Charlie Carter
[Pen-name of John Heffernan] , b. 1949
Charlie Carter, the author of the sixteen books in the Battle Boy series, is the pen name of John Heffernan, a well-known Australian children’s writer. In a rare acknowledgement of their association, Heffernan describes Charlie Carter as a character he has invented, an alternative identity who enables him to write different stories to those he publishes under his own name. He says he is "the side of me that loves digging up the past and solving the mysteries of history – a kind of Indiana Jones character."
Using his own name, Heffernan’s prolific body of work spans the genres of realism and fantasy, and he writes for young children as well as for young adults. Recent works have explored the experiences of children living in warzones and surviving natural disasters. Born in Sydney, Heffernan studied at the University of New England in Armidale and continues to live on a rural property in the New England area. His books have received numerous awards and nominations, including from the Children’s Book Council of Australia.
Sources:
Profile at biography.jrank.org (accessed: March 12, 2020).
Profile at laterallearning.com.au (accessed: March 12, 2020).
Bio prepared by Miriam Riverlea, University of New England, mriverlea@gmail.com
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