Nadine Abensur specialises in vegetarian cooking and has written 5 books including The Cranks Bible.		Michael Jacobson is a journalist. His best-selling debut novel, Windmill Hill, was longlisted for the 2004 Dublin IMPAC Literary Prize.
	Jessica Adams is an astrologer & psychic. Author of I'm A Believer and Cool For Cats, she has also been on the editorial team of the Girls' Night In series, raising over $2 million for the charity War Child.		Linda Jaivin is the author of four novels, two works of non-fiction and two plays, as well as short stories and essays on the subject of asylum seekers. She is working on a novel set in an immigration detention centre.
	Robyn Arianrhod is a writer and mathematician whose passion for both literature and mathematics reflects her love of language. A former Northern Rivers resident, she teaches at Monash University.		Belinda Jeffery is an award-winning TV food presenter, freelance writer, restaurant reviewer and cooking teacher. Her series of cooking DVDs will be released this year.
	Sarah Armstrong worked for the ABC as a journalist. Her first novel Salt Rain will be launched at the Festival.		Jill Jones is an award-winning poet. Her fourth book, Screens, Jets, Heaven won the 2003 Kenneth Slessor Poetry Prize. A chapbook, Struggle and Radiance, was published in Ireland by Wild Honey Press.
	Wayne Ashton is a painter with work represented internationally. His first novel Under a Tin Grey Sari has been highly successful.		John Kinsella a distinguished academic, has published many award-winning collections of poetry and two works of fiction. His most recent book is Peripheral Light: New and Selected Poems.
	Thea Astley is one of Australia's most celebrated authors. She has published more than a dozen novels in a writing career that spans four decades and is winner of 3 Miles Franklin Awards.		Fay Knight is a freelance journalist & author of Byron Bay Beauty. She came home ten years ago to slow down and write novels.
	Former magazine editor Bunty Avieson has written three novels, won two Ned Kelly awards, and been translated into German and Japanese. Baby In A Backpack to Bhutan is her first non-fiction work.		Malcolm Knox is the author of two novels, Summerland and A Private Man. He is literary editor of the Sydney Morning Herald.
	Annette Barlow is a publisher at Allen & Unwin. She has both a fiction and a non-fiction list and has published such books as Alex Miller's Journey to the Stone Country.		Clea Koff was the youngest member of the United Nations Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. She went on to become a core member of the UNforensic team. Her book is The Bone Woman.
	Larissa Behrendt is Professor of Law and Indigenous Studies and Director of the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at the University of Technology Sydney. Her first novel Homewill be published in May by UQP.		Rachael Kohn, academic and awardwinning broadcaster, has written widely on religion. Her most recent book is The New Believers: Re-Imagining God.
	Peter Bishop has been Executive Director of Varuna - The Writers' House in Katoomba since 1993.		Kylie Kwong has worked at many restaurants including Billy Kwong. She has hosted her own TV series on the ABC and published two books including her first cookbook Kylie Kwong: Recipes and Stories. She is collating information for a third book.
	Books Alive authors are Belinda Alexandra, Duncan Ball, Robert Drewe, Nikki Gemmell, Gabrielle Lord & Mary Moody.		Tobsha Learner has written many plays, short stories and an erotic thriller. The Witch of Cologne was her first historical fiction. Her next book is Tremble - Sensual Fables of the Mystical and Sinister.
	Susan Bradley Smith lectures in Writing at Southern Cross University. She recently co-edited Playing Australia: Australian Theatre on the World Stage, and is working on a biography of Kathy Lette. Griefbox, a collection of her own plays, was published in 2001.		David Leser is the author of three books. He is also a Walkley Awardwinning journalist. He works for the Australian Women's Weekly and the Bulletin.
	Alison Broinowski has written and edited eight books about Australia's place in the world. She has drawn on her experience as an Australian diplomat in writing About Face: Asian Accounts of Australia and Howard's War.		Michael Leunig was born in Melbourne and is known as a cartoonist, artist, philosopher and poet. His work first appeared in Australian newspapers in 1965.
	Richard Broinowski has written two books, the latest is Foil or Fusion - the truth about Australia's nuclear ambitions. His career as an Australian Diplomat spanned 34yrs and currently he is an Honorary Professor at the University of Sydney.		Mark Lewis has produced and directed a wide variety of independent productions but is best known for his film Cane Toads. His most recent film was the popular The Natural History of the Chicken.
	Geraldine Brooks Foreign correspondent for 11 years and author of the novel Year of Wonders and 2 works of non fiction Nine Parts of Desire and Foreign Correspondence.		John Lonie is co-head of AFTRS. He has extensive credits on many projects such as True Believers. He writes both novels and screenplays and is a busy script-editor.
	Adrienne Burgess has been writing since she was 18. She is much in demand as a broadcaster and writer on family issues.		Melissa Lucashenko is a Murri woman from Brisbane. Her novels have won or been shortlisted for numerous Australian and international awards, and her essays and short stories have been widely published.
	Larry Buttrose is a writer and poet. He has written novels & poetry as well as numerous screen and stage plays.		Mungo MacCallum has worked as a political commentator, writer and broadcaster since 1965. He currently writes for the Byron Shire Echo. Australian Political Anecdotes is his latest publication and he is working on a book on the current election.
	Jane Campion's critically acclaimed film The Piano won the Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and three Oscars, including Best Screenplay. Her most recent film is In the Cut.		Mark MacLeod is well known as an award-winning publisher and speaker. He is President-elect of the Children's Book Council of Australia.
	Elaine Canty is a respected broadcaster, journalist, lawyer and businesswoman. She has been a pioneer for women in sports broadcasting and administration and is a member of the AFL Tribunal.		Roy Masters writes for the Sydney Morning Herald. He has covered eight Olympic Games and four Commonwealth Games. A former first grade rugby league coach, he is also a board member of the Australian Sports Commission.
	Fiona Capp has written two novels, an academic work about security surveillance of Australian intellectuals and a memoir That Oceanic Feeling.		Siobhan McHugh is an awardwinning writer, documentary-maker and oral historian. Among her six books is Minefields and Miniskirts, about Australian women in the Vietnam War, which has just been adapted for the stage.
	Professional storyteller Jenni Cargill polished her art, telling tales in schools and folk festivals around Australia. Her CD won an award from the National Library.		Susan Melhuish is an educational consultant, actor and director. She is Director for Byron's Fourth Wall Theatre.
	Deborah Carlyon born of Chimbu heritage in Papua New Guinea, is an award winning author. Her latest book is Mama Kuma: One Woman, Two Cultures.		Alex Miller is one of Australia's best-loved novelists. His books are published internationally. He is twice winner of the Miles Franklin Award and is a Commonwealth Writers Prize Winner. Alex's seventh novel, The Other Man, will be published next year.
	John Carroll is Professor of Sociology at La Trobe University in Melbourne. His most recent books include Terror - a Meditation on the Meaning of September 11 & a revised edition of Humanism under the title The Wreck of Western Culture.		Di Morrissey will publish her 13th novel, The Reef, this November. She has consistently written on Aboriginal issues, the environment, personal relationships and the Australian landscape.
	Lucy Clark has worked on newspapers, magazines and books in Brisbane, Sydney, London, and New York and is currently the literary editor of Sydney's Sunday Telegraph.		Neil Murray songwriter, musician and performer, Neil is also a poet and author of Sing for me Countryman.
	Alan Close has published two books of fiction and edited the anthology Men Love Sex. His essays and articles on men's issues appear regularly in the national media.		Nerida Newton's addictions include travel and writing. Her award winning first novel, The Lambing Flat, deals with displacement and belonging against an historical backdrop.
	Janie Conway Heron is a musician, writer & lecturer in writing at Southern Cross University. She is currently researching her 2nd novel, In the Footsteps of My Ancestors.		Leonie Norrington's award winning books are set in remote Aboriginal Australia. They are The Barrumbi Kids, The Spirit of Barrumbi, Croc Bait & Crocodile Jack.
	Gail Cork is manager of the Australia Council Literature Board and former Executive Director of the ASA.		Creed O'Hanlon is a creative polymath whose perspectives of contemporary culture are featured in short fiction, essays and photography for Griffith Review and the Bulletin.
	Gary Crew writes fiction for youth and adults as well as the texts of illustrated books. Gary is Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of the Sunshine Coast.		Mick O'Regan is the presenter of the Media Report program on ABC Radio National. Mick has worked as a reporter and producer on the ABC radio current affairs program AM and as a television producer with Channel Seven.
	Sophie Cunningham's first novel, Geography was published this year. She has previously worked as both a journalist and book publisher.		Ruth Ostrow writes the Heart & Soul column in The Australian.A former finance journalist and sex writer/broadcaster, she now focuses on spiritual and life matters. Her fifth book Sacred & Naked will be launched at the Festival.
	Li Cunxin's bestselling autobiography, Mao's Last Dancer is a beautiful account of an inspirational life that very nearly vanished, like millions of other peasants' lives, amidst revolution and chaos.		Susan Perrow is a storyteller and writer of children's stories. She developed the first unit on storytelling at SCU and is currently working in East Africa in teacher training.
	Paul Davies is the author of seven plays. 33 Postcards From Heaven is his first novel and will be launched at the Festival.		Norman Porter is author of books on Northern Ireland, including Rethinking Unionism, The Republican Ideal (ed), and more recently The Elusive Quest: Reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
	Marele Day is author of the bestselling literary novel, Lambs of God. Her most recent work is Mrs Cook: The Real and Imagined Life of the Captain's Wife.		Nic Pullen is a partner with Holding Redlich, specializing in media law and intellectual property. He advises publishers in all media and is a regular commentator on issues effecting publishers and writers.
	Sarah Day's books have won the Anne Elder Award and been shortlisted for the NSW Premier's and the NBC Awards. The Ship is her fifth collection of poetry and will be launched at the Festival.		Michael Rakusin is co-owner of Tower Books, one of Australia's larger independent book distribution companies.
	Australian born Janet de Neefe lives in Bali and runs the legendary Casa Luna cooking school. Her first book, Fragrant Rice, is a tale of passion, marriage and food.		Scott Rankin is an award-winning writer/director. His plays include Kissing Frogs & Beasty Girl. He is Artistic Director of Big hart.
	Mary Delahunty, Victorian Minister for The Arts, Women's Affairs and Planning. Previously she was an award-winning journalist and presenter of the 7.30 Report and Four Corners. Mary also hosted the ABC's national arts program, Sunday Afternoon.		Leigh Redhead has worked on a prawn trawler, in a strip club, as a waitress and apprentice chef. Her first novel, Peepshow, will be published in September.
	Libby Douglas is a producer/director for ABC Radio National. She produces drama, poetry, book readings and short stories.		Peter Robb has spent the last 30 years in Southern Italy, Brazil and Australia. He is the author of Midnight in Sicily, M & A Death in Brazil.
	Irina Dunn is Executive Director of the NSW Writers' Centre. She is the author of The Writer's Guide: a Companion to Writing for Pleasure or Publication.		Ian Robertson heads the Sydney media and entertainment practice of law firm Holding Redlich. He is also a member of the Australian Broadcasting Authority and acting chair of AusFILM. He is particularly proud to be Di Morrissey's lawyer.
	Nick Earls is the author of nine books, including bestselling novels such as Zigzag Street, Bachelor Kisses and Perfect Skin. His new novel, The Thompson Gunner, is about to be released.		Julianne Schultz is the editor of Griffith REVIEW and an adjunct professor at Griffith University. She is the author of books including Steel City Blues & Reviving the Fourth Estate and the librettos Black River and Going into Shadows.
	Russell Eldridge is the Editor of The Northern Star and a former sports writer with the Sydney Morning Herald. He has also written short stories and is working on his first novel.		Neera Scott is a local writer and yoga teacher. She is a founding member of Dangerously Poetic Press. Her first book of poems will be launched at the Festival.
	Delia Falconer has written essays, short stories & a bestselling novel The Service of Clouds which have won many Australian Awards. Delia is currently working on her next novel.		Peter Singer is an Australian philosopher. His Animal Liberation is often credited with starting the worldwide animal rights movement. His most recent book is The President of Good and Evil. He is currently professor of bioethics at Princeton University.
	Melaina Faranda is the author of the popular Young Adult series: The Circle. Her latest novel, Princess, will be launched at the Festival.		Veronica Sumegi is publisher of Brandl & Schlesinger, which she and her partner started ten years ago.
	Helen Garner has been publishing novels, short stories, non-fiction and journalism since 1977. Her most recent book is Joe Cinque's Consolation.		David Throsby is Professor of Economics at Macquarie University in Sydney. His major area of research interest is in the economics of the arts and culture.
	Diana Gribble is publisher of The Reader. She has been a director of Text Media, a director of McPhee Gribble Publishers, deputy chair of the Australia Council and the ABC and a director of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.		Noel Tovey has worked in theatre & television for 50 years. Recipient of a Queen Elizabeth Silver Jubilee award for writing and nominated for Australian of the Year for his work in Indigenous theatre, he has recently published Little Black Bastard.
	James Griffin is the producer and presenter of Words, ABC TV's weekly literary program. He is a songwriter and performer, his new CD is Black Crow Road.		Roger Wells is a traveller who writes songs and books. Currently based in Melbourne, he has written two books on meditation and a novel, Levin's God.
	Kirsty Sword Gusmao: The First Lady at the birth of a new nation now cares for the women and children of East Timor. The story of her involvement in East Timor's struggle for independence is told in her recently published book A Woman of Independence.		William Whitecloud, founder of The Living From Greatness self-transformation program, will launch his first book The Magician's Way at the Festival.
	Gyan is currently collaborating with her favourite poet Michael Leunig on The Lonely Traffic of Art, soon to be released.		Tim Winton is the author of 13 books. He has won many awards including 3 Miles Franklin Awards and has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize, confirming his status as one of the finest novelists of his generation.
	James Hall is the literary editor of The Australian. He is a former editor of The Australian and the Bulletin magazine. He was director of the Australian Publishers Association and publisher for Oxford University Press.		Charlotte Wood has worked as a freelance and part-time journalist and editor. She is the author of Submerged Cathedral.
	Maggie Hamilton spent many years in publishing. She now devotes her time to writing and her own practice. Her most recent book is, Love Your Work, Reclaim Your Life.		Fiona Wyllie is a voracious reader. She loves many styles including the escapism of ChicLit. Fiona's own words can be heard Monday to Friday from 6am-9am on ABC North Coast 94.5 FM.
	Cathy Henkel is an award winning writer, producer and director. She recently won Best Feature Documentary Award at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.		Denise Young, a former actress, theatre director and lecturer, has collaborated on the creation of many performance works and written three full-length plays. The Last Ride, her first novel, will be launched at the Festival.
	Steven Herrick is one of Australia's most popular poets for children and young adults. His son Jack suggested, "my dad is very smelly, and he has a fat bald head".		Ouyang Yu is a poet and novelist. The Eastern Slope Chronicle won the inaugural 2004 SA Arts Award for Innovation in Writing.
	Kim Huynh lectures in political science at the ANU and is developing his doctoral thesis entitled Mum, Dad & International Relations into a book.