Fleur Beale
Beale was born in Inglewood, New Zealand, and grew up on a dairy farm with five siblings. She attended Victoria University, Wellington and Christchurch Teachers' College, where she met her husband. She taught for many years alongside her writing, before becoming a full-time author after she was awarded the Children's Writing Fellowship at Dunedin College of Education in 1999.
Beale's first stories were written for the children's radio program Grandpa's Place. Her first book was for young children. She started writing for teenagers in 1993, with stories that often involve troubled adolescents engaged in outdoor activities.
The bulk of Beale’s writing is set in the contemporary world. Topics range from boys who fix up an old car to bash around a paddock with, a girl who must take over her father’s business until he’s well enough to take back the reins, to a story about a 15-year-old boy who is a top kart racer.
Nationality: New Zealander