Looking for a speaker for your conference or event?

Send me an email at…

smallbluedog [at] gmail [dot] com

…to discuss the possibilities.

For a bio in different lengths, headshots and a sample Q&A, check out my Media Kit.

Current Topics

1. The Mosquito Bite

Length: 15 minutes up to 1 hour (adaptable)

Purpose: To inspire people to pursue their dreams despite — or even because of — life’s challenges

For years I had wanted to hike New Zealand’s Milford Track, a four-day trek through some of the most awe-inspiring mountains on earth, as a research expedition for my debut thriller Poison Bay. But when an innocuous mosquito bite resulted in a debilitating chronic illness, merely walking as far as the letterbox seemed impossible. I’ve blogged about this personal story of confronting pain and feelings of powerlessness by going into training for that very hike. I did it! And along the way I learned much bigger lessons about life.

2. Self-Publish like a Pro

Length: 30 minutes up to 6-hour workshop (adaptable)

Purpose: To encourage and empower individuals to publish books of professional standard

I believe it’s possible for self-publishers to produce books that can hold their own alongside the products of the Big Five publishers, without necessarily having to spend a fortune. I have developed and adapted techniques based on my years of experience as a book editor for traditional publishers, and a publishing consultant for niche and self-publishers. I have also now taken the plunge and become a self-publisher myself, which has given me personal insight into the stresses and pressures of the task.

3. The long trail to Poison Bay

Length: 10 minutes up to 1 hour (adaptable)

Purpose: To entertain readers with tales about researching and writing a crime novel set in the wilderness

A family holiday around New Zealand’s South Island became the inspiration for something much more sinister when I realised its dramatic landscape would make a good murder weapon. My quest for authentic background information for my novel led me to a research expedition full of hazardous moments, and even a four-day trek through the wilderness.

4. You Choose

Talk to me about what you want to achieve with your event, and I can suggest some possible topics.

Experience

Over the past 20 years, I’ve spoken on an eclectic range of topics to very different groups of people…

Group size

I have addressed varied groups from ten people in a home up to audiences of 600 in a conference venue.

Presentation style

• Interactive and practical.
• I like to connect with real people and give them something they can actually use, be it writing skills or inspiration for life’s hard places.
• I always seek to encourage and empower my listeners.

Locations have included:

• Many presentations in Sydney and Brisbane.
• Regional Australian locations as farflung as the Pilbara region of north-western Australia.
• International locations.

Settings have included:

• Queensland Writers Centre
• National business marketing conference
• Multi-session workplace training program
• School groups
• Missionary conventions, community and church gatherings.

Past topics

These have been highly varied, from “The benefits of video on a professional services website”, to a training course in how to use Adobe InDesign for particular templates without learning the whole software program, to a talk on God the Creator for a church craft group!

Testimonials

“Belinda… presented clearly, spoke fluently, and her audio visual presentation was engaging and humorous.  Everything was easy to understand and … I believe that she has been the most professionally prepared guest speaker that we have had this year.” Cheryl Springer, President, Pine Rivers Chamber of Commerce

“Thank you for your concise and practical presentation … it was spiked with humour, underpinned by experience and very relevant.” Margaret Goody, Akyra Strategy & Development

“Thank you for your excellent contribution last night to the seminar Going it alone … I enjoyed it immensely and learned a great deal.” Brian Robertson

“Belinda is a very capable speaker and communicator. She has considerable natural ability in this area, an academic background in communications and a high level of motivation to continually work on and sharpen these skills.” David Mansfield, Anglican Diocese of Sydney