Festival Speakers, Panellists and Publishers

	Biography	Panels
	Allison Tait (AL Tait) is an internationally published, bestselling middle-grade author, speaker, co-founder of yourkidsnextread.com and co-host of YKNR podcast. Her fantasy series (The Mapmaker Chronicles, The Ateban Cipher, and Maven & Reeve Mysteries) have been shortlisted and longlisted for awards, as was her first contemporary mystery novel The First Summer of Callie McGee. Willow Bright’s Secret Plot and Danger Road are new in 2025.	Creating Communities of Authors, Illustrators, and Readers 1:30–2:00pm
	Aura Parker is an Australian illustrator, writer and designer. Aura’s latest picture book is Bowerbird Brood, a follow up to her best-selling Bowerbird Blues. Her storytelling through words and pictures inspires imagination, courage and confidence in young readers as well as a love, curiosity and passion for nature. She also loves encouraging children and adults to be creative and brave.	The Power of Picture Books 10:45-11:45am
	Belinda Conners is Children’s Publishing and Campaigns Director for Penguin Random House Australia, working across publishing, marketing, publicity and international rights departments. With over a decade of experience in sales as well, her focus is on publishing a variety of books that young readers want to read, and thereby growing a new generation of readers. Belinda will also be a publisher in the Pitch Session of the festival.	What Really Goes on Behind the Scenes at a Publisher’s Acquisitions Meeting? 3:15-4:00pm
	Belinda Murrell is an award-winning, internationally published author who has written more than 35 books including best-selling series The Sun Sword trilogy, Pippa’s Island, Lulu Bell and her time-slip novels such as The Ivory Rose, The Forgotten Pearl, and The Golden Tower. Her latest junior-fiction series is The Daredevil Princess, about a brave princess solving mysteries with a sassy, talking unicorn.	Why Series Fiction is Still a Winner with Kids and Publishers 10:45-11:45am
	Christof Bogacs (He/They) is a non-binary comic writer from Sydney, Australia. His debut graphic novel Under Kingdom, a middle grade fantasy-comedy with an emphasis on non-violent problem solving, was released in April 2023 through Dark Horse Comics. It was listed by The Mary Sue as one of the best Graphic Novels of 2023. Rick and Morty presents: Brawlher, his first licensed work, was published by Oni Press in April, 2024. This was followed by the Rick and Morty New Year Special published in January of 2025.	Graphic Novels, Verse Novels, and Poetry 2:00-3:00pm
	Dani Vee is publisher at Larrikin House. She is also an author of best-selling picture book My Supercharged ADHD Brain, and various other picture books and two junior fiction titles including the new release My Pet Croc. She has also had an adult crime story published in an anthology. Dani is host of the literary podcast Words and Nerds, with more than one million downloads. Dani will also be a publisher in the Pitch Session of the festival.	Creating Communities of Authors, Illustrators, and Readers 1:30–2:00pm
	Since 2002, Deborah Abela has written 30 internationally published and awarded children’s books. Her latest are CBCA Notables, Bear in Space, The Book of Wondrous Possibilities and The Kindness Project. She’s spoken to tens of thousands of children and their adults, in Australia and overseas, and has a lot to share about being and staying published.	How to Create and Maintain a Thriving Career in an Industry That is Ever Changing 3:15-4:00pm
	Fiona Lloyd’s debut novel Being Jimmy Baxter was shortlisted for both the CBCA and the South Australian Literary Awards 2024, and won the Speech Pathology Awards (8 – 10 years). The book was adapted as a theatre-in-education production touring schools with Meerkat Productions. Fiona is the Children and Young People’s Program Manager for the Words on the Waves Writers Festival.	Getting a Foot in the Door – and Keeping it There: What it means to be an emerging author 12:00-1:00pm
	Hayley Lawrence is a highly acclaimed author who writes young adult novels full of heart and hope, often inspired by her work as a lawyer. She lives in the seaside town of Port Macquarie with her five wild daughters where she stays up too late, too often, writing into the witching hours of the night.	Why Australian Teens Need Australian Stories 12:00-1:00pm
	Jasmine Seymour is a Dharug woman belonging to the Burubirangal people. Jasmine is a descendant of Yarramundi through the Lock, Morley, Douglas, and Seymour families. Jasmine is a Dharug language teacher, Dharug language activist, an award-winning children’s book author-illustrator, a primary school teacher and a language researcher. Jasmine supports Australian language education for all and works towards advocating for and promoting multilingual Indigenous Australia.	The Power of Picture Books 10:45-11:45am
	Joel McKerrow is an award-winning writer, keynote speaker, children’s author and one of Australia’s most successful performance poets. He presents sessions in over fifty schools a year, as well as within many of Australia’s leading literary festivals and education conferences. A Creativity Specialist Joel has twelve books/albums of poetry, a middle-grade Heist series with Penguin Random House and a graphic novel series, Urban Legend Hunters with Larrikin House.	Graphic Novels, Verse Novels, and Poetry 2:00-3:00pm
	Kate Temple is an internationally awarded children’s author of over 30 books from picture books to junior fiction and middle grade. Together with her partner Jol Temple, she has written the best-selling Bin Chicken series, the CBCA honour book, That Bird Has Arms and the highly awarded backwards-forwards book Room on Our Rock, which has been translated into over 20 languages and was the recipient of the Charlotte Huck Award for outstanding fiction with the potential to transform children’s lives. Kate also writes solo works like the dark fantasy middle-grade series, The Dangerous Business of Being Trilby Moffat. Kate holds an MBA as well as a PhD in organisation theory and is passionate about fostering children’s critical thinking skills through a love of reading.	How to Create and Maintain a Thriving Career in an Industry That is Ever Changing 3:15-4:00pm
	Kristin Darell is the author of nine books for children, including the junior fiction series Taronga Presents and the best-selling Football Fever series. After working as a broadcast journalist for more than twenty years, Kristin works for the Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation and is passionate about encouraging kids to share stories of their own.	Getting a Foot in the Door – and Keeping it There: What it Means to be an Emerging Author 12:00-1:00pm
	Louise Park is a multi-award-winning author known for her bestselling series fiction, including Zac Power Test Drives, Boy vs Beast, Harriet Clare, D-Bot Squad, Star Girl, Grace’s Secrets and Grace’s Escape. She is the author of 7 Steps to Get Your Child Reading and Last Man Out, A Personal Account of the Gallipoli Evacuation, an award-winning title based on her grandfather’s journals of his experiences as the last man out of Anzac Cove, Gallipoli during WW1. As an author, she spends her days battling beasts, finding those secret doors, portals and hidden tunnels to magical lands, and solving Harriet Clare’s MEGA-HUGE and terribly troublesome dramas! Who knows what she’ll be spending her time doing tomorrow? The best part about being a children’s book creator and writer is that every day is a new and excitingly grand adventure! Louise writes under her own name and the pseudonyms Mac Park and HI Larry.	The Rising Popularity and Importance of Non-Fiction 2:00-3:00pm
	Megan Daley is the author of the bestselling book Raising Readers (UQP, 2019) as well as Teacher, Teacher (Affirm Press, 2023) and The Beehive (Walker Books, 2024).  Megan is a multiple award-winning Teacher Librarian and early years educator. Megan is also a regular literary judge, workshop presenter, the creator of the popular website Children’s Books Daily and co-creator of the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast.	The Rising Popularity and Importance of Non-Fiction 2:00-3:00pm
	Nat Amoore’s debut novel Secrets Of A Schoolyard Millionaire became Australia’s #1 bestselling debut Aussie children’s fiction in 2019 and has sold into the UK, US, Italy, China, Estonia and Romania. The Power Of Positive Pranking won the 2021 Environment Award for Children’s Literature. The Right Way To Rock, We Run Tomorrow and Shower Land are all CBCA Notables with Nat’s first picture book out in 2025.	How to Create and Maintain a Thriving Career in an Industry That is Ever Changing 3:15-4:00pm
	Nathan Luff is the author of The Nerd Herd and Family Disasters series and the novels Jungle Escape, Bad Grammar and Chicken Stu. Nathan also writes plays for young audiences and works part time as a primary school teacher specialising in creative writing and the performing arts. He is currently the YA and Children’s Manager for the Sydney Writers’ Festival.	Why Series Fiction is Still a Winner with Kids and Publishers 10:45-11:45am
	Pip Harry’s highly awarded books include The Little Wave, winner of the 2020 CBCA Book of the Year, Because of You, Are You There, Buddha? and August & Jones, winner of the 2023 CBCA Shadow Judges Book of the Year. In 2025 she releases picture books Over or Under? and The Inside Dog and Drift, a YA verse novel.	Graphic Novels, Verse Novels, and Poetry 2:00-3:00pm
	RA Spratt is a best-selling children’s author and podcast host. She is known for writing Epically Good Greek Myths, Friday Barnes, The Peski Kids and Nanny Piggins. Her podcast Bedtime Stories with RA Spratt has a huge following from around the world with over 6 million downloads. Her live storytelling shows have played to sold out theatres around Australia. Booklist (the American Library Association’s periodical) describes her recent book Hamlet is Not OK as ‘a refreshingly different, wildly imaginative take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet.’ RA lives in Bowral NSW where she has three chickens, five goldfish and a very needy dog called Henry, as well as a husband and two daughters.	Why Series Fiction is Still a Winner with Kids and Publishers 10:45-11:45am
	Bec Diep has worked in the publishing industry for over fifteen years across various departments including business development, product, marketing and publicity.  She is the publicist for bestselling children’s authors including Mem Fox, Morris Gleitzman and Lynette Noni. Bec is currently Head of Children’s Campaigns at Penguin Random House Australia.	What Really Goes on Behind the Scenes at a Publisher’s Acquisitions Meeting? 3:15-4:00pm
	Rebecca McRitchie has been in the publishing industry for over ten years, working in publishing houses such as Scholastic and Hardie Grant. She is now a Publisher at Penguin Random House, where she works on everything from picture books to YA. Rebecca is also the author of a number of children’s fiction series published by HarperCollins and Scholastic Australia. Rebecca will be a publisher in the Pitch Session of the festival.
	Sally Rippin is a best-selling author for children and the current Australian Children’s Laureate (2024-2025). Sally writes stories with heart and characters that resonate with children, parents, and teachers alike. Her books include Billie B Brown, Hey Jack! and School of Monsters, and for adults: Wild Things: How We Learn to Read and What Can Happen If We Don’t.	Keynote Address – Australian Children’s Laureate 2024-25 Sally Rippin in Conversation with Jacqueline Harvey 10:00-10:45am
	Samera Kamaleddine is a Sydney-based author and librarian. For many years before that she was a journalist, writing for magazines about everything from friendship dramas and school bullies to body confidence. Her debut YA novel, Half My Luck, was published in 2021 after it won the HarperCollins Matilda Prize. Her debut middle-grade novel, The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart, was shortlisted for the 2024 CBCA Book of the Year – Younger Readers. She is currently working on a two-book middle-grade series due for release in 2026.	Getting a Foot in the Door – and Keeping it There: What it Means to be an Emerging Author 12:00-1:00pm
	Sue Whiting is an award-winning children’s author, editor and former primary school teacher who writes for many age groups, from picture books through to YA. Sue is a passionate advocate for reading for pleasure and loves nothing more than enthusing kids about the power of story, and the joy of books and reading. Her latest picture book is Sidney of Sydney, illustrated by Liz Anelli.	The Power of Picture Books 10:45-11:45am
	Susanne Gervay (OAM) was awarded the Social Justice Literature Award by the International Literacy Association. Susanne writes for all ages, tackling the great issues today – feminism in Shadows of Olive Trees, disability in Butterflies, harmony in Elephants Have Wings, bullying in I Am Jack books, inclusion in Parrot Palace, Heroes of the Secret Underground championing young people, Guess How I Was Born? celebrating all our families.	The Rising Popularity and Importance of Non-Fiction 2:00-3:00pm
	Tristan Bancks is an author for kids and teens. His latest book, Scar Town, won the CBCA Book of the Year awards. His other books include Two Wolves, The Fall, Detention, Cop & Robber, Ginger Meggs and Tom Weekly. His books have won and been shortlisted for a number of other awards, including South Australian Literary Awards, Prime Minister’s Literary Awards and YABBA children’s choice. Tristan is an author-advocate for literacy non-profit Room to Read. He is working with producers to develop his books for the screen.	Why Australian Teens Need Australian Stories 12:00-1:00pm
	Vishali Seshadri is an editor in the Children’s Publishing team at Penguin Random House. She works on a range of brands and licensed titles, including Bluey and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, along with authors such as Jacqueline Harvey and RA Spratt. Vishali is passionate about discovering new voices and as a kid loved reading pretty much anything except her school textbooks.	What Really Goes on Behind the Scenes at a Publisher’s Acquisitions Meeting? 3:15-4:00pm
	Will Kostakis writes for young adults. First published at nineteen, he is best known for writing whip-smart comedies that break (then mend) hearts. We Could Be Something is his latest novel. It’s a humorous yet heart-rending look at family, fame and falling in love. It won the 2024 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Young Adult Literature, and was shortlisted for the Victorian and New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards and the Queensland Literary Award.	Why Australian Teens Need Australian Stories 12:00-1:00pm
	With over a decade of publishing experience, mostly in publicity, Children’s Publisher Zoe Bechara knows what makes a good story and how to pitch it. Zoe publishes established and emerging children’s authors and, ever the publicist, is a master of blurbs and finding yet another new angle on a story. Her childhood favourite book is Hating Alison Ashley, she (still) loves big newspapers and small cups of coffee, and she thinks that small humans are the best kind of humans. Zoe will also be a publisher in the Pitch Session of the festival.	What Really Goes on Behind the Scenes at a Publisher’s Acquisitions Meeting? 3:15-4:00pm
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