Di Morrissey
Di Morrissey is Australia's most popular female novelist and one of the most successful writers Australia has ever produced. Her most recent novel, The Reef was published in 2004, and went straight to the top of the national bestseller list. Her previous novels are Kimberley Sun, The Bay, Scatter the Stars, The Songmaster, Blaze, When the Singing Stops, Tears of the Moon, The Last Mile Home, Follow the Morning Star, The Last Rose of Summer, Heart of the Dreaming and Barra Creek.
Kim Scott Kim Scott is an Indigenous author who has written two novels, True Country and Benang, which won the WA Premiers Literary Award in 1999, the Miles Franklin Award 2000 and the RAKA Kate Challis Award 2001. Kim has also recently published Kayang and Me, an oral history of the South Coast Noongar people of Western Australia. Craig Smith Craig Smith 's warm, exuberant illustrations have delighted children for over twenty-five years. With several award-winners to his credit, his titles appear regularly on Children's Choice Award shortlists. Finding humour in domestic, family and school situations, and a fondness for unusual perspectives and energetic characterisation are features of his work. Craig has illustrated for Mem Fox, Duncan Ball , Andrew Daddo , Libby Gleeson and Paul Jennings. Shaun Tan Shaun Tan is a WA Picture Book illustrator who has received numerous awards for his picture books including the CBCA(Children's Book Council of Australia) book of the year award for The Rabbits with John Marsden. Shaun is currently working with a London-based film producer on a short animated adpation of The Lost Thing a book which won an Honourable mention at the Bologna International Book Fair. The Red Tree recently won the Patricia Wrightson prize in the NSW Premier's Book Awards and has been translated into several languages. Leonie Norrington Leonie Norrington was born in Darwin into a large Irish-Catholic family. She spent much of her childhood on a remote community near Katherine. Leonie was a "real bush kid". growing up among Aboriginal people who lived in the traditional way, and speaking Aboriginal English and Kriol. Leonie works as a journalist and feature writer and has published a gardening book, Tropical Food Gardens. She also has writtten books for children and young adults - The Barrumbi Kids, Spirit of Barrumbi and Crock Attack. Her most recent book The Last Muster is set in the Kimberley. Backsliders Backsliders - Dom Turner, Ian Collard and Rob Hirst are leaders and virtual pioneers in their own genre "delta-blues wall of sound". The achievements, success and reviews over the band's 15 years tell it all. The sound of Backsliders, although very much Australian, has its roots firmly in blues.
Guitarist/vocalist and key songwriter for the band Dom Turner specialises in "bottle neck" slide guitar using resonator guitars as well as 6 and 12 string acoustics. Ian Collard is known as one of Australia's best harmonica players. He has received numerous awards for his harmonica playing and also plays with Australian band Collard, Green and Gravy. Most recent addition to Backsliders has been the drum and persussion virtuosity of Rob Hirst (Midnight Oil), an acclaimed name synonymous with the best of Australian music. The bands most recent CD album Hanoi was voted Rythms Magazine Readers Poll Blues Album of the Year for 2002 and was a 2002 finalist at the prestigious Australian Record Industry Awards (ARIA) |
