Emma Hardman

links

friends and heroes

Sarah Armstrong
www.sarah-armstrong.com

Writing group buddy and fellow writer, Sarah used to work for the ABC as a journalist, before making the sea change to Byron Bay to concentrate on writing fiction. Sarah's first novel, Salt Rain, was published by Allen & Unwin in July 2004 and was shortlisted for three national literary awards: the 2005 Dobbie Award for a first novel by a woman, the 2005 Miles Franklin Literary Award and the 2005 Queensland Premier's Literary Award. Sarah runs writing classes and workshops – see her website for details.

Jesse Blackadder
www.blackadder.net

Writing group buddy and fellow writer, Jesse Blackadder lives in Byron Bay and works as a freelance writer. Jesse’s novel After the Party was published by Hardie Grant in 2005. It is a sensuous, passionate story about life-changing moments and collisions with fate, set between the steamy rainforests of the northcoast hinterland and the turquoise ocean. Full of subversive wit, After the Party is colonised by cane toads, fortune tellers, acrobats and tourists, and brings the glossy surface as well as the murky undergrowth of Byron Bay to life.

L to R: Hayley Katzen, Sarah Armstrong, Jesse Blackadder, ME!

Hayley Katzen
Writing group buddy and fellow writer, Hayley Katzen's publications include a textbook on Administrative Law, articles for a number of legal periodicals, social justice research reports, community law reform discussion papers, and distance learning materials for Southern Cross University's School of Law and Justice. All of which makes her sound like a terrible bore – which in fact she is NOT. To prove this, she swapped legal academia for creativity several years ago, and now lives as a farmer’s bit-of-crumpet on a farm way out past Casino. In June 2005 Hayley produced Pressure Point, an innovative and powerful theatre production, co-written by herself, director Alka and actor Linda Rutledge. Pressure Point examines the intertwined lives of six women, and confronts the issue of asylum seekers. Hayley is currently working on a novel about love and betrayal, set in South Africa and Australia, and a non-fiction book on the politics of giving.

Emma Driver
home.iprimus.com.au/edriver
www.myspace.com/emmadriver

Singer, songwriter Emma Driver is also a book editor, a bird watcher, cardigan fancier, lover of 70s knitting patterns, and general all-round genius (she also did this website for me). Her songs are beautiful. Not content to walk the path of musical superhero-dom which is clearly hers for the taking, Emma lurks shyly on the edges of anonymity, creating her own style of poignant lyrical-pop-folk-comedy fusion (that’s irony folks - Emma will be cringing!). Even if she wasn’t my friend she would be my favourite singer-songwriter ever. Her songs are moving, funny, and at times very silly. Her hits* include Abstract Morose Song, Sexy Sultry Jazz Song, and a flamenco version of George Michael’s Careless Whisper, as well as more serious songs about love, relationships, public transport, birds, the temperament of cows, and hard-rinded vegetables. Critics** have said ‘Hey Em, that’s really ace. I love that song!’ And she has been described*** as: ‘the love child of Ani Difranco, Joni Mitchell, Weird Al Yankovic and Paul Kelly’****.

* The term ‘hits’ here is used in a general sense, meaning ‘one of my favourites that I’ve heard her play over the years and know all the words to’

** ie – me

*** by me

**** In a post-cloning world where a love child can be produced by four people.

Dangerously Poetic Press
www.dangerouslypoetic.com

Dangerously Poetic (DPP) is a community poetry press based in the Northern Rivers. DPP has published five books, all of which I highly recommend. What’s more they’re all incredibly nice people and amazingly talented poets. DPP offers workshops on all phases of the creation process, from inspiration to fine tuning your work, from how to submit poems for print publication and contests, to how to perform your poem at readings.

Melissa Lucashenko
www.lighthousebayphotography.com/ml/
www.uqp.uq.edu.au

Friend, mentor and fellow writer, Melissa Lucashenko author of Steam Pigs (winner of the Kibble Prize), Killing Darcy, Hard Yards (shortlisted for the Queensland Premier’s Award), and Too Flash. Melissa’s writing is stark, straightforward, character-driven fiction. Gritty social realism done with humour and pathos. She is a Murri woman of European and Ygambeh/Bundjalung descent, and has affiliations with the Arrente and Waanyi people. After working as a bar attendant, housepainter and martial arts instructor, she received an Honours Degree in Public Policy from Griffith University. I approached her to become my mentor a few years back, and she has been wonderfully supportive and insightful. She is an inspiration and has been invaluable to me throughout the writing process.

DC Green
dcgreenyarns.blogspot.com

Surf buddy and fellow writer, DC Green is an award-winning fiction and non-fiction writer who has written over 2,000 articles for 50+ magazines and newspapers, an adult graphic novel (Lash Clone Returns to Vortex) and contributed to a dozen of anthologies. DC Green once beat Kelly Slater! [at pool] Today, DC lives on the NSW South Coast with one slightly crazy daughter and three very crazy cats. He continues to surf with high zeal and low skill. DC Green’s first novel for kids is Erasmus James and the Galactic Zapp machine.