Indie Author Festival - Brisbane

Learn how to succeed in self-publishing!

If you have ever considered self-publishing or would like to do it better, this festival is for you!

Join us at the Indie Author Event on the Sunshine Coast to celebrate the creativity, courage and collaboration in the Indie Author Community.

Come along and connect with publishing experts, fellow authors and book lovers. Learn how to succeed in self-publishing from an esteemed line-up of speakers, including: Lauren Elise Daniels BA MFA, Pamela Jeffs, Kirsty Ogden, Dr David Reiter, Jennifer Lancaster, Diane Clarke, Linda King and Belinda Tobin.

This in-person event is a great opportunity to establish strong foundations as an independent author and to immerse yourself in a world of creativity.

Don't miss out on this chance to connect with fellow authors and book lovers, and learn more about the Indie Author adventure.

Our esteemed speakers:

Lauren Elise Daniels BA MFA - Bram Stoker Award® finalist, L. E. Daniels, BA MFA, is an author/poet and the editor of over 140 titles. Lauren’s novel, Serpent’s Wake: A Tale for the Bitten (IP) is a Notable Work with the Horror Writers Association’s Mental Health Initiative. She edited Aiki Flinthart’s Relics, Wrecks and Ruins (CAT) with Geneve Flynn, winning the 2021 Aurealis Award. With Christa Carmen, Lauren edited the Aurealis finalist, We Are Providence (Weird House) and Monsters in the Mills (IP). Recent publications include “Silk” (Hush, Don’t Wake the Monster, Twisted Wing), "Darkness Repeats" (Monsters in the Mills, IP), and “Hangman’s Coming” (Where the Silent Ones Watch, Hippocampus). Lauren also directs the Brisbane Writers Workshop.

Pamela Jeffs - Pamela Jeffs is an Australian speculative fiction author and writing mentor. She won the 2023 Aurealis Award for Best Horror Short Story and in previous years shortlisted for an additional eleven Aurealis Awards, three Ditmar Awards and two Australasian Shadow Awards.

Jennifer Lancaster - A book editor and writing coach for non-fiction authors, Jennifer helps create the truest meaning for books her clients write. Over ten years she supported the editing or design production of 30 authors' non-fiction books. Along with writing a leading self-publishing blog, Jen has written personal finance, marketing, and other books that empower the individual. Her latest is My Personal Brand, reflecting the importance of brand for authors.

Dr David Reiter - Dr David P Reiter is an award-winning text and digital artist, and Publisher / CEO of IP (Interactive Publications Pty Ltd). His most recent works are the multimedia verse play Tchaikovsky (Almost) in Love, the picture book DIScombolulation (Book 2 of the Sir Humphrey & Woody picture book Series), the novel Black Books Publishing, and the digital narrative Time Lords Remixed: a Dr Who Poetical. He’s won the Western Australian Premier’s Award twice, and the Queensland Premier’s Award. He gives talks on all aspects of independent publishing and is the author of Your eBook Survival Kit, now in its 4th edition.

Kirsty Ogden is the owner of Brisbane Self Publishing Service and Epiphany Editing & Publishing, where she provides a one-stop shop for authors looking to self-publish with confidence. With over 30 years of experience in graphic design, editing, publishing, and librarianship, Kirsty guides writers through the entire self-publishing process using her proprietary 5-step Let’s Get Published Framework®. In 2022, she published 'Let's Get Published: The Self-Publishing Playbook', a practical guide consolidating her industry expertise and providing a clear roadmap for aspiring authors navigating the self-publishing process. As a freelance editor and book designer, Kirsty also specialises in helping writers bring their vision to life—ensuring their words shine and their books are beautifully crafted for print. Whether it’s editing, formatting, or book production, her focus is on helping authors achieve their dream of becoming published. Kirsty also runs self-publishing workshops and individual consultations to support writers at every stage of their journey.

Diane Clarke was born in South London and spent her childhood on the Sussex coast. She trained as a speech pathologist and worked in that field most of her career, continuing after she immigrated to Australia 27 years ago. When she took three months off to find another job, she decided to dabble in writing, and she now has two published novels. The Bracelet is Diane’s second novel. Her debut, The Photograph, was published by Wings ePress Inc. in 2024. Her other writing credits include flash fiction and short stories published in several anthologies including the Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition – 2nd place (2019) and longlisted (2020).

Though happily settled in Brisbane, Australia, since 1996, much of her inspiration comes from the UK. Using stunning locations as the backdrop, her novels feature restless women craving truth, identity and love. She propels her female protagonists into complex family predicaments where they must deal with the agony of missing siblings, absent fathers or ethical dilemmas.

When not writing she takes long walks in the Australian bush, upcycles vintage furniture, spends time with family and friends and spoils her cavoodle puppy.

Linda King is the Smart Travelista! As a child, she went on a four-month road trip around Australia, and she has not stopped travelling since. She loved travel so much that she became a travel agent and, at latest count, has visited 35 countries, with more to come. Linda also spent time as a banker and so also has a wealth of expertise in money management.

Linda has combined her expertise in travel and finance, establishing the Smart Travelista brand to help others travel and save money. Her mission is to share travel tips so her readers can explore the world and save money. She is a prolific author, writing ten books—seven in the Smart Travelista series and three in the Antics from Abroad series. In addition, Linda writes a blogs and posts travel videos to share the best travel tips and hacks.

Belinda Tobin - Belinda is a researcher, author, producer and founder of the boutique publishing house Heart-Led Publishing. She has developed the Understanding Series, which delves into crunchy social concepts such as authenticity, monogamy, violence and addiction. Her latest work, Understanding Creativity, discusses the complexity of this concept with clarity and compassion. Belinda's novels touch and transform, reflecting the deep growth that occurred during the creation of each one. Belinda is also the Series Executive Producer for the Future Sex Love Art Projekt - the most watched and awarded erotic film project of all time. She also enjoys writing poetry, TV pilots, and sharing her learnings through public presentations. Most recently, she has established Belinda Tobin Creative, bringing all of her knowledge, expertise, and energy directly to her clients as a creative consultant.