About Fiona

Fiona Harris is an award-winning Australian author, scriptwriter, actor, and performer whose career spans more than twenty years across publishing, television, theatre, and live events. She is renowned for her versatility as both a creative writer and performer. Throughout her career, she has successfully combined work in children’s literature, television writing, acting, comedy, and public speaking, building a reputation for creating engaging stories that connect with audiences of all ages.

As an author, Fiona has written books for some of Australia’s leading publishers, including Affirm Press, Allen & Unwin, Scholastic Australia, Walker Books and Echo Publishing, with additional titles scheduled for release in 2026 and 2027. Her work spans middle-grade novels, adult fiction, picture books, junior fiction and biographies, often exploring themes of friendship, resilience, family, humour, and self-discovery. Among her most popular books are The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks, Diary of a Netball Star, and the Sleepover BFFs series, all of which have resonated strongly with young readers. She has also co-authored books with prominent Australian personalities and athletes, including The Strength of Hope, Holocaust survivor Abram Goldberg’s memoir; five books in Liz Watson’s junior fiction series, Diary of a Netball Star; three books in the Trolls series for Dreamworks; six books in Sam Kerr’s junior fiction series, Kicking Goals, and two picture books for footballer Marcus Bontompelli. She also co-authored the children’s book series, The Super Moopers, with Sally Rippin, and wrote four books in the Miraculous series, based on the animated kids TV series.

Alongside her publishing success, Fiona has enjoyed a substantial acting and writing career in Australian television, comedy, and theatre. She has appeared in a wide range of productions, including Wentworth, Skithouse, Offspring, Kenny, Upright, The Beautiful Lie, Beaconsfield, The Librarians, Tangle, The Time of Our Lives, Comedy Inc. – The Late Shift and The Ex-PM.

One of her most notable screen projects is The Drop Off, a web comedy series she co-created, co-wrote, and starred in with her husband, Mike McLeish. The series was later adapted into a Channel 9 telemovie (2021) and two novels. In 2025, Fiona and Mike co-adapted the script for the Dolly Parton musical, Here You Come Again, which played to audiences across Australia, including Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Newcastle, Canberra and Adelaide.

Her TV writing credits include sketch comedy shows, Flipside and Skithouse, head scriptwriter on ABC3’s Prank Patrol, and story consultant for Bed of Roses, The Time of Our Lives, and Seven Types of Ambiguity. She has also written and performed numerous Melbourne International Comedy Festival shows including Footy Chicks, Plus One and Halo Dolly.

In 2025, Fiona directed Nicole Gulasekharam’s acclaimed one‑woman show Casual Receptionist of the Quarter for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, hailed as “workplace comedy at its best” (★★★★★ The Age). The show went to Adelaide Fringe in March 2026 and is heading to the Edinburgh festival in August 2026.

Fiona is also a highly regarded speaker, presenter, and workshop facilitator who regularly works with schools, libraries, literary festivals, educators, and aspiring writers. Drawing on her extensive experience in publishing, screenwriting, and performance, she delivers engaging presentations that inspire creativity, storytelling, reading, and writing. Her workshops are known for being interactive, entertaining, and practical, providing participants with valuable insights into the writing process, character development, publishing, and creative careers. Whether speaking to young readers, emerging writers, educators, or industry professionals, Fiona combines humour, warmth, and real-world experience to encourage audiences to develop confidence in their own creative abilities.

She currently has a play in development with Essential Theatre, and is writing two books and two graphic novels in the Sleepover BFFs junior fiction series – all due for release in 2026 and 2027.

Use the links above to explore Fiona’s books, acting career, speaking engagements and school workshops, or get in touch to make a booking.