Mary-Lou Stephens was born in Tasmania, studied acting at The Victorian College of the Arts and played in bands in Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney. Eventually she got a proper job - in radio, where she was a presenter and music director, first with commercial radio and then with the ABC.

She received rave reviews for her memoir Sex, Drugs and Meditation (2013), the true story of how meditation changed her life, saved her job and helped her find a husband.

Mary-Lou has worked and played all over Australia and now travels the world slowly and writes, mostly.

Her debut novel The Last of the Apple Blossom was published by HarperCollins (HQ) in 2021.

The Chocolate Factory (HarperCollins HQ) 2024.

The Jam Maker (HarperCollins HQ) 2025

The Hobart Hotel (HarperCollins HQ) 2026

Praise for The Chocolate Factory

"I devoured it in one sitting. It's an absolute treat - totally enthralling and completely and utterly satisfying. It's another triumph for Mary-Lou Stephens. " – Karen Brooks, best selling author of The Good Wife of Bath

"Sweet and bitter, and a story that’s brightly compelling and thought-provoking at once. With Stephen’s fine eye for historical detail and ear for dialogue that’s just right, this novel is a lovely leap into the past." – Kim Kelly winner of the Finlay Lloyd 20/40 Prize

Praise for The Last of the Apple Blossom

‘What a cracker of a debut! A beautiful story of family and orchards, of secrets and love and forgiveness.' – Victoria Purman, author of The Women’s Pages

‘The crisp prose sparkles and the characters stay with you long after the story ends.' – Lauren Chater, author of Gulliver’s Wife

‘Timeless yet also telling an achingly familiar story to us here and now, this is an unforgettable tale of love and loss, triumph and tragedy.
– Karen Brooks, author of The Good Wife of Bath

'Mary-Lou Stephens writes evocatively about family secrets, love, sacrifice, and finding the courage to rise again after devastating loss. An engrossing and poignant story, beautifully told.'
— Christine Wells, author of Sisters of the Resistance


'I have long been a fan of Mary-Lou's writing, which is always evocative and compelling. What a wonderful story this is, set at such a poignant moment in Tasmania's history. I loved it.'
— Josephine Moon, author of The Tea Chest and The Jam Queens

Praise for Sex, Drugs and Meditation

"Bracingly honest, funny and rewarding, this is a book you can't put down." Sydney Morning Herald.

"Perfection. Sex, Drugs and Meditation is one of the best memoirs I have read in years. Humble, witty and so very, very true. All I wanted was for this book never to end." --Walter Mason, The Universal Heart Book Club.

"A bad girl antidote to Eat, Pray, Love." Courier Mail.