J.M. Coetzee

J.M. Coetzee is the author of twenty works of fiction, including Disgrace, The Life and Times of Michael K, and most recently, The Pole and Other Stories, as well as works of criticism and translations. In 2003, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. 

Ceridwen Dovey

Ceridwen Dovey is the author of several works of fiction and non-fiction, including Only the Animals (2014), On J.M. Coetzee: Writers on Writers (2018), and Mothertongues (2022).  Her most recent book is a collection of short stories, Only the Astronauts (2024). She loves to write in many genres, to collaborate with other artists, and to experiment with voice and form. Her science writing has been recognised with an Australian Museum Eureka Award, and she makes experimental films about ethics in outer space as part of the Archival Futures Collective. She writes audio-only romance fiction for Audible as Adeline Knight (Lonely Harts Radio was released in 2023, and Wildhearts is forthcoming in 2024.)

Nicholas Jose

Nicholas Jose is a novelist, essayist, and playwright, whose thirteen books include the novels Paper Nautilus, Avenue of Eternal Peace (shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award), The Custodians (shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize), Original Face and, most recently The Idealist published in 2023 and shortlisted for the Age Book of the Year Award. He is also the author of two short story collections, a volume of essays, Chinese Whispers, and the memoir Black Sheep.

He has also served as Chair of Creative Writing at Adelaide University, Visiting Chair of Australian Studies at Harvard University, and is a past president of International PEN Sydney. He is Adjunct Professor in the Writing and Society Research Centre, Western Sydney University and Emeritus Professor of English and Creative Writing at The University of Adelaide.