Background

Ian Bone was born on October 11, 1956, in Geelong, Australia, to Max (a factory foreman) and Val (a secretary; maiden name, Craven) Bone.

Education

Ian Bone attended Rusden State College. Bone also received a diploma in art from Australian Film and Television School in 1981.

Career

Bone started out as a director and producer for Australian television, where he worked on such television series as Play School, Couch Potato, and Finders Keepers. More recently, Bone has been writing scripts for the Australian television program Here's Humphrey. Bone's first novel for young adults was Fat Boy Saves World. In this story, sixteen-year-old Susan Bennett must deal with her older brother Neat, who has not spoken a word in eight years. When he finally does speak, Neat says something surprising: "I want to save the world." With the help of Todd, a young actor friend, Neat gets a chance to appear on community television. But while Neat gains an audience to hear what he has to say, Susan is still trying to figure out why her brother refused to speak for so long. The answer leads her into family secrets and a confrontation with her parents.

In The Song of an Innocent Bystander Bone tells the story of nineteen-year-old Freda. Ten years before, Freda had been a hostage during the robbery of a fast-food restaurant. The gunman was an ex-employee who blamed the restaurant chain for damaging the environment, and during a thirty-six-hour standoff, he murdered two people. Now Freda meets a young man who seems to know too much about her involvement in that terrible experience. The meeting forces Freda to confront the emotional damage caused by the incident when she became unexpectedly attached to the gunman despite his violence and the fear he caused.

Ian's works are published in the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, and Korea. A graduate of the Australian Film and Television School, he has made many award-winning TV programs and creates online educational programs and e-learning for tertiary students in his spare time.

Achievements

• Ian Bone has authored over twenty-five books, which have been commended and shortlisted in numerous awards, including the NSW Premier's Award, the Ned Kelly Awards for crime fiction (twice) and the Family Awards for Children's Literature. He has nine titles that have been included in the Notable Books list by the Children's Book Council of Australia, including Sleep Rough Tonight, published in 2004. His novel The Song of an Innocent Bystander was shortlisted for the South Australian Festival Awards for Literature, the Children's Book Council Book of the Year Awards, was nominated for inclusion on the American Library Association's Best Books for Young Adults list, and is being adapted by a major Australian film director into a feature film.

Works

More photos

• audiobook

  • Philomena Wonderpen is a Very Naughty Teacher

    (The first book in a witty and magical new series from acc...)

  • Philomena Wonderpen: Philomena Wonderpen is a Teeny Weeny Doll

    (Here's the second book in the witty and magical Philomena...)

• book

  • Sleep Rough Tonight

    (When he gets out of the detention center for serving time...)

    2004
  • Time Trap

    (Kaz’s life hasn’t been going so great since her dad lost ...)

  • Love Cuts

    (Love: noun: 1. a strong or passionate affection for anoth...)

    2006
  • Tin Soldiers 2000
  • Fat Boy Saves World 1998
  • Fast Forward 2003

Politics

Bone describes his political views as: “The politics of tolerance and reason.”

Connections

Ian Bone is married to Elizabeth Hetzel since February 1985. They have three children: Jack, Elinor, and Bridget.

Father:

Max Bone

Mother:

Val (Craven) Bone

Spouse:

Elizabeth Hetzel

Son:

Jack Bone

Daughter:

Elinor Bone

Daughter:

Bridget Bone

References

• Contemporary Authors, Vol. 189
  2001