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Shirley Marr

Official Website of Shirley Marr, Author of Young Adult and Childrens Fiction

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LATEST NEWS

Little Jiang, a rollicking middle-grade caper about evil morticians, thousand-year-old fox spirits, Bagua Masters with laser blasters and a pint-size hopping Chinese vampire is OUT NOW in Australia and internationally!

Books + Publishing says “It’s impossible to adequately sum up the untameable punk spirit that thrums between the lines of Little Jiang; simply put, this book slaps.”

Order directly from publisher Fremantle Press, support your local bookshop or through Dymocks, Angus & Roberts, Amazon.com.au or Booktopia. International cats and kittens, hit up your favourite online store!

PRESS & MEDIA

Publishers Weekly Rights Report: Week of June 1, 2020 Krista Vitola at Simon & Schuster, Zoe Walton at Penguin Random House Australia, and Rebecca Hill at Usborne Publishing UK have bought A Glasshouse of Stars by Australian author Shirley Marr, marking her middle-grade debut in the U.S. and U.K. The story follows the immigration experience of an 11-year-old girl and is based on the real childhood story of the author, brushed with a touch of magic realism that includes magical gardens, cat gatekeepers, and an ever-changing house. Publication is planned for summer 2021; Gemma Cooper at … READ MORE about PRESS & MEDIA

Little Jiang Outtakes

To celebrate the release of Little Jiang, I present to you extra content! I had a colleague at work called Rodney. He asked if he could be in one of my novels. I made him into a chihuahua in Little Jiang. Unfortunately he didn't make the final cut, but you can relive all the dubious glory here in these four outtakes that were left on the … READ MORE about Little Jiang Outtakes

Meixing Lim and her family have arrived at the New House in the New Land, inherited from First Uncle who died tragically and unexpectedly while picking oranges in the backyard. Everything is vast and unknown to Meixing and not in a good way, including the house she has dubbed Big Scary. She is embarrassed by […]

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Mei Ling Pang was born at an inauspicious time on an inauspicious day, so wherever she goes, misfortune seems to follow. When Little Jiang hops out of his grave and into Mei’s life — strange clothes, greenish skin, fangs and all – Mei believes her luck has gone from bad to worse, especially once her […]

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If you had a second chance at love, would you do it all over again? Amy has enough to deal with for one lifetime. A superstitious Chinese mother. A best friend whose mood changes as dramatically as her hair colour. A reputation for being strange. The last thing she needs is to be haunted by […]

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Let me tell you my story. Not just the facts I know you want to hear. If I’m going to tell you my story, I’m telling it my way. Strap yourself in… Eliza Boans has everything. A big house. A great education. A bright future. So why is she sitting in a police station confessing […]

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Praise for A Glasshouse of Stars

Heart-twisting and hopeful, bursting with big feelings and gentle magic. This is a special book from a powerful, compassionate new voice in children’s literature.

Jessica Townsend (author of the Nevermoor series)

Praise for Little Jiang

It’s impossible to adequately sum up the untameable punk spirit that thrums between the lines of Little Jiang; simply put, this book slaps.

Books+Publisher Magazine

PRAISE FOR PRELOVED

Preloved is full of warmth, humour and retro supernatural. Will appeal to girls who love Twilight … and especially to those who don’t.

The West Australian

PRAISE FOR FURY

…Eliza, a stand-up comic voice replete with the conventions of oral comedy: deliberate verbal red herrings, asides, careful timing, punchlines, one liners. To me, Marr’s character Eliza is a modern and very upmarket version of Kylie Mole.

Marlyn MacDonald (Perilous Adventures)

About the Author

Shirley Marr is a first generation Chinese-Australian living in sunny Perth and an author of Young Adult and children’s fiction. LITTLE JIANG, a spirited Middle Grade book featuring a pint-sized Chinese vampire is OUT NOW through Fremantle Press. A GLASSHOUSE OF STARS, a contemporary migration novel based on her childhood story is set to be published internationally in mid 2021 by Penguin Random House (AUS), Simon … Read More about About the Author

Follow Me

Congrats to @nadialking on the fully sold out laun Congrats to @nadialking on the fully sold out launch of The Lost Smile at the Subiaco Library last night! It was so special, especially hearing about Nadia’s family stories! The origami lesson was so fun, but as you can see, I accidentally made a diamond instead  #mydiamondsstaywithyou. Can you believe she asked me to give the welcome speech? 😭😭😭 and she gave me this present too? 😭😭😭 Also, always a pleasure to catch up with @imanitheauthor 💜💜
Thank you @nadialking for lending me this enchanti Thank you @nadialking for lending me this enchanting sounding (and looking) story by @direleafehall, she is my most trusted book recommender! I love a bit of gentle middle-grade magic!
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Publisher’s Blurb: Lonely orphan Wonder Quinn lives in the attic of Direleafe Hall with only a gloomy crow for company. Every year she hopes to make a true friend and every year her heart breaks when she doesn’t.

But when a spirited new student, Mabel Clattersham, befriends her in class, Wonder’s dreams seem to be coming true. As the girls grow closer, Wonder discovers her friend has a list of strange wishes: Throw a pie, leap into the sky, break someone’s heart…

What is Mabel’s big secret? Can Wonder protect her heart from being broken all over again?

The Heartsong of Wonder Quinn is an enchanting tale celebrating friendship, bravery and the importance of staying true to yourself.
I always make a stop at this tiny treasure cave wh I always make a stop at this tiny treasure cave whenever I’m in Mandurah, I feel so sad that book exchanges are dying out cos there used to be one at my local shops when I was young. This is my haul #holidayreading
On a very sunny summery holiday upon the canals of On a very sunny summery holiday upon the canals of Halls Head and have decided to start a dark new MS which is set in cold, grimy inner city. Also, my choice of holiday reading as you can is not exactly cheery #sobeit Maybe I just carry the darkness inside of me? @writermoss, maybe this is DARK CHEER??
Look at my tower of American ARCs! PM me if you’ Look at my tower of American ARCs! PM me if you’d like a copy for review if you’re located in Aus 😘😘😘 PS: also super pleased with my beautiful new Bowie book, thanks for the Christmas present JR!
One last surprise before the year is out, a parcel One last surprise before the year is out, a parcel curtesy of @simonandschuster from America containing 25 Advanced Readers Copies of A Glasshouse of Stars! And if you’re an Aussie author like me, you know how valuable it is to get even one ARC, so to get 25... I’m not crying, it’s just raining on my face, shudup! 😭😭😭
Lol! Such a surprise to scroll through @perthnow, Lol! Such a surprise to scroll through @perthnow, see my face and then scroll back up. Now that I’m a minor celebrity, Vic Park might not be enough for me, please suggest areas a Gentlewoman Bogan might aspire to move up to #jk #vicparklyfe. I’ll chuck the link in my bio!
My last book of 2020 I believe! And this is why we My last book of 2020 I believe! And this is why we need #diversevoices! Such a funny, authentic and at times confronting (it needs to be) novel that is so full of heart. The messaging behind it - to really understand, hear the voices and live the lives of disadvantaged Muslim youth - is so important. It had me cheering in the sidelines! I know nothing about rugby, but I read this book in almost one sitting. I was so absorbed by the Punchbowl setting, invested in each individual character and the Lebanese culture was just so richly described (I also nodded a lot and went uh-huh at things I could relate to, because you know #immigrantparents). This book makes you feel like you wished the author was your best friend. One of my favorites reads of this year! 
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Blurb: Meet Tariq Nader, leader of ‘The Wolf Pack’ at Punchbowl High, who has been commanded by the new principal to join a football competition with his mates in order to rehabilitate the public image of their school. When the team is formed, Tariq learns there’s a major catch – half of the team is made up of white boys from Cronulla, aka enemy territory – and he must compete with their strongest player for captaincy of the team.

At school Tariq thinks he has life all figured out until he falls for a new girl called Jamila, who challenges everything he thought he knew. At home, his outspoken ways have brought him into conflict with his family. Now, with complications on all fronts, he has to dig deep to control his anger, and find what it takes to be a leader.

In confronting and often hilarious situations, Tariq’s relationships with his extended Lebanese family and his friends are tested like never before, and he comes to learn that his choices can have serious consequences.
I am absolutely thrilled to receive as an early Ch I am absolutely thrilled to receive as an early Christmas present, this Advanced Readers Copy of A Glasshouse of Stars from @penguinbooksaus today! How beautiful is it and how much care has been taken into its design and production? #heartinmouth #thankyou #idontwantalotforchristmas

 

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