Rosemary Hayes facts for kids
Rosemary Hayes is a British author born on December 10, 1942. She has written about 50 books for young readers, from age seven up to teenagers. She also helped edit many other books. Rosemary worked for Cambridge University Press and later started her own publishing company, Anglia Young Books.
Early Life and Learning
Rosemary Hayes grew up in the countryside of Berkshire, England. As a child, she loved to read. She was especially inspired by books from authors like Elizabeth Goudge and the Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis.
She went to Brightwalton Primary School from 1947 to 1950. Later, she attended St Gabriel’s, Sandleford Priory in Newbury. In 1970, she decided to study Creative Writing at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
Her Career as a Writer
Rosemary Hayes started her career in advertising and marketing before becoming a writer. She also worked for Cambridge University Press from 1986 to 2001. One of her jobs there was to organize a national writing contest for children. This competition, called The Cambridge Young Writers’ Award, received thousands of stories from young writers.
In 1989, Rosemary launched her own publishing company named Anglia Young Books. This company published historical fiction books for primary schools. She sold Anglia Young Books in 2000. However, she continued to help the new owners find and develop books for several more years.
Rosemary has written more than 45 books for children and is still writing new ones. Her very first novel, Race Against Time, was set in Australia. It was a runner-up for the Kathleen Fidler Award in 1988. Many of her other books have also been nominated for awards. You can find more details on her official website.
Today, Rosemary Hayes teaches Creative Writing to adults in Letchworth. She also leads fun writing workshops in different schools across England. She has lived and worked in countries like France, the USA, and Australia. She has also traveled widely in Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East. Her research for books like Forgotten Footprints and The Blue-eyed Aborigine took her to the Netherlands and the Shipwreck Museum in Freemantle.