OzYA Now! – Panel Discussion

We would like to invite you to join some of Australia’s most popular, award-winning young adult fiction (YA) authors for what will no doubt be an engaging and lively panel discussion about young adult fiction in Australia. Melina Marchetta, Erin Gough, Will Kostakis, Chris Morphew and Felicity Castagna have brought us some of the most memorable and loved characters in YA fiction not to mention the most entertaining plot lines and the most skillful prose. On March 15^th they will be coming together upstairs at Gleeboks to discuss their own work and YA fiction more generally.

There is much to discuss: Who is reading young adult fiction and why? Are there enough diverse voices being heard? How can we actively support the local YA industry and its authors? How important is literary prize culture to the success of a YA author? What motivates these authors to keep writing that next book when they often have to make financial and personal sacrifices to do so? What are their favourite OzYA titles? Why do we #LoveOzYA?Come along to hear these and other topics discussed and to ask your own questions. This event is for all you OzYA enthusiasts out there of all ages and those of you who have always been curious to learn more about the genre.

About the panellists:

Melina Marchetta is the writer of a number of novels, including The Lumatere Chronicles and the upcoming Tell the Truth. Shame the Devil. She lives in Sydney.

Erin Gough’s novel for young adults, The Flywheel, won the Ampersand Prize and was published by Hardie Grant Egmont in 2015.

Will Kostakis is ready to catch a ball two seconds after it’s hit him in the face. He’s thankful he’s chosen a career that requires little (if any) coordination. After dabbling in celebrity journalism and reality TV, he now writes for young adults. His first novel, Loathing Lola, was released when he was just 19, and his second, The First Third, won the 2014 Gold Inky Award. It was also shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year and Prime Minister’s Literary awards. The Sidekicks is his third novel for young adults.

Chris Morphew is the author of The Phoenix Files and the co-author of the Gateway series. He’s a primary school teacher, a Mario Kart enthusiast, and has strong opinions about pet ownership, time travel, and American breakfast cereal. He lives in Sydney, Australia and will definitely finish his next YA novel one day.

Felicity Castagna’s latest book, The Incredible Here and Now received the Prime Minister’s Literature Award (YA) as well as being Australia’s IBBY Honour book for writing. She has written for stage, television and radio and her essays and short stories frequently appear in newspapers and magazines. She recently submitted a PhD in Australian Literature at WSU and is the current National Ambassador for Literacy. She teaches creative writing and runs a free storytelling night in Parramatta called Studio Storieswww.facebook.com/studiostoriesparramatta.