Elle Matthews's Biography

Elle Matthews was born in South Africa on August 11th, 1966. She attended school at Iona Convent in Pretoria, and studied psychology at the University of Cape Town. After graduating, she lectured English at Medical University of South Africa and worked at a number of children’s homes and children’s hospitals. She moved to KwaZulu Natal in to do research work on her novel, The Eternal Wait. Soon after, she joined Garden & Home magazine as a senior sub-editor and worked as a writer for Country Life magazine. She joined an advertising agency, where she ran the Public Relations Department and worked as a Strategic Planner and Account Director.

In 2000 Elle Matthews wrote and produced the award-winning international feature film, Oil on Water. She wrote the novel Oil on Water simultaneously, which was published in 2008. It centers on the relationship of a young, creative, and successful couple, Max and Anna, who are living happy and fulfilled lives – both doing what believe they were born to do – until the day Max hears a voice underwater while he is swimming. As Max starts experiencing more and more strange ‘phenomena’ it leads to his emotional withdrawal from Anna and the life they have shared. The change in Max is mirrored in the unraveling of Anna as she goes from contentment to utter hopelessness in the face of this incomprehensible change. Oil on Water is an intriguing exploration of life and art, loss and unconditional love, mental disorder and the search for meaning.

Elle Matthews has written a children’s book series, Animal Adventures in Africa, and the first in the series – An Elephant’s Tail – will be launched in 2008. Her next novel – The Boy on the Inside – will be published in 2009, and will follow on the publication of her non-fiction book, Your Soul Purpose: A Practical Guide to Living a Life of Purpose.