Carole Wilkinson


Photo of Carole Wilkinson
Carole Wilkinson was born in 1950, in Derby, England. She emigrated to Australia with her family in 1963, when she was twelve. Although Carole has written over thirty books and won numerous awards, she didn't write her first book until she was nearly forty. Before deciding she wanted to be a writer, she worked as a laboratory assistant. Her career since has included writing for film and television, and as an editor.

Carole has written several series for children and young adults, both fiction and non-fiction. She has a long-standing fascination with Dragons and is interested in the history of everything. Carole is a meticulous researcher who finds it difficult to stop researching and begin writing. She is married and lives in inner-city Melbourne, and her daughter, Lili Wilkinson, is also an author.

Author's Comment: I didn't start writing until I was quite old - nearly 40. Before that, I worked as a laboratory assistant. My jobs involved working with a lot of blood and brains. You might think this sounds a bit gory, but I quite enjoyed working in a laboratory. The trouble was I always had this niggling feeling that it wasn't what I was meant to be doing.

One day I realised what I've always wanted to be - a writer! I don't know why it took me so long to work that out. When I was at school in the 1960s (a very long time ago) it didn't sound like the sort of thing a girl from Port Adelaide could ever do, so I suppose I didn't think of it back then. Once I'd decided to try and become a writer, I went to university. I wrote lots of things at university including my first novel. I didn't think it was very good. I showed it to a friend who worked in publishing. I don't think she thought it was very good either, but she must have seen some potential because she asked me if I could write a teenage novel.

Nationality: Australian

Featured series by Carole Wilkinson


Dragonkeeper - Age 8 & up
Drum - Age 12 & up