Mardi McConnochie is an Australian author and playwright. She is the author of three novels, Coldwater, The Snow Queen, Fivestar, several plays and two books for children, Melissa, Queen of Evil and Dangerous Games. Born in Armidale, New South Wales, McConnochie was raised in Adelaide, South Australia. She has a PhD in English Literature from the University of Sydney. McConnochie's novels have grappled with questions about celebrity and the possibilities open to women and women artists. The first, Coldwater, transplants the Bront� sisters to a penal colony off the coast of New South Wales, using their plight to explore different approaches to art, life and love. It was shortlisted in the "Best First Book" category for the Commonwealth Writers Prize, and was named by The Washington Post as one of the Books of the Year. The second, The Snow Queen is set in Adelaide and tells the story of a former Russian ballerina stranded in post-war Australia. It saw McConnochie voted one of the Best Young Australian Novelists by The Sydney Morning Herald. 

February 2nd, 1971 in Armidale (Age 53)