Author bio
Kirsty Eagar was raised by her mother on a farm in Central Queensland. After completing a Masters in economics, she worked on trading desks at the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Bank of England in London, before resigning to pursue a different life. She then surfed around Australia, living out of a car and working in kitchens, and started writing.
Her Young Adult novels have won and been shortlisted for numerous awards including the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, the Queensland Literary Awards, the Western Australia Premier’s Awards and the Gold Inky.
She is part of the creative team adapting her novel, Raw Blue, for a feature film, a project that has received Screen NSW development funding. Kirsty also wrote, co-directed and co-produced the 15-minute short film Wax Rat (2024 Best Drama/Best Director/Best Screenplay Southern Shorts Awards).
Kirsty is married with two daughters and lives on Sydney’s northern beaches. She surfs most days and loves her surfing community deeply.
Still curious?
I have a theory that if someone visits the About page it’s because they want to know what you’re actually like, so here goes :)
I respect people who are building, making, doing and trying to improve things. I don’t respect the pursuit of power without skin in the game.
I write to learn. I’m a trier, but before that I’m a procrastinator.
I try hardest of all as a mum. I definitely mess up with my daughters sometimes, but I always apologise and that seems to go a long way.
I feel most at home in the sea. I will never get tired of the moon.
I appreciate manners, a sense of humour and people who do the work.
I think we all make mistakes. Maybe you won’t admit to them. Maybe you won’t forgive yourself for them. Neither of those strategies helps your long game.
I have had run-ins with depression since my late teens, but I’d like to never meet it again. I love the smell of sunshine and storms. I also love dancing, and I used to feel like a loser because most of the time I just danced alone in my room, but now I think it’s good to know how to have a private party.
For the first 8 years of my life, I moved 8 times, and went to 5 different primary schools, going between my mum & dad, my grandmother, my dad, and then my mum – sometimes with my brother, sometimes not.
After that, I grew up here.
My mum’s farm near Rockhampton, Central Queensland. If there wasn’t a drought, the roof was leaking, but there was an abundance of freedom. I grew up riding horses and motorbikes, well acquainted with casual risk taking. The sky is very big there.
I went to a small country school where you didn’t have to wear shoes if you didn’t want to. There were six kids in my grade. As someone who was state-schooled and raised in a regional area by a single parent, I am a living example of the benefits of opportunity and access, and a strong believer in quality education for all.
Mum is still farming and will never quit. I go home to see her every school holidays with my kids. That’s her below.
The rest of the time you’ll find me on Sydney’s northern beaches.
I have a masters degree in economics that I use sparingly. I also got halfway to qualifying as a chef, and was a personal trainer. My husband is a professional football coach, but, like me, zigged before he zagged. Personally, I’d like him to coach me a bit more, but he says he’s never been able to tell me what to do. While we were zigging, we travelled around Australia together in a troop carrier called Tony Adams, and that was when I started writing.
I surf most days. I love it. I am a competing member of the infamous North Narrabeen Boardriders’ Club, and an occasional contributor at White Horses surf magazine.
Pic by Michael Kellerman