Writers Out West
Dale Harcombe
Dale Harcombe's collection of poetry, Kaleidoscope, was published by Ginninderra Press in 2005. Many of these poems have been published in some of Australia's leading literary journals and newspapers. Her poetry has appeared in several anthologies. An experienced English tutor, Dale has conducted writing workshops in Sydney and Orange. She is a manuscript assessor for Driftwood Manuscripts Services and Manuscripts Online, has reviewed poetry books and scripts for several magazines and is a children's book reviewer. As well as poetry, Dale's short stories, children's and YA fiction, a radio play, articles and educational texts, have been published in Australia, USA, UK and Malaysia.
Added to poetry, Dale writes short stories, children's and YA fiction. 'Chasing after the Wind,' her novel for 11-14 year olds, was published by Scholastic in 1997. An extract can be seen below (click image for more info);
Charlotte Calder
Charlotte Calder was born in Adelaide and grew up in the Adelaide Hills and Darwin. She has worked, among other things, as an actor and photographer, and has written articles for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian.
Her novel for young adults, Settling Storms, was published by Lothian Books in 2000, followed by Cupid Painted Blind in 2002 and Surviving Amber in 2005, both published by Pan Macmillan. She has recently completed a biography of the aviation pioneer and founder of Hazelton Airlines, Max Hazelton, and is currently working on another novel for teenagers.
She lives with her husband and the youngest of their three children, who are aged 21, 19 and 14, near Orange.
Kathleen McNamara
Kathleen was born and raised in Molong and later Orange. She has written for a living since 1987 as a commercial copywriter for radio, TV and print, then worked briefly as a freelance journalist. She received formal qualification in communications from the University of Technology, Sydney in 1992.
After becoming a parent in 1997, she was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and spent several years in and out of institutions in Australia and the UK learning to manage this condition.
She worked on the !@#$ Happens Puppet Show as co-writer and performer for mental health week in 2003 in collaboration with Arts Out West. Her poem Bowess and short story Apple Blossom Cherry Queen were published in the 1st Contours publication produced by the Central West Writers' Centre. Both were featured on local ABC radio.
She has also worked on several board games as well as articles, child care publications and business publications.
A three week retreat fellowship at Varuna Writers Centre in 2001 for her non fiction manuscript about her experiences with bipolar and psychosis led to her work being featured at the 2004 Sydney Writers' Festival.
Her most recent work has been with OCTEC (Orange Community Training Education Centre Inc) as a literacy tutor and bus driver for a program Links to Learning for children at risk of disengaging from school.
Picture of Kathleen McNamara above. For the extract from her latest work presented at the 2004 Sydney Writers' Festival click here.
Paul Stafford
Paul Stafford is a literacy consultant working in schools around Australia. He specialises in inspiring reluctant boy readers & writers by linking writing with social purpose outcomes - short film, radio dramas, illustrated websites, comic books. He has written 13 teenage fiction books, and his latest series, Horror High, is published by Random House. More info available at Horror High Books or his consultancy site Pants on Fire.
