Best-selling authors Markus Zusak, Julie Goodwin and John Safran are the first guests announced for the 2025 Newcastle Writers Festival.
Zusak is well-known for his famous novels Bridge of Clay and The Book Thief, which was adapted into an Oscar-winning film in 2014.
Masterchef winner Goodwin will appear in both Newcastle and Cessnock, discussing her new best-selling memoir Your Time Starts Now.
Making his festival debut is Melbourne comedian and journalist Safran with his recent book Squat, a story accounting the week he spent squatting in Kanye West’s abandoned California mansion.
They are among 155 other writers participating in the event from 4 to 6 April.
Other guests include Anita Heiss, discussing her historical novel Dirrayawadha: Rise Up, which centres of resilience, love, and resistance during the frontier wars.
It will be the second time she’s participated in the festival, featuring in the inaugural program in 2013.
Speaking on her part memoir, part feminist manifesto Taboo, is Sydney journalist and best-selling author Hannah Ferguson.
Her return is highly-anticipated, after her 2024 event quickly sold out.
Award-winning investigative journalist Peter Greste will appear for the first time to speak about his book The Correspondent.
Now a major film, the novel exposes the fight for truth in today’s conflicts including new insights on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Newcastle Writers Festival director Rosemarie Milsom said the program teaser was an early Christmas gift for the event’s loyal audience.
“We’re hosting more than 150 writers, this is just a sample, but it shows the breadth of talent the festival attracts,” she explained.
The full program is available from 14 February, with tickets going on sale the same day.
There will be 95 ticketed and free events in the 2025 schedule, set to be held across the University of Newcastle’s NUspace, The Conservatorium of Music, Watt Space Gallery, and the Civic Playhouse.
Satellite venues in Cessnock and Port Stephens will also stage activities.
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