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Jessie Stephens

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Jessie Stephens
Born1990[1]
Occupations
  • Author
  • Novellist
  • Editor
  • Television presenter
  • Podcast host

Jessie Stephens (born 1990)[1] is an Australian writer, editor, novellist, television presenter and podcast host. She is an executive editor for Mamamia's flagship podcast Mamamia Out Loud and co-hosts the show with Mia Freedman and Holly Wainwright.[2]

Stephens majored in Modern History and Gender Studies at the University of Sydney, and has a Master of Research.[3]

She joined the staff of Mamamia as an editorial assistant in 2015.[1]

Stephens has toured with her Mamamia Out Loud co-hosts as they present live shows in a similar format to the podcast to audiences around Australia.[4] They toured in 2018 (Tamworth, Newcastle, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Dubbo),[5] 2019 (Hobart, Brisbane, Perth, Darwin, Adelaide, Cairns, Orange, Geelong, Sydney),[6] 2022 (Orange, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne Sydney),[7] and 2024 (Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney).[8][9]

Stephens is also a regular presenter on television current affairs and talk show The Project.[10]

Books

Stephens is the author of two books published by Pan Australia: the non-fiction book Heartsick: Three Stories About Love And Loss, And What Happens In Between (2021)[11] and a novel, Something Bad is Going to Happen (2023).[12]

Heartsick was received very favourably. It was voted #8 in Booktopia's Favourite Australian Book (FAB) award for 2021[13] and was included in the top 101 recommended books for 2022 by major Australian bookseller Dymocks.[14] It was also shortlisted as general nonfiction book of the year at the Australian Book Industry Awards in 2022.[11] It was published internationally by Pan Macmillan in the UK[15] and by Henry Holt in the US.[16] Reviewer Rebecca Wu in Glam Adelaide highlighted Stephens' "wonderful skill of interweaving seemingly ordinary occasions of life in a way that tells a story without any drudgery. In fact, she makes it enticing."[17] Although Emily Paull's review in The AU Review was generally unfavourable, she acknowledged that "the ideas behind the book are strong, and that there is a need for more books which examine the not so happy endings in life, and don't hold romantic partnerships up to be the thing that completes us as humans."[18]

The enthusiastic reception of the book in the US led Sue Smethurst in The Australian to call Stephens "our [Australian literature's] next big thing".[19]

Something Bad is Going to Happen deals with themes of the mental health of its young protagonists. For this, it has been likened to "a modern-day Bell Jar",[20] and Alexandra Hill in The Australian called it "a very important new release."[21]

Personal life

Stephens' identical twin sister, Clare Stephens, also works for Mamamia.[1][3] In 2023, Jessie married Luca Lavigne, son of Mamamia founder Mia Freedman.[22][23] The couple's first child, Luna, was born later that year.[24]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wood, Stephanie (26 March 2021). "'The interdependence isn't healthy': the twins navigating life, love – and the same workplace". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Jessie Stephens: Executive Editor". Mamamia. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b "About". Thinkspo. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  4. ^ Hogan, Tamara (October 2019). "What Women Want". Duo. No. 155. Ayr, Queensland: Burdekin Local News. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  5. ^ Mamamia Team (7 September 2022). "Events". Facebook. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Upcoming Events". Mamamia. Archived from the original on 2019-08-01.
  7. ^ Mamamia Team (7 September 2022). "Buy your ticket to the Mamamia Out Loud Live tour". Mamamia. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  8. ^ Mamamia Team (13 March 2024). "Everything you need to know about our brand new live show". Mamamia. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Mamamia Out Loud LIVE". Mamamia Out Loud LIVE. Mamamia. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Jessie Stephens". Creative Representation. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Heartsick: Three Stories About Love And Loss, And What Happens In Between". Macmillan (Australia). Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Something Bad is Going to Happen". Macmillan (Australia). Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Nat's the way to do it! Social media sensation Nat's What I Reckon wins Booktopia's Favourite Australian Book Award" (PDF). Booktopia. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  14. ^ "TOP 101 2022". Dymocks. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Heartsick: Three Stories About Love And Loss, And What Happens In Between". Macmillan (UK). Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  16. ^ "Heartsick: Three Stories About Love And Loss, And What Happens In Between". Macmillan (US). Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  17. ^ Wu, Rebecca (14 January 2022). "Book Review: Heartsick, by Jessie Stephens". Glam Adelaide. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  18. ^ Paull, Emily (11 May 2021). "Book Review: Heartsick offers hope to the heartbroken but not much in the way of healing". The AU Review. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  19. ^ Smethurst, Sue (17 September 2021). "Heartsick author Jessie Stephens is our next big thing". The Australian. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Jessie Stephens". Q+A. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  21. ^ Hill, Alexandra (1 September 2023). "Jessie Stephens's new book Something Bad is Going to Happen examines the mental health struggles of young Australians". The Australian. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  22. ^ Jessie Stephens (17 November 2022). "My boss is about to become my mother-in-law. So I wrote a list of 7 rules for her to follow". Mamamia. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  23. ^ Jessie Stephens (14 June 2023). "'I got married at 6 months pregnant. Here's what I wish someone told me.'". Mamamia. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  24. ^ Jessie Stephens (17 August 2023). "JESSIE STEPHENS: Why it's so hard to tell the truth, the whole truth, about the first six weeks". Mamamia. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
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