In her much-loved debut novel, Kate Grenville took inspiration from the legendary Sydney eccentric Bea Miles to fashion the fictional life of Lilian Singer: from irrepressible girlhood in a cruel middle-class family, under a monstrous father, to independence and, later, old age as a Shakespeare-quoting bag lady, living on the streets and descending cheerfully into madness. Bold and exuberant, richly imaginative and intimate, Lilian?s Story won the 1984 Australian/Vogel Literary Award and was immediately acclaimed as a masterpiece. Kate Grenville is one of Australia?s most celebrated writers. Her international bestseller The Secret River was awarded local and overseas prizes, has been adapted for the stage and as an acclaimed television miniseries, and is now a much-loved classic. Grenville?s other novels include Sarah Thornhill, The Lieutenant, Dark Places and the Orange Prize winner The Idea of Perfection. Her most recent books are two works of non-fiction, One Life: My Mother?s Story and The Case Against Fragrance, and the bestselling 2020 novel A Room Made of Leaves. She has also written three books about the writing process. In 2017 Grenville was awarded the Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature. She lives in Melbourne.