storyfest.com.au
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OUR BOARD
We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to you for our inaugural Storyfest Central Queensland, marking the final leg of our Regional Tour!
Following the success of Storyfest Out West in Longreach two years ago, we received an outpouring of requests to bring children’s writers’ festivals to other regional towns. Nadia Harley was among the first to reach out to us, and her initiative has been invaluable.
In 2024, we are excited to announce festivals in St George, Longreach, and Emerald, spread over three exciting weeks.
We hope this programme is one that inspires readers, young and old, to connect with authors and books. This programme has been thoughtfully curated with your community’s interests and needs in mind, placing them as our top priority.
We’re extremely grateful that GeoGlide Australia have continued their support for children’s literacy programmes and partnered with us to present the GeoGlide Prologue Party. This is a free community event for the whole family to come along and enjoy the festival together.
Please join us as we embark on what we hope will be the first of many successful Storyfest Central Queensland’s.
Ms Andrea Lewis CEO/ Festival Director
Chairperson Airlie Maclachlan
Directors Alex Woodthorpe, Michael Arnold, Craig Bassingthwaighte, Megan Daley, Caroline
Graham, Terry Herbert and Sara Kirby
Chief Financial Officer Kylie Sherrington
Festival Patron Jacqueline Harvey
OUR STAFF
CEO/ Festival Director Andrea Lewis
Marketing Co-ordinator Tayla Haynes
Event Co-ordinator Gabriella Lennon
Festival Administrator Emma Monaghan
meet the authors
charlotte barkla nat amoore
Session CQ122 Tuesday 10 at 10.45am
Session CQ141 Tuesday 10 at 1.45pm
Session CQ222 Wednesday 11 at 10.45am
Session CQ231 Wednesday 11 at 12.30pm
Young Writers’ Dinner Wednesday 11 at 5.00pm
Nat Amoore is a Sydney-based writer and kidlit podcast host whose debut novel Secrets Of A Schoolyard Millionaire came out in 2019. It had great success as both Dymocks and QBD’s ‘Kids Book Of The Month’, becoming Australia’s #1 bestselling debut Aussie children’s fiction in 2019 and has now sold into the UK, US, Italy, China, Estonia and Romania. The brand-new junior fiction series Showerland launched in Feb this year, with Book 1: Break The Curse being announced as Dymocks ‘Kids Book of the Month’. The first three books in the series are all coming out in 2024, plus her very first picture book is on the way.
www.natamoore.com
Session CQ121 Tuesday 10 at 10.45am
Session CQ132 Tuesday 10 at 12.30pm
Workshop Wednesday 11 at 9.45am
Session CQ241 Wednesday 11 at 1.45pm
Young Writers’ Dinner Wednesday 11 at 5.00pm
Charlotte Barkla is a Brisbane-based writer who worked as a civil engineer and physics teacher before rediscovering her love for children’s literature. She now writes picture books, middle-grade fiction and feature articles.
Charlotte’s books include All Bodies are Good Bodies, the Edie’s Experiments series and From My Head to My Toes, I Say What Goes. Charlotte’s books have been translated in multiple languages and short-listed for awards.
www.charlottebarkla.com
Photo by Cheryl Rogers
isobelle carmody
Session CQ113 Tuesday 10 at 9.30am
Session CQ133 Tuesday 10 at 12.30pm
Session CQ213 Wednesday 11 at 9.30am
Workshop Wednesday 11 at 12.45pm
Adult Panel Wednesday 11 at 5.30pm
Isobelle Carmodyis a writer of science fiction, fantasy, children’s and juvenile literature. She divides her time between a home on the Great Ocean Road in Australia and her travels abroad. Isobelle began work on the highly acclaimed Obernewtyn Chronicles when she was just fourteen years old. The first two books in the Obernewtyn series were short listed for the CBC Children’s Book of the Year. In 2020 she completed her PhD at the University of Queensland and then did a doctoral fellowship with the Creativity and Human Flourishing Project at UQ. Her most recent published novel is the final book in the Kingdom of the Lost series, The Velvet City. She is currently working on a graphic journal playfully dealing with the journey of Art through the strange land of Academia and editing a new Young Adult book titled Comes the Night to be published in 2024.
will kostakis
Session CQ123 Tuesday 10 at 10.45am
Workshop Tuesday 10 at 12.45pm
Session CQ223 Wednesday 11 at 10.45am
Session CQ243 Wednesday 11 at 1.45pm
Young Writers’ Dinner Wednesday 11 at 5.00pm
Will Kostakis is an award-winning author for young adults. His first novel, Loathing Lola, was published when he was just nineteen. It sold a whopping ten copies including the seven he bought himself. After a brief break to dabble in celebrity journalism and reconstruct his shattered dream, he returned with The First Third, which sold more than ten copies (possibly fifteen). It won the 2014 Gold Inky Award and was shortlisted for the CBCA and the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, among others. He was awarded the 2020 Maurice Saxby Award by the School Library Association of New South Wales for service to children’s and young adult literature and is an ambassador for the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge.
www.willkostakis.com
jacqueline harvey
Workshop Tuesday 10 at 9.45am
Adul Workshop Tuesday 10 at 12noon
Session CQ212 Wednesday 11 at 9.30am
Adult Panel Wednesday 11 at 5.30pm
Jacqueline Harvey is one of Australia’s most popular authors for children with a reputation for creating books that are filled with adventure, mystery, humour and heart. She has written over 60 titles including the bestselling Alice-Miranda, Clementine Rose, Kensy and Max and Willa and Woof series. Her picture book, The Sound of the Sea was a CBCA Honour Book in 2006. She has recently released several new picture books including a series about Kevin the Sheep, The Daring Tale of Glora the Great and That Cat, all illustrated by one of her former students, Kate Isobel Scott. Jacqueline has narrated over twenty five audio books and her Alice-Miranda series has been made into two animated feature films now available on STAN and Amazon Prime.
www.jacquelineharvey.com.au
joel mckerrow
Session CQ112 Tuesday 10 at 9.30am
Session CQ143 Tuesday 10 at 1.45pm
Workshop Wednesday 11 at 9.45am
Session CQ233 Wednesday 11 at 12.30pm
Young Writers’ Dinner Wednesday 11 at 5.00pm
Joel McKerrow is an award winning writer, keynote speaker, creativity specialist, educator and one of Australia’s most successful, internationally-touring, performance poets. After fifteen years full-time poetry-work, seven spoken word albums and six poetry books, it was with great pleasure that this year at Somerset Storyfest Joel launched his first ever fiction work Urban Legend Hunters: The Dreaded Mr Snipe. A junior-fiction/ graphic novel, published by Larrikin House, which combines his love of poetry with a spooky, hilarious, action-packed, illustrated adventure. Students coming to his sessions will experience fantastic performance poetry, gripping story-telling, a whole-lot-of-laughs and they will be inspired to see their writing (be it poetry or story) in a whole new way.
www.joelmckerrow.com
belinda murrell
Workshop Tuesday 10 at 9.45am
Session CQ142 Tuesday 10 at 1.45pm
Session CQ221 Wednesday 11 at 10.45am
Session CQ242 Wednesday 11 at 1.45pm
Young Writers’ Dinner Wednesday 11 at 5.00pm
Belinda Murrell is an award-winning, internationally published author who has written more than 35 books ranging from junior fiction to adult nonfiction. Belinda’s books include her popular series The Daredevil Princess, The Sun Sword, Lulu Bell and Pippa’s Island, and historical novels The Ivory Rose, The Locket of Dreams, and The Forgotten Pearl. Her books include magical time-slip novels The Golden Tower and The Silver Sea filled with flying horses, talking cats, mischievous creatures, danger, and evil plots. Belinda’s books have been shortlisted nine times for the Young Australians Best Book Award, and highly commended in the PM’s Literary Awards.
www.belindamurrell.com.au
holly wainwright
Literary Lunch Wednesday 11 at 11.30am
Holly Wainwright is the author of four novels, including the best-selling I Give My Marriage A Year and The Couple Upstairs, and has just finished her fifth, to be published by Pan Macmillan in 2025. She’s also an editor with decades of experience in women’s media, from managing magazine teams to growing digital platforms, writing online and creating podcasts. Holly is co-host of Mamamia Out Loud, one of the most listened-to podcasts in the country, and she lives on the NSW south coast with her young family.
kate & jol temple
Session CQ111 Tuesday 10 at 9.30am
Session CQ131 Tuesday 10 at 12.30am
Session CQ211 Wednesday 11 at 9.30am
Session CQ232 Wednesday 11 at 12.30pm
Young Writers’ Dinner Wednesday 11 at 5.00pm
Kate and Jol are internationally awarded authors of over 30 hilarious books for kids, from smash hit picture book series Bin Chicken to action-adventure graphic novels like Frog Squad and The Underdogs! Kate also writes her own dark fantasy series, The Dangerous Business of Being Trilby Moffat. When Kate and Jol are not writing they love getting out to schools and festivals and talking to kids about the pleasure of reading.
www.katejoltemple.com
festivalinfo
BOOKING INFORMATION
Tickets are $10.00 (GST inclusive) per person per session. For adult sessions, workshops and catered functions, please refer to individual event information. Bookings can only be processed on receipt of full payment. Bookings may be made online with credit card payment. There are no refunds or exchanges once bookings are processed. All tickets are issued as e-tickets and will be sent to your designated email address.
PURCHASING YOUR TICKETS
Tickets will be on sale from Wednesday 5 June 2024. You may book online anytime. Many sessions have limited numbers, so please book early to avoid disappointment.
SCHOOL BOOKINGS AND RESERVATION POLICY
Schools can reserve their tickets via our online reservation form. Once the form is completed, tickets will be placed on hold for 14 days. Payment must be made via direct deposit or credit card within that 14 days. All payments must be finalised at least seven days prior to the Festival.
PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY PERMISSIONS
Storyfest will have a photographer and videographer on-site to record events throughout the Festival. These photos are for archival and marketing purposes and purchase of a ticket implies permission to use the photos taken for these purposes.
FESTIVAL BOOKSHOP
The Festival Bookshop stocks an extensive range of books by all the authors and illustrators attending Storyfest Central Queensland and is open between 8.00am and 3.00pm and will be open for the
GeoGlide Prologue Party. At the end of each of their sessions, authors are available for book signings!
FOOD AND DRINK
The Hardback Café operates throughout the Festival and will be open from 8.00am to 2.30pm.
SUPERVISION POLICY
Any child 14 years or younger must be accompanied by a supervising parent/ guardian or teacher while on campus at all times during Storyfest Central Queensland.
FESTIVAL LOCATION
The festival is located at the Emerald Showgrounds, Skillshare Bldg Capricorn Highway, Emerald.
BAGS
There is no cloakroom facility at Storyfest Central Queensland. We encourage students to bring a small carry bag, as some venues have limited access for school bags. We advise students to leave valuables at home. All lost property can be collected from the festival Bookshop.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Phone: 07 5559 7377
Email: bookings@storyfest.com.au
workshops for students adult workshop
wednesday 11 september
workshops for students
9.45am to 11.15am
9.45am to 11.15am
- POETRY WRITING
10.45am to 11.30am
1.45pm to 2.30pm
See page 15 for full details 12.45pm to 2.15pm
young writers’ dinner
See page 12 for full details
literary lunch panel session adult events
Carmody - WHERE IS THE FUTURE? See page 15 for full details 11.30am
GEOGLIDE AUSTRALIA
tuesday 10 september
4.30pm to 7.00pm
Emerald Showgrounds
Come along to the opening night of Storyfest Central Queensland. A fun-filled evening for all the family to celebrate reading and writing! The GeoGlide Prologue Party is a great opportunity to meet some of Australia’s best authors and illustrators.
Enjoy all the fun of the fair with games and activities. The festival bookshop will be open during this event, it is a great opportunity for adults and children to browse the bookshelf and find that perfect book.
Stage activated from 4.30pm to 7.00pm - details announced soon
Variety of dinner and beverage options available for purchase. free event
young writers’ dinner
wednesday 11 sept
5.00PM TO 8.00PM OUTBACK EXPLORATORIUM
The Young Writers’ Dinner provides young people with a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ – to spend an exciting evening workshopping with some of Australia’s bestselling kids and YA fiction writers. The dinner is open to the wider community suitable for ages 10+ . So don’t miss the amazing, fun-filled experience of spending an evening with one of this year’s featured authors - Nat Amoore , Charlotte Barkla , Will Kostakis , Joel McKerrow and Belinda Murrell and Kate & Jol Temple .
For students aged 10+
Venue Outback Exploratorium Tickets $50 per person includes dinner and soft drink. Tickets are strictly limited! book online storyfest.com.au
student
workshops
book online storyfest.com.au
tuesday 10 september
magic and mystery writing
CQW11 Unleash your creativity in this dynamic 90 minute creative writing workshop, exploring magical creatures, fantastic plots and the creative writing process. Join award-winning author Belinda Murrell in creating your own adventurous stories, vivid settings and characters who leap off the page. Enjoy brainstorming games, lively writing activities and experimenting with ideas from Belinda’s writing toolbox.
For students aged 9+ $30
9.45am to 11.15am
write now!
CQW12 Award winning author, Jacqueline Harvey will inspire your young writers with a range of tips and tricks from finding the best ideas, to creating characters, exploring settings and making sure that there’s just the right amount of trouble. Her workshops include a range of practical activities to help fire the imaginations of your students.
For students aged 9+ $30
9.45am to 11.15am
bring out your best
CQW13 Award-winning author Will Kostakis will guide teens through the process of crafting short stories – from ideas generation to writing and editing. Will mixes practical writing exercises with frank advice to help young writers bring out their best.
For students aged 12+ $30
12.45pm to 2.15pm
wednesday 11 september
start your story
CQW21 Learn how to plot a story, from generating story ideas and developing believable characters, to creating conflict, working with tension, and building satisfying resolutions. Students will workshop with Charlotte Barkla and develop their own ideas, and learn the skills to take their story-writing to the next level.
For students aged 9+ $30
9.45am to 11.15am
poetry writing made easy
CQW22 Poetry writing doesn’t have to be so difficult. In fact, this session will not only have students writing poetry, they will actually LOVE doing it. Money-back…nah, we can’t guarantee it. BUT…Joel McKerrow has been teaching poetry writing to students for the last fifteen years and has made a poetry convert of MANY. So join him as he works through a MUCH easier way for students to enter into the writing of their own poetry.
For students aged 12+ $30
9.45am to 11.15am
where is the future?
CQW23 Join us for an exciting workshop led by acclaimed author Isobelle Carmody ! This unique, placebased approach to storytelling focuses on writing speculative fiction stories about the future, grounded in the areas you know well. Learn to build rich, immersive worlds from your own knowledge and experiences, rather than relying on vague movie concepts. Discover how to treat place as a character in your narratives, enhancing your storytelling with authentic, vivid settings. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the best in the field!
For students aged 12+ $30
12.45pm to 2.15pm
for the adults
tuesday 10 september
inspiring and creative ways to get your kids reading and writing
CQW14 Bestselling author and former teacher Jacqueline Harvey will present a workshop aimed at parents, care givers and home tutors exploring ways to get children reading and writing everyday. With a focus on practical activities that are not only educational but also lots of fun, participants will leave armed with a range of strategies to empower them to feel confident in supporting their students on their literacy journey across the curriculum.
This workshop is for parents/caregivers, educators and library staff who work with young people from primary to secondary years.
For adults $50 per person 12noon to 3.00pm
wednesday 11 september
masters of storytelling
Join us for an evening of literary exploration with acclaimed authors Jacqueline Harvey and Isobelle Carmody in an exclusive panel conversation. These two powerhouse storytellers will share their journeys through the world of writing, the inspiration behind their beloved characters, and the challenges and triumphs of their illustrious careers.
For adults $50 per person 5.30pm to 7.30pm
literary lunchwith
Holly Wainwright
wednesday 11 september 11.30AM ARRIVALS OUTBACK EXPLORATORIUM
Join us for an inspiring literary lunch with celebrated author and journalist Holly Wainwright, hosted by Jacqueline Harvey. This special event will delve into Holly’s fascinating career, her latest works, and the creative process behind her bestselling novels. Whether you’re a devoted fan or a budding writer, this is an afternoon not to be missed! Secure your spot now for an unforgettable experience filled with conversation, creativity, and culinary delights.
Time 11.30am arrivals for 12noon start
Venue Outback Exploratorium, 4/6 Brief St, Emerald QLD 4720
Tickets $80 per person includes 2 course meal, cash bar available
Tickets are strictly limited!
sponsors & supporters
Somerset Storyfest is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and Proudly funded by the Gambling Community Benefit Fund
development fund
We would like to acknowledge the donors who have contributed to the Storyfest Development Fund in support of the development and delivery of literacy programmes for disadvantaged chidren.