About the Author

Tasmanian author Katherine Johnson’s new novel Every Wild Soul (HarperCollins 28 April 2026) is the inaugural recipient of The Australian Fiction Prize, which builds on the legacy of The Vogel Award and The Banjo Prize. You can pre-order Every Wild Soul here.

She has published four previous novels. Paris Savages (Ventura Press 2019/2021, Allison and Busby UK/US 2020, Jimenez Edizioni 2021) is based on the true story of ‘human zoos’ in Europe in the late nineteenth century. It was shortlisted in the ABIA awards and was The Times Historical Fiction Book of the Month in June 2020.  Matryoshka or Russian dolls (Ventura Press 2018) is a story of secrets, refuge and loves lost and found. The Better Son (Ventura Press 2016), a mystery/literary thriller set in northern Tasmania’s caves, received The University of Tasmania Prize and the People’s Choice Award (Tasmanian Premier’s Literary Prizes) and a HarperCollins-Varuna Award for Manuscript Development. It was longlisted for the Australian Indie Book Awards and the Tasmania Book Prize.  Pescador’s Wake (HarperCollins/Fourth Estate 2009) also received a HarperCollins-Varuna Award. It tells the story of the danger and heartbreak of lives at the mercy of the sea during a three-week Southern Ocean chase.

Paris Savages and The Better Son are also available as Audiobooks through Wavesound.

The Better Son has been optioned for film.

As well as writing fiction, Katherine is a science journalist. She has worked for various agencies including the CSIRO and the Center for International Forestry Research. Her feature articles have appeared in publications including the Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Weekend magazine (Wild Medicine), Forty South, Island, the World Wildlife Fund-endorsed publication Living Planet, CSIRO’s Ecos, and Australasian Science. Katherine works in communications at The University of Tasmania where she completed her PhD in Creative Writing and is an Adjunct Researcher in Humanities. Katherine also holds degrees in science and arts. She lives in Tasmania with her family and rescue hound.

Please connect on Facebook/Instagram @KJohnsonauthor. Agent: Janenovak.com

Book Tour 2026 Every Wild Soul

• 3 May, 3.30-4.30pm: Sunshine Coast Hinterland Writers FestivalPanel session Interconnected Worlds – Exploring Humanity’s Connection to the Wild, with Inga Simpson and Darryl Jones  Buy Tickets 2026 – SCHWF
• 5 May, 6.30pm: Riverbend Bookshop, Brisbane, in-conversation event with author Poppy Gee
• 7 May, 5.30pm: Fullers Bookshop launch at RACV Hotel, Hobart, in-conversation launch event with Geordie Williamson
• 11 May, 11.30am-1pm: Burnie Not Just Books event in-conversation at Burnie’s West Park, University of Tasmania
• 11 May, 5.30pm: Devonport Bookshop in conversation with owner, Tim/Anne Gott at Devonport Library
• 12 May, 6-7.30pm: Petrarch’s Bookshop in conversation launch with Andy Durkin at St Lukes (Launceston)
• 15-17 May: Margaret River Readers and Writer FestivalNature Writing Workshop: How to Write Naturally about NatureBook launch, Every Wild Soul

  Panel: Hope and Action (with Bob Brown, Sarah Wilson and Prema Arasu)

• 22 May, 6pm: The Book Cow, Canberra, in-conversation with Karen Viggers
• 24 May, 4pm: The Bookshop at Queenscliff, in conversation with Shokoofeh Azar
• 30 May live reads at Island Readers and Writers Festival, Hobart
• 4 June: Bookoccino, Sydney, in-conversation event (time and link coming)

Awards

• Inaugural winner The Australian Fiction Prize
• Shortlisted ABIA Small Publishers’ Adult Book of the Year 2020 (Paris Savages)
• Longlisted Indie Book Awards 2017 (The Better Son)
• Longlisted The Tasmania Book Prize, Premier’s Literary Prizes 2017 (The Better Son)
• HarperCollins Varuna Award for Manuscript Development in 2013
  (The Better Son under the working title Kubla)
• University of Tasmania Prize 2013 – Tasmanian Literary Awards 2013
  (The Better Son under the working title Kubla)
• People’s Choice Award 2013 – Tasmanian Literary Awards 2013
  (The Better Son under the working title Kubla)
• HarperCollins Varuna Award for Manuscript Development in 2007
  (Pescador’s Wake, Fourth Estate 2009)
• Photojournalist of the Year Award, University of Queensland 1992

Invited speaker festivals/conferences

• Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival 2020, 2026
• Sunshine Coast Hinterland Writers Festival 2026
• Perth Festival 2020
• Leading Edge Booksellers’ conference: Discover New and Diverse Voices session (Adelaide) 2019
• International Australian Studies Association conference: Unsettling Australia (University of Queensland, Brisbane) 2018
• International Australian Studies Association panel at the Australia in a Changing World conference (Beijing) 2018
• One Title One Townsville 2018
• Sydney Writers’ Festival (Varuna) 2009/2017
• Great Writing (Imperial College, London) 2016
• Tamar Valley Writers’ Festival 2016/18/20
• Tasmanian Writers’ Festival 2013
• Sounding the Earth Conference (Launceston, Tasmania) 2010
• Eltham New Voices Festival 2009

Supported by

Every Wild Soul, Pescador’s Wake and The Better Son were assisted by Arts Tasmania by the Minister for the Arts. Matryoshka was assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory board; the Tasmanian Writers’ Centre and Tasmanian Regional Arts through the Commonwealth Government’s Regional Arts Fund; and Arts Tasmania by the Minister for the Arts.