Pausacker won her first literary competition prize at the age of ten, shortly after the death of her father.
[1] She finished her first novel at the age of sixteen, whilst attending Methodist Ladies' College, Melbourne, though it was rejected.
She lectured in children's literature at Flinders University from 1975 until she obtained her PhD in that field in 1981.
[2] She has published over sixty books for children and young adults,[3] and also wrote reviews for The Australian for 5 years.
Dancing on Knives was shortlisted for the 2005 Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature.