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Speaker Type: Storyteller/Performer

Asphyxia

Author, Entertainer, Online - Virtual Visits, Storyteller/Performer

Asphyxia is the author of the magical series, The Grimstones. She is an experienced motivational speaker and loves to inspire people to be more creative and open-minded. She is an avid art-journaler and generously shares her process to help others benefit from this amazing life tool. Asphyxia is also a Deaf activist, sharing details of Deaf experience. She handcrafted her Grimstone family of puppets and their world from upcycled junk, and has since toured the world with the acclaimed, award winning theatre show, The Grimstones. Now Asphyxia is ready to inspire students to create their own art journals and miniature worlds from ordinary household rubbish. Check out her free online Auslan (sign language) course at www.asphyxia.com.au.

» Read more about Asphyxia

Emilie Zoey Baker

Entertainer, Online - Virtual Visits, Poet, Storyteller/Performer

Emilie Zoey Baker is an international poetry slam champion who will excite and delight all ages about poetry written for both page and stage.

» Read more about Emilie Zoey Baker

Bernard Caleo

Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits, Storyteller/Performer

Bernard Caleo draws and writes and performs. He loves comic books and what happens when you put words and pictures together.

Illustrator of The History of the City of Melbourne Bowls Club, written by Alex McDermott

Illustrator of You’ll be a Wonderful Dad (Hardie Grant 2022) written by Ailsa Wild

Illustrator of How to Win a Nobel Prize (Black Ink 2018) written by Lorna Hendry

Editor of The Tango Collection (Allen and Unwin 2009)

 

» Read more about Bernard Caleo

Mark Carthew

Author, Entertainer, Storyteller/Performer

Dr Mark Carthew is an award winning Australian children’s author, poet, musician and educator well known for his books and series celebrating language, humour and wordplay.

His illustrated play script series VoiceWorks sold over one million titles worldwide. Mark’s rhyme and riddle books Newts, Lutes and Bandicoots, Wicked Wizards & Leaping Lizards and Witches’ Britches, Itches & Twitches! were created in collaboration with renowned UK illustrator Mike Spoor. Mark’s picture books include Five Little Owls illustrated by Crichton award winning illustrator Mini Goss and The Gobbling Tree, winner of Speech Pathology Australia’s 2009 Book of the Year. His anthology, Can You Keep a Secret? Timeless rhymes to share and treasure illustrated by Jobi Murphy was a Children’s Book Council of Australia Notable Book.

» Read more about Mark Carthew

Declan Fay

Author, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Podcaster, Storyteller/Performer

Declan Fay is an award-winning writer who co-created the show Ronny Chieng: International Student which screened on ABC, BBC and Netflix. He has written for numerous shows such as The Weekly with Charlie Pickering and the hugely popular kids sketch show, You’re Skitting Me. Declan has also authored articles for The Age, The Guardian, The Herald-Sun and The Big Issue. On radio Declan has hosted shows on ABC, Triple M, Triple J and Triple R. Earlier this year he co-wrote a comedy podcast called Crossbread, which became one of the most popular podcasts in the Australia and the US.

In the media:

https://speakola.com/grad/declan-fay-but-now-you-all-have-a-blank-page-eltham-high-valedictory-2023?rq=declan%20fay

» Read more about Declan Fay

Adam Ford

Author, Poet, Storyteller/Performer

Adam Ford is a poet and zinemaker who lives in Chewton, in Central Victoria. He loves showing people how easy it can be to start making zines or writing poetry themselves.

» Read more about Adam Ford

Fiona Harris

Corporate, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Speaking Out, Storyteller/Performer

Fiona has been writing and performing for Australian stages and screens for many years. She wrote and co-starred on the ABC sketch comedy show, Flipside, as well as on channel nine’s sketch comedy series, Comedy Inc – The Late Shift series 5 and on all three series of the Network Ten sketch comedy series SkitHouse.  She has also written and directed numerous shows for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

» Read more about Fiona Harris

Justin Heazlewood

Author, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out, Storyteller/Performer

Justin Heazlewood is an award-winning triple-threat of writer, musician & comedian. As The Bedroom Philosopher he has appeared on Triple J & ABC TV, releasing three albums including the ARIA-nominated Songs From The 86 Tram. The video for Northcote (So Hungover) earning nearly half a million hits. In 2014 his first non-fiction book Funemployed, about being an artist in Australia, was an indie-hit, earning praise from artists and industry alike. In 2015 an 8-part series was commissioned for RN.

His 10-part Get Up Mum radio series based on his cassette recordings of himself as a kid was aired Radio National’s Life Matters. You can listen to the series here.

In 2020 Justin gave a witness statement and presented at the launch of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. He is an ambassador for the Satellite Foundation who offer support for children of parents with a mental illness.

 

» Read more about Justin Heazlewood

Lia Hills

Author, Poet, Storyteller/Performer

Lia Hills is a poet, novelist and translator. Her work has been published, performed, and translated both locally and internationally, and nominated for numerous awards, including the Miles Franklin Literary Award.

» Read more about Lia Hills

Jan Wositzky

Entertainer, Storyteller/Performer

Jan ‘Yarn’ Wositzky is a writer, storyteller and musician, with a forty-year career in books, broadcasting, radio, television, bands, theatre, and solo performance. He came to Australia as a boy in 1956, with his Czech-Scots family, and has made a lifetime exploring this land, it’s music and stories.

All of Jan’s presentations for schools are designed carefully to match up with points along the VELS Curriculum for both Primary and Secondary levels. Ask an agent at Booked Out to forward you the full curriculum breakdown sheets if required.

» Read more about Jan Wositzky

Valanga Khoza

Online - Virtual Visits, Storyteller/Performer

Valanga Khoza was born in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. He grew up in a traditional setting surrounded by lively singing, drumming and dancing. The Limpopo area is rich in traditional healers, orators and storytellers, highly respected throughout Africa. These were his neighbours. Their nightly ceremonies carried songs and rhythms passed down through thousands of years. Valanga carries these influences through his songs and storytelling. He is also influenced by his travels throughout the world which were driven by his struggle against racism and his fight for freedom of the black people in South Africa.

» Read more about Valanga Khoza

Michelle Law

Author, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer

Michelle Law is an award-winning writer and screenwriter whose previous speaking engagements include TEDx events, Woodford Folk Festival, writer’s festivals, ABC radio and The Project. Her stories and essays have been widely anthologized and her films have screened nationally at festivals and on the ABC.

» Read more about Michelle Law

Kim Toft

Author, Illustrator, Storyteller/Performer

Kim Michelle Toft is a full time illustrator and author of environmental children’s books, focusing primarily on coastal and ocean habitats. Her illustrations are all hand painted onto silk, and as part of her presentation she demonstrates her silk painting technique.

Publications currently in print: I Can Swim A Rainbow (Silkim Books), Recipe For Perfect Planet Pie (Silkim Books), Tick Tock Tick Tock What’s Up Croc? (Silkim Books), The Twelve Underwater Days of Christmas (Silkim Books), A Sea of Words (Silkim Books), The World That We Want (UQP), Turtle’s Song (UQP), Neptune’s Nursery (UQP) and One Less Fish (UQP)

» Read more about Kim Toft

Penny Tangey

Author, Storyteller/Performer

Penny is the author of three books for young people. Her first novel, Loving Richard Feynman was shortlisted for the 2010 CBCA Book of the Year (older readers).

Penny performed stand-up comedy for many years beginning by winning the Victorian final of Triple J’s Raw Comedy Competition. Most recently she performed a show about education and teaching, Chalk and Talk, in the Melbourne Comedy Festival.

» Read more about Penny Tangey

Anne E. Stewart

Storyteller/Performer

Anne E Stewart is an acclaimed storyteller with an international reputation. A versatile performer Anne has the energy and voice to engage any audience. Her focus is on the shared stories of Australia honouring Indigenous, Celtic, Asian and World stories.

Anne has told stories in some of Australia’s major cultural institutions, art galleries and libraries as well as on ABC radio and TV. She has been invited guest at Storytelling festivals throughout Australia, the UK and in Mexico and Colombia. Anne is a consummate MC with the ability to create shows tailored to audience needs.

» Read more about Anne E. Stewart

Daniel Witthaus

Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer, Well Within

Daniel has spent a quarter of a century challenging homophobia and working on LGBTIQ inclusion one cuppa at a time in schools, rural communities and, occasionally, developing countries like Poland, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. He has also worked with Kids Help Line, VicHealth, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and No to Violence, a national men’s family violence organisation.

Daniel is the author of Beyond Priscilla: one gay man, one gay truck, one big idea… (2014), Beyond ‘That’s So Gay!’: Challenging homophobia in Australian schools (2010) and the Pride & Prejudice educational package (2002, 2012) – which won Human Rights Week awards for work in three Tasmanian schools.  His latest book, Beyond Debate, is due for release in June 2023.

In 2013 Daniel founded Rural Pride Australia, formerly NICHE, which focuses on the needs of LGBTIQ people in regional, rural and remote Australia. For the last 7 years Rural Pride Australia has worked in partnership with the Victorian State Government and its Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Communities to deliver the LGBTIQ Equality Roadshow, Regional Communities of Practice and Rainbow Ready Roadmap to 29 regional and rural Victorian communities.

He is also semi-obsessed with abandoned buildings and is an international gay gold medallist in tennis.
» Read more about Daniel Witthaus

Adrian Beck

Author, Online - Virtual Visits, Storyteller/Performer

Adrian Beck is the co-author of the best-selling kids’ series Kick it to Nick, with AFL Hall of Fame inductee Shane Crawford. Part-time TV producer / part-time writer, Adrian uses both skill sets to entertain with lively, humorous and interactive sessions on writing, working in television and footy.

» Read more about Adrian Beck

Samantha Turnbull

Author, Poet, Storyteller/Performer

Samantha Turnbull is a children’s author, journalist, podcast producer and slam poet.

Her books include Remember the Rainbows (Five Mile), Fierce Girls (Five Mile), and The Anti-Princess Club series (Allen & Unwin). Her podcasts include Fierce Girls, Dino Dome, News Time, and Little Green Pod (all ABC). She has worked as a journalist across newspapers, magazine, TV, radio and online. And she has competed in (and won) loads of poetry slams.

Sam’s favourite thing to do (apart from writing) is visiting schools.

» Read more about Samantha Turnbull

Neridah McMullin

Author, Storyteller/Performer

Neridah is an inspiring presenter who knows how to connect with her students, making Australian history, Indigenous history and Sport accessible to children in a fun and engaging way.

» Read more about Neridah McMullin

Aviva Reed

Education Consultant, Illustrator, Storyteller/Performer

Aviva Reed is a visual ecologist, illustrator and collaborator on the Small Friends book project; a series of science-adventure storybooks created by artists, writers, scientists and educators that explores symbiotic relationships between microbes and larger forms of life.

» Read more about Aviva Reed

Tim Harris

Author, Online - Virtual Visits, Storyteller/Performer

Tim Harris is the bestselling author of several laugh-out-loud series for kids, including Toffle Towers, Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables and Exploding Endings. A former primary school teacher of 15 years, his stories are filled with quirky scenarios, loveable characters and plenty of imagination. Tim’s ‘humour with heart’ writing style has seen his books receive multiple awards, including two KOALA Honour Books (2017 and 2019) and a CBCA Notable (2018). His books have been published in Australia and the USA, and have been translated into numerous languages.

An advocate for creativity and short stories, Tim’s presentations and workshops are dynamic and entertaining. He is a sought-after presenter, having worked in hundreds of schools across Australia.

» Read more about Tim Harris

Scott Edgar

Author, Entertainment, Illustrator, Songwriting, Storyteller/Performer, Videogames

Scod” is best known as one-third of beloved Australian idiot-band Tripod, with whom hes won an ARIA and lost a GRAMMY. Hes also a veteran writer, composer and illustrator for videogames, animation and kidspublishing, working for such clients as Ubisoft, Wizards of the Coast, Penguin Random House, the Cartoon Network and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. You can see more of his work at www.scottedgarcreative.com. For a complete history of Scods haircuts, check out Spicks and Specks reruns on the ABC.

» Read more about Scott Edgar

Jo Stanley

Author, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Storyteller/Performer

Having started her career as a comedian, Jo is a dynamic and entertaining speaker. She has presented to schools, universities, conferences, the corporate world, and community groups. Her areas of expertise are:

  • Gender equality
  • Resilience and mindfulness
  • Purpose
  • Media
  • Personal branding
» Read more about Jo Stanley

Adam Cece

Author, Online - Virtual Visits, Storyteller/Performer

Adam Cece is an award-winning author of children’s books, including the hilarious Huggabie Falls series, and an SA Premier’s Reading Challenge Ambassador. His mission, which he has chosen to accept, is to travel the country and inspire children to read and write, by sharing his journey, and his world of books and words, and delving into the process of writing and the structure of stories, and, most importantly, having lots of fun in the process.

Follow Adam on Twitter and Instagram @ceceadam or at www.adamcece.com.

» Read more about Adam Cece

Fiona Harris & Mike McLeish

Drama, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer

Married couple, Fiona Harris and Mike McLeish are award-winning performers who have been working full-time in the arts industry for twenty years.

Fiona and Mike have written and acted in two series of the award-winning short-form comedy series; The Drop Off. They have also adapted The Drop Off into an adult fiction novel with Echo Publishing, due for release in 2020. They recently received funding from the ACTF to develop a young adult television series. Fiona also taught drama to teenagers at Stage School Australia for four years.

Fiona and Mike run school sessions for secondary students, as well as script and performance workshops.

» Read more about Fiona Harris & Mike McLeish

Yves Stening

Author, Child Eating Habits, Storyteller/Performer

Fun, witty and informative, Yves Stening delights children and teachers alike with his wonderful kids series, Dinner Detectives.

» Read more about Yves Stening

Gabriel Bergmoser

Author, Storyteller/Performer

Gabriel Bergmoser is an award-winning author, playwright and screenwriter. His books have been translated into multiple languages and plays performed internationally

» Read more about Gabriel Bergmoser

Trent Roberts

Author, Personal Development/Welfare, Storyteller/Performer

Trent is an energetic and passionate speaker who loves to excite, educate and engage kids of all ages.

» Read more about Trent Roberts

Harry Laing

Author, Entertainment, Poet, Storyteller/Performer

Harry is an energetic and engaging comic performer with a love of language. He loves performing for large audiences of children and keeps them spellbound with his poems, (interactive) chants and the magical creatures from his book covers. Harry also has a gift for inspiring teachers around poetry and creative writing in his Professional Learning workshops.

» Read more about Harry Laing

Heidi McKinnon

Author, Entertainment, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer

Heidi is passionate about sharing her love of story, art and creativity with children and young people.

» Read more about Heidi McKinnon

Lisa Shanahan

Author, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer

Lisa is an award-winning writer of picture books, and novels for younger and older readers. Some of her funny, heartfelt books include The Grand, Genius Summer of Henry Hoobler, which received the 2017 Queensland Literary Award for Children’s Fiction, the 2018 Speech Pathology Book of the Year for 8–12-year-olds and was also shortlisted in the 2018 CBCA Book of the Year Award for Younger Readers. Her picture book, Hark, It’s Me, Ruby Lee! (ill. Binny Talib) was a 2018 CBCA Honour Book of the Year for Early Childhood and was also shortlisted in the 2018 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards for Children’s Fiction. Her novel for teenagers My Big Birkett was published to critical acclaim in Australia, where it was shortlisted for the 2007 CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers and in the United States, where it was a 2008 New York Public Library Best Book for the Teen Age. Her most recent picture book for babies, the delightful Hello World (ill. Leila Rudge) won the 2022 Speech Pathology Book of the Year for Birth-3-year-olds.

Trained as an actor, Lisa is a witty, dynamic, and entertaining presenter, who loves to inspire young people to look at stories, and the world, with a vivid, new freshness.

Hello World
Hark, It’s Me, Ruby Lee!
Laugh Your Head Off 4 Ever
Big Pet Day
Bear & Chook
Bear & Chook by the Sea
The Grand, Genius Summer of Henry Hoobler
My Big Birkett
The Lisa Shanahan Story Collection (Read by Claudia Karvan)

» Read more about Lisa Shanahan

Felicity Castagna

Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Storyteller/Performer

Felicity Castagna is the multi-award winning author of books for young adults and adults, as well as several works for stage and film. She has run popular workshops on writing and creativity everywhere from universities to correctional centres and is passionate about both working with young people and using her extensive experience and research to help schools and teachers to develop creative writing pedagogy.

Small Indiscretions
The Incredible Here and Now
The Incredible Here and Now (the play)
No More Boats
Girls In Boys’ Cars

» Read more about Felicity Castagna

Nathan Luff

Author, Storyteller/Performer

Nathan is a gifted storyteller who recounts in hilarious detail how growing up as one of five boys on a farm in rural NSW has inspired the books he writes.

» Read more about Nathan Luff

Biffy James

Author, Entertainment, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development/Welfare, Storyteller/Performer

Biffy James understands the tragedy of being a teenager. It’s hard, it’s exhausting and it’s confusing. But also? It can be kinda hilarious. 

By sharing embarrassing, sometimes heartbreaking anecdotes of her own adolescence; encouraging students to find that thing that makes them feel completely themselves; and reminding them that high school isn’t forever, Biffy creates a space for teenagers to feel that maybe someone gets it: the world really is super weird. 

Doesn’t mean you can’t conquer the world, though.

» Read more about Biffy James

Robert Vescio

Author, Storyteller/Performer

Robert Vescio is an internationally published award-winning author of children’s picture books, based in Sydney. 

Robert is an Australia Reads ambassador and a Books in Homes role model. His aim is to enthuse and inspire children to read and write and leave them bursting with imaginative ideas.

Today
Natures Song
Patience
Red
The Storytellers
Finding You
A Squiggly Line
Seal Child
Wombat and Joey Roo
The Art of Words
Into the Wild
Happiness is a Cloud
The Voyage
Under The Same Sky
Window of Hope
The Box Cars
Bigger Than Yesterday, Smaller Than Tomorrow
Finn and Puss
Eric Finds A Way
Ella Saw The Tree
Jack and Mia
Barnaby and the Lost Treasure of Bunnyville
Marlo Can Fly
No Matter Who We’re With 

» Read more about Robert Vescio