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Meg Gatland-Veness is a powerful emerging voice for young Australians. Born in a tiny, country town called Milton, she grew up on the Central Coast before going to the University of Newcastle to study a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in English and Drama, as well as a Bachelor of Secondary Teaching. Writing stories for as long as she can remember and reading them for even longer, Meg always carries a notebook with her in case inspiration strikes or she encounters a beautiful new word. Equally heartfelt is her passion for championing local youths and promoting important conversations about themes like love, sexuality, bullying, suicide, grief and trauma. Inspired not only by her career as a high school teacher in both Australia and London, but also her own personal school experiences, Meg wrote I Had Such Friends, a poignant and important YA debut about self-discovery, grief and the tragic power of silence in rural Australia. Her writing urges readers to notice the gaps in another's words and question the parts we play in somebody else's story. Meg is a high school Drama teacher living on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Other than writing novels, she channels her unending creativity into choreographing and directing musicals, writing poetry, singing and ballet, as well as playing tennis, volleyball and soccer.
'It’s clear that as a teacher and champion of local youth, Australian debut author Meg Gatland-Veness has first-hand experience with teenagers and it really shows in this, her impressive debut novel, I Had Such Friends. This is apparent in the authentic voice of Hamish that provides insight into a multitude of teen struggles. Isolation, bullying, grief and self-discovery, are just a few of the areas that she explores.' Better Reading 'I Had Such Friends may encourage teens to reflect on the dynamics of their own school yard and how there may be more going on beneath the surface than they know.' Better Reading 'The juxtaposition of the harsh realities of death, bullying, domestic violence and life on the land against the beauty of sacrificial love made for a most compelling narrative.' Mike Botham 'The main characters were beautifully drawn; well-rounded, flawed. They took me back to my own high school experience decades ago.' Mike Botham 'I Had Such Friends is a thought-provoking novel that, although developing quite slowly, eventually provides many unexpected twists and a surprisingly emotive finale.' Andrea Brunt, Glam Adelaide 'It’s clear that as a teacher and champion of local youth, Australian debut author Meg Gatland-Veness has first-hand experience with teenagers and it really shows in this, her impressive debut novel, I Had Such Friends. This is apparent in the authentic voice of Hamish that provides insight into a multitude of teen struggles. Isolation, bullying, grief and self-discovery, are just a few of the areas that she explores.' Better Reading Magazine 'Megan Gatland-Veness, who teaches Drama at high school on NSW’s Central Coast, has plumbed the deepest of teenage concerns about prejudice, bullying, sexuality, abuse, neglect, unrequited love and suicide.' Andrew Hill, Out in Perth 'A gripping look at adolescent pain with a narrative maturity that accurately reflects its YA milieu, I Had Such Friends resonates with young adult audiences and pushes them to reflect on their own ""sliding doors’ moment"".' DuffyThe Writer Blog 'I Had Such Friends is a powerful and poignant debut from Australia author Meg Gatland-Veness that draws its readers into a beautifully written story about growth, pain and the power of self-discovery. Meg Gatland-Veness explores some very powerful themes through the story including bullying, first love, sexual orientation, suicide, abuse and death, weaving them together to create an emotional and thought provoking story that definitely tugs at the heart.' Rachel, The Rest is Still Unwritten 'This book was powerful and beautifully written, and I would read it again without a second thought.' georgiasbookishthoughts
