Jessica Townsend

Jessica Townsend grew up in Queensland, Australia. She wrote her first story at the age of 7, and it was published in a local library newsletter.{{Cite web|title=Jessica Townsend {{!}} 'Life is really silly and it's really serious' {{!}} The Bookseller|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/profile/jessica-townsend-life-really-silly-and-its-really-serious-567661|access-date=2020-11-07|website=www.thebookseller.com}} Townsend began writing what would become the first Nevermoor book the year she left high school. She worked as a copywriter for 8 years{{Cite web|date=2017-08-30|title=Jessica Townsend|url=http://www.thebentagency.com/portfolio/jessica-townsend|access-date=2020-11-07|website=The Bent Agency|language=en-US|archive-date=29 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629085826/http://www.thebentagency.com/portfolio/jessica-townsend|url-status=dead}} and at Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo for 5 years, including as an editor of its children's magazine Crikey! She moved to London at age 22 and has lived off and on in Queensland and London for the last 10 years. The sale of the Nevermoor books has allowed Townsend to become a full-time writer.

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow was Townsend's first novel. Interest in the publishing rights began at the 2016 Frankfurt Book Fair, and the rights were bid on by eight different publishing companies. Townsend chose to sell the rights to Hachette as part of a six-figure three-book contract. In 2019 the contract with Hachette was expanded for three more books.{{Cite web|title=HCG signs three new books in Townsend's Nevermoor series {{!}} The Bookseller|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/hcg-signs-three-more-townsend-s-nevermore-series-1013431|access-date=2020-11-07|website=www.thebookseller.com}} Townsend has stated that she has written plots for nine books in the series.

Jessica Townsend has referenced several literary influences for her writing. Written influences include Little Women, which she's called her favorite book, The Baby-Sitters Club, His Dark Materials, Wicked, Tomorrow When the War Began, No Gun for Asmir,{{Cite web|date=2019-01-15|title=Nevermoor series author Jessica Townsend on crafting diverse characters, comparisons to JK Rowling |url=https://www.firstpost.com/living/nevermoor-series-author-jessica-townsend-on-crafting-diverse-characters-comparisons-to-jk-rowling-5896241.html|access-date=2020-11-07|website=Firstpost}} and the Harry Potter series. Her work has been compared to that of J. K. Rowling,{{Cite web|last=On|first=Thuy|date=2018-01-04|title=Nevermoor review: Jessica Townsend and the appeal of children's fantasy|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/nevermoor-review-jessica-townsend-and-the-appeal-of-childrens-fantasy-20180104-h0ddhd.html|access-date=2020-11-07|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en}} and she has cited Rowling as a major influence, though she has also said that she is "just so gutted and so disappointed" by Rowling's anti-trans activism.{{cite news |last1=Heath |first1=Nicola |title=Jessica Townsend's Silverborn sees fantasy meet cosy crime in her latest book of the bestselling YA Nevermoor series |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-09/jessica-townsend-author-nevermoor-series-book-four-silverborn/105257788 |access-date=16 May 2025 |work=ABC News |date=9 May 2025}} Film influences include Willow and Return to Oz.

Critics have also noted similarities between the world of Nevermoor and contemporary London. In particular, Courage Square in the novels is inspired by Trafalgar Square and the Wunderground is inspired by the London Underground.

{{Main|The Nevermoor series}}

• Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (2017)
• Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (2018)
• Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow (2020){{Cite web|url=https://www.hachette.com.au/jessica-townsend/hollowpox-the-hunt-for-morrigan-crow-nevermoor-3|title=Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow: Nevermoor 3|website=Hachette Australia}}
• Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow (2025){{Cite web|date=24 August 2021|title=Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow: Nevermoor 4|url=https://www.hachette.com.au/jessica-townsend/silverborn-the-mystery-of-morrigan-crow-nevermoor-4|website=Hachette}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.hachette.com.au/jessica-townsend/ Jessica Townsend] at Hachette Australia

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Category:1985 births

Category:Writers from Queensland

Category:Living people

Category:People from Caloundra