Jackie Bailey is a professional writer and researcher and a recognised international expert on cultural diversity in the arts. She runs BYP Group, often appears on arts industry panels and conferences, is a regular contributor to ArtsHub, has a Creative Writing PhD from UNSW and is on the Board of Merrigong Theatre Company. Her work has been published widely, including in the Roots anthology from the 2020 SBS Emerging Writers' Competition. Jackie is also an ordained interfaith minister, trained deathwalker and practising funeral director.
‘With searing honesty and gentle humour, Jackie Bailey nails the complexity of familial love and the effects of intergenerational trauma. Jackie has bled her soul into these pages, and we are wiser and more enlightened for it. A remarkable, life-affirming meditation on grace and forgiveness.’ – Alice Pung 'Trust Bailey to lead you through the combustible emotional landscape she has drawn so finely, and so wisely. A propulsive, powerful, important debut.' – Sarah Krasnostein 'Jackie Bailey has made a beautiful big-hearted book, alight with wonder and rich with wisdom. The prose hums with vitality, tenderness, often a cheeky lightness of touch, and confronting, moving revelations about the human condition. This book broke my heart and then mended it again as I laughed, cried and exhaled with relief at every turn of the page.' – Roanna Gonsalves 'Jackie Bailey's work is masterclass on death, loss, grief and love. In The Eulogy she deftly unpicks and unpacks one sprawling family and asks: how should we live? Required reading for those who will one day die or know someone who will.' – Hayley Scrivenor 'As encompassing as it is intimate and personal.' – Julie Keys ‘…a propulsive story of race, loss and love.’ – Steph Harmon, The Guardian 'a story that will stay with the reader long after the end' – Fay Helfenbaum, Books+Publishing '...gripping, insightful and deeply empathetic.' – Ellen Cregan, Kill Your Darlings '...one of the best first novels I can remember reading in a long time' – Michael McKernan, The Canberra Times 'Will undoubtedly stay with readers long after the last page' – Janet Guan, Marie Claire 'The Eulogy will translate well to the screen for whichever production house is fast and smart enough to secure the rights.' – Elizabeth Walton, ArtsHub '...an impressive debut.' – Carina Bruce, The Herald Sun