Maureen McCarthy, the ninth of ten children, grew up on a farm near Yea. After working for a while as an art teacher Maureen became a full-time scriptwriter, writing for television and educational films.
Maureen’s fiction is concerned with the life of emerging adults: from age sixteen to the early twenties.
She published her first novel, Ganglands, in 1992 and it was soon followed by Cross My Heart, which was shortlisted for both the NSW and the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, among other prizes.
She subsequently released Flash Jack, then Queen Kat, Carmel and St Jude Get a Life, and Chain of Hearts - all of which won or were shortlisted for major Australian literary awards. Queen Kat, Carmel and St Jude Get A Life was made into a highly successful television miniseries.
Maureen’s latest novel, When You Wake and Find Me Gone, was shortlisted for the 2003 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. | 
