Janette Turner Hospital (BA, UQ, 1965) grew up in Brisbane and was educated at Wilston State, Michelton High, UQ, and Kelvin Grove Teachers' College. 

She taught high school north of Cairns, but since her post-graduate degrees in Canada, she has  taught in universities in Canada, Australia, England, France, USA.  

She has won a number of  prizes for her 8 novels and 3 short story collections, which are published in 12 languages. 

In 2003, she won the Queensland Premier's Literary Award, the Patrick White Award, and  a Doctor of Letters honoris causa from UQ.  She holds an endowed chair as Carolina Distinguished Professor of English at the University of South Carolina.