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Location: New South Wales
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Deborah Abela
Author
Deb Abela is an ambitious author, with an impressive output of twenty books in ten years. Her dedication to her craft, and sharing it with students across Australia, earned her the role of National Literacy Ambassador for 2010.
Deb Abela will tour Melbourne schools with Booked Out, in Library Week (20–24 May) 2013.
» Read more about Deborah Abela
Tristan Bancks
Author
Tristan Bancks tells stories for the page and screen. His background is in acting and filmmaking. His most recent books are Galactic Adventures, First Kids in Space (UQP) and My Life and Other Stuff I Made Up (Random House).
In 2013, Tristan will tour Melbourne schools from 12-16 August. He will also travel for international schools in late 2013/early 2013—contact us for details.
» Read more about Tristan Bancks
JC Burke
Author
J.C. Burke was born in Sydney in 1965, the fourth of five sisters. With writers for parents, she grew up in a world of noise, drama and books, but she decided to become a nurse after her mother lost a long battle with cancer. Since Burke started writing in 1999, she has published a number of acclaimed books for teenagers and young adults, including Children’s Book Council Notable Books WHITE LIES and THE RED CARDIGAN, Aurealis Awards finalist NINE LETTERS LONG, THE STORY OF TOM BRENNAN, FAKING SWEET, STARFISH SISTERS and OCEAN PEARL. THE STORY OF TOM BRENNAN won the 2006 CBC Book of the Year – Older Readers and the 2006 Australian Family Therapists Award for Children’s Literature. It is currently on the NSW HSC syllabus list. Jane lives on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and is married with two children.
» Read more about JC Burke
Jane Caro
Author, Social Commentator
Jane Caro is an author, novelist, award winning advertising writer and political/social commentator. She is a funny, warm and engaging speaker in high demand both on podiums and on radio and TV for her straight – talking style. She is passionate about connecting with people through words – whether spoken, written or broadcast and loves to tell a story.
» Read more about Jane Caro
Gaye Chapman
Author, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker
Gaye Chapman is an artist and performer who uses drama, ‘right-brain’ thinking and synaesthesia ‘games’ as teaching tools in her dynamic art workshops and talks.
Gaye is a visual artist of international standing and is one of the most significant painters working in Australia today. She holds a PhD in Contemporary Art and has been exhibiting since 1976, her comprehensive body of work critically acclaimed. Gaye’s work with progressive writers, along with her own writing, has also established her as an innovator of contemporary children’s picture books with over 10 titles to her name.
An inspiring and versatile teaching artist and presenter, with extensive experience giving workshops and talks across Australia, Gaye’s experimental and highly interactive sessions are both educational and fun.
» Read more about Gaye Chapman
Hanifa Deen
Author, Social Commentator
Hanifa Deen is an award-winning author and social commentator with extensive public speaking experience: Audiences around Australia, at writers’ festivals, conferences, seminars and debates have heard her speak on a range of topical and literary subjects.
An ex-English literature teacher, Hanifa can also guide secondary students to a better understanding of Australian curriculum themes of Identity, Belonging and Australian history. Her aim is to inform and entertain.
» Read more about Hanifa Deen
Paul Dillon
Author, Personal Development, Education Consultant, Social Commentator
Paul Dillon has a unique investment in the wellbeing of young people. Founder of Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia and a former school teacher, Paul continues to conduct drug information sessions and workshops for school students across Australia and internationally, in countries as diverse as the UK, the Phillipines, and Indonesia.
» Read more about Paul Dillon
Nina Funnell
Education Consultant, Social Commentator, Inspirational Speaker
Nina will be presenting at one of our events in Sydney in 2012.
Nina Funnell is a freelance opinion writer and researcher. She has had work published in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Age, The Brisbane Times and in the Sydney Star Observer. Nina often writes on gender and sexuality related issues and also sits on the board of the NSW Rape Crisis Centre, the Premier’s Council on Preventing Violence Against Women and the National Children and Youth Law Centre. In 2010, she also received the Australian Human Rights Commission Community Individual Award for her work in advocacy against sexual assault and violence.
» Read more about Nina Funnell
Giulia Giuffre
Author, Inspirational Speaker
Giulia Giuffre is the author of Primavera, an Australian-Italian memoir of childhood and family in the second half of the 20th Century. It has been described as an ‘exuberant, bittersweet encyclopaedia of life in general’.
» Read more about Giulia Giuffre
Gus Gordon
Illustrator, Author
Gus Gordon is a children’s book author and illustrator. He has written and illustrated over 70 books for children. His most recent picture book, Wendy (Penguin), about a motorcycle riding stunt chicken, was selected as a CBCA Notable Book in the 2010 Book of the Year Awards. His newest picture book, Herman and Rosie (Penguin, Sep 2012), will be released in 2013 in the US.
Gus has always been attracted to drawing and writing about animals in human roles. This most likely stems from a long love of Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in The Willows. Gus also likes cheese.
In 2013, Gus will undertake his first Melbourne tour for Booked Out. He will be available to schools in Melbourne for Book Week (19-23 August). Make him welcome at your school!
» Read more about Gus Gordon
Neil Grant
Author, Social Commentator
Neil Grant was born in Scotland in the Year of the Fire Horse. He finished high school at the International School of Kuala Lumpur then spent years blundering through Indonesia, Israel, Yugoslavia, India, Nepal, Thailand, Greece, Italy, the UK and Tasmania. To research his latest novel, The Ink Bridge, he travelled (quietly) through Afghanistan.
» Read more about Neil Grant
Phillip Gwynne
Author
Phillip Gwynne’s first novel Deadly Unna? was the literary hit of 1998 winning Children’s Book of the Year and selling over 200,000 copies. It was made into the feature film Australian Rules for which Phillip’s screenplay won an AFI award in 2002. Since then Phillip’s novels have all received both high acclaim and popularity amongst readers including his young adult novel Swerve which was shortlisted for many awards amongst them the 2010 Prime Minister’s Award and the Golden Inky.
» Read more about Phillip Gwynne
Maggie Hamilton
Personal Development, Education Consultant, Social Commentator, Author
Author and researcher Maggie Hamilton writes books and for magazines; gives frequent talks and lectures; is a regular media commentator and a keen observer of social trends. Her many books, which have been published in Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Italy, China, Lithuania, Korea, the Arab States and Brazil, include What Men Don’t Talk About, which examines the lives of real men and boys; What’s Happening to Our Girls? and What’s Happening to Our Boys? which take a close look at the 21st century issues boys and girls face, and offer practical, workable solutions to these challenges; and Secret Girls' Business a fun funky empowering gift book for teen girls.
» Read more about Maggie Hamilton
Pip Harry
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Journalist
Pip Harry is a journalist, blogger and author of I’ll Tell You Mine. Pip found it extremely difficult to become an author and would now like to inspire young adults to keep striving for their goals, no matter how many setbacks and knockbacks they get along the way.
» Read more about Pip Harry
John Heffernan
Author
John Heffernan has written about thirty books for a range of audiences from early readers to young adults, in a range of genre that includes realistic fiction, fantasy, futuristic, and picture books. He also writes for junior readers under the pseudonym “Charlie Carter” (most notably, the Battle Boy series).
» Read more about John Heffernan
Nette Hilton
Author
Nette Hilton is a compelling and challenging storyteller of exciting tales for children of all ages with a voice that is strong and filled with warmth and humour. She creates the extraordinary in the everyday lives of families captivating her readers while opening new worlds and realities for them.
» Read more about Nette Hilton
Joanne Horniman
Author
Joanne Horniman has been writing for twenty-five years and is an experienced writing teacher to both adults and children.
» Read more about Joanne Horniman
Lucy Howard-Taylor
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Social Commentator
» Read more about Lucy Howard-Taylor
Melinda Hutchings
Author, Personal Development, Inspirational Speaker
Melinda Hutchings is a media commentator, author, speaker and mentor on the topic of body image and teen issues. She is the author of four books and is passionate about empowering young people to face and overcome challenging issues and to recognise their enormous potential to create a happy and fulfilling future.
» Read more about Melinda Hutchings
Linda Jaivin
Author, Social Commentator
Linda Jaivin is one of Australia’s most versatile writers. Her work spans humour, eroticism, social issues (The Infernal Optimist is set in an immigration detention centre), China studies, literary translation and cultural commentary. She has appeared on ABC’s Q & A and was a regular panelist on the now sadly defunct Critical Mass.
» Read more about Linda Jaivin
Petra James
Author
Petra James wanted to be an archaeologist when she grew up. Instead she sold chocolate chip cookies and became a book editor. To compensate for her zigzagging career, she is now writing a series about a treasure hunter and her archaeologist parents.
» Read more about Petra James
Tara June Winch
Author, Social Commentator
‘Tara June Winch is a most stimulating young person to know and to interact with, an active mind and a truly engaged social being.’ Professor Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
» Read more about Tara June Winch
Anneli Knight
Author, Personal Development, Inspirational Speaker, Social Commentator, Journalist
Anneli is a regular contributor to The Age and Sydney Morning Herald newspapers and is author of Flirting with Finance, the modern woman’s guide to financial freedom. She lives and writes between Melbourne, the Kimberley and Northern NSW.
» Read more about Anneli Knight
Will Kostakis
Author
Will Kostakis is an award-winning author for young adults, who splits his time between writing novels, working as a journalist and touring high schools nationally. His debut novel, Loathing Lola was released when he was just 19 and met with critical acclaim. Now 24, he is touring to promote his sophomore novel, The First Third.
» Read more about Will Kostakis
L.A. Larkin
Author, Social Commentator
Thriller author, L.A. Larkin, has been likened to Michael Crichton and John Grisham. Her debut novel, The Genesis Flaw, received glowing reviews and was nominated for four crime writing awards. Her second thriller, Thirst, was published in August 2012 and has been described as ‘the best Antarctic thriller since Ice Station. L. A. Larkin divides her time between writing novels, her public speaking engagements and running thriller writing courses. She is a member of The Australian Society of Authors, Sisters In Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the UK’s Crime Writers’ Association.
» Read more about L.A. Larkin
David Lovegrove
Illustrator
David Lovegrove is a gifted artist who studied at two of Australia’s best art schools – The Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney and the Qld College of Art, Brisbane (where he gained his Master of Arts in Visual Arts). His passion is for exploring the ‘Way’ or the ‘Tao’ of the artist in the 21st Century, bringing together high skill and intuitive inspiration and freedom.
In his presentations and workshops he focuses on the cutting edge melding of story and artistic skill used in the creation of Graphic Novels, Manga and Comics and in Concept Art for Film, TV and Computer Games.
» Read more about David Lovegrove
Tim Macartney-Snape
Inspirational Speaker
Australiaʼs most well known mountaineer is a veteran of pioneering routes in remote regions of the Himalaya but is best known for his attempts of Mount Everest on two very different, pioneering expeditions. Remarkably he reached the summit on both occasions, without the use of bottled oxygen and in a style and substance of a class way beyond the realm of guided ascents so popular in recent times.
» Read more about Tim Macartney-Snape
Emma Magenta
Illustrator, Author
Emma Magenta was born in Sydney and began her career drawing and writing her thoughts down on brown paper bags while working at Berkelouw Books in Paddington. After pinning them to the front window, they accrued a cult status and a publishing deal was offered to her by Australian publishing phenomenon; Bradley Trevor Grieve.
Since then, she has written and illustrated several adult picture books; The Peril of Magnificent Love, A Gorgeous Sense of Hope, The Origin of Lament and The Gradual Demise of Phillipa Finch. These books explore aspects of the feminine psyche, one’s emotional world and the secret life of relationships. They have resonated with thousands of women around the globe as an antidote to depression and a validation of hope.
» Read more about Emma Magenta
Emily Maguire
Author, Social Commentator
Emily Maguire is the award-winning author of three novels and two non-fiction books. Her articles and essays on sex, religion, culture and literature have been published widely in Australian and international magazines, journals and newspapers.
» Read more about Emily Maguire
Matt McFadyen
Inspirational Speaker
From dragging sleds to the North Pole to sailing tiny yachts to Antarctica, Matt McFadyen has been there and done that. At the age of 29 Matt has spent the last decade pushing himself to his physical and mental limits while exploring some of the most remote parts of the globe.
» Read more about Matt McFadyen
Esther McKay
Author
Esther Mckay has led an incredible life, from her work as a crime scene examiner in Sydney to best selling author. She is an advocate for Police suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and works actively to improve conditions for mental health in emergency workers. She speaks regularly about her experiences and is an Australia Day Ambassador.
» Read more about Esther McKay
P.M. Newton
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Social Commentator
After thirteen years as a detective in the NSW police force, P.M. Newton decided to take a leap into the unknown and seek a different path, one that did not involve constantly meeting people for the first time on the worst day of their life. Since then she has travelled to Timbuktu, written about music in Mali, studied Buddhist philosophy in India, taught English to Tibetan monks and written a critically acclaimed novel.
Who says you can’t change your life?
» Read more about P.M. Newton
Louise Park
Author, Education Consultant
Louise Park was a classroom teacher, teaching consultant, Literacy advisor and Seminar presenter before becoming one of Australia’s hottest children’s authors. She currently juggles the running of her own publishing and packaging business with her first love–writing for children.
» Read more about Louise Park
Oliver Phommavanh
Author
Oliver Phommavanh loves to make people laugh, whether it’s on the page writing humour for kids or on stage as a stand-up comedian. He also shares his passion for writing with the kids he teaches at a primary school in Western Sydney. As a comedian, Oliver has appeared on stage, and on national TV and radio.
In 2013, Oliver will tour Melbourne schools in Book Week (19-23 August). Subject to demand, extra Victorian dates will be added. Oliver will also travel to Thailand in early March 2013, and be available for school visits through Booked Out.
» Read more about Oliver Phommavanh
Felicity Pulman
Author
Felicity’s stories reflect her passion for history (both Australian history and medieval England) and her fascination with the unknown in our world: time travel, ghosts and reincarnation.
» Read more about Felicity Pulman
Ellen Sandell
Social Commentator, Inspirational Speaker
As National Director of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Ellen is one of Australia’s leading commentators and campaigners on the issue of climate change. She inspires young people to take action on issues that they care about, empowering them to make a difference.
» Read more about Ellen Sandell
Craig Smith (NZ)
Author, Storyteller/Performer
After a fully-booked tour in 2012, Craig will return to Australia exclusively through Booked Out in 2013. He will visit Adelaide from 5–10 August, Melbourne from 11–17 August, Brisbane from 18–24 August, and Sydney from 25–31 August. Locations between these cities can be arranged on demand. Download the flyer for more info.
Craig Smith is the performer and author of The Wonky Donkey, the biggest selling picture book in Australia in 2010. It is still amongst the top three best selling children’s picture books, outsold only by Mem Fox’s Where’s the Green Sheep and Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
» Read more about Craig Smith (NZ)
Trent Southworth
Personal Development, Social Commentator
Trent Southworth is a former NSW Police Officer with over fourteen years policing experience, including eight years employed in the Youth Liaison role. In his role, Trent worked closely with numerous government and non government agencies to identify youth related initiatives such as underage drinking programs, truancy, road safety, drug programs, and bullying.
» Read more about Trent Southworth
R.A. Spratt
Author, Illustrator
R.A.Spratt is an award-winning comedy writer with thirteen years experience in the television industry. She started out writing political satire, then moved into sketch comedy, then pre-school drama and in more recent years has worked mainly in animation. R.A. Spratt lives in Sydney. She used to enjoy bellringing, hapkido and long distance running. But then she had two children has rarely left the house since. She is currently working on the 6th installment in the Nanny Piggins series.
» Read more about R.A. Spratt
Anne Spudvilas
Illustrator
Anne Spudvilas is a multi award-winning illustrator of children’s books. Her work on the picture book version of Mao’s Last Dancer, The Peasant Prince, took her to China with author Li Cunxin. The Peasant Prince won both the NSW and Qld Premiers Awards and CBCA Honor book in 2008. Anne’s work concentrates on portraying character and expression in people in commissioned portraits, courtroom sketching and children’s books. Anne is in demand for drawing workshops here and overseas and gives presentations about the process of illustrating books for primary and secondary level.
Anne now resides on the NSW / Vic border. She will be in Melbourne in the week of May 6-10 2013 and available for Melbourne schools and libraries.
» Read more about Anne Spudvilas
Pelissa Tsilimidos-Thorne
Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant
Pelissa Tsilimidos-Thorne (B.A., Dip. Ed., MA. Ed.) is a senior English teacher with 25 years’ experience. She holds a research Masters in Education (Film as Text) from Monash University and has written for various educational journals and books.
» Read more about Pelissa Tsilimidos-Thorne
Chris Turney
Inspirational Speaker, Author
Chris is an Australian and British professor of Earth science and author of three popular science books. Chris is an Australian Research Council (ARC) Laureate Fellow and Professor of Climate Change at the University of University of New South Wales, where he and his team are focusing their efforts on finding lessons from the past.
» Read more about Chris Turney
Erin Vincent
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development
Erin Vincent is a highly respected journalist who has worked both here and in the US for publications such as The Australian, Marie Claire, The Sunday Telegraph and America’s biggest selling publication People Magazine. She is also the author of the acclaimed memoir Grief Girl: My True Story that is now in its seventh printing in the US and was named a New York Public Library’s Best Book for 2007.
» Read more about Erin Vincent
Ben Wood
Illustrator
Ben Wood has been illustrating for publishers and design studios for many years. He has been a Booked Out speaker for nearly as long and enjoys creating books with students.
» Read more about Ben Wood
Randa Abdel-Fattah
Author, Social Commentator
Randa Abdel-Fattah is the award-winning author of young adult novels and has extensive experience speaking at schools, writer’s festivals, universities and conferences in Australia and overseas. She is also a human rights activist and practicing lawyer and enjoys a public profile, appearing on television programs such as the ABC’s Q & A, First Tuesday Book Club, SBS’s Insight and Channel Seven’s Sunrise.
» Read more about Randa Abdel-FattahAudiences
Location
New South Wales