TALKS AND WORKSHOPS 

Carla is an experienced speaker and presenter who confidently delivers writing workshops and presentations for students, teachers, parents and emerging authors. She shares practical strategies and writing tips that help participants draw from their personal experience, expand ideas through research and trust their creative instincts to craft meaningful stories.

Whether at festivals, conferences or in schools, Carla loves tailoring sessions to suit the needs of her audience. Her goal is always to ignite excitement and to entertain – while also delivering practical, memorable takeaways participants can return to long after the session ends. 

TALKS

STORIES YOU CAN’T ESCAPE

What makes a story impossible to put down? In this interactive presentation, Carla reveals how she creates suspense, raises stakes and keeps readers turning pages in her gripping mystery thrillers for young teens. Packed with anecdotes, photos and videos, she shares the real-life writing strategies behind compelling characters, high-stakes plots and unforgettable settings.

Students will experiment with the "what if?" questions that inspired We Saw What You Started, Carla's debut novel that was shortlisted for the 2026 CBCA Book of the Year Award for Older Readers. They'll also go behind the scenes of We Did It Anyway, the next standalone mystery in the Red Sands series, to discover how authors hook readers from the first page, build momentum and write with confidence.

Combining practical writing tips with humour, storytelling and audience participation, Carla will deliver a high-energy presentation filled with memorable takeaways that students can immediately apply to their own writing.

Stuck in the middle with… our students? (Teachers and librarians)

There’s something inherently uncomfortable about being ‘in the middle’. No-one willingly chooses the dreaded middle seat on a solo flight, wedged between strangers with no armrest, window, or aisle to lean into. It’s the same unease we see in middle years of schooling. The Year 7-9 stretch where students crave independence, yet still desperately need reassurance (often in the same sentence). 

In this insightful presentation with a side-serving of humorous anecdotes, Carla explores how teaching strategies can meet students where they are – teetering somewhere between childhood and adulthood – and guide them towards purposeful, playful and powerful storytelling. Drawing on her experience as a teacher and author, Carla reflects on the joy of teaching in this space, where laptop chargers go missing but curiosity and creativity can be sparked. Expect to takeaway renewed energy, practical methods and confirmation that the work we do ‘in the middle’ really matters. 

WORKSHOPS

CREATING BRAVELY

Great stories make the small things big, and the big things small. In this interactive workshop, Carla reveals the techniques behind compelling stories and shows participants how to apply them to their own writing. Through quick-fire challenges, creative prompts and engaging activities, students will learn how to hook readers, raise the stakes and create characters readers genuinely care about.

Drawing on examples from her own writing process, Carla explores each stage of the creative journey, from generating ideas to refining a final draft. Participants will discover practical strategies they can use immediately and leave with greater confidence to take risks, experiment and create bravely.

Topics may include:

• Character development and theme

• Finding story ideas in everyday life, current events and the news

• Crafting compelling inciting incidents

• World-building and creating a strong sense of place

• Using descriptive language that shows rather than tells

• Receiving and applying feedback to strengthen a piece of writing

• Editing strategies used by professional authors

Throughout the workshop, Carla will share autobiographical anecdotes (including the time she worked as a fourteen-year-old television journalist intern and went undercover to chase a story in a police station). She will also provide behind-the-scenes insights into her research, drafting and editing processes, demonstrating how skills used in novel writing can be applied to short stories and other narrative forms.

Expect photos, videos, fun games, short quizzes, collaborative challenges and visible learning activities with outcomes participants can measure immediately.

This workshop can be tailored for students in Years 5 to 12 and can suit a single 40-minute session, multiple workshops or a full-day writing experience.

In the middle of everything – engaging young teen writers and readers (Teachers and Librarians)

The middle years of schooling can be a challenging landscape – not just for students, but for the teachers guiding them. Between early adolescence and emerging independence, students in Years 7-9 are navigating major developmental, emotional and academic shifts. In our classrooms, we ask them to decode complex texts, craft original writing, analyse ideas deeply… and hopefully remember their laptop charger.

Carla will share how she’s merged strategies as a teacher and an author to enhance engagement for young readers and writers in her classroom. This workshop balances practical application with space for reflection and discussion. Expect to leave with refreshed strategies, renewed confidence and a few laughs – because teaching the middle years might be messy, but it’s also full of magic. 

Focus areas include:

• Strengthening student voice and agency in reading and writing tasks
• Embedding playfulness and purpose in activities
• Building connections beyond the classroom with parents and carers
• Enabling choice for reluctant readers
• Reinforcing the power of storytelling as a tool for identity, empathy and critical thinking