Julie’s career as a playwright began when she wrote and directed plays in remote Australian Northern Territory Aboriginal communities. She is now a novelist and award-winning poet. Julie is a Burruberongal woman of Darug Aboriginal Nation. She is co-recipient of the Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize, 2016 and winner of the Judith Wright Poetry Prize, 2019.
Her fellowships include: Developing Writer’s Fellowship, Australia Council; Asialink Literature Residencies, Indonesia; Tyrone Guthrie Writing Residency, Ireland; Varuna Fellowships; and Australia Council BR Whiting Residency, Rome. She has been recipient of a New Work, Australia Council grant and was guest writer at the 2016, Listowel Writers Festival and Belfast Book Week and the 2019 Georgetown Literary Festival.
Julie self-published two novels before the debut of her critically acclaimed book Benevolence (Magabala Books 2020). Julie has written ten produced plays, including two at Belvoir St Theatre – Black Mary and Gunjies and Two Plays, published by Aboriginal Studies Press 1996.
Agent: Sarah McKenzie at Hindsight Literary Agency
sarah@hindsight.net.au
Ph: +61 416035061
2022
Currently working on a collection of poems: "Stars on Orion's Belt".
In 2022 : Julie was a mentor for the TSI Indigenous writer, Lenora Thaker.
Julie is writing a new novel: "Brolga"
Julie is writing a new novel "The Compassion" a sequel to "Benevolence".
Julie Janson Burruberongal clan of Darug Nation. Novelist, poet and playwright.
Julie is a recipient of a Create NSW Arts grant and an Australia Council of the Arts grant for her crime novel: Madukka the River Serpent, with an Aboriginal woman protagonist sleuth.
Julie has appeared as an invited writer at the Newcastle Writers Festival 2022, the Berry Writers Festival 2022 and the Headland Writers Festival 2022.
Also Adelaide Writers Festival 2021. The Bendigo Writers Festival; The Headland Writers Festival Tathra; the Words on the Waves festival on Central Coast NSW. The Byron Bay Writers Festival 2021 was planed but cancelled due to Covid.
Hardcover of Benevolence published in by HarperVia USA 2022 available on AMAZON.
Julie's new Indigenous crime novel:
MADUKKA THE RIVER SERPENT published by UWAP 22nd November 2022.
"Julie Janson's crime thriller does so much more than solve a murder... Raw, visceral, rude and tough - it's the new perspective on Australian noir that we've been waiting for" Jock Serong
"Step aside Jay Swan. In a first in Australian crime fiction, meet june - the Murri investigator tracking water theft who instead exposes murder" Daniel Browning ABC
Historical Novel: BENEVOLENCE, published by Magabala Books and HarperVia in September 2022. USA and UK.
Shortlisted for the ASA Barbara Jefferis Novel Award 2022 and nominated for the NIB and VOSS Literary Awards 2021-22.