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Open Right

Location: Western Australia

Amanda Betts

Author, Education Consultant

Amanda (AJ) Betts is an award-winning author, teacher and cyclist, living in Perth. Her novel ‘Zac and Mia’ won the 2012 Text Prize for best unpublished manuscript.

» Read more about Amanda Betts

Julia Lawrinson

Author

Julia Lawrinson has written more than a dozen books for children and teenagers, many of them award-winning. She grew up in the outer suburbs of Perth, Western Australia, not long after the first moon landing. She loves dogs, oceans, and sunsets, and still likes to gaze at the night sky, just in case.

» Read more about Julia Lawrinson

Mark Pardoe

Author

As a child, Mark Pardoe had his sights firmly set on being an internationally famous soccer star who won Formula One races in his spare time.

Perhaps fortunately, these days Mark Pardoe is a part time primary school teacher who writes children’s fiction. Mark’s aim is to both entertain and challenge his readers. His writing employs a distinctive humour that can be read and enjoyed by a wide audience.

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Gabriel Evans

Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits

Gabriel Evans is an international selling children’s book author and illustrator. In addition to illustrating his own books he’s collaborated with acclaimed Australian and USA authors to illustrate picture books and novels. He is shortlisted in the Children’s Book Council Picture Book of the Year 2022 with a further three titles notably listed in the same award in 2022.

Gabriel is a dynamic and engaging speaker, giving interactive sessions on the craft of creating picture books. He’s visited educational institutions in major cities and remote regions around Australia.

» Read more about Gabriel Evans