Nean McKenzie is a children’s writer and optometrist who lives in western Melbourne. Originally from Bendigo, Nean lived in New Zealand, Europe and North East Africa before returning to Victoria. She lives with her family and a cat called Lemonade who purrs, even when nervous.

Nean has had three middle-grade novels out with MidnightSun Publishing: Cryptosight (2019), Xenoflight (2022) and Timefire (2023). She was awarded a Maurice Saxby mentorship in 2016, a fellowship for the KSP Writers Centre for 2023 and has a diploma in Professional Writing and Editing from RMIT. Continue reading Nean McKenzie →

Jennifer Mackenzie Dunbar writes novels and short stories drawing on her love of history, music and mythology to explore the stories left untold in conventional historical accounts. Her short story The Man Who Rowed Away was published in the anthology Crush: stories about love (MidnightSun Publishing, 2017) and she self-published her debut novel Vivaldi’s Lost Concert in 2019.

Her previous work as a social worker provides her with a rich source of material to develop her colourful and complex characters and compelling plots. Her travels have taken her to beautiful and enchanting places, including Continue reading Jennifer Mackenzie Dunbar →

Kaye Baillie is a writer of fiction and non-fiction children’s picture books.

Kaye began writing stories and making books during the long, hot summer holidays on the orchard where she grew up in Victoria. With her sister, she sat at the kitchen table coming up with ideas and adding her own (not very good) illustrations. Now she writes stories at her kitchen table near the beach, where she lives with her family and their high-maintenance pets. Kaye has a strong interest in researching and writing stories about unique individuals and events.

Kaye has a Diploma in Professional Writing and Editing. In 2022 her book When The Waterhole Dries Up was shortlisted in the Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards and many of her picture books have won or Continue reading Kaye Baillie →

Luisa Gioffre-Suzuki is a professional illustrator, artist and teacher based in Victoria. After spending over a decade in Japan, her personal style has developed with influences from vibrant Japanese culture and is underpinned by her Fine Art training and love of color. Luisa uses a variety of mixed media including inks, watercolor, acrylic, pastel, pen and pencil to create her colorful imagery. She has illustrated Continue reading Luisa Gioffre-Suzuki →

Zena Shapter is a multi-award-winning author, high school English tutor and youth writing competition judge. Before writing When Dark Waters Burn, she interviewed scores of teenagers about what they wanted to read, and their concerns for the future. She was fascinated to learn they sought escapist stories that authentically represented their feelings of being unheard, fears about sustainability, threat of war, job instability… and Australian property prices! Continue reading Zena Shapter →

Lorena Carrington is an acclaimed illustrator and writer based in regional Victoria, known for her intricate photographic montage illustrations. Some of her recent books include The Grown-Up’s Guide to Picture Books with Lara Cain Gray (author) and Timothy Ide (co-illustrator), Leaf Letters, Kate Forsyth’s Long Lost Fairy Tales, and Satin with Sophie Masson. Her work has earned her numerous Continue reading Lorena Carrington →

Years ago, James Cooper travelled the world over and once spent three months tending sled dogs in Alaska. His work as a teacher took him from southern England to the remote Australian outback, and he completed his Ph.D. while living in a tin shed on 40 acres. Nowadays, his adventures mostly take place on the page. He loves reading and writing poetry and stories that reveal the extraordinary in the ordinary, and his work has appeared in such journals as Dappled Things, Light Poetry Magazine, and Continue reading J. A. Cooper →

Penny Harrison has always lived in a world of stories. A journalist for more than 20 years, her work has appeared in a variety of leading magazines, newspapers and journals. Penny is the author of acclaimed picture books such as Extraordinary and the CBCA Notable Me & My Boots. Wild Bush Days is the story of her childhood. Penny grew up on a farm in the NSW Capertee Valley and spent much of her time exploring the bush, always dreaming up adventurous tales and the possibility of finding the Lady Bushranger’s cave. She now lives on the outskirts of Melbourne with her family and an ever-growing menagerie.

Born on Kangaroo Island in South Australia, Virginia developed at an early age a keen appreciation of nature in all its forms. Her family then moved to Adelaide where she continued her schooling, later training as a fashion illustrator. Moving to the UK, Virginia worked in London for many years as a fashion illustrator for Harrods, Selfridges and various advertising agencies. She adapted her style to illustrate children’s educational books, focussing on history, where her interest in costume detail and fashion proved very useful. Eventually Continue reading Virginia Gray →

Anna Mandoki is an Australian author and artist. She was born in the UK and lived and worked in London and Budapest before making her home in Melbourne, on beautiful Wurundjeri woi wurrung country.

Anna has a Bachelor degree in Psychology from the University of York and a Diploma in Professional Writing and Editing from Melbourne’s RMIT. Her short fiction and non-fiction has appeared in various journals and anthologies including Island and Westerly, and has been broadcast on ABC Radio National. Random Acts of Unkindness is her first novel.

Scott Pearce is originally from Mooroolbark, Victoria. He received his PhD from Deakin University in 2016 and has published his academic research in journals and books, with a focus on the role of race and gender in the Western and Weird Western film/television genres. His first novel Faded Yellow by the Winter was published in 2019.

Scott has been teaching English and Literature at Alia College since 2003 and holds the all-time record for goals kicked in lunchtime soccer games. He lives in the Yarra Valley with his partner and their four children and enjoys early morning runs in the darkness, creating new reasons to never cut the lawn, and writing.

Scott’s novel, The Rider on the Bridge, was published by MidnightSun Publishing in May 2022.

Maggie Jankuloska was born in Ohrid, Macedonia. She has worked as a teacher/tutor in numerous settings. Maggie was one of the recipients of the 2018 Maurice Saxby Creative Writing Program. Her short fiction and non-fiction pieces have appeared in: The Age/Sydney Morning Herald, SBS Voices, Award Winning Australian Writing, n-SCRIBE and more. In 2020 she participated in the Written in the Time of COVID-19 public art display and was featured in the subsequent anthology. The Rat-Catcher’s Apprentice is Maggie Jankuloska’s first published novel. Continue reading Maggie Jankuloska →

Michael Burge is an author and journalist who lives at Deepwater in the New England region of NSW, Michael’s debut novel Tank Water was released by MidnightSun Publishing in 2021, and Dirt Trap in 2025.

His article about the research behind this coming-of-age crime thriller appeared in The Journal of Australian Studies. A second novel The Watchnight, a gothic crime thriller set on Australia’s colonial frontier, will be released globally in September 2025 by Histria Books. An earlier memoir Questionable Deeds: Making a stand for equal love lifted the lid on homophobia during Australia’s marriage equality campaign.

Michael’s reports for Guardian Australia, Fairfax Media and NoFibs led to a citation at the 2023 Honour Awards for his contribution to writing about rural LGBTIQA+. He sits on the board of the BAD Sydney Crime Writers’ Festival.

Stephen Orr has published eight novels, a book of short stories, as well as essays, columns and other scribblings. Thankfully, he has never written a poem, ever. He has taught Science and English in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia and, to be honest, has learnt more in schools than he’s taught (especially how to get pen refills to stick into ceiling tiles). He’s come second (or third or fourth) in many awards and competitions, so now believes that winning is overrated (although his vegetable soup did help the 1st Hillcrest Scouts win the 1979 Cohen Cup for best bush cooks!).

Matt Ottley is an award-winning multi-modal artist, working equally across the fields of literature, visual arts and music. Matt has had 37 picture books published and his work also appears in more than thirty nonfiction books.

His awards include the CBCA Picture Book of the Year and both the Queensland & NSW Premier’s Awards for literature. His international awards include Ibby Honour Book for Australia and a White Ravens listing, Bologna. He has recorded his music with the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra and the Czech Philharmonic Choir.