Julie Watts

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Julie Watts OAM (born 1950) is an Australian author and publisher. She won the Dromkeen Medal in 2001.

Contents

Early life

Watts was born in Guildford, Surrey, England. Her mother worked in a second-hand bookshop after Julie was born. [1]

Career

Watts' first job was secretary to the editor of the Royal Institute of Chemistry. She started at Penguin as secretary in the publishing department. She was later promoted to publisher for books for children and young adults. [1]

Since 2005 Watts has worked as a freelance consultant.

Books

Recognition and awards

Watts received both the Pixie O'Harris Award for Distinguished and Dedicated Service to the Development and Reputation of Australian Children's Books [2] and, in 2001, the Dromkeen Medal for her contribution to children's literature. [3]

Watts was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for "service to literature" in the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours. [4]

Other achievements

The Victorian Society of Editors made a presentation based on a transcript from three books and a film of Julie Watts. Bruce Beresford directed the film version.

Note

Watts is not to be confused with the poet Julie Watts, [5] from Western Australia, who won the Blake Poetry Prize in 2017 and, in February 2018, the Dorothy Hewett Award for Legacy, an unpublished manuscript of collected poems [6]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Julie Watts, Editor and Publisher (Part 2)". Anthony Hill Books. 17 August 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  2. ↑ "The Art of Graeme Base Julie Watts". The Nile. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Dromkeen Medal". LA Trobe University. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "Ms Julie Deirdre Watts". It's An Honour. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  5. ↑ "Interview with Julie Watts". AustLit, The University of Queensland. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  6. ↑ "Julie Watts Wins the 2018 Dorothy Hewett Award". UWA Publishing. 24 February 2018. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
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