Christopher Paolini was educated at home by his parents. His abiding love of fantasy and science fiction inspired him to write his debut novel, Eragon, when he graduated from high school at 15.

Journalist, columnist and author Thomas Friedman has been one of the world’s most influential media figures for over a decade. In his twice-weekly New York Times column he’s written widely on issues ...

Eleanor Catton was born in 1985 in Canada and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand. She won the 2007 Sunday Star-Times short-story competition, the 2008 Glenn Schaeffer Fellowship to the Iowa Writers' ...

Dame Stella Rimington joined the Security Service (MI5) in 1968 and was appointed Director General in 1992, the first woman to hold the post. Her latest novel is Rip Tide. During her career, Stella ...

The Wheeler Centre’s Hot Desk Fellowships are back for 2025 – this year made possible by the generous support of the Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne, the Readings Foundation and the Just ...

Tony Birch is the author of four novels, five short fiction collections, and two poetry books. His most recent book is the novel, Women and Children (UQP). The inaugural Commissioner for Aboriginal ...

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Pierz Newton-John is a writer, web developer and former psychotherapist. He is also a founding faculty member of The School of Life Melbourne. His critically acclaimed short-story collection Fault ...

Jax Brown (they/them) is an esteemed disability and LGBTQIA+ rights activist, writer, educator and consultant. Their tireless commitment to LGBTIQA+ disability human rights and advocacy has been ...

Shane is a descendant of the Kalkadoon people from Mount Isa in North West Queensland. Shane has worked in the human services industry for over two decades, serving as the chief executive officer for ...