Sean E. Avery
Sculptor, Writer, Illustrator
Sean is a sculptor with international
acclaim, best known for his animal
sculptures made from CDs and electronic
waste. Pictures of his work have appeared
in publications around the world, and
many private collectors and galleries have purchased his
animals for display including Scitech, Woodside Oil and Gas,
Nespresso and REmida in Perth. In 2014, he represented
Australia at the International Waste To Art exhibition in Baku,
Azerbaijan. His first book, All Monkeys Love Bananas, was a
hit with children and adults in Australia, the Middle East and
Northern Asia. His second picture book, Harold & Grace is due
to be released in April 2015. Sean is an art and library teacher
at Challis Early Childhood Education Centre in Armadale. He
has presented at the Perth Writers Festival, at Rosalie Writers
Festival and at All Saints Festival.
Deb Fitzpatrick
Writer
Deb Fitzpatrick lives and works in
Fremantle, WA. She has a Master of
Arts (Creative Writing) from UWA and
occasionally teaches professional writing
and editing at Curtin University. Deb is
the author of The Amazing Spencer Gray, a novel for younger
readers (2013). Her two novels for young adults – 90 Packets
of Instant Noodles (2010) and Have You Seen Ally Queen?
(2011) – were both awarded Notable Books by the Children’s
Book Council of Australia. The Break is her first book for adult
readers.
Juliet Marillier
Writer
Juliet Marillier was born and brought up
in Dunedin, New Zealand, and now lives
in Perth. Her historical fantasy novels and
short stories for adults and young adults
have been published internationally
and have won a number of awards including the Aurealis,
the American Library Association’s Alex Award and the Sir
Julius Vogel Award. Her lifelong love of folklore, fairy tales
and mythology is a major influence on her writing. Juliet’s
most recent series for young adults is the Shadowfell series
(Shadowfell, Raven Flight and The Caller). She is currently
working on the Blackthorn & Grim historical fantasy/mystery
series for adult readers. The first novel in that series, Dreamer’s
Pool, was published in 2014. When not busy writing, Juliet is
active in the animal rescue field, and she has her own small
pack of waifs and strays.
K. A. Bedford
Author
KA Bedford is a writer who lives in the
northern suburbs of Perth with his wife
Michelle. He is the author of Fremantle
Press’ recent release, Black Light, and
several other science fiction novels,
including Time Machines Repaired While-U-Wait, which won
the Aurealis Award for Best Australian Science Fiction Novel
(2008), and was shortlisted for the Philip K. Dick Award (same
year).
Dianne Touchell
Author
Dianne Touchell is a Western Australian
author who writes contemporary young
adult fiction. Dianne says she writes for
young adults because she hasn’t stopped
being one. Her first novel, Creepy & Maud
(Fremantle Press, 2012) was shortlisted for the Children’s
Book Council of Australia Book of the Year for Older Readers
category in 2013. Her second novel, A Small Madness was
released in 2015.
Phone: 9550 3650
Email: manlib@mandurah.wa.gov.au
www.mandurah.wa.gov.au/Libraries.htm
Mandurah Readers
& Writers Festival
15 - 17 April 2015
Mandurah Library, 331 Pinjarra Road
Liz Byrski
Writer, Broadcast, Academic
Liz Byrski is a writer and broadcaster with
more than 50 years experience in the
British and Australian media. The author
of 13 non-fiction books and eight novels,
her work has been published in national
and international newspapers and magazines. In the nineties
Liz was a broadcaster and executive producer with ABC Radio
in Perth and later an advisor to a minister in the Western
Australian State Government. She is a former President of the
Women’s Advisory Council to the Premier and now lectures
in Professional and Creative Writing at Curtin University, with
a PhD in writing with a focus on feminist fiction. Liz was born
in London and spent most of her childhood in Sussex. As an
only child she spent a lot of time alone, much of it buried in
books. She began her working life as a secretary and later
moved into journalism. She moved to Australia with her
family in 1981.
Kelsie White
Artist and creator of K Gets
Organised
Kelsie is a young stationery designer and
to-do list addict from Perth. She is the
photographer, designer, social media
strategist, blogger, online store curator,
packager, buyer, post officer runner and everything else
behind the brand K Gets Organised. She strongly believes in
the culture of small business and in supporting other creatives
based in Perth.
Samantha Hughes
Illustrator, Artist, Writer
Sam works and illustrates in a tiny studio
in Perth. Working mainly in gouache, Sam
relishes the richness of colour and fine
detail it allows. Fascinated by myths and
fairytales a touch of the fantastic can be
found in most of her work. Sam has taught in communities
across Western Australia engaging children and teachers
of all ages in storytelling, art and book making workshops.
In her work for the State Library of Western Australia’s Better
Beginnings team, she created the Hairy Tales of Heroboy
collectible card game, linking literacy with fun.
James Foley
Illustrator, Author, Speaker,
Facilitator
James Foley is a children’s author and
illustrator. His books include In the
Lion (Walker Books, 2012), The Amity
Kids Adventures (2013), The Last Viking
(Fremantle Press, 2011) and The Last Viking Returns (Fremantle
Press, 2014). In The Lion was selected for the International
Youth Library’s White Raven list in 2013. The Last Viking won
the 2012 Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’
(SCWBI) Crystal Kite Award, the 2012 WA Young Readers’
Hoffman Award, and a 2012 Children’s Book Council of
Australia Junior Judges Award. It was shortlisted for a further
four awards. James is an ambassador for Books In Homes
and Room To Read Australia, and is the current Illustrator
Coordinator for SCBWI Australia West.
His interests include comics, film, psychology,
science, history (anything nerdy really), as well as
yoga and social justice. He has too many books in
his bedside reading pile.
Elli Moody
Illustrator
Elli’s earliest memories are of sitting in a
stuffy stationery cupboard with her sister
while her parents were working, drawing
endless pictures in a pile of surplus 1983
diaries. These days, she draws in a scruffy
old beach shack in Western Australia,
while listening to the radio and swatting insects. She has
worked as a freelance illustrator for a number of organisations
including The Art Group, The Almanac Gallery, Funky Pigeon,
Reader’s Digest, Card Town, Chuckle Monster, The Original
Poster Company, WHSmith and Tesco. Elli also works part
time for a disability arts organisation and is passionate about
inclusive and accessible community arts projects.
Norman Jorgensen
Author – Children & Young Adults
Norman was born in Broome, in the
days before it was a popular holiday
destination. Due to his father’s work with
the PMG (Telstra) they travelled country
Western Australia, before finally settling
in Kalamunda. Norman has held a number of jobs over the
years including, Publishers’ Sales Rep, Bookstore Manager
and Bookstore Owner before becoming an Author. Norman’s
books include The Call of the Osprey, In Flanders Field, A
Fine Mess and its sequel A Fine Mess 002. Jack’s Island takes
it setting from World War II with Australia facing a possible
invasion on the home front and the two young heroes
discovering a Japanese helmet on the island where they live.
Working with illustrator James Foley, he has written The Last
Viking and The Last Viking Returns. The Last Viking Returns
has been shortlisted in the Aurealis Awards 2014 for Best
Children’s Fiction.
Sally Murphy
Author, Teacher, Reviewer
Sally is the author of over 30 books for
children, no small achievement for busy
mum of six children. Since a very young
age Sally has been drawn to reading and
writing and one of her earliest memories
is sitting on the mat at Kindergarten, reading Are You My
Mother to her classmates. Her work includes Pearl Verses the
World, Toppling, Head Hog, Do Not Forget Australia, and Meet
Mary McKillop. Her most recent titles are Roses are Blue and
1915, with picture book Fly In Fly Out Dad to be released later
this year. As well as writing for children, Sally’s other passions
include spreading the word about great books, running
website Aussiereviews.com. Sally is also a doctoral candidate
at Edith Cowan University, focusing on children’s poetry.