Gabrielle Williams (author)

Gabrielle Eve Williams (20 August 1963 – 21 January 2023)[1] was an Australian author of young adult fiction. Her books include Beatle Meets Destiny and My Life as a Hashtag.[2]

Career

Before becoming a writer, Williams worked in television and advertising.[3] In 2009, she published her first novel, Beatle Meets Destiny, which was followed three years later by The Reluctant Hallelujah (2012). Her 2015 novel The Guy, The Girl, the Artist & his Ex was loosely based on the 1986 theft of Picasso's painting The Weeping Woman.[4] My Life As A Hashtag, published in 2017, is a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of social media; to accurately depict her teen characters' use of social media, Williams interviewed her own children about their online habits.[5] To develop the time travel elements in her 2021 novel It's Not You, It's Me, Williams researched both metaphysics and mysticism.[6] This work was nominated for Best Young Adult Novel at the 2022 Aurealis Awards, which recognises the best in Australian speculative fiction.[7] In addition to writing novels, Williams worked as a bookseller at Readings Bookshops, was a grants officer for the Readings Foundation, and managed the Readings Prizes.[2][6]

Personal life and death

On 16 January 2023, Williams suffered a stroke at a Readings Bookstore in Melbourne, Victoria, and was taken to hospital. She died five days later, on 21 January 2023, at the age of 59.[2][3] She was survived by her husband, Andrew, and three children, Dominique, Harry and Charlie.[3]

Bibliography

  • Beatle Meets Destiny (2009)
  • The Reluctant Hallelujah (2012)
  • The Guy, The Girl, the Artist & his Ex (2015)
  • My Life as a Hashtag (2017)
  • It’s Not You, It’s Me (2021)

References

  1. ^ "Funeral Notice: Gabrielle Williams". deathsandfunerals.com.au. 27 January 2023. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Howell, Simmone (27 January 2023). "Bookseller, black belt, 'neon-bright' talent: the unfathomable loss of acclaimed Australian YA author Gabrielle Williams". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Vale Gabrielle Williams". Books+Publishing. 25 January 2023. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  4. ^ Lawn, Joy (16 May 2015). "Young adult fiction that's smart, sassy and steals the show". The Weekend Australian. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  5. ^ On, Thuy (20 June 2017). "Gabrielle Williams: The problems of teens and technology". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  6. ^ a b Lawn, Joy (18 November 2021). "It's Not You, It's Me by Gabrielle Williams: Author Interview". PaperbarkWords.blog. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  7. ^ "2021 Aurealis Awards Winners". Locus. 31 May 2022. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.