{{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]] --> | image = | imagesize = | name = Natalie Jane Prior | caption = | pseudonym = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1963|11}} | birth_place = [[Brisbane]], [[Australia]] | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = | nationality = [[Australia]]n | period = | genre = [[Children's literature]], [[young adult fiction]] | subject = | movement = | notableworks = | spouse = | partner = | children = | relatives = | influences = | influenced = | awards = | signature = | website = {{URL|http://www.nataliejaneprior.com}} }} {{Portal|Children and Young Adult Literature}}
'''Natalie Jane Prior''' is an Australian writer of [[children's literature]] and [[young adult fiction]].
==Biography== Prior was born in 1963 in [[Brisbane]], [[Australia]], where she also currently lives with her husband and daughter.<ref name="NATTALIEJANEPRIOR">{{cite web | url = http://nataliejaneprior.com/about-natalie/ | title = About Natalie | publisher = nataliejaneprior.com | accessdate = 2016-05-30 }}</ref> She is best known for her internationally successful children's fantasy series, ''Lily Quench'', which has been published in more than twenty countries. Her first fiction book, ''The Amazing Adventures of Amabel'', was published in 1990.<ref name="NATALIEJANEPRIOR">{{cite web | url = http://nataliejaneprior.com/ | title = Natalie Jane Prior Homepage | publisher = Natalie Jane Prior | accessdate = 2016-05-30 }}</ref> She is also the author of ''The Minivers'' series and many other books including the picture book ''PomPom'', illustrated by long-time collaborator, [[Cheryl Orsini]], and three picture books about ''The Paw'', illustrated by [[Terry Denton]]. Her most recent book is ''The Fairy Dancers'', also illustrated by Cheryl Orsini.<ref name="NATALIEJANEPRIOR"/> Prior's work has been a finalist at the [[List of CBCA Awards|Children's Book Council of Australia Awards]] as well as being honoured and named as notable.<ref name="NATALIEJANEPRIOR"/> Her book, ''[[Fireworks and Darkness]]'', won the 2003 [[Davitt Awards]] for best young-adult novel and ''Lily Quench and the Lighthouse of Skellig Mor'' won the 2003 [[Aurealis Award for best children's short fiction]].<ref name="DAVITTAWARDS">{{cite web | url = http://home.vicnet.net.au/~sincoz/davitt/davitt2003.htm | title = Davitt Awards 2003 | publisher = [[Davitt Awards]] | accessdate = 2010-04-28 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090716160324/http://home.vicnet.net.au/~sincoz/davitt/davitt2003.htm | archivedate = 16 July 2009 | url-status = dead}}</ref><ref name="LOCUSAUREALIS">{{cite web | url = http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/Aurealis2004.html#cs | title = The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2004 Aurealis Awards | publisher = [[Locus Online]] | accessdate = 2010-04-28 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050212005021/http://locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/Aurealis2004.html#cs|archivedate=2005-02-12|url-status=dead}}</ref> She has also been nominated for an [[Aurealis Award]] on three other occasions for best short fiction, long fiction and young-adult novel.<ref name="LOCUSINDEX">{{cite web | url = http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/NomLit106.html | title = The Locus Index to SF Awards: Index of Literary Nominees | publisher = [[Locus Online]] | accessdate = 2010-04-28 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100428161441/http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/NomLit106.html | archivedate = 28 April 2010 | url-status = dead}}</ref>
==Bibliography==
===Novels=== *''The Amazing Adventures of Amabel'' (1990) *''Amabel Abroad'' (1992) *''Tasha's Witch'' (1995) *''Yesterday's Heroes'' (1995) *''West End Shuffle'' (1996) *''London Calling'' (1997) *''The Loft'' (1997) *''Squish'' (2002)
'''''Lily Quench''''' {{main|Lily Quench}} *''Lily Quench and the Dragon of Ashby'' (1999) *''Lily Quench and the Black Mountains'' (2001) *''Lily Quench and the Treasure of Mote Ely'' (2002) *''Lily Quench and the Lighthouse of Skellig Mor'' (2003) *''Lily Quench and the Magician's Pyramid'' (2003) *''Lily Quench and the Hand of Manuelo'' (2004, aka ''The Secret of Manuelo'' in the UK) *''Lily Quench and the Search for King Dragon'' (2004) *''Lily Quench's Companion and Guide to Dragons and the Art of Quenching'' (2007)
'''''The Ostermark novels''''' *''[[Fireworks and Darkness]]'' (2002) *''The Star Locket'' (2006)
'''''The Dolls''''' *''Fashion Follies'' (2005) *''Susannah's Notebook'' (2005) *''Horse Fever'' (2005) *''Kiki's Caravan'' (2006)
'''''The Minivers''''' *''Minivers on the Run'' (2008) *''Minivers Fight Back'' (2009, known as ''Minivers in Danger'' in the UK) *''Minivers and the Most Secret Room'' (2010, known as ''Minivers and the Secret Room'' in the UK) *''Minivers Forever'' (2011)
===Picture books=== '''The Paw''' (with illustrator [[Terry Denton]]) *''The Paw'' (1993) *''The Paw in Destination: Brazil'' (1995) *''The Paw in The Purple Diamond'' (1998) *''The Paw Collection'' (2007, omnibus of the three books with new b/w artwork)
'''Other books''' *''Minnie Pearl and the Undersea Bazaar'' (2007; illustrator [[Cheryl Orsini]]) *''Star'' (2008; illustrator [[Anna Pignataro]]) *''Sun'' (2008; illustrator Anna Pignataro) *''PomPom'' (2012; illustrator Cheryl Orsini) *''The Fairy Dancers'' (2015; illustrator Cheryl Orsini) *''Tales of Mrs Mancini'' (Forthcoming November 2016; illustrator Cheryl Orsini) *"Lucy's Book" (2017; Illustrator Cheryl Orsini)
===Non fiction===
*''Bog Bodies, Mummies and Curious Corpses'' (1994) *''Mysterious Ruins, Lost Cities and Buried Treasure'' (1994) *''Dance Crazy: Star Turns from Ballet to Belly Dancing'' (1995) *''Caves, Graves, and Catacombs: Secrets from Beneath the Earth'' (1996) *''The Demidenko Diary'' (1996) *''Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt'' (1998) *''Nero: Evil Emperor of Rome'' (1998) *''Chewing Gum: How it Fed the Gods, Went into Space and Helped Win the War'' (2000) *''The Recorder: How it Changed the World, Saved the Universe and Topped the Charts'' (2000) *''Chocolate: How it Saved a Life, Built a City and Conquered the World'' (2000) *''The Encyclopedia of Preserved People: Pickled, Frozen, and Mummified Corpses from Around the World'' (2002)
==Nominations and awards== '''Aurealis Awards''' *'''[[Aurealis Award for best children's long fiction|Best children's long fiction]]''' **2002: Nomination: ''Lily Quench and the Treasure of Mote Ely'' *'''[[Aurealis Award for best children's short fiction|Best children's short fiction]]''' **2003: Win: ''Lily Quench and the Lighthouse of Skellig Mor'' **2003: Nomination: ''Lily Quench and the Magicians' Pyramid'' *'''[[Aurealis Award for best young-adult novel|Best young-adult novel]]''' **2002: Nomination: ''Fireworks and Darkness''
'''Children's Book Council of Australia Awards''' *'''[[Children's Book of the Year Award: Picture Book|Picture Book of the Year]]''' **1994: Honour: ''The Paw'' *'''[[Children's Book of the Year Award: Eve Pownall Award for Information Books|Eve Pownall Award for Information Books]]''' **1995: Nominated: ''Bog Bodies, Mummies and Curious Corpses''
'''Davitt Awards''' *'''[[Davitt Awards|Best young-adult novel]]''' **2003: Won: ''Fireworks and Darkness''
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090224084303/http://www.nataliejaneprior.com/Home.php Official site]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prior, Natalie Jane}} [[Category:1963 births]] [[Category:Australian children's writers]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Writers from Brisbane]] [[Category:Australian women children's writers]] [[Category:Davitt Award winners]]