program - NSW Writers Centre

SATURDAY 25 JUNE 2016, 10AM – 6PM
As Director of the 9th Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival, it is my
pleasure to welcome you to this wonderful event.
This year’s festival includes a diverse range of creative voices
including authors, illustrators, editors, publishers and industry
professionals.
On the day, you’ll hear from extraordinary talents in the world of
children’s and young adult literature. Learn the secrets of the experts,
share in the inspiring stories offered by fresh voices and groundbreaking writers who risk everything to tell their story. Participate in
pitching sessions and workshops, network with like-minded
individuals who share your passion for story and picture. Chat with old
friends and make new connections.
A le e s ah Darlis on
Fe s t ival Dire ctor
Our keynote speaker is the highly talented and successful Tristan Bancks, a much-loved and respected
author whose most recent YA novel, Two Wolves, received wide acclaim and was short-listed for the
prestigious Prime Minister’s Literary Awards in 2015. Other headline presenters include Andrew Daddo,
actor and multi-published author; Susanne Gervay, author of the I am Jack series and leading light of the
children’s publishing world; and Jacqueline Harvey, author of two hit series, Alice-Miranda and ClementineRose. We also have Sophie Masson, Chrissie Perry, Will Kostakis, Belinda Murrell, Serena Geddes, Michael
Salmon and Kylie Fornasier presenting on the day. Plus many more literary luminaries.
There is always such a wonderful, warm and welcoming glow at the Kids and YA Festival. So come
along and join in. The day is yours so make the most of it!
I look forward to seeing you there.
HOW TO BOOK
Online at nswwc.org.au or by phone (02) 9555 9757
NSW Writers’ Centre Member $60 / Member Concession $50 / Non-Members $90
There is plenty of free parking at the Centre, and there will be a food and coffee vendor on the day.
The NSW Writers’ Centre is located in the grounds of Callan Park, Balmain Road, Rozelle.
For directions and public transport options, visit our website nswwc.org.au
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.
SPEAKERS:
Tristan Bancks
Dianne Bates
Steph Bowe
David Burton
Chren Byng
Libby-Jane Charleston
Meredith Costain
Andrew Daddo
Georgie Donaghey
Kylie Fornasier
Sandy Fussell
Serena Geddes
Susanne Gervey
David Hardy
Jacqueline Harvey
Anouska Jones
Will Kostakis
Jan Latta
Tristan Bancks is a children’s and teen author, whose
books include the My Life series, the Mac Slater series and Two Wolves, a crime-mystery novel for
middle-graders. Two Wolves won Honour Book in the 2015 CBCA Book of the Year Awards and was
shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. It also won the YABBA and KOALA Children’s Choice
Awards. @tristanbancks n Dianne Bates is a freelance writer, editor, manuscript assessor and
publisher of About Kids Books. In 2006, she founded the children’s book industry newsletter, Buzz Words.
Dianne is a recipient of The Lady Cutler Award for distinguished services to children’s literature.
@BuzzWordsZine n Steph Bowe is the 22-year-old author of young adult novels Girl Saves Boy and All
This Could End. Her writing on feminism appeared in the Destroying the Joint anthology. She is a Schools
Ambassador for the Stella Prize in Queensland, and a 2016 fellow of the May Gibbs Children’s Literature
Trust. @stephbowe n David Burton is an award-winning playwright and author. In 2014, his first book,
How to Be Happy: A Memoir, won the Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing and was published
the following year. David also has a couple of popular podcasts: Mentor and Ask Pew!Pew! @dave_burton
n Chren Byng is the publisher for ABC Children’s Books at HarperCollins Publishers Australia. Over a
decade working in the industry, she has edited and published award-winning and bestselling children’s
books from many of Australia’s most-loved authors and illustrators. @ChrenKali n Libby-Jane
Charleston started her career as one of the youngest columnists in Australia at the West Australian.
She’s worked as a TV reporter for Nine, Ten, SBS, Seven and the ABC and is currently working at The
Huffington Post. She is the author of true crime book Fatal Females and children’s picture book I Will Love
You Until. n Meredith Costain’s work ranges from picture books through to novels, poetry and
narrative non-fiction. Her books include CBCA Honour Book Doodledum Dancing, The Cuddliest Hug,
Musical Harriet, novelisations of ABC TV’s Dance Academy, and tween series A Year in Girl Hell. Her latest
series is the Ella Diaries, which has sold internationally. @MeredithCostain n Andrew Daddo has
written 25 books including picture books, chapter books, short story collections, novels and a biography.
He also talks up literacy in schools across Australia. Andrew’s newest book One Step will be released in
July 2016. n Aleesah Darlison is an award-winning Australian children’s author. In 2015, she won the
Environment Award for Children’s Literature (non-fiction). Aleesah’s titles include Stripes in the Forest:
The Story of the Last Wild Thylacine, Awesome Animal Stories for Kids, the Netball Gems series, the
Unicorn Riders series, Ash Rover: Keeper of the Phoenix, Puggle’s Problem, Little Meerkat, and Mama and
Hug. @Aleesah n Georgie Donaghey published her first picture book in 2015 and her second is to be
released soon. Her involvement with children’s writing is extensive, as a past president of the CBCA
Sutherland branch and founder of Creative Kids Tales, an industry-recognised website designed to assist
Australian emerging children’s authors. @CKidsTales n Kylie Fornasier is a writer, teacher, bookworm
and daydreamer. She writes books for children and young adults, including her YA novel, The Things I
Didn’t Say, which follows the journey of a 17-year-old girl with Selective Mutism. In March this year, she
travelled across Australia with the Penguin Random House #YASquad2016. @KylieFornasier
n Sandy Fussell is the author of 14 books including the popular Samurai Kids series and Polar Boy
(CBCA short-listed). Her most recent release is a picture book, Sad, the Dog, recommended in a New
York Times review. @sandyfussell n Serena Geddes is the illustrator of the Lulu Bell series written by
Belinda Murrel and published by Penguin Random House. She has illustrated over 36 books ranging from
board books to picture books to junior novels, and has just been offered a contract with Simon and
Schuster (NY) for her first author-illustrated picture book, Rosie and Rasmus. n Susanne Gervay has
been awarded the Lifetime Social Justice Literature Award by the International Literacy Association, and
has received an Order of Australia. Her I Am Jack books on school bullying were adapted into an
acclaimed play by Monkey Baa Theatre, touring Australia and the US, and have been published in many
countries. @sgervay n David Hardy is an Indigenous author/artist with more than eight years of
animation experience with Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is a senior gaming illustrator/animator
and freelance illustrator, specializing in portraits and caricatures. Whilst at Disney, David worked on
12 animated feature films, including The Lion King 3, Tarzan II, Lilo & Stitch 2 and Return to Neverland.
n Jacqueline Harvey is the author of 28 novels for younger readers and a CBCA award-winning
picture book. Her bestselling Alice-Miranda and Clementine Rose series are published internationally and
have garnered various short listings and awards. Jacqueline travels widely, speaking and teaching in
Australia and overseas. She is an ambassador for Dymocks Children’s Charities and Room to Read.
@JacquelineHarve n Anouska Jones is the Publisher at EK Books, the children’s picture book imprint
of Exisle Publishing. Launched in 2013, this boutique imprint is already home to some award-winning
titles and best-selling books. Anouska is also senior editor of the children’s literature website Kids’ Book
Review. She will release her first picture book in October 2016. n Will Kostakis’ first novel, Loathing
Lola, was released when he was just 19, and his second, The First Third, won the 2014 Gold Inky Award.
It was also shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year and the Australian Prime Minister’s Literary Awards.
The Sidekicks is his third novel for young adults. @willkostakis n When Jan Latta came face-to-face
with a mountain gorilla in Rwanda she decided to write books for children on endangered animals. But
first she became a wildlife photographer, travelling to India, Sri Lanka, Borneo, Uganda and Africa. The
ABC asked Jan to write Diary of a Wildlife Photographer, a journal of her adventures in the wild with 300
stunning photographs. @truetolifebooks n Dougal MacPherson once drew a digger and a truck on
a rainy Sunday afternoon to entertain his young son. Since then he has illustrated for tech websites and
conferences and now, a children’s book. He shares his art on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter as
@15mindrawings. n Rochelle Manners is the founder of Wombat Books and Rhiza Press, traditional
publishing houses located in Brisbane. Wombat Books publishes picture books and early reader series,
while Rhiza Press focuses on young adult, general fiction and gift books. @RochelleManners
n Sophie Masson is the award-winning and internationally-published author of over 60 books for
children, young adults and adults. Her most recent books are YA fairytale novel Hunter’s Moon and adult
novel Trinity: The False Prince, second in the Trinity duology. Sophie is also a co-director of Christmas
Press, a boutique publisher specialising in beautiful picture books and illustrated fiction for children.
@SophieMasson1 n Katrina McKelvey is a children’s author, former primary school teacher and
mother of two. She is the CBCA NSW Newcastle sub-branch president, on the committee of the
Newcastle Writers Festival, facilitator of the Hunter Writers Centre Children’s Writing Group, and is a
Books In Homes volunteer role model. Dandelions, illustrated by Kirrili Lonergan, is Katrina’s first picture
book. @katrinamckelvey n Belinda Murrell is a bestselling, internationally published children’s author.
Her 27 books include The Sun Sword fantasy trilogy as well as the popular Lulu Bell series for younger
readers. She is also known for her award-winning historical timeslip books including The River Charm
and The Ivory Rose. Her latest novel The Lost Sapphire is set in Melbourne in the 1920s. n Jess Owen
is an editor for Penguin Young Readers, Penguin Random House Australia. She has always had her nose
in a book and started her career in children’s book publishing at Walker Books Australia.
n Chrissie Perry is the author of over 35 books for children and young adults, including 13 books in
the popular Go Girl series and the award winning Whisper. Her work has been published in 10 countries.
Her new middle fiction series Penelope Perfect has already been acquired by Simon and Schuster (US).
n James Roy is the author of 30 books for young people, including the NSW Premier’s Award winner
Town, the WA Premier’s Book Prize winner Anonymity Jones, and the CBCA Honour Books Captain Mack
and Billy Mack’s War. James’ latest books are One Thousand Hills, co-written with Noel Zihabamwe, a
Rwandan genocide survivor, and the Chook Doolan books for very young readers. n Pamela Rushby
has worked in advertising, as a pre-school teacher, and as a writer and producer of educational television,
audio and multimedia. She currently freelances as a writer and loves delving into history to find
stories. Her books and films have won many awards. n Michael Salmon has been entertaining
young Australians since 1967, with children’s books, toys, merchandise, theatre and television work. In
1978 ABC-TV took Michael’s character Alexander Bunyip from his first book, The Monster That Ate
Canberra, and made him into a national star. Michael spends most of his time visiting primary schools,
drawing his cartoons and encouraging students to develop their own creativity. @AlexanderBunyip
n Holly Toohey is a Publishing Executive at Penguin Random House who specialises in middle-grade
commercial fiction. She creates and acquires new series, with a focus on brand partnerships. She has
the pleasure of working with wonderfully talented authors such as Jacqueline Harvey, RA Spratt and
George Ivanoff. n Adele Walsh is a passionate advocate for writing and reading for young people. She
has a professional background as a teacher and now works as the program coordinator for the Centre
for Youth Literature, providing online content as well as programming events to promote literature for,
and to, young adults. @snarkywench n Jessica Walton was inspired to write Introducing Teddy, a
story about a transgender teddy bear, after her dad Tina came out as a trans woman. Jessica wanted
books that reflected the diversity in her family to read to her young son. The book started out as a
Kickstarter project, and will now be published by Bloomsbury. @JessHealyWalton n Jodie WellsSlowgrove is the author of the Wilderness Fairies series, illustrated by Kerry Millard and published by
Penguin. When not writing she works as a primary school teacher-librarian. She is one of the founders
of The Story Crowd who bring educational, inspiring and entertaining literature festivals to schools
across Australia. @JWellsSlowgrove n Susan Whelan is a children’s author based in Newcastle/Lake
Macquarie. She is the author of Don’t Think About Purple Elephants and managing editor of popular
children’s literature website Kids’ Book Review. Susan has a passion for writing stories that start
conversations. @readupsidedown n Sandra Wigzell has always loved books. She realised a lifelong
dream when she purchased her own bookshop and was devastated to close it some years later. She has
been a judge for the Aurealis Awards and currently owns and organises Book Expo Australia, an expo
showcasing Australian publishers and authors. @bookexpoaus n Wanda Wiltshire spent her school
days penning poetry and sneaking novels into class. After watching her children learn to read, Wanda
finally realised her own talent for writing could no longer be ignored. She now creates characters full of
inner strength, fuelled by her limitless imagination. @Wanda_Wiltshire n Michelle Worthington is an
internationally published award-winning author of empowering picture books for children of all ages.
Two-time winner of the International Book Award for Children’s Hardcover Fiction and finalist in the US
Best Book Awards, Michelle also received a Gellett Burgess Award for Children’s Literature and a Silver
Moonbeam Award for her contribution to celebrating diversity in Picture Books. @michelle_author n
Tara Wynne joined Curtis Brown UK in 1998, and moved to Curtis Brown Australia as a Literary Agent
in 2002. n Noel Zihabamwe is a Rwandan Australian. He co-authored One Thousand Hills, the story
of the 1994 Rwandan genocide as told by a young boy, Pascal. Noel works as a community development
officer, assisting migrants and refugees in resettlement. He was awarded an African Australian Award
in 2014 and a Community Services & Leadership Award by Western Sydney University in 2015.
@NoelYan1
Dougal MacPherson
Sophie Masson
Katrina McKelvey
Belinda Murrell
Jess Owen
Chrissie Perry
James Roy
Pamela Rushby
Michael Salmon
Holly Toohey
Adele Walsh
Jessica Walton
Jodie Wells-Slowgrove
Susan Whelan
Sandra Wigzell
Wanda Wiltshire
Michelle Worthington
Noel Zihabamwe
KIDS & YA FESTIVAL
SATURDAY 25 JUNE 2016, 10AM – 6PM
PATRICK WHITE ROOM
JUDITH WRIGHT ROOM
10-10.50am
Keynote Address by Tristan Bancks
11-11.50am – Picture Book Parade
11-11.50am – Turning Facts Into Fiction
Meet today’s stars of the picture book genre. Hear how they got their
start, where they get their inspiration from and what stories they’re
bringing to the market this year. With Andrew Daddo, Meredith Costain,
Aleesah Darlison, Katrina McKelvey, Sandra Wigzell (Chair).
How do you turn the cold facts of history and modern-day reality into
something children and young adults want to read? With Pamela
Rushby, Jan Latta, Kylie Fornasier, Libby-Jane Charleston (Chair).
Three vastly different collaborative projects from three creative
dynamic duos. Learn how their projects came about, how the
collaborators worked together to bring their stories to light, and what
their tips are for you to achieve your own collaborative success. With
James Roy & Noel Zihabamwe, Jessica Walton & Dougal MacPherson,
Serena Geddes & Belinda Murrell (Chair).
What are the various paths you can follow to get your book published –
and selling – overseas? What are the sacrifices it takes and the rewards
that result? Discover how to write stories that suit international markets,
how to submit to overseas agents and publishers, and what an
international rights deal entails. With Susanne Gervay, Jacqueline
Harvey, Michelle Worthington, Sophie Masson (Chair).
12-12.50pm – Collaboration Think Tanks
12-12.50pm – Writing For The World Stage
12.50-2pm LUNCH
Launch: Pamela Freeman and illustrator Liz Anelli launch their picture book, Desert Lake. On the Verandah.
Seminar: Paying Forward and Giving Back
Networking for Authors and Illustrators. With Sandy Fussell and Susan Whelan.
1-1.45pm, $10 additional fee with proceeds going to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Henry Lawson Room.
2-2.50pm – Publishers and Agents: What They’re
Looking For and How to Impress Them
From start-up independent publishers to established industry icons,
these leading lights talk about current trends, what they’re looking for
in a story and how you can work with them. With Tara Wynne (Curtis
Brown), Anouska Jones (EK Books), Holly Toohey (Random House),
Rochelle Manners (Wombat Books) and Aleesah Darlison (Chair).
3-3.50pm – YA All The Way
2-2.50pm – I Wrote A Series
Learn how authors and publishers write and develop series: what
works, what doesn’t and what the future holds for story series across
the children’s and YA genres. With Wanda Wiltshire, Chrissie Perry,
Meredith Costain, Jodie Wells-Slowgrove and Jessica Owen (Penguin)
(Chair).
3-3.50pm – Illustrators Incorporated
What makes young adult fiction so enticing to read – and to write? Join
the brains trust of young adult literature. What topics do they choose
to write about and why? What are the challenges they face in writing
their stories and getting them to market? And just how far can you take
taboo subjects without alienating readers? With Tristan Bancks, Steph
Bowe, David Burton, Will Kostakis and Adele Walsh (Chair).
Being a successful children’s book illustrator involves more than just
drawing pretty pictures. Learn from these highly successful illustrators
how to create a portfolio for presentation to publishers, secure work
locally and overseas, and create an illustrator platform that stands out
from the crowd. With Michael Salmon, Serena Geddes, David Hardy and
Georgie Donaghey (Chair).
Pitch your idea for a kids or young adult novel to an expert panel.
With Tara Wynne (Curtis Brown), Chren Byng (ABC Children’s Books),
Holly Toohey (Random House) and Dianne Bates (About Kids Books).
BRING: a one paragraph pitch and the first page of your manuscript.
PRIZE: 2 x $25 mentorships with Emma Cameron and book prizes.
Pitch your idea for a picture book to an expert panel. With Rochelle
Manners (Wombat Books), Sophie Masson (Christmas Press) and
Anouska Jones (EK Books).
BRING: a one paragraph pitch and full manuscript.
PRIZE: Creative Kids Tales $50 cash prize & merchandise.
4-5pm – Pitching Session: Kids & Young Adult Novels
4-5pm – Pitching Session: Picture Books
5-6pm Drinks and Networking on the Verandah
Program and speakers are subject to change without notice.
(02) 9555 9757
info@nswwc.org.au
@writingnsw