About the Author

Dr Karen Brooks - mother of two - has an international reputation for her work on popular culture. She is an Associate Professor of Media Studies at Southern Cross University in Lismore. She has established a national and international reputation for her work on popular culture and is constantly called upon to address seminars and conferences and provide in-service training and advice for educators, parents and other professionals within Australia and prepare papers/book chapters for publication overseas. Karen is also a dynamic and successful teacher, her courses being amongst the most popular at the university. In 2002, Karen was awarded the Vice-Chancellor's medal for outstanding teacher. Apart from the attention she has received for her ground-breaking courses and innovative research, Karen is also a columnist for The Courier Mail and is now a resident 'expert' on both Channel 7's Sunrise and Today/Tonight. She is also a regular on ABC's The Einstein Factor as part of the 'Brain's Trust'. Karen also writes for Copeland publishing, which produce the Child series of magazines offering advice on parenting and education throughout every capital city in Australia and which attract over one million readers. Author of the popular Cassandra Klein quartet and Rifts through Quentaris, in 2008. Karen's 1st non-ficition book Consuming Innocense: Pop culture and our Children was published by UQP in Feb 2008 attracting rave reviews. In recognition of the public debates and her academic and creative contributions to Australian and global society, she is sited in the inaugural edition of Who's Who of Australian Women 2007 and 2008. In 2009, she was made Honorary Senior Fellow of University of the Sunshine Coast in recognition of her 'outstanding contribution to the sunshine Coast region and the University,' at which she taught for over 11 years.