Secondary School Days

Love. Power. Rage. Hope. Resilience. Human beings are a complex blend of states and emotions. Since childhood, Demet has always been curious about the binding threads that connect us as humans. Her work explores identity, belonging, the power of unity, injustice, gender-based oppression and our shared humanity. Discover how Demet has applied her unique perspective to her new YA fantasy novel, Blood Moon Bride.

Hayley Lawrence's books are tales of loss, heartbreak and human connection that explore the pressures and challenges of growing up. Her latest, Into the Wild, is a thrilling story of five teenagers who embark on a challenge to survive in the wilderness without technology. Hear how Hayley draws on the world around her to create compelling and relatable stories that pack an emotional punch.

In addition to his recent YA thrillers, Mike Lucas writes across a range of age groups, genres and forms. Here he will share some of his writing wisdom, including tips on how to avoid procrastination pitfalls, and the writer’s need to embrace persistence, patience and luck. Learn why his writing motto is ‘don’t get it right, get it written’.

Neal Shusterman is a New York Times bestselling author of more than 30 award-winning books including the acclaimed Arc of a Scythe series. His latest, All Better Now, is a young adult thriller about a world where happiness is contagious but the risks of catching it may be just as dangerous as the cure. Hear how Neal’s degrees in both psychology and drama inform his unique approach to writing, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humour. 

Demet Divaroren is the award winning author of Living on Hope Street and the co-editor of CBCA shortlisted anthology Growing up Muslim in Australia. Her writing has appeared in Griffith Review, New Australian Stories, Island magazine, The Age Epicure, The Big Issue, From the Outer and Best Summer Stories. The upcoming Blood Moon Bride is her second novel.

Hayley Lawrence’s heartbreaking and hopeful young adult novels are often inspired by her work as a lawyer. She lives in the seaside town of Port Macquarie in NSW with her five wild daughters. Her novels include The Other Side of Tomorrow, What They Told Me, Skin Deep, and Into the Wild.

Mike Lucas is the author of picture books, novels and poetry anthologies. His first YA novel, What We All Saw, published by Penguin Australia, was shortlisted for the Readings Book Prize, CBCA Book of the Year Award and the Prime Minister’s Literary Award. He owns an independent bookshop and works full time as an engineer.

Jandy Nelson’s debut, The Sky Is Everywhere, was published to global acclaim and has been adapted into a film on Apple TV+. I’ll Give You the Sun, was a New York Times bestseller, winner of the Michael L. Printz Award and has also been optioned for film by Warner Bros. Both books have sold over a million copies worldwide. Her long-awaited third novel is When the World Tips Over. Jandy lives in San Francisco.