Laura Jean McKay

Laura Jean McKay is an Australian author who won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for The Animals in That Country (2021), a novel set during a pandemic in Australia that causes humans to understand animal communication. The novel was praised for its originality, emotional intensity, and its exploration of language and consciousness. McKay was born in Melbourne, Australia. She holds a PhD in creative writing from the University of Melbourne. The Animals in That Country was her debut novel and won the Arthur C. Clarke Award as well as the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Fiction. She continues to live and write in Australia.