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When celebrated author Jessica Townsend visited All Saints’ College in June, her words captivated the audience and sparked imaginations across the community. From aspiring young writers to long-time fans of the Nevermoor series, students were inspired by Jessica’s passion for storytelling, her insights into character development, and her reflections on the power of imagination.

We’re proud to showcase our students' writing, fostering creativity and encourage students to find their own voices through writing and deep engagement with literature. Charmaine, a Year 8 student, was among those in the audience at Jessica Townsend's In Conversation and shares her reflections below.

Read Charmaine's article:

On 12 June All Saints’ College had the honour of welcoming award-winning author Jessica Townsend, who was interviewed by A.J. Betts. Jessica Townsend is an award-winning author living with her dogs Vivian and Rick in Sunshine Coast, Queensland. The evening was filled with many readers eagerly listening to what she had to say about her newly released book Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow. 

Silverborn is Jessica’s fourth book in the Nevermoor series and each book talks about how Morrigan Crow overcomes problems thrust upon her because of her identity in the new year – promise no spoilers! Jessica talked about the development of characters in her ongoing series based on people she met in real life. “The Nevermoor series are fantasy-based novels which allows me to write about whatever I am imagining, that’s my favourite thing about these books,” Jessica said.

The award-winning author also revealed that there are going to be nine books in the Nevermoor book series, making many readers excited to see where Morrigan travels next. Jessica told us that her favourite character in her books is Cadence Blackburn because she is a mesmerist. “She is one of those characters that puts her mind on something and does not give up,” Jessica gushed towards the audience with pride and joy.

After the interview with A.J. Betts, there was book signing and photo taking with Jessica which caused long lines in the CPA foyer with many excited readers. The evening was full of magic and surely one to remember. Start reading Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor series because it is full of fun characters, huge cats, secret societies and fascinating public transport like the brolly rail!

Looking ahead, we’re delighted to host another celebrated Australian author at the start of the next school holidays. Don’t miss Craig Silvey In Conversation with Gillian O’Shaughnessy on Tuesday 30 September at 6.00pm, where he’ll be discussing his latest novel, Runt. This promises to be another engaging and thought-provoking evening for readers of all ages.