About Liezl Shnookal: Award-Winning Australian Author and Novelist
Liezl Shnookal is an award-winning Australian author celebrated for her gripping storytelling and thought-provoking fiction. Specialising in coming-of-age novels, she explores themes of identity, self-discovery, relationships, and the courage to defy societal expectations. Her characters are bold, complex, and unafraid to challenge the status quo.
Her novels, Nikki vs Jess and Off Track, follow young adults as they navigate the highs and lows of forging their own paths in a world that often tries to hold them back.
Through layered narratives and emotionally resonant storytelling, Liezl captures what it means to break barriers — whether it's confronting gender norms, navigating difficult friendships, or chasing dreams against the odds. Her work speaks to readers who crave gritty, empowering fiction that stays with them long after the final page.
Writing Inspiration
Living on bush acreage near Naarm/Melbourne, Liezl draws inspiration from her love of the natural environment, people she knows who are different to the norm, and contemporary social issues. Her writing reflects these influences, and is praised for its emotional depth, sharp social insights, and immersive storytelling.
Literary Awards
Her latest novels, Nikki vs Jess and Off Track (Second Edition), both received the Literary Titan Gold Book Award (January 2024). One of her short stories, Sitting Beside Bushfire Survivors, was a winner in the Writers’ Web competition.
Academic Background
A dedicated writer and educator, Liezl has taught Creative Writing at Victoria University and holds a Master of Arts from Monash University, where she explored the craft of fiction writing. Her research involved workshopping multiple drafts of her novel Nikki vs Jess with readers and refining her writing based on their feedback. She also has a double major in English from La Trobe University.
Liezl Shnookal’s Books & Short Stories
Nikki vs Jess
A gripping feminist coming-of-age novel about identity, friendship, and breaking gender norms.
Off Track
A poignant coming-of-age story of love, rebellion, and self-discovery in 1970s Australia.
Fiddling While Rome Burns
A powerful short story about the reality of climate change and political denial.
Lost and Found
A bitter-sweet short story about a little boy, a lost dog and finding a way through life’s difficulties.
Sitting Beside Bushfire Survivors
A raw and emotional personal account of a catastrophic bushfire in Australia.
The Tide Turns
A satirical yet strangely hopeful short story about a dystopian future world and its Me-Gen inhabitants.
