Linda Wells
I am a freelance writer, researcher and teacher. I have a PhD in the creative, post-colonial writing of Australian history; a Master of Arts (writing) and a Bachelor of Education.
My life began in Melbourne. As a young schoolteacher, in my 20s, I took a trip to Central Australia then stayed for most of my adult life. I have lived on remote Aboriginal communities as well as in Alice Springs and worked as a school teacher, writer and writing teacher. I also set up and ran a small business: Foot Falcon Guided Walking Tours of Alice Springs.
My books include
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Desert Tracks, middle years fiction that I co-authored with my daughter Marly
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Living in Tin: The Bungalow Alice Springs 1914 - 1929 which was recently awarded the Northern Territory Chief Minister's book award for non-fiction
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Murri Watch: the first 30 years published in 2021 - commissioned by Murri Watch
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Kultitja: Memoir of an outback schoolteacher, published in 2017
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Still A Town Like Alice: Alice Springs 1986 - 2008 - commissioned by the Alice Springs Town Council
Other commissions I have worked on include the Whispering in the River Reds pop up history exhibition for the Alice Springs Town Council in 2016 and the Yeperenye Centre 30th birthday celebrations in 2018. You can see the signs I wrote about the shopping centre's colourful past in the lift at the Yeperenye Shopping Centre. It's gotta be worth a trip to Alice Springs for that alone!
I was awarded First Prize in the memoir section of the Lane Cove Literary awards in 2017 for a short piece I wrote about a disingenuous lover. It's called 'A bushwalker's guide to love and other worms'. 'He was a worm' my mother said. You can read that story here.
I have many other publications of short stories, poetry and academic papers as well as quotes from my mother!
I am passionate about the use of creative non-fiction to change the stories we tell and our responses to them. In my PhD I explore how techniques of creative non-fiction can be used to inspire new, post-colonial Australian story-telling. I demonstrate this with a creative literary treatment of the Bungalow Alice Springs 1914 - 1929.
I believe in community and creativity. I am actively committed to a new world order that values people, the natural environment and a healthy and sustainable future.
