2006 Writer's Biographies:

Deborah Abela travelled the world, wrote for kids’ TV and is now writing novels about superspies and soccer legends.

Louise Adler is the CEO and Publisher of Melbourne University Publishing. She is a member of the Board of Management of the University of Melbourne ’s literary journal, Meanjin.

Dennis Altman is Professor of Politics at LaTrobe University and author of eleven books, including Global Sex; Gore Vidal’s America ; a memoir Defying Gravity and a novel, The Comfort of Men.

Sabine Amoore-Pinon has been a bookseller, book designer, editor & publisher. Sabine has translated many novels from English (and Australian) into French.

Lisa Andersen is Audience Development Officer for Regional Arts NSW and project manager of UTS Shopfront.

Venero Armanno is the author of seven novels, including Candle Life, which was released in May.

Neil Armfield, one of Australia ’s foremost directors, is currently Artistic Director of the internationally renowned Company B, at Belvoir Street Theatre in Sydney and Director of the feature film, Candy.

Sarah Armstrong is a former ABC journalist and Walkley Award winner. Her first novel, Salt Rain, was shortlisted for both the Dobbie and Miles Franklin Awards.

Candida Baker is currently the Weekender editor for the Northern Star newspaper. She also works as a creativity coach. Her latest novel is The Hidden.

Tim Baker is editor of the recent book, Waves: Great Stories from the Surf. Baker is also the former editor of Tracks and Surfing Life magazines and continues to write for surfing magazines around the world.

Irina Baronova was born in St Petersburg in 1919. She was a founding member of the highly influential Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo during the 1930s. Her memoir, Irina: Ballet, Life and Love was released in 2005.

Jean Bedford is a well-known Australian novelist and short-story writer. She has been a journalist and a publisher’s editor and has taught creative writing for many years. She lectures in Creative Writing at UTS.

Angela Bennie is a journalist with the Sydney Morning Herald. Since she joined the Herald in 1989, she has been the paper’s theatre critic, arts editor and literary editor. La Crème de la Phlegm is her first book.

Peter Bishop has been executive Director of Varuna –The Writers' House in Katoomba since 1993.

Gillie Bolton , a poet with many publications (including four books) in medicine and the arts, enables professionals and patients to write creatively to explore and understand their experience.

Andrew Bovell is one of Australia ’s most celebrated scriptwriters for stage and screen. He is co-writer of The Book of Revelation, premiering at the Festival.

James Bradley, twice one of The Sydney Morning Herald’s Best Young Australian Novelists, is the author of the award-winning novels, Wrack and The Deep Field, and a book of poetry, Paper Nautilus. His new novel is The Resurrectionist .

James Bradley teaches at Southern Cross University. He is an historian whose publications explore the various histories of medicine, transportation, cricket and tattooing.

Susan Bradley Smith teaches writing at Southern Cross University. Her memoir, Friday Forever, and a collection of poems, Marmalade Exile, will be published in 2006.

Larry Buttrose is a poet, novelist and playwright. His latest book, the non-fiction work People Who Have Influenced the Modern World, will be published in late 2006.

Liz Byrski is the author of eleven non-fiction books and two novels, Gang of Four and Food, Sex and Money. She is a former journalist, columnist and ABC broadcaster.

Helen Caldicott, paediatrician and founding President in l978 of Physicians for Social Responsibility (winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in l985). She is the author of Nuclear Power is not the Answer.

Jane Camens co-founded Hong Kong ’s international literary festival. She now works with an international collaboration of universities and literary organisations to nurture and promote new writing from and about Asia and the Pacific.

Steven Carroll is the author of several highly acclaimed novels, including The Art of the Engine Driver and, most recently, The Gift of Speed, both of which were shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award. His new novel is due to be published in 2007.

John Clanchy has published seven books, including novels, short stories and crime fiction. Vincenzo’s Garden, his most recent collection, won the 2005 Steele Rudd Award.

Al Clark, author of two books and producer of many films, including The Book of Revelation, premiering at the Festival.

Lucy Clark is a journalist who has worked in Sydney , London , and New York and is currently literary editor of the Sydney Sunday Telegraph and the Adelaide Sunday Mail.

Professor Paul Clark is Vice- Chancellor of Southern Cross University, a physicist by discipline, an Englishman by birth and an Australian by choice.

Alan Close has written widely on men and relationships in the national media. His new book A Bachelor’s Family will be published later this year.

Matthew Condon is a Brisbane-based journalist and novelist. The author of several works of fiction, his latest book, The Trout Opera, will be published by Random House in 2007.

Janie Conway-Herron is a lecturer at Southern Cross University and a singer/songwriter. Her novels, Stories and Secrets and Spotlighting, are currently being considered for publication.

Jennifer Cook is passionate about myth and has written two YA novels, Ariadne and Persephone. Her first picture book, The Screaming Irrits, is out in September.

Peter Corris has been a full time writer since 1982, with his latest book being The Journal of Fletcher Christian (2005).

JD (John) Cregan is the author of the cult novel 98%pure. He lives in Western Australia , where he teaches his highly regarded Art of Fiction workshops. He is currently completing his second novel, Through the Night Sideways.

Stephen Cummings, singersongwriter, was lead singer of the Sports 1976-8. He has produced 15 solo albums, winning an Aria award in 1990 and has written two novels.

Luke Davies is author of the cult bestseller Candy and Isabelle the Navigator. He has also written numerous award-winning books of poetry.

Joanne Davis has worked as a performer in theatre, dance, TV and film within Australia , Edinburgh & London.

Mary Delahunty is Victorian Minister for the Arts and Women’s Affairs. Previously she was an award-winning journalist and presenter of the ABC TV’s 7:30 Report and Four Corners and host of Sunday Afternoon.

Janet de Neefe is the author of memoir/ cookbook, Fragrant Rice, which has been nominated for the Nita B. Kibble Literary Award for women writers. She is also the Director of the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival.

Stephanie Dowrick has the rare distinction of being a best-selling author of both fiction and non-fiction. Her books include Intimacy & Solitude and Choosing Happiness.

Robert Drewe’s novels and short stories have been widely translated, won many national and international awards, and been adapted for stage and screen. His most recent novel, Grace, has received international acclaim.

Irina Dunn is Director of the NSW Writers’ Centre and author of The Writer’s Guide: a Companion to Writing for Pleasure or Publication .

Nick Earls’ new novel is Monica Bloom. 48 Shades, the film adapted from 48 Shades of Brown, will be released in August.

Russell Eldridge is editor of the Northern Star newspaper. He is an actor, a published writer and a committee member of the Northern Rivers Writers’ Centre.

Margaret Fink, indomitable filmmaker and producer of feature films Removalists, My Brilliant Career, For Love Alone and Candy, and a television three-part drama Edens Lost. She kick-started the careers of Judy Davis, Sam Neill, Hugo Weaving and Gillian Armstrong, among others.

Mem Fox is one of Australia ’s most-loved children’s authors. She has written around 25 books for children including Possum Magic and, most recently, Hunwick’s Egg with Pamela Lofts.

Lyn Gallacher is a producer on ABC Radio National’s The Book Show. She has a PhD in English Literature and is a Creative Fellow at the State Library of Victoria, where she’s pulling rabbits out of hats to write about magic.

Brendan Gleeson is Professor of Policy at Griffith University . His new book, Australian Heartlands: making space for hope in the suburbs, won the inaugural John Iremonger Award for Public Writing.

Peter Goldsworthy has won major awards across the genres of poetry, short story, novel and opera libretti.

Vanessa Gorman is a writer and documentary maker. Her book, Layla’s Story: a memoir of sex, love, loss and longing was published in 2005.

Andy Griffiths is the popular and awardwinning author of the Just! series and The Bum Trilogy.

Robin Grille is a psychologist and psychotherapist. He is author of Parenting for a Peaceful World and co-writer of Children’s Wellbeing Manifesto.

Wayne Grogan was a member of the Waterside Workers Federation for sixteen years. In 2003 he published his first novel, Junkie Pilgrim. Wayne ’s new novel, Vale Byron Bay, is published in August.

Stephen Hagan is an internationally renowned publisher and award-wining author of The N-Word. He will launch his first children’s book Malley and the Bilby, and first fiction book Traditional Love Child, in 2006.

Gideon Haigh has written over twenty books. He is a contributor to The Bulletin, The Guardian and The Monthly. His latest book is Asbestos House: the Secret History of James Hardie Industries.

Christopher Hanley is the chairperson of the Northern Rivers Writers’ Centre and the Byron Bay Writers Festival Committee. Chris was responsible for starting the Writers Festival in 1996. He is a published writer of short stories and a keen reader. In his spare time he runs Byron Bay First National Real Estate.

John Harding (Kuku/Erub) is a founding member of Ilbijerri Aboriginal/TSI Theatre Company. An experienced playwright, director and actor, his script The Dirty Mile, a History of Indigenous Fitzroy, for Ilbijerri Theatre, was performed in Melbourne in March/April 2006.

Peter Hill is an artist and lecturer at the College of Fine Arts , University of NSW. He is the author of Stargazing.

Célestine Hitiura Vaite’s novels, set in her native Tahiti , include Breadfruit, Frangipani and Tiare. They have now been published in more than ten countries.

Jenny Hocking has written biographies of High Court justice Lionel Murphy and, her latest book, of the Australian communist author Frank Hardy. Her next biography is of Gough Whitlam.

Kate Holden is an innocent abroad who’s seen something of the world. She enjoys this kind of life a great deal. She is the author of In My Skin: A Memoir.

Catherine Keenan is literary editor at the Sydney Morning Herald. She has been a journalist for six years, writing on books, theatre, food, and anything else her editors throw at her.

Ann Kelley is a prize-winning poet from Cornwall . Her previous works include a collection of poetry and photographs, one of photos, and an audio book.

Adib Khan is the author of four novels, the latest being Homecoming. His next novel, Spiral Road , will be published by HarperCollins in 2007.

John Kinsella is an award-winning poet and author. His latest book is Loose Beginnings: a memoir of intoxications .

Dominic Knight, a founder of The Chaser, is currently editing the group’s website and writing for The War on Everything and the Sydney Morning Herald.

Ana Kokkinos’ first feature length film Head On won best first feature at Cannes in 1998. She is the director and co-writer of The Book of Revelation, premiering at the Festival.

Christopher Kremmer ventures into India with his latest book, Inhaling the Mahatma , a clear-eyed, affectionate, insider’s portrait of a dazzling, maddening but always fascinating country. His previous books include Bamboo Palace and bestselling The Carpet Wars.

Steven Lang’s novel, An Accidental Terrorist, won a Queensland Premier’s Literary Award and was short-listed for the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize for Best First Book. He lives in Maleny.

Kate Legge is a multi-award-winning journalist who has covered federal politics in Canberra and US presidential elections in Washington . The Unexpected Elements of Love is her first novel.

David Leser is an award-winning journalist and author of four books. His latest book, Dames and Divas: 21 Remarkable Women (Park Street Press) was released in May this year.

Dewi Lestari Simangunsong lives in Indonesia . She is a singer with vocal trio RSD and is the author of the bestselling and largely self-published Supernova novel series.

Ian Lowe is emeritus professor at Griffith University and president of the Australian Conservation Foundation. He is author of 14 books, including Living in the Hothouse and A Big Fix.

Melissa Lucashenko is a local writer of Murri background. When she is not breeding and riding horses, she writes award-wining novels and essays.

Mungo MacCallum has worked as a political commentator, writer and broadcaster since 1965. He currently writes for the Byron Shire Echo. His latest publications are Australian Political Anecdotes and Run Johnny Run: the story of the 2004 election.

Greg McCart has translated, directed, and performed ancient Greek tragedy and comedy here and overseas. He is now writing a novel about it.

Mardi McConnochie is an awardwinning novelist and scripwriter. Her novels include Coldwater (2001) and Melissa, Queen of Evil (2005).

Roger McDonald is the author of seven novels, including 1915, Water Man, and Mr Darwin’s Shooter, and of two works of non-fiction, Shearers’ Motel and The Tree in Changing Light. His most recent novel is The Ballad of Desmond Kale.

Monica McInerney’s sixth novel, Odd One Out, is this year’s free Books Alive title. Originally from South Australia , Monica now lives in Dublin with her Irish husband. Her work is published internationally. Her appearance is sponsored by Books Alive.

William McInnes is one of Australia ’s most popular stage and screen actors, with leading roles in Look Both Ways, Sea Change and Shark Net. His 2005 memoir A Man’s Got To Have A Hobby was a bestseller. His new book and first novel is Cricket Kings.

Susan Melhuish is a teacher, actor and director. She is Director of Byron Bay’s Fourth Wall Theatre.

Bruce Millar has been a professional musician and teacher for over 30 years. He plays classical guitar and double bass (jazz). He has toured internationally, and performed on TV and radio.

Rusty Miller, former USA surfing champion, local surf legend, writer, publisher and editor of Rusty’s Byron Guide.

Scott Monk, a reluctant reader during high school, now writes gritty Australian fiction about crime, heartache, footy and gangs aimed at teenagers.

Frank Moorhouse is one of Australia ’s most eminent writers. Author of ten works of fiction, including Forty- Seventeen, Grand Days and Dark Palace (2001 Miles Franklin Award winner) he is one of the country’s most anthologised writers.

Di Morrissey is Australia ’s most popular female novelist and is one of the most successful writers Australia has ever produced. She is the author of thirteen novels and her fourteenth, The Valley, will be published in November. All have been written in Byron Bay where Di has lived for the last fifteen years.

Gabrielle Morrissey, regarded as Australia ’s ‘über-sexpert’, is the author of Spicy Sex. Filled with saucy advice, it follows on from Morrissey’s previous handbook, Urge.

Julian Morrow is a co-founder of The Chaser, a satirical media empire which rivals Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation in all fields except power, influence, popularity and profitability.

Jan Gracie Mulcahy has had her poetry and short stories published in five anthologies since 2001. This is her first solo Festival book launch.

Kirsty Murray writes historical fiction for younger readers. Her novels have won and been short-listed for numerous awards including the NSW Premier’s History Award.

David Myers is the author of two short story collections and a fictional memoir. He is publisher and founding director of Central Queensland University Press.

Shane Nagle has illustrated forty books and authored four. Collaborations: Jen Cook, Gary Crew, Mike Dumbleton, Nigel Gray, Katharine Scholes, Richard Tulloch. Commissions: Time, Rolling Stone, New Scientist. Second career: actor.

Patrice Newell is the author of The Olive Grove, and The River. Her latest book, Ten Thousand Acres, is a unique and inspiring exploration of one woman’s passion for the living land.

Nerida Newton lives and writes in Brisbane . Her novels include the award-winning The Lambing Flat and Death of a Whaler, which will be launched at the festival.

Garth Nix is the award-winning bestselling author of The Old Kingdom Trilogy and The Keys to the Kingdom series, amongst other books.

Mandy Nolan is an artist, writer, comedian and Byron Bay identity.

Baden Offord’s book Homosexual Rights as Human Rights (2003) won the national George Duncan Memorial Award in 2005. He is Associate Professor in Cultural Studies at Southern Cross University.

Mark O’Flynn’s first novel Grassdogs won a Varuna award for manuscript development and will be launched at the Festival. O’Flynn has also published two collections of poems.

Richard Oh has published three novels, Pathfinders of Love, Heart of the Night and the latest, The Rainmaker’s Daughter, in 2004. He founded the prestigious literary award for Indonesian writers, The Khatulistiwa Literary Award and has just finished shooting his first feature-length movie, The Lost Suitcase, which premieres in August, 2006.

Creed O’Hanlon is a traveller and polymath whose short fiction and nonfiction works are published regularly in the Griffith Review, and have been included in anthologies such as Best Australian Stories 2004, Best Australian Essays 2005, and the Italian journal, Crocevia.

Margaret Olley is arguably Australia ’s most loved living artist, and one of the country’s most generous benefactors to public art galleries.

Mick O’Regan is the presenter of the Sports Factor on ABC Radio National. He previously presented ABC Radio’s Media Report.

Ruth Ostrow is one of Australia ’s leading Body Mind Soul writers and keynote speakers with her regular contribution in The Weekend Australian newspaper read by millions and a host of books to her credit in the areas of wellbeing, sex, money, and spirituality. Her latest book is Simple Pleasures.

Mandaley Perkins’ latest book, Hanoi , Adieu is an intimate and compelling journey through the tumultuous last decades of French Indochina. Perkins is also the author of Tropic Tide and has travelled widely throughout Asia researching events in her books.

Dorothy Porter has published twelve books, including four verse novels, two opera libretti and song lyrics for the jazz album Before Time Could Change Us. Her most recent verse novel, Wild Surmise, won the Premier’s Award at the Adelaide Festival 2004.

Cassandra Pybus is a prize-winning historian and author. She currently has a two year Writers Fellowship and her latest book is Black Founders (UNSW Press).

Mark Ragg has had a varied working life: bookmaker’s clerk, doctor, journalist, academic and writer. The Dickinson Papers is his first novel.

Henry Reynolds currently holds a Senior Writing Fellowship from the Australia Council. He is attached to the University of Tasmania , based in Launceston. For many years he taught at James Cook University in Townsville. His main research interest has been in the history of Aboriginal- European relations. His most recent books are North of Capricorn, 2002, and No-where People, 2005.

Ian Robertson heads the Sydney media and entertainment practice of law firm Holding Redlich. He is also chairman of Ausfilm and a former board member of the Australian Broadcasting Authority. More importantly, he is Di Morrissey’s lawyer.

Jaya Savige works as a tutor in the School of English , Media Studies and Art History at the University of Queensland . His first collection of poems, latecomers (UQP 2005) was the winner of the Thomas Shapcott Poetry Prize.

Julianne Schultz is an author and the editor of the quarterly Griffith REVIEW (ABC Books) and a Professor in the Centre for Public Culture and Ideas at Griffith University.

Claire Scobie is an award-winning British journalist based in Sydney who writes for the Australian and UK press. Last Seen in Lhasa is her first book and will be launched at the Festival.

Deepika Shetty was born in Jammu-Kashmir in India . She worked as a journalist with the Times of India and with India Today. She faced riots, plagues and drought before moving to Singapore to work as a producer with Channel News Asia where she produces, amongst other programs, the book show, Off the Shelf.

Margaret Simons is a freelance journalist and author. Her recent work includes an essay on Mark Latham, a book on the history of compost, and an examination of “secret women’s business” and the Hindmarsh Island affair.

Gary Smith, arts writer, theatre reviewer and sports journalist on newspapers for over 25 years.

Stephen Smith was born in 1980 and grew up in the Blue Mountains . He now lives on the mid-north coast of NSW together with his wife and two daughters. His first novel Stranger is being launched at this year’s Festival.

Rosemary Sorensen is Books and Arts Editor of the Courier Mail.

Meg Stewart is a filmmaker, journalist and author. Her latest book was the biography, Margaret Olley: Far from a Still Life.

Shaun Tan has received numerous awards for his picture books. In 2001 Shaun was named Best Artist at the World Fantasy Awards in Montreal . He has recently worked for Blue Sky Studios and Pixar, providing concepts for forthcoming films.

Chris Taylor joined The Chaser comedy team because they needed a token fifth male. He’s currently adapting this bio into a full-length feature film.

Peter Temple is a highly acclaimed crime writer, and creator of the Jack Irish series. His most recent novel, one which defies the boundaries of genre, is The Broken Shore.

Deborah Thomas is the awardwinning Editorial Director of The Australian Women’s Weekly. Previously she has been editor of magazines such as Mode, Elle and Cleo.

Peter Thompson is best known as the reviewer on Channel Nine’s weekly program Sunday. He is also a presenter on Showtime Greats.

David Throsby is Professor of Economics at Macquarie University . His monograph Does Australia Need a Cultural Policy? was published in January 2006.

Janette Turner Hospital is the author of many acclaimed novels, including Due Preparations for the Plague, which won the QLD Premiers Literary Award for Fiction. Turner Hospital currently holds an endowed chair as Distinguished Professor of English at the University of South Carolina.

Marguerite van Geldermalsen married Mohammad Abdallah and moved into his Nabataean cave. They had three children. She was widowed in 2002. Her memoir, Married to a Bedouin, has just been published.

Nury Vittachi, based in Hong Kong , is one of the few East Asian authors to be published around the world in multiple languages.

Samuel Wagan Watson is a Brisbane wordsmith. His fourth collection of poetry won the 2005 NSW Premier’s Book of the Year and the 2005 Kenneth Slessor Poetry Prize.

Murray Waldren is the Literary Editor of The Australian newspaper and the author of Moran V Moran (HarperCollins) and Dining Out With Mr Lunch (UQP).

Brenda Walker has written four novels: Crush, One More River , Poe’s Cat and The Wing of Night. The Wing of Night has been shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award and The Christina Stead Award. Her fiction has been published in Australia , Italy and the UK.

Kali Wendorf is a writer, public speaker and social ecologist. She is the founder and editor of byronchild, the national family life magazine.

Howard Whelan was founding editor then publisher of Australian Geographic. His writing and photography cover expeditions from Everest to Antarctica , the Amazon to Russia and throughout Australia.

Michael Wilding has written and edited some 30 books. His latest novels are Wildest Dreams, Academia Nuts and Wild Amazement. He is a former Cosmopolitan Bachelor of the Month, and chair of the NSW Writers’ Centre.

Tara June Winch was born in 1983. Her country is Wiradjuri. Swallow the Air is her first novel . She hopes to write many more.

Susan Wyndham writes about books for The Sydney Morning Herald. In 1996,as literary editor, she initiated the Herald's Best Young Australian Novelists awards to champion emerging writers.

Ketut Yulisarsa has lived and worked as a writer, actor and musician in both Bali and Australia . Published works include two collections of bilingual poetry, Suara Malam/Night Voice 1998 and Jatuh Bisu/Falling in Silence 2006.

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