Valerie Everett - author and historian

Valerie was born in Western Australia and has lived there all of her life. Her childhood dream was always "to be a writer" and she spent a major part of her time at school and at home, daydreaming about the stories she would some day write.

Valerie's father was a schoolteacher and because of this, she moved with her family between city and country, going to several different schools, in Perth, Kalgoorlie and Albany.

After high school she worked for a couple of years before going to university (WAIT, now Curtin University) where she studied a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in History, Politics and Anthropology. Valerie fondly remembers her university days because they offered her a world of knowledge to be discovered. It was at university that the seeds of interest in Western Australian and Australian history were nurtured. Valerie then completed a Diploma in Education at the University of Western Australia and became a high school teacher. She taught Social Studies, History and Politics in country and city schools.

Valerie now dedicates her time to family, research and writing. She loves the state in which she lives and believes that there is a library full of stories about Western Australian and Australian history, still to be researched and written. Valerie's particular interest is in uncovering stories from Western Australia's past: about heritage buildings, fascinating places, and the ordinary people who have made extraordinary contributions to the state's history.

Apart from her passion for writing, Valerie is interested in vegetarian cooking and animal rights issues, and is most comfortable browsing through bookshops, or exploring museums and art galleries. She is a member of FAWWA (Fellowship of Australian Writers) CBCA (Children's Book Council) and SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators).