Authors and illustrators
Nicola Edwards
Nicola was raised by the seaside in beautiful Brighton. She loves reading, dancing, rhyming and turquoise things. She now lives with her husband and son in East London and spends her days writing and editing children’s books. She has been nominated for the UKLA 2019 award. @NicolaBookFace
Nicky Benson
Nicky Benson was born and raised in Chicago. She studied Communication at Northern Illinois University where she met her husband, Brad. Nothing makes Nicky happier than spending time with family and friends, rummaging through a flea market, and cuddling in a book nook with her son, Drew. She now lives in St Charles, not far from her hometown of Chicago.
Nick Ward
Nick Ward lives in a small rural village with his wife Amanda, their two children Jimmy and Mala, and two mad cats Fred and Wilma. Nick works from a studio in an old Victorian school, loves reading and spends many hours amongst dusty documents researching his family history.
Maudie Powell-Tuck
When not writing, Maudie spends far too much of her time in expensive shops gawping at clothes and glittery things she can’t afford, and dreaming about owning a pug called Stanley. She’d love to say that she runs marathons – but that would be a lie.
Maxine Lee
Maxine was born in Liverpool, Merseyside where she still lives with her partner and their two fantastic boys. After gaining an HND in Multimedia Arts and a BA Honours in Digital Arts in 2004, she went on to teach a range of creative subjects before taking a step back to concentrate on her freelance career as an author/illustrator. Unable to let go of college life, she also works part-time as a technician in a brilliant and busy art department in St. Helens. In her spare time, Maxine enjoys doing anything except keeping still.
Melissa Kang
Dr Melissa Kang is the expert behind the long-running Dolly Doctor column. She’s also a practising medical doctor with marginalised young people in western Sydney and an academic at the University of Technology Sydney.
Melissa Keil
Melissa was born in Melbourne, Australia and worked as an editor, high school teacher and a Middle Eastern tour guide before becoming an author. Her debut YA novel, Life in Outer Space, was the winner of the 2013 Ampersand Project. Her second YA novel, The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl won the IBBY Australia’s Ena Noel award and was shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers. Melissa lives in Melbourne with her cheeky spoodle, Hugo.
Luke Newell
Luke graduated with a BA in Illustration from Kingston University, and has made a living telling stories through pictures ever since. Originally working in traditional animation for TV and advertising (Picasso Pictures, MTV) he moved through web animation into interactivity and games, working for ten years as in-house Illustrator and Concept Artist at Playstation’s London Studio. He is currently a full-time Illustrator.