Josephine Moon

About

Following, you will find info about:

  • Jo and her Writing
  • Notable Literary Moments
  • Speaking
  • Charity
  • Freelance

Josephine Moon has published ten books for adults and most recently launched the first book in a children’s series – Millie and Stella, Best Friends Forever (The Lost Ponies).

Her novels are published internationally (NZ, UK, Ireland, Germany, Norway, Greece), with collective sales over 300,000. He adult books include The Wonderful Thing About Phoenix Rose, The Tea Chest, The Chocolate Promise, The Beekeeper’s Secret, Three Gold Coins, The Gift of Life, The Cake Make’s Wish, and The Jam Queens.

Jo loves working with beginning and emerging writers in workshops, courses, coaching and manuscript appraisals and is passionate about amplifying #ownvoices stories.

As someone who gets bored easily, Jo once spontaneously founded and ran a horse rescue and welfare charity, which left her with seven retired horses to eat their way through her spending money and to watch her through the window while she writes. She loves animals and her pony, Sparky, and dog, Fergus, both play important roles in the Millie and Stella series.

Notable literary moments include:

  • 2024 Judge – Society of Women Writers Qld, Marj Wilke Short Story Award
  • MIFF (Melbourne International Film Festival) 37 South finalist: The Wonderful Thing About Phoenix Rose was chosen as a finalist for live on-stage pitching to international producers for book-to-film adaption
  • Better Reading Top 100 Books, The Jam Queens, 2022.
  • Better Reading Top 100 Books, The Cake Maker’s Wish, 2021
  • Awarded a Screen Qld ‘Creative Consultation’ with Producer Sophia Zacariou for her co-written (with Rebecca Belfield-Kennedy) episodic pilot for The Gift of Life, November 2020
  • Longlisted for the State Library of Queensland’s Queensland Stories, Songs and Rhymes, First Five Forever picture book, for Dog Day Out, 2020.
  • Winner, One Book Many Brisbanes, short story competition for Not in Mitchelton, 2008
  • Shortlisted, Australian Book Industry Award (ABIA), for The Tea Chest, 2015
  • The Chocolate Promise, shortlisted for the Gourmand Awards, 2016
  • Finalist for Queensland Writers Centre’s Adaptable (book to screen) program, for her proposal for The Gift of Life, 2020
  • Shortlisted, The Text Prize for YA writing, for her manuscript Wildfire, 2009
  • Shortlisted, The Finch Publishing Memoir Prize, for her manuscript Webs of Light, 2011
  • Shortlisted for the State Library of Queensland’s Young Writers Award for her short story, Carriage Hopping, 2001.

Speaking and Appearances

  • Featured on Channel 10’s The Project, 2015, for her book, Horse Rescue: Inspiring Stories of Second Chance Horses and the Lives They Changed.
  • Horizon Festival, Sunshine Coast, 2019. Writer Masterclass (How to Write a Bestseller).
  • Lines in the Sand Festival, Hervey Bay, 2019, Author Talk + Half Day Writing Workshop.
  • Cairns Writers Festival, 2014
  • Burdekin Writers Festival, 2.5 days, 2016
  • Brisbane Writers Festival, 2 x events, 2014
  • Brisbane Writers Festival, 2015, 1 x event
  • Noosa Long Weekend, Festival, 2014, 1 x event
  • Keynote Speaker, 2018, VIIEW Club Luncheon, Surfers Paradise, on ‘Inspiration’
  • Yellow Ladybugs ADHD and Autistic Minds Conference, 2022, alongside the most incredible advocates, Chloe Hayden and Kristy Forbes.
  • Yellow Ladybugs Conference, 2023, speaking on Autistic Burnout alongside the incredibly hardworking Autistic advocates Gilly and Annie Crowe.
  • CYA Conference 2023, Presenter: Shattering myths: Writing neurodivergent characters for authenticity and diversity.
  • The National Education Summit (Brisbane), 2022, (Diverse Learners Summit) on ‘Reimagining Autism’
  • 2 x 2-Day Autistic & ADHD Weekend Retreats (Preventing and Recovering from Autistic/ADHD Burnout): Creator and Facilitator (April 2022 and October 2022, Sunshine Coast)

Charity

I like to jump in and help people where I can. I’m delighted to currently be working from within one of Australia’s biggest national charities, doing what I love doing most – writing, creating, project management, creativity, community engagement, communications and, most of all, doing good in the world.

Other campaigns I have worked on:

  • the ‘Authors for Farmers’ fundraising campaign in 2018 (raising over $28,000)
  • the ‘Authors for Townsville’ fundraising campaign in 2019 (raising over $6,000), and
  • an emergency appeal raffle for Afghanistan in 2021 (raising $1870)
  • secured a street library for an independent school in SE Qld, then media publicity (both print and ABC radio) for a permanent library, attracting a benefactor’s donation of $10,000.

Freelance Writing

Jo’s freelance writing has also been published in Mamamia, Reframing Autism, The Sun-Herald, Sydney Morning Herald, Good Reading, Affair, Voiceworks, Audrey Daybook, Nova, WQ, Coppertales: Journal of Rural Arts, and more.

She has more stories floating around than she knows what to do with.