Marsden is the author of many award-winning books including the most popular young adult series in Australia, ‘The Tomorrow Series’. The first book, ‘Tomorrow When the War Began’ was made into a film distributed by Paramount Pictures in 2010. His award winning children’s book ‘The Rabbits’, an allegorical story about the colonisation of Australia, has been adapted into an opera which received four Helpmann Awards in 2015. During this thirty year career, John Marsden has written and edited more than forty books and written extensively about the creative writing process.

“Writing is not a job or activity. Writing is like a different kind of existence. In my life, for some of the time, I am in an alternative world, which I enter through day-dreaming or imagination. That world seems as real to me as the more tangible one of relationships and work, cars and taxes.”

Alongside his writing career, Marsden is heavily involved in education where he visits thousands of schools to give talks or workshops. For eight years he ran very popular writing camps, attracting school groups from as far away as Indonesia, Singapore and Turkey. With this success Marsden went on to launch his own school in 2006. Candlebark School maintains the philosophy that creative lively learning is purposeful and challenging.

Marsden’s writing ranges from historical fiction and non-fiction to fantasy and poetry. His writing is primarily aimed at young adult and children and draws on his passion for the honest spirit and creativity of young people who he immerses himself in his work, school and family.

With his extensive knowledge on the art of writing, Marsden will teach two workshops at the Forum on Language & Editing and Plots That Work.

For further information on John Marsden’s work visit his site or watch him discuss his career.

He will be joined by Samoan writer Lani Wendt Young, the ACP 2018 Pacific Laureate, fellow Australian author Dr Anita Heiss and local writers from across New Zealand. Tickets are on sale now with discounts offered for NZSA Members. Early bird tickets are available until 5 August.

For more information, to establish interviews or for images please contact Kirsten Le Harivel at programmenwf@gmail.com or Jenny Nagle at director@nzauthors.org.nz