I am available for speaking engagements at schools, conferences,
etc. My rates are reasonable and negotiable. I can be booked through
Show and Tell
Promotions (and several of my books are available through the
Show
and Tell Promotions Online Bookshop), or you can email
me directly.
Of course, these are just some ideas and I'm happy to tailor a
specific topic to your needs.
Daylesford
Words in Winter Festival – Saturday 14 August 2010
I did two presentations about Gamers' Quest, a short
story writing workshop for kids and a book signing.
Book Bonding Mini School Tour – Wednesday 28 July
2010, 11am-1pm
I spoke about the writing of Gamers' Quest, as well as
signing books, at a couple of schools in the Niddrie area on a
mini book tour organised by independent bookstore, Book
Bonding.
Dymocks Southland – Saturday 17 July 2010, 11am-1pm
I read from Gamers' Quest and signed copies as part of
Dymocks tweens/teens book day.
Torquay College – Friday 18 June 2010
I spoke to Year 5 and 6 students as part of the Torquay Literary
Festival's schools day.
Bayside
Literary Festival – Writing Competition
I judged the Microstories section for 13 to 15 year olds. I got
to announce the winner, Meghan Shaw, at the Festival opening on
Friday 21 May. I also had the pleasure of reading out her story,
"Spaghetti Peaces", on the night. The story is available
on the festival's website along with the winning entries from
the other sections — read
the winning entries.
Melbourne Science Fiction Club mini-convention –
Saturday 22 May 2010
I signed copies of Gamers' Quest as well as taking part
in the debate, "Vampires should just lay down and die".
I was third speaker for the affirmative.
Launch
of [untitled] #2 – Tuesday 20 April
2010
I launched the second issue of the short story mag [untitled]
at the Watsonia Public Library. I spoke about the magazine
and short stories in general.
Bright
'n' Sandy Food and Wine Festival – Sunday 21
March 2010
I was on the children's program, doing readings from various books
including Gamers' Quest.
Melbourne
Science Fiction Club – Friday 19 March 2010
I spoke about the writing of Gamers' Quest.
Continuum
6, Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention
– 26-28 February 2010
I did a book signing on the Friday evening along with other Ford
Street authors. I also spoke on a number of panels over the weekend.
Bannockburn Primary School – Wednesday
2 December 2009
I spoke to the Year 5 and 6 kids about the process of writing/editing/publishing.
YABBA
Awards – Wednesday 11 November 2009
I was one of 18 authors/illustrators attending the YABBA
Awards ceremony. Each of us spoke briefly about our first publishing
experiences. This was followed by a signing.
Dymocks
Southland – Saturday 7 November 2009
Not really a speaking gig. I was just signing copies of my teen
science fiction novel, Gamers' Quest.
Beaumaris North Primary School – Friday
6 November 2009
I spoke to the Year 5 and 6 kids about the process of writing/editing/publishing.
Armageddon
Expo – Melbourne Exhibition Centre,
Sunday 18 October 2009
Not really a speaking gig. I was selling and signing copies of
Gamers' Quest on the Sunday of this Expo.
Gamers' Quest Book Launch – Richmond
Library, Saturday 10 October 2009
My teen science fiction novel Gamers' Quest was launch
by Carole Wilkinson. Both Carole and I did readings from the book.
Heatherton Christian College – Wednesday
26 August 2009
I did two presentations to Year 7 and 8 students about the writing
of my teen science fiction novel Gamers' Quest.
Book
Week, Elwood Primary School – Monday 24
August 2009
I did two presentations to Year 3 and 4 students, with the aim
of motivating them to write.
Continuum
5, Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention –
14-16 August 2009
I did a reading from my forthcoming teen SF novel, Gamers'
Quest. I was also on a discussion panel – "The
Art of Expansion: From Short Story to Novel".
Pan Macmillan Winter Sales Conference –
Wednesday 22 July 2009
I did a presentation to the Macmillan sales reps, publicising
my teen novel Gamers' Quest. Macmillan is distributing
the book in Australia.
Write Festival, Elwood Primary School &
St. Kilda Primary School – Tuesday 21 July 2009
I did two presentations to Year 5 and Year 6 students, with the
aim of motivating them to write.
Heatherton Christian College – Monday
21 July 2008
I did a presentation to the Year 7 English classes, focusing on
Heroes.
Launch of Trust Me! – The State
Library ,Thursday 10 April 2008
Trust Me! is a new teen anthology, edited by Paul
Collins and published by Ford
Street Publishing. I have a story called "Game Plan"
included in the book. I didn't actually speak at the launch, but
I was there, along with a bunch of other contributors, signing
copies. Photos
from the launch are available on the Ford Street website.
Darebin Cluster Boys' Writing Expo – Lakeside
Secondary College,Thursday 6 December 2007
I conducted two writing workshops for Year 6 and 7 boys.
Heatherton Christian College – Wednesday
10 October 2007
I conducted a talk/workshop with a Year 7 class, focusing on Heroes.
I also conducted a workshop on writing non-fiction with a Year
8 class.
Bannockburn Primary School – Wednesday
5 September 2007
I conducted a full-day writing workshop with a group of Grade
5/6 students of from the school's High Interest, High Achievers
program.
Beaconhills College (Village Campus) –
Wednesday 29 August 2007
I conducted two workshops with a mix of students from Grades 5
and 6.
Sunbury Kids Conference – Tuesday 28 August
2007
I conducted four workshops with a mix of students from Grades
5 and 6, and Year 8, focusing on writing science fiction and fantasy.
ArtBeat IN 2007 (Shire of Melton's annual Arts
Celebration) – Tuesday 21 August 2007
I conducted a short story writing workshop at the Melton Library.
Convergence
2, 46th Australian National Science Fiction Convention
– 8-11th June 2007
I did a reading of "Nigella and the Clockwork Man",
recently published in Shadow Plays, as well as participating
in the following panel discussions:
• "The YA format - shh, don't tell the parents"
• "Inspirational Journeys" - books that inspired
us as kids
• "Themed or Unthemed - what is the better type of
anthology?"
Darebin Cluster Boys' Writing Expo – Lakeside
Secondary College,Thursday 23 November 2006
I conducted two writing workshops for Year 6 and 7 boys.
Melton Library Sci-Fi / Fantasy month –
Sunday 13 August 2006
I presented a talk to teens and adults about writing science fiction,
fantasy and horror.
Continuum
4, Speculative Fiction and Pop Culture Convention
– Friday 4 August – Sunday 6 August 2006
I participated in The Midnight Horror Short Reading Slam,
where I read "Blue Eyes" from the Southern Blood
anthology.
I also participated in the following panels, along with other
authors:
Crossing the forbidden line – a panel about political
correctness in writing.
Writing and the art of money – a panel about creative
instincts versus the need to sell your writing.
St Bede's College – Friday 9 June, Friday
16 June, and Friday 7 July 2006
I conducted workshops with Year 10 classes. The first part of
the workshop looked at formulating ideas for writing fiction and
getting started. The second part looked at structure, characterisation
and turning an idea into a coherent story.
The
Williamstown Literary Festival – Saturday 13
May 2006
I did a reading of a new short story (as yet unpublished) called
"Aftermath", about teen suicide.
Darebin Cluster Boys' Writing Expo – Lakeside
Secondary College, Thursday 17 November 2005
I ran two writing workshops for Year 6 and 7 boys.
Writer in Residence: Mentone Grammar School
– 16-20 August 2004
I spent a week taking writing workshops with the Year 8, 9 and
10 classes. Workshops for Year 8 focused on using personal experience
as a springboard for writing. Workshops with Years 9 and 10 were
more general, looking at different approaches and techniques for
writing.
Continuum
2 Science Fiction Convention — Saturday 12
June 2004
Researching for Writing
Fellow author, Sue Bursztynski, and I did a presentation on the
joys of research.
Great Publishing Stories
A panel presentation along with other authors, Trudi Canavan,
Richard Harland and Max Barry, about how we first got published.
Writer in Residence: Mentone Grammar School
– 4-8 August 2003
I spent a week taking writing workshops with the Year 8, 9 and
10 classes, focusing on using personal experience as a springboard
for writing.
Mentone Girls' Grammar and Mentone Grammar Combined Careers
Night – 29 July 2003
Multiple Careers
I spoke about juggling a writing career with a freelance business
in web development.
Continuum
Science Fiction Convention — Saturday 12 July 2003
Writing for Kids
Kate
Forsyth (author of The Starthorn Tree) and I did
a one hour session about our experiences with writing science
fiction and fantasy for children.
Jobbing Writing
This was a panel discussion about what writers do in order to
earn a living. The other writers appearing with me were Sue Bursztynski,
Stephen Dedman and Lucy Sussex.
Melbourne Grammar & Melbourne Girls Grammar Combined Literature
Festival — Wednesday 5 March 2003
Aliens, Angst & Editors - Writing for kids and staying sane
What are the dos and don'ts of writing for different age groups?
What happens when an editor tells you to re-write something? What
happens when the illustrations don't match what you're written?
And what's it like writing for the American market, where you
can't even mention witches or magic? You can't always write whatever
you want, and guidelines can sometimes seem completely INSANE.
But that's all part of writing for kids.
Multiverse Science Fiction Day — Saturday 16 November
2002
Title of presentation: Writing SF & Fantasy For Kids: A practical
guide to getting published
Sunshine College — August 2001
Fours sessions with combined classes over two campuses. These
talks covered the writing process, focusing on the importance
of drafting and editing.
Multiverse 4 Writers' Day —June 2001
This writers' day focused on science fiction and fantasy.
My talk covered my transition from writing on an amateur level
to writing professionally.
Last Modified: Friday, 20 August, 2010.
