Alan Horsfield (1939-) - Sidelights

Alan Horsfield is an Australian-based author who has published more than fifty books, many of them educational texts in literacy and numeracy. His early writing was for children's magazines, newspapers, and journals. Later he began writing textbooks and factual books. His first children's fiction was published in 1996. Since then he has had more than fifteen works of fiction published, three of which are with Lothian Books. His works have been published in a number of English-speaking countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States.

Horsfield is a former teacher who has worked in state and private schools across New South Wales. He and his wife, Elaine, enjoy traveling and many of his stories reflect the places that he has visited.

Horsfield conducts writing workshops in schools in Australia and New Zealand for primary and secondary students. His main focus is on gifted and talented writers. In 2004 he served as writer in residence for Domremy College in Sydney. He is a past president of the New South Wales Children's Book Council and is a former judge for the New South Wales Premier's Book Awards. Since retiring from the educational field, he has devoted himself to writing. He told SATA that he "shuttles between Sydney and Fiji," where he has an office "overlooking a tranquil, tropical lagoon. A perfect place for inspiration."