Romancing the Stars: Shining a Light on Children’s Book Creators – Sunshine Coast
Date: Friday 14 August 2026
Venue: Immanuel Lutheran College, 126-142 Wises Road, Buderim
Time: 6:00 – 9:15pm
Cost: $28 for Book Links members and College staff | $35 for non-members
(Have your 2026 membership discount code ready to apply at the end of the booking process)
Bookings close Monday 10 August at noon.
Romancing the Stars: Shining a Light on Children’s Book Creators is an intimate meet-and-connect event that celebrates local authors and illustrators through short, personal conversations, bringing readers face-to-face with the magic behind the books.
Each creator will give a short introduction to their latest publication in a small intimate circle, before rotating on to the next group.
You have a chance to get inside information about the creation of the books, ask the Stars questions, and make contact with potential presenters for your school or library.
Meet and Connect with 16 Stars.
Buy the latest books from the pop-up bookshop The Little Book Nook.
Enjoy great food and drinks.
Enter raffle and win books in the quiz competition.
Digital PD certificates provided after the event.
Starring:
MC: Yvonne Mes.
Picture Books Authors, Illustrators: Alison Mclennan, Elizabeth Pulsford, Joanna Bartel, Lucia Masciullo, Neesha Sinnya, Niki Foreman, Paul O’Sullivan, Sandra Severgnini.
Younger Readers, Young Adult Authors: Charlotte Barkla, Jason Gent (CBCA Notable 2026), Jayne McIntyre, Jess Galatola, Karen Comer, Karen Foxlee, Marg Gibbs, Tina Strachan.
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Yvonne Mes
Yvonne Mes is an author and illustrator who writes stories for children and young people with curious minds. As an early childhood professional with a Bachelor of Children’s Services with many years’ experience, she loves sharing books, stories and art with children in places big and small, of diverse cultures and abilities and of all ages. Her books are published in Australia, China and New Zealand.
Yvonne is a frequent speaker at schools, literary festivals and events. She is the coordinator of Write Links, the Brisbane based group for children’s authors and illustrators. She buys more books than she can read, comes up with more ideas than she can write or illustrate, and has more children than she can manage. But she does try very hard, and best of all, she is NEVER bored. Yvonne is the recipient of the 2024 Book Links Mentorship.
Her most recent book is The Opal Dinosaur, Illustrated by Sylvia Morris (CSIRO 2024)
Find out more about Yvonne Mes
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Alison Mclennan
Alison Mclennan is a Brisbane based children’s author, voiceover artist and mother of two. Her picture books include Hotel for Bees (State Library of Qld), Growing Pains (EK Books), Great and Small (Storytorch Press), Birdie Lights Up the World ( EK Books) and How to Get Rid of a Princess (Hardie Grant). Her novels include A Flood in the Village (Library For All) and Calamity Jones: A Flamingo For Christmas (Five Mile Press).
Find out more about Alison Mclennan
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Elizabeth Pulsford
Elizabeth (Libby) Pulsford is a mid-thirty-something cliché. She loves her small daughters, hot yoga, good coffee, overnight hiking, story-spinning, and nachos (and not always in that order). She is a high school Literature and English teacher from the Sunshine Coast, Australia, and the author of the picture books But Why?, Boots and Dresses are for Messes, with three more titles due for release in 2026-2027. In 2025, her work was shortlisted for the IamInPrint Competition (judged by Little Tiger), the Scott Stuart Literary Prize, the Larrikin House Prize, the WFK Pitch It Competition and the Jackie Hosking Spring Competition. Her stories combine giggles with grit, inviting children to imagine boldly, laugh loudly and dream up kinder worlds.
Connect with Libby on Insta @elizabethpulsfordauthor
Joanna Bartel
Joanna Bartel is an Australian illustrator with a background in graphic design and secondary school art/design and English teaching. She draws much of her inspiration from everyday family life with three young kids, experiences in teaching, and childhood memories of fun with three brothers and lots of cousins. Joanna has a particular love for character design and celebrating diversity.
Connect with Joanna on Insta: @joanna_emily_illustrates
Find out more about Joanna Bartel
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Lucia Masciullo
Lucia Masciullo is an award-winning illustrator who loves to create whimsical characters and colouring with traditional techniques, mixing watercolour, pencil and collage. Born and bred in Livorno, Italy, she moved to Australia in 2007 and since then she has illustrated thirty books, including Come Down, Cat! by Sonya Hartnett, which was a CBCA Honour Book and shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award. Lucia currently lives on the Gold Coast and when not at work she likes running, watching anime and eating homemade pizza.
Find out more about Lucia Masciullo
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Neesha Sinnya
Neesha Sinnya is a Nepalese/Australian writer who was raised on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Her writing aims to inspire, connect and make people feel seen. She’s passionate about shining a light on the experience of mixed race children and hopes her work can educate and move readers. Neelam’s Heart is her debut children’s book, released in early 2026.
Connect with Neesha on Insta: @neeshasinnya.author
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Niki Foreman
Niki Foreman (she/her) is the author and co-author of many award-winning and bestselling children’s books published in the UK, US and Australia; most recently, Planet Ark’s Now For The Good News, a CBCA Notable 2025. She is an accomplished editor and a lived-experience advocate for neurodivergent families. Niki is a presenter for the Australian Society of Authors on inclusive language, specifically around ableism and disablism, she is a member of the Australian Publisher’s Association D&I advisory board for neurodiversity and disability, and she is a mentor for aspiring book editors through an online education program.
Niki lives and works on Gubbi Gubbi Country in the Sunshine Coast with her husband and two children, and spends much of her time trying not to trip over the cats.
Connect with Niki on Insta: @bynikiforeman
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Paul O’Sullivan
Paul O’Sullivan is a voracious artist, philosopher and collector of ideas. He is the illustrator for Gary Crew’s picture books, The Visions of Ichabod X, (Short Listed for The Australian Book Designers Award), Timing the Machine and The Eva Carmichael Story, The Wreck of the Loch Ard, in addition to collaborating on Rich and Rare which received a notable at The CBCA. His most recent work has included illustrating elements for Jack Roney’s book The Ghost Train and the Scarlet Moon, and this year the release of The Photographer with Mark Rafidi, which has been shortlisted for The Aurealis Award. The detailed illustrations contain Steampunk-style elements and reflect Paul’s fascination with the silent films of the early years of cinema and a lifelong obsession with the 1930s which he attributes to being raised by older parents in the post-war city of Plymouth UK. Paul is currently working on a new book for Melbourne based Ford St Publishing.
Connect with Paul on Facebook: Paul O’Sullivan Illustrator
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Sandra Severgnini
Sandra Severgnini owned an art gallery and retail store before finally deciding it was well and truly time to nurture her lifetime passion and focus on children’s picture books. Her fascination with the magical natural world around her inspires her words and brings sensitivity and humour to her illustrations.
Find out more about Sandra Severgnini
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Charlotte Barkla
Charlotte Barkla is a Brisbane-based author and teacher. Her books include Let’s Try Again Another Day, the 11 Ruby Road historical fiction series, Robo-teacher, 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, including the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards and the Wilderness Society’s Environment Award for Children’s Literature. In 2023, All Bodies are Good Bodies was adapted into a song by the children’s band, The Quokkas.
As well as writing for children, Charlotte is a creative writing tutor for the Australian Writers’ Centre, and has written feature articles for publications including AEU News, Create Digital, Beanz Magazine and Double Helix. She regularly visits schools, libraries and festivals for creative writing workshops, sharing her passion for creativity and stories with children of all ages.
Find out more about Charlotte Barkla
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Jason Gent
Jason Gent is a Meanjin based writer. He studied Professional Writing and Editing at RMIT. During this time Jason had a short play performed by RMIT Union Arts, and helped to create a small press label, Rant, which released two anthologies. He has had a number of short stories published in Australian literary and poetry magazines. Jason is a member of Write Links. In 2021, Jason was shortlisted for the Glendower Awards for an Emerging Queensland Writer as part of the Queensland Literary Awards, for his YA verse novel, On The Exhale.
Connect with Jason on Insta: @Jason_gent_author
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Jayne McIntyre
Jayne McIntyre is a Sunshine Coast author with a passion for crafting middle-grade adventures with an Aussie twist. She blends magical realism, mystery, and native wildlife to take readers on unforgettable journeys.
Her debut book, The Feathers of Farwood and The Gripps Curse, invites readers to step into the feathers of an Eastern Barn Owl, offering a unique perspective on a world of secrets, courage, and friendship. Illustrated by Tamlyn Teow, this book (suited for ages 8-12) is the first in a brand-new trilogy inspired by Queensland animals and landscapes.
Connect with Jayne on Insta: @jaynem_writes, or Facebook: Jayne McIntyre Author
Find out more about Jayne McIntyre
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Jess Galatola
Jess Galatola is a teacher, author, mother, and big believer in all things magic. She lives in Brisbane, by the bay, where she enjoys spending sunny days with her family. Her debut picture book, Some Families Change, won a Silver ABLE Book Award in 2024. Jess has several new projects on the horizon, including a new picture book and a graphic novel set for release in 2026. Jess’s background in Drama and English curriculum has made her a passionate advocate of early literacy and storytelling. She creates stories that speak to young readers, to help them understand their place in the world. Jess loves working with students of all ages to bring stories and imagination to life.
Find out more about Jess Galatola
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Karen Comer
Karen Comer is a verse novelist and freelance editor. Grace Notes (Young Adult) won the 2024 CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers, and was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards and the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. Sunshine on Vinegar Street (Middle-Grade) won the Queensland Literary Awards for the Children’s Book Award and was a 2024 CBCA Notable for Younger Readers. Her third book, Once Upon Tomorrow, will be published in April 2026. Karen teaches online writing courses for adults, and presents talks and workshops in primary and secondary schools for students and teachers.
Find out more about Karen Comer
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Karen Foxlee
Karen Foxlee writes for both children and young adults. Her award-winning novels are published around the world and include Ophelia and the Marvellous Boy, Lenny’s Book of Everything and Dragon Skin.
She loves magic, making cakes, and the sea. She lives and writes in Queensland, Australia.
Find out more about Karen Foxlee
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Marg Gibbs
Marg Gibbs lives in Mapleton, Queensland and writes poems, stories and middle-grade fiction for children.
Find out more about Marg Gibbs
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Tina Strachan
Tina Strachan is the author of the middle-grade Wilder Zoo series, books filled with friendship, fun, adventure and, of course, lots of animals, as experienced through 11-year-old Neeka Wilder who lives in a zoo! The books were inspired by Tina’s own life, working with wildlife conservation, and zoos, for more than twenty years.
Tina is also the co-host of The Book Deal podcast, where she interviews authors and industry professionals about writing craft, author tips and publication journeys.
Tina lives on the Gold Coast in Queensland with her family and their loudly-snoring cavoodle.
Find out more about Tina Strachan
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The Little Book Nook
Kay from The Little Book Nook will be hosting our pop-up bookshop on the night.
