Steven Amsterdam

Author

Steven Amsterdam has been writing for decades, producing everything from speeches for the Tokyo Auto Show to little artsy dance reviews in free weeklies. His most recent book, What the Family Needed (Sleepers, 11/2011) was a chosen as a Great Read by Women’s Weekly. Already the book has been called “exhilarating” by The Australian and “strange and marvellous territory” by The Monthly. His first book, Things We Didn’t See Coming won The Age Book of the Year, was longlisted for The Guardian First Book Award, and has been printed to acclaim in the US and the UK this year, with French and Dutch editions. It has been selected for the VCE reading list for 2011 and 2012. He works as a palliative care nurse on some days and works on his next book on other days.

Romy Ash

Author

Romy Ash’s debut novel Floundering, described by Robert Drewe as ‘suspenseful, tough and moving’, was shortlisted for the 2011 Vogel Award. She also writes short fiction and non-fiction that has been published in various journals and magazines.

Hilary Badger

Author

Hilary is the author of the Space Scout series, which follows the adventures of Kip Kirby, an intrepid space explorer. Hilary’s alter-ego is H.I. Larry, the mysterious author of the popular Zac Power series.

Max Barry

Author

Max Barry is an Australian who pretended to sell high-end computer systems for Hewlett-Packard while secretly writing his first novel, Syrup. In fact, he still has the laptop he wrote it on because HP forgot to ask for it back, but keep that to yourself. He went on to publish Jennifer Government and Company. His fourth book, Machine Man, is due in 2011 and is based on a real-time interactive serial Max wrote and delivered online one page per day.

Myke Bartlett

Author

Myke Bartlett is a journalist and critic whose debut novel, Fire In The Sea, won the 2011 Text Prize. When not writing fiction, Myke writes on politics, movies, pop culture and rock music. His work has been published in The Age, Dumbo Feather, Overland, Triple J Magazine, Metro, Cream Magazine and The Big Issue, among others.

Catherine Bateson

Author

Catherine Bateson has won the CBCA Book of the Year for Younger Readers twice and received three Honour Book Awards, including one for Older Readers. She teaches in the Professional Writing and Editing course at TAFE but is also available for school visits, to talk about both fiction writing and poetry.

Tony Birch

Author

Tony Birch is a writer of short fiction, novels and essays. He is also an educator and teacher of writing and history.

Paul Carter

Author

Paul’s novel Eleven Seasons won the 2012 Australian/Vogel’s Award. He has a keen interest in the experience of contemporary adolescence and its connections with popular culture, as is reflected in his work.

Tom Cho

Author

Sherryl Clark

Author

Sherryl Clark writes stories for all ages – from picture books to verse novels and novels for middle/older readers. She loves inventing characters and doing research, and then weaving the amazing things she discovers into all kinds of stories.

Sean Condon

Author

Kate Constable

Author

Kate Constable is the author of the acclaimed and internationally published fantasy trilogy, The Chanters of Tremaris. She has also written three realist books for teenagers as part of the highly successful Girlfriend Fiction series. Her recent fantasy for younger readers, Cicada Summer, has been short listed for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards and Crow Country won the CBCA Book of the Year (Younger Readers) in 2012.

Cath Crowley

Author

Cath Crowley is the author of the Gracie Faltrain trilogy, Chasing Charlie Duskin, Graffiti Moon and Rosie Staples’ Minor Magical Misunderstanding.

For school visits in Victoria in 2013, Cath’s available dates are limited to Book Week (19-23 August).

Daniel Ducrou

Author

Daniel Ducrou’s first novel, The Byron Journals (Text Publishing, 2010), tells the story of an eighteen-year-old classical musician from Adelaide who goes off the rails on a schoolies trip to Byron Bay.

Amy Espeseth

Author

Born in rural Wisconsin, Amy Espeseth immigrated to Australia in the late 1990s and lives in Melbourne. A writer, publisher and academic, Amy lectures in both writing and publishing at NMIT.

Corinne Fenton

Author

Corinne Fenton has a passion for picture books, especially those that have a connection with history. Her picture books are read by four to ninety-four year olds.

Lee Fox

Author

Lee Fox writes hilarious stories in rollicking rhyme about the things children do not like doing. She cleverly disguises literacy concepts in her stories so that young readers don’t even know they are learning.

Morris Gleitzman

Author

Morris is one of Australia’s most successful authors. He was born in England and emigrated to Australia in 1969 so he could escape from school and become a Very Famous Writer. Before realising that dream, he had a colourful career as a paperboy, department store Santa Claus and chicken defroster. Morris is the author of some of Australia’s favourite children’s books, including Two Weeks with the Queen, Boy Overboard, Once, Then, and Grace.

Jane Godwin

Author

Jane Godwin is the Publisher, Books for Children and Young Adults, at Penguin Books Australia. She is also a highly acclaimed author of many books for children.

Leanne Hall

Author

Leanne Hall is an author of young adult fiction, and a children’s specialist at an independent bookstore. Her first novel, This Is Shyness, won the Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing in 2009.

Leanne will take expressions of interest for residencies with schools in Western Australia and other states in 2012.

Rosalie Ham

Author

Rosalie Ham completed a Bachelor of Education majoring in Drama and Literature, then went on to complete a Master of Arts, Creative Writing at RMIT in 2007, simultaneously completing two best selling novels.

John Harms

Author

H J Harper

Author

When H.J. Harper was growing up in WA, she wanted to be either a mad scientist or an author. She now lives in Victoria and writes books for younger readers, like the action-packed Star League series, but is still working on her Mad Science PhD.

Karen Healey

Author

Karen Healey is a young adult author of contemporary fantasy and science fiction for tomorrow’s heroines. A New Zealander living in Australia, she’s a fan of baking, feminism, and World of Warcraft.

Robert Hillman

Author

Robert Hillman has published more than sixty works of fiction and non-fiction. His books feature in school libraries all over Australia and his autobiography, The Boy in the Green Suit, won the 2005 Australian National Biography Award. His publications cover sports, Australian history, nation building, Young Australian achievers, and the plight of refugees and asylum seekers

Simmone Howell

Author

Simmone Howell has written everything from advertorials to short plays to soap opera dialogue. But mainly, she writes realistic teenage fiction and runs zine workshops.

George Ivanoff

Author

George Ivanoff is the author of the Gamers series of teen novels, set inside a computer game world, as well as many other works for young people. His books appear on both the Vic and NSW Premiers' Reading Challenge booklists. He enjoys speaking to all age levels from primary school through to adult.

Carol Jones

Author

Carol Jones has been a teacher, children’s magazine editor and publisher. She has written more than 40 books for children, including educational fiction and non-fiction, eight novels and trade non-fiction.

Toni Jordan

Author

Toni Jordan’s debut novel, the international best-seller Addition, was published in 2008 and shortlisted for both the Barbara Jefferis award and the ABIA best general fiction book, longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award and won best debut fiction in the 2008 Indie awards. Addition was published in 16 countries and has been optioned for film. Her second novel, Fall Girl, was published in November 2010 in Australia and will be published in 2011 in the UK, Germany, France and Taiwan.

Kim Kane

Author

Kim Kane was born in London in a bed bequeathed by Wordsworth to …a writer, a painter or a poet'. Despite this auspicious beginning, she went on to practise law.

In 2004, Kim threw her unbridled materialism to the wind and started to write. Kim now works exactly part-time as a lawyer and exactly part-time as a writer and the combination is perfect.

Kim has noticed that most proper children’s writers like chickens. Kim hates chickens. She does, however, like being backstage, her nephew, Angus, and, if she is strictly honest, most fatty snacks. Above all of these things (except perhaps Angus), Kim likes telling stories, and on a good writing day she wouldn’t trade her life for anything.

Danny Katz

Author

Danny Katz is a Canadian-born author and newspaper columnist who writes for The Age, the Sydney Morning Herald and The West Australian. He is the Modern Guru in Good Weekend Magazine.

Cate Kennedy

Author

Cate Kennedy writes across most genres – fiction, poetry and non-fiction. Her short stories and essays regularly appear in magazines and literary journals. She is one of Australia’s most popular teachers of the short story form.

Phil Kettle

Author

Phil is an award winning author of over 150 books. Phil is a much sought after school speaker.

Sue Lawson

Author

Sue Lawson worked as a teacher and a radio announcer/producer before serious illness motivated her to devote more time to her true passion – writing.

Steven Lochran

Author

Steven Lochran is the author of the Vanguard Prime series, published by Penguin and described as “Alex Rider joins the X-Men”. He majored in Creative Writing at QUT and has worked as a film critic, a projectionist and as a mobile party DJ. Most recently, he’s worked in the publishing industry as a marketing assistant and a sales rep, giving him a good overview of both the art and commerce of writing.

Doug MacLeod

Author

Doug MacLeod had his first book published at the age of sixteen, which earned him a fan letter from British comedian John Cleese. After graduating from the writing course at The Victorian College of Arts, Doug became head writer of the hit show The Comedy Company, and continued working full-time in TV for fourteen years, before leaving to write novels for young adults.

Doug MacLeod will take expressions of interest from schools in South Australia in May 2012

Shane Maloney

Author

Shane Maloney is a popular novelist. His books have been published in the US, Britain, Japan, Germany, France, Finland and Tasmania.

John Marsden

Author

John Marsden is the author of titles including So Much to Tell You, Letters From the Inside, and the much celebrated Tomorrow series, adapted for film in 2010. From a childhood at a deeply conservative paramilitary school with strict standards and a culture of rugby and rowing, John developed a passion for reading, writing and education at an early age. So far has published fiction and non-fiction for children, young adults and adults and has founded the Candlebark School in Victoria.

Maureen McCarthy

Author

Maureen McCarthy is one of Australia’s best loved writer’s for Young Adults. Her novels are full of gutsy and believable characters caught at the cusp of adulthood – a time when so much is changing and being decided. Her strong storylines celebrate the complexity of contemporary life with honesty and humor.

Andrew McDonald

Author

Andrew McDonald is an author, a blogger and a mammal. His debut book for children, The Greatest Blogger in the World, features a protagonist, a blog, and a duck.

Meme McDonald

Author

Meme has written nine books (most recently the novel Love Like Water) that have received six major literary awards. Her other writing includes the ABC online documentary, A Year On The Wing; co-writing rock musicals Riff-Raff and Xenophobia and numerous theatre productions; and co-writing a feature filmscript based on the bestselling book – My Girragundji – written in collaboration with Boori Monty Pryor. She recently wrote and directed the short film Warrima – Shake-a-Leg Dance for YouthWorx Productions focusing on the importance of traditional dance for young indigenous men both from Melbourne and from Kuranda, North Queensland. Meme is experienced at engaging audiences of all ages and inspires creativity within others through her unique approach to writing workshops.

Michael McGirr

Author

Michael is a well known author, commentator and presenter. He is a familiar voice on radio. As well as writing his own books, he has reviewed over 900 books for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. He is the author of Bypass: The story of a road.

Glenda Millard

Author

Glenda Millard writes picture books, novels for younger readers and for young adults. Her books have been published in Australia and internationally and have won many accolades.

In 2013, Glenda will be taking just one week of school bookings in Victoria, in Book Week (19-23 August). She will take enquiries for residencies outside these dates.

Kirsty Murray

Author

Kirsty Murray is a multi award-winning author of seventeen books whose dynamic and inspiring presentations are guaranteed to send young people away itching to read more widely and to believe that they too can share their stories with the world.

Robert Newton

Author

Robert Newton works as a full-time firefighter with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. His wrote his first novel, My Name is Will Thompson in 2001 and since then has written four other novels for young adults, including Runner in 2005 and Black Dog Gang in 2007. His upcoming novel for young adults is set for a 2011 release.

Paddy O'Reilly

Author

Paddy O'Reilly is a multi-award winning writer of fiction and non fiction and a passionate speaker on the art of writing.

Wendy Orr

Author

Wendy Orr has spoken to groups as little as 5 and as big as 5000 people across Australia, Canada and the USA. She is known for the honesty and inspirational qualities of her sessions.

Amra Pajalic

Author

Amra Pajalic is a young novelist with a big future. Her debut novel The Good Daughter was published in May 2009 by Text Publishing. Her short stories have placed in competitions, been published in magazines, journals and anthologies. She lives in St Albans, Melbourne, with her husband, daughter and three cats.

Tony Palmer

Author

Tony Palmer is a graphic designer by profession and writes part time about Australian History. His first novel, Break of Day is written with ringing clarity and real immediacy, putting his readers inside the skin of his characters.

Michael Panckridge

Author

Michael Panckridge has written over thirty five books, many with a sporty theme, making them ideal reads for boys and reluctant readers. They are pacy, readable and hit the spot!

Chrissie Perry

Author

Chrissie Perry has written twenty-five books for kids, including thirteen in the popular Go Girl! series that explore ‘real life, for real girls’.

James Phelan

Author

James Phelan was born in Melbourne in 1979. His creative spirit was nurtured from a young age, and he credits his overactive imagination to being exposed to authors such as Roald Dahl and Paul Jennings, as well as such works as The Hobbit, Treasure Island, The Jungle Book, Tales of the Punjab, Siddhartha and The Little Prince.

Liz Porter

Author

Liz Porter gives entertaining talks that reveal the realities behind the fiction of shows such as CSI – how real life detectives and forensic investigators use forensic science to solve crimes. She also talks about how the true crime writer chooses her material very selectively – because most real-life crimes are too banal to make good material.

Michael Pryor

Author

Best-selling author Michael Pryor has published more than twenty books and fifty short stories. He is one of Australia’s leading fantasy writers. Michael has been shortlisted six times for the Aurealis Awards (including for Blaze of Glory and Heart of Gold), has been nominated for a Ditmar award, and five of his books have been CBCA Notable Books, including Word of Honour.

Marion Roberts

Author

Marion Roberts is a fiction writer with two novels published for young readers following the misguided adventures of eleven-year-old Sunny Hathaway. Marion also has a Masters in creative writing and enjoys teaching children to develop their writing skills by running workshops in schools.

Penni Russon

Author

Penni Russon is an intelligent literary author for young people with a Masters in Creative Writing. She has worked as an online editor and in book publishing, and in teaching creative writing at university.

Sue Saliba

Author

Sue Saliba is the prize-winning author of novels for Young Adults. She has taught English at secondary school, Novel Writing at RMIT and Creative Writing at Melbourne University.

Jen Storer

Author

Jen Storer is a talented and exciting writer for children. Her gothic novel, Tensy Farlow and the Home for Mislaid Children, was shortlisted for a string of awards including the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards (Best Children’s Fiction) and the CBCA Book of the Year. Jen’s homage to Enid Blyton, The Accidental Princess was a Notable Book in the 2012 CBCA Book of the Year Awards. Her latest release is a comedy/mystery series for younger girls. Book one, Truly Tan, is out now through ABC Books. Book two, Truly Tan: Jinxed! is due out in May 2013, and book three, Truly Tan:Spooked! is set for November, 2013. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Jen worked in the publishing industry as an editor, a project manager and in creative development. She has a studio at the Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne and is an active member of this vibrant arts community.

Ian Trevaskis

Author

Ian writes picture story books, novels for older readers and young adult novels as well as dabbling in some freelance journalism. He was, until recently a primary school teacher, but after 40 years in front of a chalkboard he finally decided writing is heaps more fun and so much quieter.

Maria Tumarkin

Author

Maria Tumarkin is a Melbourne-based writer and a historian. She is the author of three critically acclaimed books of narrative non-fiction, which explore some of today’s most pressing issues – identity, immigration, family, moral courage and trauma.

Michael Wagner

Author

Michael Wagner is one of Australia’s most original and successful writers for children. His 45+ books successfully engage readers (even reluctant ones) with quirky humour, fast-paced action and unpredictable storytelling.

Carole Wilkinson

Author

Carole speaks engagingly about her books and the research process. She shows how she finds her stories in history and how historical artifacts inspire her.

Gabrielle Williams

Author

Gabrielle Williams has a brown-belt in karate, and once she hits black-belt status, things are gonna change dramatically around her house. Her kids will suddenly find themselves a whole lot more helpful with the housework – namely the dishes – and a whole lot less mouthy. Oh, and she writes a bit as well.

Gabrielle will take expressions of interest for residencies with schools in Western Australia and other states in 2012.

Fiona Wood

Author

Fiona Wood has been writing television scripts for the last ten years on shows ranging from MDA and The Secret Life of Us, to Home and Away and Neighbours. Her first YA novel, Six Impossible Things, was shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year, Older Readers in 2011, and, and her second novel, Wildlife, is out in 2013. She lives in Melbourne with her husband, two YAs and a bad old dog.