 |
 |
ERIN
VINCENT
Erin Vincent is a highly respected
journalist who has worked both here and the in US
for publications
such as The Australian, The Sunday Telegraph, Marie
Claire magazine, Grazia magazine, and America’s
biggest selling publication People magazine. She
is also the author of the acclaimed memoir Grief
Girl: My True Story published in Australia by Pan
Macmillan and in the US (where it is in its 3rd printing)
by Random House. In 2007 Grief Girl was named a New
York Public Library’s Best Book for the Teen
Age and was an American Library Association Best
Book for Young Adults Nominee.
Grief Girl is the story of what
happened to Erin and her two siblings when a
speeding tow truck killed
their parents when Erin was 14. It is a story
of grief but it is also a story of humour, hope
and
eventual triumph, as Erin focuses not on what
happens to you, but what you do with it. As Erin
says...
"I want to show kids and teens you can overcome
adversity; that your circumstances don’t have to determine
your whole life – you have a choice. For me
that choice was my education. I knew that if I did
well at school I could have the life I dreamed of."
In addition to her writing, Erin is much sought
after speaker both here and in the US. She has
appeared
on a host of national TV and radio programs including
Channel Seven’s Sunrise, ABC’s The
Conversation Hour with Richard Fidler, and Life
Matters with Richard
Aedy, as well as national radio programs in America.
She has been a keynote speaker at the Society
of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators annual
conference in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times
Festival of Books, and has given workshops and lectures
at schools, universities, libraries, and bookstores
in New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Sydney.
As a former theatre actress who received rave reviews
in the Los Angeles Times and the LA Weekly for
her varied performances, Erin loves speaking
in front
of a live audience. “I know there’s this
myth that most authors don’t like speaking
in public, but I have to say, I actually enjoy it
more than sitting alone in my room and writing!”
In the midst of all of this writing and speaking,
Erin decided she wanted to indulge another passion – fashion.
So she obtained a degree in fashion design and moved
to the US where she spent many years working for
the world’s biggest fashion houses – Versace,
Dolce & Gabbana, and Ralph Lauren. “Teenagers,
especially girls, love to hear all about my fashion
life. Once they know about my experiences with the
world’s biggest photographers, celebrities,
and design houses they listen to anything I have
to say about schoolwork, writing, journalism, and
life. It’s a wonderful ice-breaker.”
---------
Praise for ‘Grief Girl’ –
“
I am in awe of books like Erin Vincent's. More than
just a story of unbearable loss, it is a story of
survival, it is a story about being orphaned and
terrified, and it is amazing that not only did Erin
Vincent carry on--but she became a writer and shares
her story with us, elegant, simple, heartbreaking.” – A.M.
Homes, author
“
A compelling, searingly honest and often bleakly
funny account of what it is like to be unexpectedly
orphaned.” - The Age
“
A gripping memoir... Gritty language, a swift
pace, and glimpses of humor amid tragedy make this
a page-turner. - School Library Journal, USA
“
After any death, there is bound to be searing anger
as well as grief. In this amazing tale of woe, venality,
treachery, larceny and plain old-fashioned abuse,
Erin Vincent tells the story of her parents' death,
and the harrowing Dickensian fallout which then ensued.
GRIEF GIRL is a story of righteous indignation, bruising
sorrow but a final triumph that has you cheering
for this wonderful woman by the end.” - Carolyn
See, author
To read what Erin has to say about the writing
of ‘Grief
Girl’ you can go here.
To
listen in to Richard Fidler’s ABC Radio
Conversation Hour interview with Erin click here.
Click
here for a printer-friendly version of this page
|