Mardi McConnochie

Mardi McConnochie (born 2 February 1971) is an Australian author and playwright. She is the author of three novels, Coldwater (2001), The Snow Queen (2003), Fivestar (2005), several plays and two books for children, Melissa, Queen of Evil (2006) and Dangerous Games (2007).

Born in Armidale, New South Wales, McConnochie was raised in Adelaide, South Australia. She has a PhD in English Literature from the University of Sydney.

McConnochie's novels, which have been praised for their vigorous plotting, vivid characterisation and humour, have consistently grappled with questions about celebrity and the possibilities open to women and women artists. The first, Coldwater, which was one of The Washington Post's Books of the Year and was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Book (SE Asia and Pacific Region) transplants the Brontë sisters to a penal colony off the New South Wales Coast, using the plight of the three to explore different approaches to art, life and love. The second, The Snow Queen is set in Adelaide and tells the story of a former Russian ballerina stranded in post-war Australia. It saw McConnochie voted one of The Sydney Morning Heralds Best Young Australian Novelists. The third, Fivestar focuses on contemporary notions of celebrity, charting the rise and fall of an antipodean girl group reminiscent of The Spice Girls. Melissa, Queen of Evil, her first novel for children, won the 2006 Aurealis Award for Best Children's Novel.

As well as novels, McConnochie has written for the stage and for television. Her television credits include Home and Away, Always Greener, McLeod's Daughters and Pacific Drive.

McConnochie lives in Sydney with her partner, the novelist, James Bradley.

References

• Baum, Caroline: Under the covers, The Sydney Morning Herald, July 24, 2004.
• Selinger-Morris, Samantha: Every plot a drama, The Sydney Morning Herald, July 2, 2005.
• Griffin, Michelle: Free-floating stars, The Age, August 14, 2005.