AUTHOR

Wayne’s debut novel, BLUEPRINTS FOR A BARBED WIRE CANOE, was chosen for inclusion on the VCE English reading list in 2006 and continues on the list in 2007.

Released by Melbourne independent publisher Black Pepper in 2004 to wide acclaim, it has already achieved something like cult status and has clocked up significant interstate and overseas sales.

'Wayne Macauley has the soul of a poet and his surreal novella is stunningly written… If more Australian literature was of this calibre, we’d be laughing.' - The Age

'… bewitching… ethereal… hallucinatory… In an era when many novelists are playing it safe… Wayne Macauley is an ambitious talent worth watching.' - Wet Ink Magazine

'…original Australian writing at its best.' - The Courier Mail

Wayne is a widely published short story writer with stories in Meanjin, Overland, Westerly, Arena, Eureka Street, HQ, Griffith Review and other magazines. He won the 1995 Age Short Story Competition, was runner-up in the 2001 HQ Magazine Short Story Contest and was anthologised in Best Australian Stories 2001. His second novel, CARAVAN STORY, will be released in early 2007. For the past two years he has been on the judging panel for the Unpublished Manuscript category of the Victorian Premiers Literary Awards.

Wayne has also worked extensively in the theatre as a writer, director and dramaturg. His most notable production was Melbourne Workers Theatre’s massive TOWER OF LIGHT for the 1999 Melbourne International Festival, a large-scale site-specific performance that won a Victorian Green Room Award for Innovation/New Form. He has written a number of such site-specific shows with large community involvement in both urban and regional settings. He has also worked with young people in a variety of situations, especially while as writer-in-residence at Hothouse Theatre in Albury.

His experiences in the theatre and the world of writing in general make Wayne a dynamic and engaging speaker.

Wayne is available to speak and answer questions on his VCE listed novel and will welcome open, robust conversation on the challenges of the text. He believes 'a book should get you thinking, but shouldn’t tell you what to think'. All interpretations are welcome, and students will be encouraged to pursue their own lines of enquiry. Wayne's reputation and skill as a short story writer also make him a valuable resource for students wanting to improve their skills in this area.