We bet you didn’t think that was it for new speakers! The Booked Out family is growing a lot this year, with two new fantastic Victorian speakers who we’d like to introduce, as well as an important new session from Nikki Gemmell (NSW).

George Green
George is an accomplished motivational speaker with over ten years experience in inspiring young people.  George details his journey from the Hip-Hop industry to finding faith and his transition to successful children’s author.

Huda Hayek
Huda Hayek learned as an adult to embrace all the parts that make her unique. Hayek believes all children, no matter their backgrounds, can do this early and use it as a tool for success. The author of Huda and Me, Huda speaks to students about embracing difference, identity, belonging and using your own voice.

Nikki Gemmell has created a very timely and comprehensive session for students, titled Consent, Tenderness and Empowerment. Tailored to senior secondary students, the talk aims to empower our young people. It is about respectful relationships. Reciprocal relationships. Porn. Drinking and drugs. Having a voice. Control. Bewilderment. Generosity. Talking with each other, having your mate’s back –  and pleasure.

One year 11 student who heard this talk came up to Nikki Gemmell afterwards and said, “that’s the best Sex Ed talk I’ve ever heard. Why aren’t they all like that?”

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We’re really looking forward to working with George and Huda, and seeing Nikki Gemmell’s long lasting impact on students during such important years.

We’re so excited to welcome some new faces to the Booked Out family! Check out these talented authors:

Cath Moore
Cath is an award winning author, filmmaker and academic, specializing in YA and own-voice storytelling for the page and screen. She contributed to the Growing Up African in Australia anthology (edited by Maxine Beneba Clarke) and her debut novel Metal Fish, Falling Snow won the 2021 Victorian Premier’s YA award for literature, was longlisted for the 2021 Stella Prize, and shortlisted for the 2021 CBCA, ABIA & NSW Premier’s YA literary awards.

Gary Lonesborough
Gary is a writer of young adult fiction, with experience working in the Aboriginal health, the disability sector and the film industry. His debut YA novel The Boy from the Mish is a funny and heartwarming queer Indigenous story exploring cultural and sexual identity in rural Australia.

Claire Saxby
Claire writes poetry, fiction and non-fiction for young people. She speaks (and sometimes sings) about history, humour, our environment, making stories, writing poetry and researching. Her picture books, including Iceberg, Kookaburra, Dingo, Koala and more, are sure to delight and engage young readers with their informative yet lyrical storytelling and mesmerising illustrations.

Gabriel Bergmoser
Gabriel is an award-winning author, playwright and screenwriter who loves to tell and hear stories in all shapes and sizes. His books The Hunted and YA coming of age novel The True Colour of a Little White Lie are both set to be developed into feature films.

Are you as impressed as we are?? 😍

Get in touch today to make a booking with one of these fab speakers.

After attending the Sydney Writers Festival last weekend, our staff are so excited about the many new faces we met and the amazing talent emerging from the literary industry.

We had some heartwarming and thought-provoking conversations over the festival, and have some exciting developments in the works.

Keep an eye out for some fabulous new speakers joining Booked Out very soon! 🌟

Welcome to Term 2! It’s sweater weather here at Booked Out HQ, and we’re excited to cheer up your overcast days with a bright and sunny speaker visit ☀️

The first day of term is always a big one, and we’re ready to chat about your 2021 plans once your students are settled – you can contact us via (03) 9824 0177 or email bookings@bookedout.com.au. We’re gearing up for a big couple of weeks, with a range of popular new speakers joining Booked Out – watch this space!

We hope everyone reading this has a fantastic Term 2, full of steaming cups of hot chocolate and cosy evenings. We look forward to helping you make 2021 one of the best years yet, with speaker visits to educate and inspire ✨

Happy Holidays everyone! 🐰🍫☕⁣ ⁣

Congratulations on making it through Term 1 and we hope you enjoy your well earned Easter break!⁣ ⁣

We have had a very busy few months, with a phenomenal number of new enquiries coming our way. It’s been very uplifting to see, and fantastic to reconnect with teachers and librarians all across Australia.⁣ ⁣

We will be back in the office on Tuesday 6th and here over the break, so if you have a quiet moment in the holidays feel free to get in touch to confirm your booking.⁣ ⁣

Take care ♥️

The CBCA announced their 2021 shortlist today! 🎉 Congratulations to all authors, illustrators, publishers and everyone involved in these exciting achievements.
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We’d like to give a special shout out to these stellar Booked Out speakers who made the list:

The End of the World is Bigger than Love by Davina Bell – CBCA Shortlist Book of the Year: Older Readers

When Rain Turns to Snow by Jane Godwin – CBCA Shortlist Book of the Year: Older Readers

Who’s Your Real Mum written by Bernadette Green and illustrated by Anna Zobel – CBCA Shortlist Book of the Year: Early Childhood

Norton and the Bear by Gabriel Evans – CBCA Shortlist Picture Book of the Year

Well done all!! 🎉

You can check out the full shortlist on CBCA’s website and watch the entertaining announcement video here.
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Due to the Labour Day public holiday in Victoria, the Booked Out office will be closed on Monday, 8th March 2021.

We will be back to our usual programming on Tuesday, 9th March. See you then!