Alex Grantham – Writer

Debut novel in development

Floodlight

I am a writer, social worker and facilitator creating stories that explore loss, resilience and the quiet power of human connection.


Why this story

Floodlight follows a young woman growing up in a flood-prone town, losing everything, and discovering who she becomes in the aftermath.

I didn’t come to that story through research. I spent years working in the Northern Rivers through flood and recovery: counselling primary producers in financial distress out of Lismore, supporting community research into how the 2022 floods affected people already on the margins, and training with Gender and Disaster Australia on how disaster falls unevenly along lines of gender and vulnerability.

What stays with me is not the water. It is what people do afterwards, and who they decide to become.


About my work

I write both fiction and non-fiction, and believe deeply in storytelling as a tool for reflection, healing and change.

Alongside Floodlight, I am developing a second novel and a growing collection of short stories. The second follows a bold female lead whose ability to draw attention unexpectedly leads her to help find people who have gone missing.

Community radio has always been my passion, and you can tune in to Make Change Happen to hear real people share their real experiences of change and what they learnt.

I bring deep experience in creating safe, trauma-aware and strength-based group spaces where creativity can unfold without pressure or judgement. I am a trainer for Lifeline and Gender and Disaster Australia, and I work in disability inclusion and neurodiversity. My facilitation style is warm, grounded and supportive, offering participants a space where their voices and stories are genuinely welcomed.

With a background in social work and education, my writing and facilitation are grounded in listening, empathy and lived experience. I am passionate about helping people reconnect with their creative voice and tell stories that matter. Alongside my writing, I offer counselling, supervision and resilience work through Tom’s Place.

An open notebook and fountain pen on a sunlit wooden desk

Recognition and background

Publications

  • Not as much as them‘, Grieve Project, Hunter Writers Centre, 2024
  • Not my boyfriend‘, Grieve Project, Hunter Writers Centre, 2024
  • Ready to go‘, Grieve Project, Hunter Writers Centre, 2019

Awards

Mentorships and residencies

Qualifications

  • Accredited Social Worker, Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
  • Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying), SCU
  • Bachelor of Psychological Science (partial), SCU
  • Bachelor of Communications, RMIT
  • Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing, CAE
  • Diploma of Management and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment

Facilitation and teaching

  • Trainer, DV-alert domestic violence response training, Lifeline Australia
  • Trainer, Gender and Disaster Australia
  • Associate Lecturer in Social Work and Community Welfare, Southern Cross University
  • Past Associate Director, Northern Rivers Community Foundation

Work with me

Writing workshops and retreats at ARC Studio in Bellingen and online, a monthly writers’ collective, and one-to-one coaching.