Emily Maguire

Who is Emily Maguire?

Emily Maguire born in Canberra in 1976 is an Australian novelist and journalist. She currently lives in Sydney with her husband.

Her articles and essays on sex, religion and culture have been published in newspapers and journals including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Financial Review, The Age and the Observer. In 2007, the Women's Electoral Lobby awarded her the Edna Ryan Award for her writing about women's issues. Emily has served as Writer in Residence at the Djerassi Artists Program in Northern California, as an Asialink Literature Resident in Vietnam and as a Tasmanian Writers’ Centre resident in Hobart. She has an MA in literature and has worked as a mentor to young and emerging writers.

Her first novel, Taming the Beast, was nominated for the Dylan Thomas Prize and received a Special Commendation in the Kathleen Mitchell Awards. The novel aroused controversy for its graphic depiction of a sexual relationship between a young woman and her high school teacher. Her second novel, The Gospel According to Luke is an account of a relationship between a young Christian pastor and an atheist abortion clinic worker, and deals with the theme of religious terrorism. It was also awarded a special commendation in the 2008 Kathleen Mitchell Awards.