Secondary School Days

Over ten years since the release of Two Wolves, award-winning and bestselling author Tristan Bancks returns with its thrilling sequel Raised By Wolves. Tristan will share the book’s journey and discuss his love of fast paced thrillers like The Fall and his CBCA-award-winning Scar Town. Hear also about the challenges and opportunities involved with adapting work for the screen. 

After having worked as a freelance writer for many years, Amy Doak exploded onto the YA scene with her recent Eleanor Jones trilogy of 
mystery novels. Her latest YA novel, What Have They Done to Liza McLean? is a mystery thriller set at a boarding school, where dark 
academia meets The Stepford Wives. Come unravel Amy’s secrets to success.

Jasmin McGaughey, well known to younger readers for the popular Little Ash series, had her debut YA novel published in 2025. 
Moonlight and Dust is a unique fantasy featuring a sixteen-year-old Torres Strait Islander girl caught up in the world of exclusive high school parties, family secrets and illicit magic. Jasmin is a great advocator for the powerful way books and storytelling can celebrate culture, explore our heritage and give voice to the underrepresented. 

Alexandra Moody has been self-publishing YA novels for over a decade. After finding great success writing YA rom-coms, she attracted the attention of many traditional publishers, including her current publisher, Harper Collins Australia. Alexandra will discuss the highs and lows of self-publishing, her journey to traditional publishing, and share her insights into writing romance that resonates with young readers. 

UK based Josh Silver worked as an actor on the West End and Broadway before switching careers. He now writes YA fiction and works with teenagers as a mental health nurse. Join this award-winning author as he talks about his deliciously dark new thriller, Traumaland, which is perfect for fans of Black Mirror and Holly Jackson.

Tristan Bancks’ books for kids and teens include Two Wolves, The Fall, Detention, Cop & Robber, Ginger Meggs, the Tom Weekly series and, most recently, Scar Town, a suspense-thriller. His books have won and 
been shortlisted for many awards, including a Children’s Book Council of Australia Honour Book, the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, and the YABBA children’s choice book awards. Scar Town was named the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year for Younger Readers. His next book is Raised By Wolves, out May 2026.

Amy Doak’s debut YA novel Eleanor Jones is Not a Murderer won the 2024 Davitt Award for Best YA Crime Novel and was shortlisted for the 2024 ABIA Awards Books of the Year for Older Readers. The following two books in the Eleanor Jones series are Eleanor Jones Can’t Keep a Secret and Eleanor Jones is Playing with Fire. Her latest is What Have They Done to Liza McLean?

Jasmin McGaughey is a Torres Strait Islander and African American writer working at Books+Publishing. She is the author of Moonlight and Dust and Ash Barty’s Little Ash series (illustrated by Jade Goodwin). In 2023, she won a Queensland Premier’s Young Publishers and Writers Award. She is a black&write! editor alum, and has written for Overland, Kill Your Darlings, SBS Voices and Griffith Review and recently co-edited Words to Sing the World Alive. 

Alexandra Moody is an Australian author who writes romance novels for young adults. The three books in her current series are Rival 
Darling, Grumpy Darling and the soon to be released Wild Darling. She lives in Adelaide with her husband, their three kids and naughty dog. When she’s not busy writing, you’ll find her reading or spending time 
with her family.

Josh Silver grew up on a farm in the Lake District of the United Kingdom before moving to Manchester with his family. He trained as an actor at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Josh is the author of Happy Head, Dead Happy and Traumaland. His books have been nominated for the Carnegie Medal for Writing and shortlisted for the YA Book Prize.