Gabbie Stroud: The Things That Matter Most

Gabbie Stroud is a writer and recovering teacher. Teacher is Gabbie’s smash-hit memoir that brings readers into today’s classrooms. Her follow up book, Dear Parents, challenges parents and caregivers to reframe their perception of our education system and to reconsider the purpose of schooling. The Things That Matter Most is her debut fiction for adults. Gabbie lives on Yuin Nation on the far south coast of New South Wales, with her totally awesome daughters—Olivia and Sophie.

Over the past 30 years Rebecca Sparrow has been a magazine editor, a newspaper columnist, a tv scriptwriter, a podcast host and a writer. She is the author of three best-selling novels The Girl Most Likely, The Year Nick McGowan Came to Stay and Joel and Cat Set The Story Straight (co-authored with Nick Earls). Since 2009 Rebecca has focused on writing non-fiction books for teenage girls to help them navigate those tricky high school years. Those books include Find Your Tribe (and 9 other things I wish I'd known in high school); Find Your Feet (The 8 things I Wish I'd Known Before I Left High School) and the best-selling Ask Me Anything (heartfelt answers to 65 anonymous questions from teenage girls).

Aside from writing books Rebecca has co-hosted two seasons of the award-winning health and happiness podcast The Well with Robin Bailey and played Agony Aunt to teenagers across the country on the Ask Me Anything podcast. With her friend Jane Sullivan, Bec co-captains three enormously popular online book clubs for kids, teens and adults AND she talks to thousands of school students (and their parents!) every year about how to cultivate great friendships, the importance of personal boundaries and why giving back leads to greater happiness. Rebecca is an ambassador for The Pyjama Foundation which helps bring a love of reading to kids in the foster care system. In 2018 she was invited to sit on the Queensland Government's Anti-Bullying Taskforce.

Rebecca lives in Brisbane with her husband Brad, her three kids and two labradoodles (one of whom is INCREDIBLY naughty).

Jane Sullivan is the founder of Scholarly, an online learning platform that supports QCE English students. She is also co-founder of four hugely popular online book clubs: Rebel Readers Alliance, The Bluestockings Society, The Midnight Readers, and Birds of a Feather Book Club. Jane is an experienced English teacher, registered celebrant, book club coordinator, public speaker, online course developer, and mum to four young sons who she hopes will share her love of reading. Whether you're a parent looking for some thrilling reads for your primary aged child, or you'd like your teen to join a safe online community that offers more than just books, or you’re keen to connect with other grown-ups that love to have wholehearted conversations about books and stories, Jane and her co-captain Rebecca Sparrow have a book club for just about anyone. Jane is thrilled to bring her unique blend of biblio-zest and literary nous to the Brisbane Writers Festival.