# Gillian Mears

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{{Short description|Australian writer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2011}}
{{Infobox writer <!-- For more information see [:Template:Infobox Writer/doc](/source/%3ATemplate%3AInfobox_Writer%2Fdoc). --> 
| name          = Gillian Mears
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| birth_date    = {{Birth date|df=yes|1964|7|21}}
| birth_place   = [Lismore, New South Wales](/source/Lismore%2C_New_South_Wales), Australia
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2016|5|16|1964|7|21}}
| death_place   = Near [Grafton, New South Wales](/source/Grafton%2C_New_South_Wales), Australia
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| occupation    = Writer
| language      = English
| nationality   = Australian
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'''Gillian Mears''' (21 July 1964 – 16 May 2016) was an Australian [short story writer](/source/short_story_writer) and [novelist](/source/novelist).
Her books ''Ride a Cock Horse'' and ''The Grass Sister'' won a [Commonwealth Writers' Prize](/source/Commonwealth_Writers'_Prize), shortlist, in 1989 and 1996, respectively. ''The Mint Lawn'' won The Australian/Vogel Award.<ref>{{citation|url=http://users.tpg.com.au/waldrenm/mears.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055109/http://users.tpg.com.au/waldrenm/mears.html|archivedate=4 March 2016|title=The Prime of Ms Mears}}</ref>  
In 2003, ''A Map of the Gardens'' won the [Steele Rudd Award](/source/Steele_Rudd_Award).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/firstperson/alive-in-ant-and-bee-by-gillian-mears/3175504|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|title=Alive in Ant and Bee by Gillian Mears|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112213955/http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/firstperson/alive-in-ant-and-bee-by-gillian-mears/3175504|archivedate=12 November 2012|date=February 2009}}</ref>

==Life==
Mears was born at [Lismore Base Hospital](/source/Lismore_Base_Hospital), and raised in [Grafton, New South Wales](/source/Grafton%2C_New_South_Wales) where she was [school dux](/source/dux) of Grafton High School.<ref name="booktopia">{{cite web|last1=Purcell|first1=John|title=Gillian Mears, author of Foal's Bread, answers Ten Terrifying Questions|url=https://blog.booktopia.com.au/2011/11/04/gillian-mears-author-of-foals-bread-answers-ten-terrifying-questions/|website=Booktopia|accessdate=21 May 2016}}</ref>

She moved to Sydney to study at university, beginning a degree in archaeology at the [University of Sydney](/source/University_of_Sydney) having been inspired to pursue a career in archaeology after reading ''[Gods, Graves and Scholars](/source/Gods%2C_Graves_and_Scholars)'' by [C. W. Ceram](/source/C._W._Ceram). At the age of 18, she withdrew from the course, and instead completed a degree in communications at [University of Technology, Sydney](/source/University_of_Technology%2C_Sydney).<ref name="booktopia" />

She lived near [Grafton, New South Wales](/source/Grafton%2C_New_South_Wales). She died in May 2016 after living with multiple sclerosis for seventeen years.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/gillian-mears-prizewinning-author-and-euthanasia-advocate-dies-20160519-goyp44.html|publisher=Fairfax Media|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=19 May 2016|title=Gillian Mears: Prize-winning author and euthanasia advocate dies|first=Jason|last=Steger|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160521080306/http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/gillian-mears-prizewinning-author-and-euthanasia-advocate-dies-20160519-goyp44.html|archivedate=21 May 2016}}</ref>

[Bernadette Brennan](/source/Bernadette_Brennan) has written a biography of Gillian Mears.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/other-books/Leaping-into-Waterfalls-Bernadette-Brennan-9781760879785|publisher=Allen & Unwin|author=Bernadette Brennan|date=September 2021|title=Leaping into Waterfalls|accessdate=10 October 2021}}</ref>

==Awards and honours==
* 1989 [Commonwealth Writers' Prize](/source/Commonwealth_Writers'_Prize), shortlist, ''Ride a Cock Horse''
* 1990 [The Australian/Vogel Literary Award](/source/The_Australian%2FVogel_Literary_Award), winner, ''The Mint Lawn'' 
* 1996 [Commonwealth Writers' Prize](/source/Commonwealth_Writers'_Prize), shortlist, ''The Grass Sister''
* 2003 [Steele Rudd Award](/source/Queensland_Premier's_Literary_Awards), winner, ''A Map of the Gardens''
* 2011 [Colin Roderick Award](/source/Colin_Roderick_Award), winner, ''[Foal's Bread](/source/Foal's_Bread)''
* 2012 [ALS Gold Medal](/source/ALS_Gold_Medal), ''[Foal's Bread](/source/Foal's_Bread)''<ref>{{citation|url=http://asaliterature.com/?page_id=9/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211023231/http://asaliterature.com/?page_id=9%2F|archivedate=11 December 2014|title=ALS Gold Medal: Previous award winners|date=2014|publisher=Association for the Study of Australian Literature|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* 2012 [Barbara Jefferis Award](/source/Barbara_Jefferis_Award), shortlist, [Foal's Bread](/source/Foal's_Bread)''<ref>{{citation |title=Allen and Unwin, Foal's Bread |url=https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/fiction/literary-fiction/Foals-Bread-Gillian-Mears-9781743311851}}</ref>''
* 2012 [Miles Franklin Award](/source/Miles_Franklin_Award), shortlist, ''[Foal's Bread](/source/Foal's_Bread)''
* 2012 [Prime Minister's Literary Awards](/source/Prime_Minister's_Literary_Awards), Fiction Award, ''[Foal's Bread](/source/Foal's_Bread)''<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/books/mears-wins-pms-literary-award-for-foals-bread/story-e6frg8nf-1226432582588|first=Stephen|last=Romei|date=23 July 2012|title=Mears wins PM's literary award for Foal's Bread |newspaper=The Australian|publisher=News Limited}}</ref>

==Works==

===Novels===
* {{cite book |first=Gillian |last=Mears |author-mask=2 |title=The Mint Lawn |publisher=[Allen & Unwin](/source/Allen_%26_Unwin) |year=1991 |isbn=9781863730167}}
* {{cite book |first=Gillian |last=Mears |author-mask=2 |title=The Grass Sister |publisher=[Alfred A. Knopf](/source/Alfred_A._Knopf) |year=1995 |isbn=9780091831219}}
* {{cite book |first=Gillian |last=Mears |author-mask=2 |title=[Foal's Bread](/source/Foal's_Bread) |publisher=[Allen & Unwin](/source/Allen_%26_Unwin) |year=2011 |isbn=9781742376295}}

=== Children's book ===
* {{cite book |first=Gillian |last=Mears |author-mask=2 |title=The Cat with the Coloured Tail |publisher=[Walker Books](/source/Walker_Books) |year=2015 |isbn=9781922077400}} Illust. Dinale Dabarera

=== Short story collections ===

* {{cite book |first=Gillian |last=Mears |author-mask=2 |title=Ride a Cock Horse |publisher=[Pascoe Publishing](/source/Pascoe_Publishing) |year=1988 |isbn=9780947087128}}
* {{cite book |first=Gillian |last=Mears |author-mask=2 |title=Fineflour |publisher=[University of Queensland Press](/source/University_of_Queensland_Press) |year=1990 |isbn=9780702223112 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xoEYvm2E5VsC&pg=PA194}}
* {{cite book |first=Gillian |last=Mears |author-mask=2 |title=Collected Stories |publisher=[University of Queensland Press](/source/University_of_Queensland_Press) |year=1997 |isbn=9780702229503}}
* {{cite book |first=Gillian |last=Mears |author-mask=2 |title=A Map of the Gardens: Stories |publisher=[Pan Macmillan Australia](/source/Pan_Macmillan_Australia) |year=2002 |isbn=9780330363464}}<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.api-network.com/main/index.php?apply=reviews&webpage=api_reviews&flexedit=&flex_password=&menu_label=&menuID=homely&menubox=&Review=4517|title=A Map of the Gardens|first=Sue|last=Bond|date=October 2002|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930201209/http://www.api-network.com/main/index.php?apply=reviews&webpage=api_reviews&flexedit=&flex_password=&menu_label=&menuID=homely&menubox=&Review=4517|archivedate=30 September 2012}}</ref>

===Non-fiction===
* {{cite book |first=Gillian |last=Mears |author-mask=2 |title=Paradise Is a Place |publisher=[Random House Australia](/source/Random_House_Australia) |year=1997 |isbn=9780091836412}} Phot. Sandy Edwards

===Essays===
*''Alive in Ant and Bee ''
*''[https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C777179?mainTabTemplate=workPublicationDetails Fairy Death] ''

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite web |title=Gillian Mears aggregated collection of papers, photographs and audiovisual material, 1941-2016 |url=https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/nM70MBNY |website=State Library of NSW}}

==External links==
*{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/05/06/1019441476027.html|title=Runaway success|first=Janet|last=Hawley|date=7 May 2002|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|publisher=Fairfax Media|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113221849/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/05/06/1019441476027.html|archivedate=13 November 2015}}
*{{Cite web |last=Brennan |first=Bernadette |title=Romance and reality |url=https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/openbook_spring_2021.pdf |access-date=16 May 2022 |website=Openbook |publisher=State Library of NSW |pages=52–55}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mears, Gillian}}
Category:1964 births
Category:2016 deaths
Category:Australian women short story writers
Category:Writers from New South Wales
Category:University of Sydney alumni
Category:University of Technology Sydney alumni
Category:20th-century Australian novelists
Category:21st-century Australian novelists
Category:20th-century Australian women novelists
Category:21st-century Australian women novelists
Category:ALS Gold Medal winners
Category:People from Grafton, New South Wales
Category:Deaths from multiple sclerosis
Category:People with multiple sclerosis
Category:20th-century Australian short story writers
Category:21st-century Australian short story writers

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gillian Mears](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillian_Mears) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillian_Mears?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.