned Kelly Crime Writing Award in 2002.[10]

In 2007 Higgins won a Fellowship of Australian Writers (FAW) National Literary Award for an unpublished novel about historical Asia.[11]

Higgins trained and competed in Japan in the traditional sword art of Iaido,[12] and placed fifth in Iaido's world titles in Kyoto in 2008[4] He has stated that this personal immersion in traditional Asian warrior culture and discipline inspired his most successful novels, which featured samurai and ninja.[13]

His 2008 novel, Moonshadow: Eye of the Beast, was an Australian bestseller,[14] was shortlisted for the 2008 Aurealis Fantasy Award and subsequently published in the United States, Germany, Indonesia and England.[15][16]

As a result, Higgins was invited to appear on Australia's highest rating children's TV show, Saturday Disney, to discuss the book and demonstrate swordplay.[17]

Higgins has written short stories for several anthologies, in the horror, science fiction and historical adventure genres.[1]

He has also authored numerous articles on the craft of writing and creative brainstorming.[18][19]

A prolific public speaker and teacher of creative writing, he is known for incorporating martial arts demonstrations into his presentations to middle school, high school and university-level writing students in Australia, England and Asia.[20][21][22]

Higgins has been repeatedly noted in teaching journals and the Australian media for his efforts to ‘masculinise reading’.[23][24]

In 2010, in recognition of his efforts to promote greater understanding of Asian cultures, Higgins was invited by the Australian government's Asia Education Foundation to become an Ambassador for Asia Literacy.[25][26][27]

His novel, Moonshadow: Eye of the Beast, was subsequently made a recommended school curriculum text by the Asia Education Foundation.[28]

In 2013 Higgins received an Australian Government Endeavour Executive Fellowship Award to live and study ‘Screenwriting for Film & TV Animation’ in China.[29]

This led to his ongoing creative collaboration with Crane Animation, based in Guilin, China, first in the role of creative consultant, then as a screenwriter for their award-winning series Gemini Fables and as coach of the company's in-house writing team.[30][31][32][33]

References
  1. "Simon Higgins". Austlit.edu.au. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  2. Newspaper story, Courting a New View of the Defence The Adelaide Advertiser, Monday, November 14, 1994, page 6
  3. Feature article, Youth Sleuth WHO Magazine, 18/5/1998, page 24
  4. Tonkin, Dorothy (12 August 2015). "Simon Higgins - Authors - Random House Books Australia". Randomhouse.com.au. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  5. "Simon Higgins - Hachette Australia". Hachette.com.au. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  6. "Teachers Notes". Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  7. "Rich and Rare: A collection of Australian stories, poetry and artwork edited by Paul Collins - Pan Macmillan Australia". Panmacmillan.com.au. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  8. Higgins, Simon (Doctor Id) Magpies - Vol. 13 No. 3 July 1998 p.38, Magpies.net.au
  9. Higgins, Simon (Thunderfish) Magpies - Vol. 14 No. 4 September 1999 p.38
  10. "Under No Flag (Thunderfish, #2) by Simon Higgins — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists". Goodreads.com. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  11. "2007 National Literary Awards : Results" (PDF). Writers.asn.au. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  12. "Simon Higgins Iaido". YouTube. 18 May 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  13. Feature article, The Pen and the Sword: Author Simon Higgins, Tale of a Samurai Scribe Paradise, The Weekend Bulletin Magazine, Gold Coast, Queensland, February 10–11, 2007, Cover and pages 10-13
  14. "Blokes & Book Week Breakfast @ Rosstrevor Wednesday, 19 August Australian Author & Guest Speaker Simon Higgins 'Life – The Write stuff'" (PDF). Brightongrammar.vic.edu.au. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  15. "2009 Aurealis Awards". Webcitation.org. 24 January 2009. Archived from the original on 3 January 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  16. "Simon Higgins". Hachette Book Group. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  17. "Saturday Disney Gets Iaido". YouTube. 21 February 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  18. "Simon Higgins". Writing Novels in Australia. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  19. Magazine article, How Do You Create These 'Strange' YA Novels? by Simon Higgins Viewpoint : On Books for Young Adults , Autumn vol. 7 no. 1 1999; p. 14-15
  20. Feature article ‘Screen Play as Author Schools Young Writers’ The West Australian, March 29, 2003, page 11
  21. Feature article, ’Drawing out the writers’ Classmate: The Educational Supplement of The Northern Territory News, February 23, 2010
  22. "School Author Visits". Authors Abroad. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  23. Academic article ‘Masculinising Reading for Boys’ Australian Journal of Middle Schooling, Volume 9, Number 2, November 2009, pages 52 & 53
  24. Newspaper story ‘Author has “write” stuff’ Daily Mercury, Mackay, Queensland, 28 May 2002, page 7
  25. "Simon Higgins - Speakers Ink | Speakers Agency | Literary Agency of Excellence". Speakers Ink. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  26. "Senior Newsletter (TSS)" (PDF). Tss.qld.edu.au. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  27. "Simon Higgins : Author" (PDF). Nexusarts.com.au. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  28. "Year 7-8 | Asia Education Foundation". Asiaeducation.edu.au. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  29. "Simon Higgins". Internationaleducation.gov.au. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  30. "Sipo English". Sipo English. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  31. "可可小爱 公益广告剧_可可小爱 公益广告剧动漫_全集在线观看-乐视网". Letv.com. 1 January 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  32. "桂林国家高新区吹响文化创意产业"集结号"". Gx.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  33. "中国原创动漫公益广告剧《可可小爱》走向澳大利亚". Scio.gov.cn. 30 January 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
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