Bio

Ailsa Piper has worked with words her whole life – as a writer, director, actor, teacher, speaker, audiobook narrator and broadcaster.

As a writer, she works across many mediums. Highlights include being named co-winner of the Patrick White Playwright’s Award for her script Small Mercies in 2001; and publishing her first book Sinning Across Spain in 2012. She then co-authored, with Tony Doherty, a book of correspondence called The Attachment: Letters From A Most Unlikely Friendship, which was published in 2017. Ailsa also co-adapted an acclaimed version of The Duchess of Malfi.

Her latest book, For Life, is a celebration of the art of moving forward, staring down grief to hear the natural world calling to her.

Ailsa has judged the NSW and Victorian Premier's Literary Awards on six occasions. She is an accomplished moderator of conversations and panels, and writes journalism and opinion pieces for newspapers and magazines. She also writes and performs her Wordwalks – monologues celebrating poetry, walking and landscape, which she performs in all weathers, as you’d expect!

Short bio

Ailsa Piper's first book was the travel memoir Sinning Across Spain. Then came The Attachment: Letters from a most unlikely friendship, which was co-authored with Tony Doherty. She has written for radio and theatre, and her script Small Mercies was co-winner of the Patrick White Playwright's Award. Ailsa also worked as an actor and director for many years and is an accomplished audiobook narrator.