James O'Loghlin is the author of Criminals, a novel exploring why and how ordinary people turn to crime. He's also a comedian, television and radio host, and has previously written ten books, including six novels for children (which have been nominated for, and won, four awards), and four non-fiction books (which haven't). James began his career as a corporate lawyer in 1991, quickly realised it wasn't for him, and changed course to become both a criminal lawyer and a stand-up comedian. He performed all over Australia (as a comedian, not a lawyer) including at four Melbourne International Comedy Festivals.
He has won the Variety award for Best Australian Comedy Performer. James has hosted four televisions shows, including The New Inventors on ABC-TV from 2004 to 2011, and hosted award-winning radio programmes on ABC Local Radio from 2000 to 2014. James was a script editor for Kitty Flanagan's ABC-TV comedy, Fisk. In 2021 his first play, Television, was shortlisted for The Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award and Highly Commended by The Silver Gull Play Award. However, the award he is most proud of was conferred on him by his fellow comedians, The Year's Best Comeback to a Heckler. James chats to Valerie Khoo, host of the podcast ‘So you want to be a writer’ and CEO of the Australian Writers' Centre
