Lystra Rose is a multi-award-winning and internationally published author of young adult fiction as well as adult non-fiction and poetry. Lystra is a Guugu Yimithirr, Birri Gubba and Mua woman with Chinese and Scottish heritage, living and surfing on the unceded lands of the Yugambeh speakers (Gold Coast). She visits Sea Country every day.
Lystra’s debut novel ‘The Upwelling’ collected seven awards, including Winner of the 2023 NSW Premier’s Ethel Turner Prize (Young People’s Literature), the 2023 Victorian Premier’s Literary Prize (Indigenous Writing) and the State Library of Queensland’s 2018 black&write! Fellowship. Lystra was shortlisted for the 2023 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards (Young Adult Literature).
An enthusiastic word-herder, Lystra is also the editor-in-chief of Surfing Life magazine—the first female editor of a mainstream surf mag in the world (for over five years). Lystra is trilingual and enjoys painting in short sessions—just enough time to complete a pair of earrings as long as there’s great music, conversation, or both.
Lystra is penning ‘The Upwarping’ and ‘The Upworlding’ (the final books of her YA trilogy), implementing a ‘cultural education by stealth’ methodology.
PUBLICATION HISTORY
– Hachette Australia (by Lothian’s Children’s Books) published The Upwelling on 31 August 2022 (369 pages, Paperback, ISBN 9780734420251 [ISBN10: 0734420250] ASIN 0734420250 Language: English)
– Hachette UK released The Upwelling in UK stores and online on 31 March 2023
– Hachette US released The Upwelling in US/Canada stores and online on 11 July 2023
– Surfing Life magazine (print and digital distributed Australia-wide and globally) published 24 poems and 94 articles from 2019 to present (Issue 374 AUTUMN 2025)
– Gold Coast Indigenous Artist Camp South Stradbroke Island publication Hidden Midden: Uncovering Truth in 2019 featured poem ‘Unshakeable’
AWARDS
– 2024 Griffith University Outstanding Alumni Award winner – academic group winner for Arts, Education and Law as a First Peoples Alumnus
– 2023 Winner of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Indigenous Writing (The Upwelling)
– 2023 Winner of the NSW Premier’s Literary Award for the Ethel Turner Prize for Young People’s Literature (The Upwelling)
– 2023 Shortlist for NSW Premier’s Literary Award for the UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing (The Upwelling)
– 2023 Shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards for Young Adult Literature (The Upwelling)
– 2023 Shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing(The Upwelling)
– 2023 Shortlisted for the Reading’s Young Adult Prize (The Upwelling)
– 2023 Longlisted for the ARA Historical Novel Prize in the Children and Young Adult category (The Upwelling)
– 2018 Winner of the State Library of QLD’s 2018 black&write fellowship (The Upwelling manuscript)
ALUMNI/MEMBERSHIP
– Griffith University Alumni (2004 – present)
– SL black&write! Alumni (2018 – present)
– Gold Coast Indigenous Artist Alumni (2019 – present)
– FNAWN (First Nations Australia Writers Network) member (2020 – present)
– Yugambeh Youth Choir Community support member (2020 – present)
– Australian Society of Authors member (2020 – present)
– Varuna Alumni (2024 – present)
– Copyright Agency member (2024 – present)