Jack Heath (writer)

Infobox Writer
name = Jack Heath


pseudonym =
birthdate = birth date and age|1986|8|23|df=y
occupation = Novelist
nationality = AUS
genre = Young Adult Fiction
website = http://www.jackheath.com.au

Jack Heath, (born 23 August, 1986 in Sydney), is an Australian writer of young adult fiction. He has resided in Canberra since age 9 [" [http://www.jackheath.com.au/about.htm About page on Jack Heath's official website] ". "Jackheath.com.au". Retrieved 2008-04-20.] . Heath is best known for writing the "Six of Hearts" series, for being one of Australia's youngest bestselling authors, and for the high action content in his novels (his work is often compared to that of Matthew Reilly [" [http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:ByaosZD5jooJ:www.vate.org.au/vate.nsf/file/Online%2520Reviews/%24file/Jack%2520Heath%27s%2520The%2520Lab.doc+%22jack+heath%22%2B%22Matthew+Reilly%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=14&gl=au&client=firefox-a Victorian Association for Teachers of English review] ". "vate.org.au". Retrieved 2008-04-23.] and to the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz.)

Jack Heath's second book, "Remote Control" was shortlisted for the 2007 Aurealis Award for Best Science-Fiction Novel, and he is a finalist for the 2009 ACT Young Australian of the Year Award. Additionally, he stars as himself in several online short films (which he also wrote, directed, produced, and scored).

Notable characteristics and themes

Most of Jack Heath's works so far have contained one or more of the following elements: atonement/redemption, coming of age, commercialism, conspiracy, corruption, genetic experimentation, greed, heroism, nature vs. nurture, and self-sacrifice. However, Heath has been quoted as saying that he writes only "to entertain . . . to keep people entertained from the first page to the last. I'm not trying to force issues onto anyone." [Interview with Tom Doig, published in "Voiceworks" issue #65, 2006".]

The narrative is usually third-person, with frequent use of onomatopoeia and action scenes that utilize lots of description to create the effect of "slow motion". Another consistent element is the lack of a firm geographical setting; the nation and even the continent that the story takes place on is always ambiguous. (The "Six of Hearts" series is set in an overpopulated, capitalist metropolis known only as "the City".)

Heath is also known for his in-jokes - for instance, the names of many of his characters are anagrams of famous actors, (e.g. "Serfie Thaldurken" is an anagram of Kiefer Sutherland) and some of the firearms in his novels are named after fictional weapons from films such as Aliens. Similarly, his website includes humorous hidden captions behind several images, and the site's 404 error message has been replaced with a short story entitled "404".

Books

Stand alone novels

*2008 "Money Run" (Pan Macmillan Australia)

The Six of Hearts series

*2006 "The Lab" (Pan Macmillan Australia)
*2007 "Remote Control" (Pan Macmillan Australia, shortlisted for the Aurealis Award for Best Science-Fiction Novel, 2007 [" [http://www.aurealisawards.com/Finalists.htm List of finalists in the 2007 Aurealis Awards] ". "Aurealisawards.com". Retrieved 2008-04-20.] )
*2008 "404" (short story, published on jackheath.com.au)

tand alone short stories

*2006 "Sleep" (published in "Voiceworks", issue #65)
*2007 "The Mistress" (published in "Voiceworks", issue #68)
*2007 "Right-angles and hair" (published in "The Sex Mook")

References

External links

* [http://www.jackheath.com.au/ Jack Heath's official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/jackheath Jack Heath's official myspace]
* [http://www.theblurb.com.au/Issue65/JackHeath.htm Karin van Heerwaarden's interview with Jack Heath]